From the U.S. News & World Report website

The coronavirus is making more people think about the importance of life insurance to protect their families if anything happens to them – even if they’re healthy now. “The demand for life insurance is up,” says Byron Udell, president of AccuQuote, an independent life insurance brokerage firm. His company is taking about 35% to 50% more applications each day and is hiring more agents.
But social distancing rules have made it difficult to follow the regular procedure for getting a policy, and companies are being more careful about insuring some people who face greater medical risks. The process, prices and rules are changing rapidly as insurers learn more about the pandemic. Here are answers to some key questions about buying life insurance now.

Last week, seven members of the Hawai‘i National Guard arrived on Moloka‘i to perform thermal screenings at the airport and assist the Maui Police Department during the COVID-19 pandemic. The guardsmen are unarmed and “all local boys just trying to serve their community,” said Staff Sgt. Laurence Kimoha‘e Puailihau, Jr., who is from Moloka‘i and now lives on Oahu with his family.
Puailihau joined Councilwoman and Moloka‘i High classmate Keani Rawlins-Fernandez in a virtual talk story last weekend to answer questions and clear up “the uncertainty and anxiety that people feel when they hear the National Guard is coming,” said Rawlins-Fernandez.
23 April 1956. First flight of the Douglas C-133 Cargomaster, American turboprop-powered strategic airlifter. pic.twitter.com/IFh5Cr9rpo
— Ron Eisele (@ron_eisele) April 23, 2019

As U.S. hospitals deal with a continuing influx of COVID-19 patients, cardiologists are sounding an alarm: People may be ignoring heart attack symptoms in fear of going to the ER.
Since the coronavirus first hit the United States, doctors at a number of hospitals have noticed a pattern. Fewer patients are being treated for heart attacks at a time when — if anything — an increase would be expected.

Attached is today’s COVID-19 Daily News Update issued by Hawaii State Department of Health.
There is a large amount of speculation regarding COVID-19, please rely on OFFICIAL sources for accurate information. We added a long term post on the maroon bar above titled “COVID-19 Information.” The post includes links to the Hawaii Department of Health, the CDC and the FEMA websites.

Members of the Hawaii National Guard work together to offload the aircraft after landing on the island of Maui in support of COVID-19 operations, Kahului, Hawaii, April 17, 2020. The troops are posturing themselves on all neighboring islands to assist the state of Hawaii’s COVID-19 response as personnel and equipment have been transported by the 204th Airlift Squadron to minimize exposure to disease at airports as they carry out their vital missions.
More photographs Hawaii Army National Guard photographs by Sgt. 1st Class Theresa Gualdarama
From the Everyday Health website

With coronavirus concerns spreading quickly across the globe, claims of what might help individuals avoid catching it are also on the rise. Beyond precautions like hand-washing and avoiding people who are ill, what can you do to make sure your immune system is ready to fight off COVID-19 and other viruses that you may be exposed to?
From the Military Times website

At a time when patient’s complete medical history could play a key role in their survival, Defense Department and Veterans Affairs leaders announced a new technology breakthrough in their health care infrastructure allowing quicker sharing of appointments and medical notes
among their departments and private-sector clinics.
Federal officials on Monday unveiled a new joint medical information exchange system for the two departments, giving VA and DOD physicians access to a pool of more than 54,000 outside hospitals, health clinics, pharmacies and laboratories.
Statistics on the map are as of April 17, 2020. To enlarge the maps, click on the maps, and click again when the Twitter page appears.
Special Thanks to Ryan Ozawa who worked to overlay the ZIP codes on the maps issued by the State. He is a leading consultant on cyber and social media topics.
Off the Hawaii Air National Guard Facebook page

Hawaii National Guard Airmen and Soldiers are posturing themselves on all neighboring islands to assist the state of Hawaii’s COVID-19 response. Personnel and equipment have been transported by the 204th Airlift Squadron to minimize exposure to disease at airports as they carry out their vital mission sets.
Many of these volunteers had specifically signed up to help provide relief to local communities in times of need and we incredibly grateful to see their skills and readiness being directed toward a great cause.

From the Everyday Health website
Most people don’t like to talk about it, but having a gastrointestinal problem is common.
There’s no need to suffer in silence. Here’s a top-to-bottom look at nine of the most prevalent digestive conditions, their symptoms, and the most effective treatments available. If you suspect you could have one of these issues, don’t delay in speaking with your doctor.
The onslaught of news related to the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and the following articles are of interest to Retiree News readers.

35,000 Military Retirees Will Soon See a TRICARE Refund. About 35,000 military retirees will soon receive cash refunds from TRICARE, thanks to a policy change made last year that affects how Tricare calculates annual out-of-pocket maximum payments.
The rebates impact retirees with TRICARE Prime who paid more than $2,400 out of pocket towards their annual maximum payment in 2018 and 2019. They do not impac TRICARE for Life or TRICARE Retired Reserve users. Continue reading
State Judiciary Postpones Trails Until the End of May. Chief Justice Mark E. Recktenwald today ordered that trials in civil, criminal, and family courts be postponed to a date after May 29, 2020 or the termination of Governor David Ige’s state of emergency, whichever is sooner, unless otherwise ordered by the chief judge of the respective circuit. He also ordered the formation of the Committee on Operational Solutions, a group formed to accelerate the courts’ capabilities to conduct court proceedings remotely as appropriate in light of the COVID-19 crisis, and plan for the safe and timely transition to increased court operations over the coming months. Continue reading


