Common Sense Media - Free Online Activities and events for Kids during Coronavirus Shutdowns

Common Sense Media- Resources for children,  See below for more details.

Free Online Activities and Events for Kids During Coronavirus Shutdowns Although schools, gyms, art classes, music lessons—and, seemingly, life as we know it—are canceled, families can keep entertained and keep learning with live events and activities online. We've compiled a list of activities ranging from drawing lessons to museum tours happening online. The best part? They're free. If you, like many of us parents here at Common Sense, are scrambling to find ways to keep your kids engaged with good media, check out our list! Common Sense Media - Free online activities

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Federal Trade Commission: Working from Home Safety Tips

Online security tips for working from home

March 18, 2020

by 

Lisa Weintraub Schifferle

Attorney, FTC, Division of Consumer & Business Education

Teleworking during the Coronavirus outbreak? While working from home can help slow the spread of the virus, it brings new challenges: juggling work while kids are home from school; learning new software and conferencing programs, and managing paper files at home. As you’re getting your work-at-home systems set up, here are some tips for protecting your devices and personal information.

• Start with cybersecurity basics. Keep your security software up to date. Use passwords on all your devices and apps. Make sure the passwords are long, strong and unique: at least 12 characters that are a mix of numbers, symbols and capital and lowercase letters.
• Secure your home network. Start with your router. Turn on encryption (WPA2 or WPA3). Encryption scrambles information sent over your network so outsiders can’t read it. WPA2 and WPA3 are the most up-to-date encryption standards to protect information sent over a wireless network. No WPA3 or WPA2 options on your router? Try updating your router software, then check again to see if WPA2 or WPA3 are available. If not, consider replacing your router. For more guidance, read Securing Your Wireless Network and Secure Remote Access.
• Keep an eye on your laptop. If you’re using a laptop, make sure it is password-protected, locked and secure. Never leave it unattended – like in a vehicle or at a public charging station.
• Securely store sensitive files. When there’s a legitimate business need to transfer confidential information from office to home, keep it out of sight and under lock and key. If you don’t have a file cabinet at home, use a locked room. For more tips, read about physical security.
• Dispose of sensitive data securely. Don’t just throw it in the trash or recycling bin. Shred-it. Paperwork you no longer need can be a treasure to identity thieves if it includes personal information about customers or employees.
• Follow your employer’s security practices. Your home is now an extension of your office. So, follow the protocols that your employer has implemented.

Want to learn more? Read our small business cybersecurity materials and online security articles. If you’re able to work from home, thanks for helping slow the spread of the Coronavirus.

March 23rd, 2020, Whitmer Administration: School Food Service Considered Critical Infrastructure, Should Continue

Whitmer Administration: School Food Service Considered Critical Infrastructure, Should Continue

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

March 23, 2020

Whitmer Administration: School Food Service Considered Critical Infrastructure, Should Continue

LANSING -- Gov. Gretchen Whitmer's office issued the following statement today from Press Secretary Tiffany Brown on the governor's "Stay Home, Stay Safe" executive order:

"Gov. Whitmer is committed to ensuring that Michigan students have access to the food they need during the COVID-19 pandemic. Under the governor's executive order, K-12 school food services are considered critical infrastructure and should continue. The governor deeply appreciates the vital work that our frontline school employees are doing every day to ensure that our kids have the food they need while the order is in effect."

March 23, 2020, Governor Whitmer Signs "Stay Home, Stay Safe" Executive Order

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

March 23, 2020 

Governor Whitmer Signs “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order 

Governor directs all non-critical businesses to temporarily close, all Michiganders to stay home or six feet away from others during COVID-19 crisis 

LANSING, Mich. -- Today, Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed the “Stay Home, Stay Safe” Executive Order (EO 2020-21), directing all Michigan businesses and operations to temporarily suspend in-person operations that are not necessary to sustain or protect life. The order also directs Michiganders to stay in their homes unless they’re a part of that critical infrastructure workforce, engaged in an outdoor activity, or performing tasks necessary to the health and safety of themselves or their family, like going to the hospital or grocery store.  

