Governor announces telehealth in schools, COVID-19 testing for teachers

Gov.

Tate Reeves announced Monday that he is introducing telehealth in schools and expanding COVID-19 testing for teachers.

YOU TO KNOW THAT TODAY.AS WE WORK TO ENSURE THATCHILDREN CAN ACHIEVE QUALITYLEARNING IN THE STATE OF ART OFMISSISSIPPI.WE ARE GOING TO ANNOUNCE TWOMEASURES TO INCREASE ACCESS TOHEALTHCARE AND COVID-19PREVENTION IN OUR SCHOOLS.FIRST WE ARE EXPANDINGSCHOOL-BASED EMERGENCYTELEHEALTH COVERAGE THROUGHOUTTHE STATE OF MISSISSIPPI.THIS WILL ALLOW SCHOOLS EVENTHOSE WITHOUT SCHOOL NURSES ORSCHOOL-BASED CLINICS.ACCESS TELEHEALTH SERVICES APHYSICIAN A NURSE PRACTITIONEROR PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT WE’LL BEABLE TO PROVIDE REMOTE SERVICESIN SCHOOLS ACROSS THE STATE.THIS IS A PROGRAM THATORIGINATED FROM THE MISSISSIPPIDIVISION OF MEDICAID.AND YET MANY OF YOU HAVE SEENDREW SNYDER ARE VERY CAPABLEDIRECTOR OF THE DIVISION OFMEDICAID.OVER THE LAST SEVERAL MONTHS ANDI’VE ASKED HIM TO COME TODAY TOSHARE SOME MORE DETAILS WITH USABOUT THIS PROGRAM DREW.THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE AND THEPROGRAM IS YOURS.VERY MUCH GOVERNOR SINCE THEBEGINNING OF THE COVID-19OUTBREAK IN MISSISSIPPI.GOVERNOR REEVES HAS MADE IT APRIORITY TO LEVERAGE TELEHEALTHSERVICES AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE TOINCREASE ACCESS TO HEALTH CAREWHILE LIMITING UNNECESSARYTRAVEL AND POTENTIAL EXPOSUREUNDER FLEXIBILITIES GRANTED BYTHE CENTERS FOR MEDICARE ANDMEDICAID SERVICES, THE GOVERNORANNOUNCED IN MARCH TO THEDIVISION OF MEDICAID WASEXTENDING ITS COVERAGE OFTELEHEALTH SERVICES IN NUMBER OFWAYS, WHICH IT ALLOWINGBENEFICIARIES TO ACCESSTELEMEDICINE FROM THEIR HOMESWITH THE NEW SCHOOL YEARBEGINNING WE HAVE NOW ENHANCEDACCESS TO SCHOOL BASEDTELEHEALTH COVERAGE FOR AS MANYAS TWO HUNDRED AND SEVENTYTHOUSAND MEDICAID BENEFICIARIESBY ALLOWING ANY SCHOOL TO SERVEAS A TEMPORARY ORIGINATING SITEFOR A TELEHEALTH VISITTRADITIONALLY TELEHEALTHSERVICES ARE DELIVERED BYMEDICAID PROVIDER LOCATED AT ADISTANCE TO A BENEFICIARYLOCATED AT A GENERATING SITESSUCH AS A LOCAL DOCTORS OFFICEWITH A TELEPRESENCE ENTER WHOFACILITATES THE ENCOUNTER THEOMS TELEHEALTH POLICY ALREADYALLOWED A SCHOOL-BASED CLINICSTAFF BY A PHYSICIAN NURSEPRACTITIONER OR PHYSICIAN OFASSISTANT TO SERVE AS ANORIGINATING SITE FOR A MEDICAIDBENEFICIARY IN NEED OF SERVICESBEYOND THE RANGE OF THE CLINIC.HOWEVER, MANY SCHOOLS ACROSS THESTATE DO NOT HAVE A SCHOOL-BASEDCLINIC OR