Effective at 12:01 am on March 24, 2020, for at least the next three weeks, individuals may only leave their home or place of residence under very limited circumstances, and they must adhere to social distancing measures recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention when they do so, including remaining at least six feet from people from outside the individual’s household to the extent feasible under the circumstances. 

“In just 13 days, we’ve gone from 0 to over 1,000 COVID-19 cases,” said Governor Whitmer. “This is an unprecedented crisis that requires all of us working together to protect our families and our communities. The most effective way we can slow down the virus is to stay home. I know this will be hard, but it will be temporary. If we all come together, get serious, and do our part by staying home, we can stay safe and save lives.” 

“Taking aggressive action to protect our communities is the most important thing we can do to mitigate further spread of COVID-19,” said Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Chief Deputy for Health and Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun. “If we do this now, we can make sure our hospitals and healthcare workers are prepared to take care of the sickest people. It is crucial that people do the right thing by staying home and staying safe.” 

Executive Order 2020-21 prohibits all businesses and operations from requiring workers to leave their homes, unless those workers are necessary to sustain or protect life or to conduct minimum basic operations. Businesses and operations are to designate the workers that meet those criteria, and must adopt social distancing practices and other mitigation measures to protect workers and patrons in the performance of that necessary in-person work. 

Workers that are necessary to sustain or protect life include those in health care and public health, law enforcement and public safety, grocery store workers, and more. For a full list of these critical infrastructure workers, click the link to Executive Order 2020-21 at the bottom of this page. 

Additionally, under Executive Order 2020-21, all public and private gatherings of any number of people occurring among persons outside a single household are temporarily prohibited. People may leave the house to perform for limited, necessary purposes, and may engage in outdoor activities like walking, hiking, running, cycling, or any other recreational activity, consistent with remaining at least six feet from people from outside a person’s household and with other restrictions imposed by prior executive orders. 

Michigan is currently in the top five states in the nation in number of confirmed COVID-19 cases. Several governors across the country have taken similar steps to protect their communities from the spread of COVID-19, including governors Mike DeWine (R-OH), Andrew Cuomo (D-NY), J.B. Pritzker (D-IL), Tom Wolf (D-PA), Gavin Newsom (D-CA), John Bel Edwards (D-LA), Phil Murphy (D-NJ), and Ned Lamont (D-CT). 

Patients with confirmed infection have reportedly had mild to severe respiratory illness with symptoms of:    

• Fever       
• Cough       
• Shortness of breath       

The best prevention for viruses, such as influenza, the common cold or COVID-19 is:  

• If you think you have symptoms of COVID-19, call your health care provider. If you do not have a health care provider, call the nearest hospital.       

• Wash your hands often with soap and warm water for 20 seconds. If not available, use hand sanitizer.         
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.         
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue or upper sleeve when coughing or sneezing.         
• Avoid contact with people who are sick.         
• If you are sick, stay home, and avoid contact with others.        

• Stay at least 6 feet away from others when in a public setting.   
•     

Information around this outbreak is changing rapidly. The latest information is available at Michigan.gov/Coronavirus and CDC.gov/Coronavirus.    

For those who have questions about the state’s actions to mitigate the spread of coronavirus, please call the COVID-19 Hotline at 1-888-535-6136 between 8AM - 5PM daily.   

Michiganders can apply for unemployment benefits if they have left work or taken a leave of absence because of self-isolation or self-quarantine in response to elevated risk from COVID-19 due to being immunocompromised, displaying the symptoms of COVID-19, having contact in the last 14 days with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, the need to care for someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19, or a family care responsibility as a result of a government directive. Those temporarily laid off from work should apply for unemployment benefits online at www.michigan.gov/UIA or 1-866-500-0017.  

Governor Whitmer is working to ensure that children who rely on the food provided by schools will have the resources they need. The Michigan Department of Education (MDE) has developed an online map for families to find meals. Families can access the map at: https://www.mcgi.state.mi.us/schoolnutrition/. 

On March 19, the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) approved the governor’s request for a statewide Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) declaration, opening the opportunity to small businesses to access low-interest loans from the SBA. The application for disaster loan assistance is available at https://disasterloan.sba.gov/ela/. For businesses looking for more information on how to apply for an SBA EIDL loan or whether it is something they should consider, visit michiganbusiness.org/covid19. 

To view executive order 2020-21, click the link below:   

Executive Order 2020-21

This press release will be translated and made available in Arabic and Spanish at www.michigan.gov/whitmer.    

FTC: Coronavirus (COVID-19) scams, Part 2- Information to help protect consumers from scams

March 19, 2020

by

Colleen Tressler

Consumer Education Specialist, FTC

Last month, we alerted you to Coronavirus scams we were seeing at the time. Earlier this month, we sent warning letters to seven sellers of scam Coronavirus treatments. So far, all of the companies have made big changes to their advertising to remove unsupported claims. But scammers don’t take a break. Here’s an update on more scams we’re seeing, and steps you can take to protect yourself, your personal information, and your wallet.

Undelivered goods: Online sellers claim they have in-demand products, like cleaning, household, and health and medical supplies. You place an order, but you never get your shipment. Anyone can set up shop online under almost any name — including scammers.

What to do: Check out the seller by searching online for the person or company’s name, phone number, and email address, plus words like “review,” “complaint” or “scam.” If everything checks out, pay by credit card and keep a record of your transaction. If you’re concerned about the pricing of products in your area, contact your state consumer protection officials. For a complete list of state Attorneys General, visit naag.org.

Fake charities: When a major health event — like the Coronavirus — happens, you might be looking for ways to help. Scammers use the same events to take advantage of your generosity. Some scammers use names that sound a lot like the names of real charities. This is one reason it pays to do some research before giving. Money lost to bogus charities means fewer donations to help those in need.

What to do: Use these organizations to help you research charities. When you give, pay safely by credit card — never by gift card or wire transfer.

Fake emails, texts, and phishing: Scammers use fake emails or texts to get you to share valuable personal information — like account numbers, Social Security numbers, or your login IDs and passwords. They use your information to steal your money, your identity, or both. They also use phishing emails to get access to your computer or network. If you click on a link, they can install ransomware or other programs that can lock you out of your data. Scammers often use familiar company names or pretend to be someone you know. Here’s a real-world example of a scam where phishers pretend to be the World Health Organization (WHO).

A fake email has the logo of the World Health Organization on it. (Sophos Ltd.)


Other scammers have used real information to infect computers with malware. For example, malicious websites used the real Johns Hopkins University interactive dashboard of Coronavirus infections and deaths to spread password-stealing malware.

What to do: Protect your computer by keeping your software up to date and by using security software, your cell phone by setting software to update automatically, your accounts by using multi-factor authentication, and your data by backing it up.

Robocalls: Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from scam Coronavirus treatments to work-at-home schemes.

What to do: Hang up. Don’t press any numbers. The recording might say that pressing a number will let you speak to a live operator or remove you from their call list, but it might lead to more robocalls, instead.

Misinformation and rumors: Scammers, and sometimes well-meaning people, share information that hasn’t been verified.

What to do: Before you pass on any messages, and certainly before you pay someone or share your personal information, do some fact-checking by contacting trusted sources. For information related to the Coronavirus, visit What the U.S. Government is Doing. There you’ll find links to federal, state and local government agencies.

To learn more, visit:

• Coronavirus Scams: What the FTC is Doing at ftc.gov/coronavirus
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention at Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)

Want more information on the latest scams we’re seeing? Sign up for our consumer alerts. If you come across any scams or suspicious claims, report them to the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.

Federal Trade Commission

MI .gov - COVID-19 , updated information from the CDC

For reliable information on the current COVID-19 virus, click on the link below for the 800 number to call if there are questions and access to resources to protect yourself, your community (faith as well) and your business.