A A FULL-TIME NURSE ONSTAFF WITH THIS CHANGE.TO THE DIVISION OF MEDICAID’SEMERGENCY TELEHEALTH POLICY ANYSCHOOL CAN SERVE AS THEORIGINATING SITE AS LONG AS ATELEPRESENCE HER IS PRESENT FORTHE ENCOUNTER BETWEEN THEBENEFICIARY AND THE DISTANT SITEHEALTHCARE PROVIDER TELL THEPRESENTERS CAN INCLUDEREGISTERED NURSES EMPLOYED BYSCHOOL DISTRICT OR STAFFEMPLOYED BY A COMMUNITY CLINIC.THIS ALLOWS THOSE COMMUNITYPROVIDERS TO BUILD CONNECTIONSWITH THEIR LOCAL SCHOOLS ANDSUPPLY TELLA PRESENTERS AS THENEED ARISES.OUR HOPE IS THAT THIS NEW POLICYWILL INCREASE THE LIKELIHOODTHAT CHILDREN CAN GET MORETIMELY AND EFFICIEN CAREWITHOUT HAVING TO LEAVE THESCHOOL AND WITHOUT CREATINGADDITIONAL BURDENS ON PARENTS ORTHE SCHOOL’S THEMSELVES.WE BELIEVE THIS WILL ALSOPROMOTE THE SAFETY OF HEALTHCAREWORKERS BY ALLOWING THEM TODELIVER MORE SERVICES VIRTUALLYTHE CHANGE TOOK PLACE AUGUST 1STAND WILL REMAIN IN EFFECTTHROUGHOUT THE DURATION OF THEHEALTH EMERGENCY, I APPRECIATETHE COLLABORATION AND SUPPORT WERECEIVE FROM THE MISSISSIPPIRURAL HEALTH ASSOCIATION AND THEDEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION INMAKING THIS CHANGE POSSIBLE, ANDI’D ALSO LIKE TO THANK GOVERNORREEVES FOR MAKING ACCESS TOTELEHEALTH SERVICES A KEY PARTOF THE STATE’S RESPONSE TO THECOVID-19 PANDEMIC AS AN AGENCYTHE DIVISION OF MEDICAID HASBEEN FOCUSED ON IMPROVING ACCESSTO NEEDED SERVICES AND THIS NEWPOLICY AND TO MAKE IT EASIER ANDSAFER FOR THOSE IN OURCLASSROOMS TO GET THE CARE THATTHEY NEED.THANK YOU DREW WE REALLYAPPRECIATE ALL OF YOUR EFFORTSONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE’VETRIED TO HIGHLIGHT OVER.THE LAST SIX MONTHS IS AS WEATTACK THIS VIRUS AND WE DEALWITH THE REPERCUSSIONS OF THESPREAD OF THE VIRUS IS THEINNOVATIVE WAYS THAT OUR STATEAGENCIES ARE GOING ABOUT DEALINGWITH THE NEW CHALLENGES THAT WEFACE.THIS IS JUST YET ANOTHER EXAMPLEOF DREW AND HIS TEAM BEINGINNOVATIVE DOING EVERYTHING INTHERE.CONTROL AND POWER UNDER OURDIRECTION TO MAKE SURE THAT WEPROVIDE THESE SERVICES FOR THESTUDENTS WHO NEED THEM.WE ALSO KNOW THAT TESTING.CAN ALLOW US TO HELP PREVENT THESPREAD OF THE VIRUS BYIMMEDIATELY IDENTIFYING ANDISOLATING KNOWN CASES.AS TEACHERS RETURN TO THECLASSROOM.WE WANT TO MAKE IT AS SIMPLE ASPOSSIBLE FOR THEM TO GET ACCESSTO TESTING.DR. DOBBS, AND I HAVE METNUMEROUS TIMES OVER THE LASTWEEK OR SO WITH RESPECT TO THIS.AND WHILE WE ALL KNOW THAT WECANNOT FLING THE DOORS WIDE OPENON TESTING REQUIREMENTS FOR ALLBECAUSE OF THE LIMITS OFPRIMARILY THE