MI - Coronavirus (COVID-19) hotline and resources

Governor Gretchen Whitmer -COVID-19 Executive order #2020-16

Executive Order 2020-16 (COVID-19)

EXECUTIVE ORDER

No. 2020-16

Expanding child care access during the COVID-19 emergency
 

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is a respiratory disease that can result in serious illness or death. It is caused by a new strain of coronavirus not previously identified in humans and easily spread from person to person. There is currently no approved vaccine or antiviral treatment for this disease.

On March 10, 2020, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services identified the first two presumptive-positive cases of COVID-19 in Michigan. On that same day, I issued Executive Order 2020-4. This order declared a state of emergency across the state of Michigan under section 1 of article 5 of the Michigan Constitution of 1963, the Emergency Management Act, 1976 PA 390, as amended, MCL 30.401-.421, and the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act of 1945, 1945 PA 302, as amended, MCL 10.31-.33.

The Emergency Management Act vests the governor with broad powers and duties to “cop[e] with dangers to this state or the people of this state presented by a disaster or emergency,” which the governor may implement through “executive orders, proclamations, and directives having the force and effect of law.” MCL 30.403(1)-(2). Similarly, the Emergency Powers of the Governor Act of 1945 provides that, after declaring a state of emergency, “the governor may promulgate reasonable orders, rules, and regulations as he or she considers necessary to protect life and property or to bring the emergency situation within the affected area under control.” MCL 10.31(1).

To respond effectively to the urgent and steep demands created by this emergency, providers of health care, emergency medical services, law enforcement, and other essential services require child care services for their children, particularly when schools are closed. The general public needs expanded access to child care during this emergency as well. Meeting this critical need requires swiftly but safely expanding access to child care services. To that end, it is reasonable and necessary to provide temporary and limited relief from certain regulatory restrictions regarding child care services, and to facilitate the use of certain property for those services.

Acting under the Michigan Constitution of 1963 and Michigan law, I order the following:

1. Effective immediately and continuing through April 15, 2020 at 11:59 pm, strict compliance with section 7a of the Child Care Organizations Act, 1973 PA 116, as amended, MCL 722.117a, is suspended as follows:

1. A provisional license may be issued without submission to the Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs (“LARA”) of an acceptable plan to overcome the deficiency present in the child care organization within the time limitations of the provisional licensing period.

2. A provisional license may be issued with an expiration date no earlier than one month after the date of issuance and no later than six months after the date of issuance, and may be renewed at the discretion of LARA until the termination of the state of emergency under section 3 of Executive Order 2020-4.

2. Effective immediately and continuing through April 15, 2020 at 11:59 pm, strict compliance with subsection (2) of section 5m of the Child Care Organizations Act, 1973 PA 116, as amended, MCL 722.115m(2), is suspended, as follows:

1. An employer may establish and maintain a disaster relief child care center without a license from LARA.

2. A school district or a nonpublic school may establish and maintain a disaster relief child care center in a school building without a license from LARA.

3. LARA must issue rules and/or orders governing disaster relief child care centers.

1. A disaster relief child care center must comply with the requirements imposed by any LARA rules and orders governing disaster relief child care centers.

2. Such rules and/or orders must, at a minimum, require that disaster relief child care centers follow the safe sleep guidelines, including appropriate sleeping equipment for children under 12 months of age; follow applicable guidelines for diapering, handwashing, and sanitizing; provide porta-cribs, cots, or mats for children older than twelve months to sleep or rest; and solicit information about, and communicate with parents and guardians regarding, a child’s medicine, allergies, including food allergies; and other special needs.

4. Effective immediately and continuing through April 15, 2020 at 11:59 pm, disaster relief child care centers may operate in any school facilities operated by a school district or nonpublic school that are closed and are approved for student use. Early childhood staff, student teachers, teachers, and individuals who provide before and after care may provide child care in these settings. The Michigan Department of Education (“MDE”) is authorized to credit the hours that student teachers work toward teacher preparation graduation requirements and MDE licensure requirements.

5. Effective immediately and continuing through April 15, 2020 at 11:59 pm, Rule 400.8110(5) of the Michigan Administrative Code is suspended for disaster relief child care centers. Notice of any change in capacity and age groups must be provided to LARA.

6. A disaster relief child care center operated by a school district in accordance with section 2(b) of this order, including its employees, is designated as a disaster relief force under subsection (f) of section 2 of the Emergency Management Act, 1976 PA 390, as amended (“EMA”), MCL 30.402(f), and is entitled to the immunities set forth in subsections (1) through (3) of section 11 of the EMA, MCL 30.411(1)-(3).

7. Disaster relief child care centers operated by school districts constitute a pilot program under the Public Employment Relations Act, 1947 PA 336, MCL 423.201 et seq., and they have authority to charge for reasonable and customary services.

8. School districts and nonpublic schools should first identify employees who voluntarily elect to become a disaster relief child care center participant before reassigning other employees to work in these centers, to the extent authorized under applicable contracts and laws. School districts and nonpublic schools may not require an employee to work in a disaster relief child care center if the employee: has a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19; is displaying the symptoms of COVID-19; is 60 years or older; has an underlying condition that places the employee at an elevated risk of serious illness from COVID-19; or has been in contact with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19 in the last 14 days.

9. A disaster relief child care center must perform a health evaluation of all individuals who enter the center each time the individual seeks to enter the center, and must deny entry to those individuals who do not meet the evaluation criteria. The evaluation criteria must include: symptoms of a respiratory infection, such as fever, cough, shortness of breath, or sore throat; and contact in the last 14 days with someone with a confirmed diagnosis of COVID-19.

10. For purposes of this order:

1. “Disaster relief child care center” means a child center offering child care pursuant to this order. A disaster relief child care center must give priority for its services to the essential workforce, but may also provide child care services to the general public as space and governing rules and/or orders permit.

2. “Essential workforce” includes health care workers, home health workers, direct care workers, emergency medical service providers, first responders, law enforcement personnel, sanitation workers, child care workers (including any employees acting as child care workers in essential workforce child care centers), personnel providing correctional services, postal workers, public health employees, key government employees, court personnel, and others providing critical infrastructure to Michiganders.

3. “Critical infrastructure” includes utilities, manufacturing, mass transit, and groceries or other essential supplies, goods, or equipment.

4. “Key government employees” includes child protective services workers, child welfare workers, foster care workers including those from contracted agencies, recipient rights workers, employees of the Executive Office of the governor, cabinet officers and their designees, Department of Health and Human Services field office staff, Unemployment Insurance Agency employees, and other employees identified by the Department of Technology, Management, and Budget.

11. Consistent with MCL 10.33 and MCL 30.405(3), a willful violation of this order is a misdemeanor.

Given under my hand and the Great Seal of the State of Michigan.

State of MI - Governor Whitmer addressing the Coronavirus 2/27/2020

Important information for Michigan Residents:

HAPPENING NOW: @GovWhitmer, Chief Medical Executive Dr. Joneigh Khaldun of MI DHHS and Capt. Emmitt McGowan of MSP gives an update on Coronavirus to inform Michiganders of how the state is preparing to protect public health.

Video posted on MSP's Twitter Account
https://twitter.com/i/broadcasts/1OwxWQmzdOkGQ 

MSP - news conference MI response to Coronavirus

CPAM Quarterly Meeting March 12, 2020

CPAM members in "good standing- paid membership fo 2020", our first quarterly meeting has been announced for March 12th, 2020. Check your email for details of the following presentations being offered, Michigan State Police Angel Program" and "Security Lighting tips for Security Assessments".

CPAM members: Upcoming 2020 training opportunities

CPAM member's two training opportunities for 2020 have been announced, mark your calendars and register to attend as required.