NATIONAL PRIVATETESTING LABS.WE CAN PROVIDE MORE FLEXIBILITYFOR OUR TEACHERS.TO PROVIDE PEACE OF MIND ANDCONFIDENCE THAT THEY ARE COVIDFREE.STARTING THIS WEEK TEACHERS WILLBE ALLOWED TO RECEIVE TESTADMINISTERED BY OUR PUBLICHEALTH LAB, EVEN IF THEY DO NOTEXHIBIT SYMPTOMS AND HAVE NOTBEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH AKNOWN CASE.IT WILL BE SEVERAL AVENUES FORTHAT THAT WE WILL BE ROLLING OUTIN THE COMING DAYS AND WEEKS ANDDR. DOBBS WILL PROVIDE MOREDETAILS ON THOSE.BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT THISINCREASED ACCESS TO TESTING ANDTELEHEALTH WILL HELP ENSURE THATOUR SCHOOLS CAN REMAIN SAFE ANDEDUCATION CAN INCUR IN THE STATEOF MISSISSIPPI.REMEMBER WHEN IT COMES TO THEREOPENING OF SCHOOLS AS DR.REDFIELD WITH THE CDC SAID THEQUESTION IS OF PUBLIC HEALTH.FIRST IS PUBLIC HEALTH.WE KNOW THAT THERE ARE RISK WITHOPENING SCHOOLS, AND WE KNOWTHAT THERE ARE RISK IF WE CHOOSENOT TO OPEN SCHOOLS.SO OUR JOB ONCE WE HAVE DECIDEDTO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TOSAFELY REOPEN SCHOOLS IS TO THENADMINISTER AND FIND PROGRAMS.TO MITIGATE RISK AS MUCH ASPOSSIBLE.DOBBS THANK YOU GOVERNOR.I’LL GO AHEAD AND START OFFTALKING ABOUT SOME OF THEDETAILS OF THE THE THE TEACHERTESTING AS IT WILL BECOMEAVAILABLE.THEY’LL BE MULTIPLE MECHANISMSTHROUGH WHICH THIS TESTING WILLBE AVAILABLE TO TEACHERS ANDFACULTY K THROUGH 12.OF COURSE THE CLINIC THAT THEREARE THE TESTING CLINIC ON WESTSTREET WILL BE AVAILABLE.WE ALSO WILL USE OUR COMMUNITYTESTING SITES THAT WE HAVEACTIVE TWO SITES ACROSS THESTATE EVERY DAY, BUT IN ADDITIONWE’RE GOI HAVE 16 TESTINGTEAMS.REGIONALLY THROUGHOUT THE STATEAND THEY’RE GOING TO ROTATE ATTHE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT’SAND TO DRIVE THROUGH TESTINGTHAT WILL BE AVAILABLE ON ANONGOING MANNER AS SHOULD BEBEGINNING NEXT WEEK AS WE HAVEMORE DETAILS OF THIS.WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE POSTIT IN AVAILABLE SO THAT TEACHERSHAVE AND OTHER FACULTY MEMBERSHAVE ALL THE DETAILS THAT THEYNEED TO MAKE SURE THEY CAN GETTESTED WHEN THEY NEED TO GETTESTED.UM JUMPING OVER TO THE NUMBERS.WE HAVE TWO HUNDRED SEVENTY SIXNEW CASES REPORTED TODAY AND 11ADDITIONAL DEATHS.I WOULD LIKE TO JUST STATE.THIS IS A REMARKABLE OPPORTUNITYTHAT IF WE MAKE THE RIGHTDECISIONS AND REALLY FOCUS ONLIMITING TRANSMISSION AT THISMOMENT, WE CAN HAVE AN ENTIRELYDIFFERENT TRAJECTORY THAN WEMIGHT.OTHERWISE IF WE LET OUR GUARDDOWN AND WE DO HAVE SOMECHALLENGES GOING INTO THE NEXTFEW WEEKS WITH SCHOOLS OPENINGUP BECAUSE WE ARE SINGINGEXPOSURES HAPPENING WITHIN THESCHOOLS AND WITH COLLEGESESPECIALLY AND MANY OF YOU MAYHAVE BEEN MONITORING SOME OF THEACTIVITY IN COLLEGES.WE’VE SEEN MASSIVE, YOU KNOWPARTIES THAT VIOLATE THE RULESAS THEY ARE AND THERE’S GOING TOBE SOME THERE ARE GOING TO BEOUTBREAKS IN THOSE SCENARIOS.SO WE HAVE SOME REALOPPORTUNITIES.WE ALSO HAVE SOME REAL THREATS.AND CERTAINLY WE’LL BE WORKINGCLOSELY WITH OUR PARTNERS TO SEEWHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT.BUT I ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TOPLEASE DOUBLE DOWN MASK UPMAINTAIN YOUR DISTANCE AVOIDGROUPS AND IF YOU HAVE KIDS INCOLLEGE, TELL THEM TO STAY HOMEAND STAY IN SMALL GROUPS BECAUSEWE’RE GOING TO HAVE SOME REALTROUBLE OUT OF THAT.I HAVE NO DOUBT.IF WE’RE JUMPING OVER TO OURSCHOOL NUMBERS AS FAR AS CASESAND QUARANTINE, WE WILL HAVEFINALIZED REPORTS ON EVERYMONDAY.WE’RE STILL ON BOARDING SCHOOLS.WE HAVE 220.SOMETHING REPORTING SCHOOLSTODAY, BUT A LOT OF THEM HAVEN’TREALLY OPENED UP YET.SO THERE’S STILL SORT OF A OTHERWORK TO DO TO MAKE SURE WE GETTHE FULL FULL RANGE OF SCHOOLSAND OBVIOUSLY SOME ARE STILLVIRTUAL SO THEY WOULDN’T BESENDING INFORMATION BUT OTHERREPORTING SCHOOLS WE HAVE 771COUNTIES THAT HAVE REPORTEDpCASES WITHIN A SCHOOL SYSTEMAGAIN, THAT DOESN’T MEAN THEYCALLED IT THEIR MOST LIKELY THEYBROUGHT IT WITH THEM WHEN THEYWERE GOING TO SCHOOL TH CAUGHTFROM THE COMMUNITY.AMONG TEACHERS WE HAVE REPORTEDA TOTAL OF TWO HUNDRED AND FORTYFIVE CASES AND AMONG STUDENTS199 IF WE LOOK AT THE NUMBERS OFTHOSE THAT ARE UNDER QUARANTINEAMONG TEACHERS.WE HAVE 589 THAT ARE UNDERQUARANTINE AT PRESENT AND 2035STUDENTS.THUS FAR WE’LL CONTINUE TOUPDATE THIS INFORMATION AND WORKWITH OUR SCHOOLS TO MAKE SURETHAT ALL OF THE PROCESSES AREWORKING SMOOTHLY.THE LAST THING I WOULD LIKE TOMENTION IS FLU SEASONS COMINGUP.AND WE DON’T WANT TO HAVE A BADCOMBINATION FLU SEASON AND COVIDSEASON.SO PLEASE GET YOUR FLU SHOT.WE KNOW PHARMACIES ARE STARTINGTO STOCK THE FLU VACCINE NOW, SOI WOULD ENCOURAGE EVERYONE TO GOAHEAD GO OUT GET THE FLUVACCINE, ESPECIALLY THE PEOPLEWHO DON’T THINK THEY NEED THEFLU VACCINE.EVERYBODY NEEDS THE FLU VACCINEIF YOU’RE YOUNG AND HEALTHY ARENOT WORRIED ABOUT THE FLU GETTHE FLU VACCINE.WE HAVE YOUNG PEOPLE WHO DIEDFROM THE FLU EVERY YEAR, BUT WECERTAINLY DON’T WANT TO HAVE FLUAND COVID AT THE I’M NOT ONLYMAKING PEOPLE SICK ER BUT ALSOTO OVERWHELMING OUR HEALTHSYSTEM, WHICH IS ALREADYSTRETCHED AS TIG