Coronavirus (COVID-19)

April 3, 2020August 31, 2020 by Duane Morris

FDA-Approved Anti-Malaria Drugs for COVID-19 Treatment Fall Within Liability Shield of the PREP Act

The Food and Drug Administration (“FDA”) gave emergency approval this week to two (2) anti-malaria drugs, hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine, to be used for treatment of COVID-19 patients. Despite the limited studies as to the benefits of these drugs and the well-known risks of these drugs, the FDA took the position that, under the current circumstances, the potential benefits and effectiveness outweigh the risks. While the FDA is conducting a trial as to the effectiveness of these drugs, millions of doses have already been shipped to hospitals nationwide for administration in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19.

To read the full text of this post by Duane Morris attorney Brittany Wakim, please visit the Duane Morris Products Liability Blog.

April 3, 2020September 1, 2020 by Duane Morris

Fair Credit Reporting Act Amended by CARES Act for Accommodations Extended to Consumers During COVID-19

Right now, many creditors may be considering making accommodations to consumers affected by COVID-19 by offering different ways to help ease the burden of existing debt obligations. In doing so, creditors should take care to follow the special credit reporting rules for such accommodations set forth in the recently passed Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”).

To read the full text of this post by Duane Morris attorney Lynne Evans, please visit the Duane Morris Banking and Finance Law Blog.

April 3, 2020August 31, 2020 by Duane Morris

Paycheck Protection Program Opens with Updated Guidelines

On April 3, 2020, the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) application opens to borrowers. As previously reported in our Alert, the program is intended to support small businesses, sole proprietors and independent contractors that have been disproportionately impacted by COVID-19.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

April 3, 2020September 3, 2020 by Duane Morris

New Jersey: NJEDA Small Business Emergency Assistance GRANT Program Opens April 3

The New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) will launch the application for its Small Business Emergency Assistance Grant Program on Friday, April 3, 2020 at 9:00 am. If you are thinking of applying, a link to the grant program application will be posted on the State’s COVID-19 Business Information Hub. The grant program is part of a package of initiatives announced last week to support businesses and workers facing economic hardship due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus COVID-19.

This Grant program is a $5M program that will provide grants up to $5,000 to small businesses in retail, arts entertainment, recreation, accommodation, food service, repair, maintenance, personal and laundry services.

To read the full text of this post by Duane Morris partner Brad Molotsky, please visit the Duane Morris Project Development/Infrastructure/P3 Blog.

April 3, 2020August 31, 2020 by Duane Morris

COVID-19 in Singapore: What Can Commercial Tenants Do?

The global outbreak of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) is the most critical problem facing the world now.

The Singapore government has acted swiftly to reduce the risks of local transmission. At the time of publication of this Alert, all bars and entertainment venues such as nightclubs, cinemas and games centres have been prohibited from operating. In addition, all gatherings involving more than 10 persons have been prohibited. Food and beverage, retail, and health and fitness businesses have been allowed to continue their operations (but with further precautionary measures)―for now. It is certain that these regulations will, and must, be tightened if the health crisis continues on its current trajectory.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

April 2, 2020September 3, 2020 by Duane Morris

Life-or-Death Hospital Decisions Come With Threat of Lawsuits

Doctors and hospitals overwhelmed in the pandemic will have to make their excruciating life-or-death decisions meticulously or they risk being second-guessed by a jury when the onslaught is over.

Lawyers who defend health care providers are already giving advice on how their clients can avoid liability if they’re forced to choose between patients. How they prepare for this battlefield triage now — and how they practice it in the chaos of peak infections — will determine whether negligence cases against them are dismissed or lead to trials or settlements over the death of a parent or spouse.

[…]

Hospitals and doctors are focused on care right now, as they should be, said Sean Zabaneh, a lawyer with Duane Morris LLP in Philadelphia who represents them in court.

Still, he said, they should be “making sure they have insurance coverage in place that is applicable to the new circumstances that are becoming more normal every day as a result of the pandemic, and staying up to date on the quickly evolving legal standards and legislation.” Lawmakers could pass legislation to protect health care providers that adhere to the standard of care, he added.

[…]

To read the full article, visit the Bloomberg website.

April 2, 2020September 2, 2020 by Duane Morris

Florida Governor Issues Statewide Order Restricting Activities Outside the Home

State and local responses to the COVID-19 pandemic seem to be changing by the day. Case in point: On March 30, Florida’s governor issued a stay-at-home order of sorts, but only for four counties in South Florida. On April 1, though, Governor DeSantis issued Executive Order No. 20-91, the most sweeping, statewide edict concerning Florida’s response to COVID-19 to date.

Though comprehensive in terms of geographical scope, the extent to which the order will fully yield the benefits of a true “stay-at-home” order remains to be seen, since it does not order all Florida residents to actually stay home or “shelter in place.” Instead, Executive Order No. 20-91 mandates that “all persons in Florida shall limit their movements and personal interactions outside of their home to only those necessary to obtain or provide essential services or conduct essential activities.” (Emphasis added.)

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, please visit the firm website.

April 2, 2020August 31, 2020 by Duane Morris

Ohio Supreme Court Order Complements COVID-19 Relief Measure

By J. Colin Knisely and Matthew Caminiti

On March 27, 2020, the Ohio Supreme Court issued an Order “in response to” Am. Sub. H.B. 197, which Governor DeWine signed into law the same day. Am. Sub. H.B. 197 is a COVID-19 relief measure, which, among other things, waives state testing requirements for the remainder of the school year, extends professional licenses for those who cannot get them renewed, extends the income tax deadline to July 15, and provides funding for affected small business, such as day care. Continue reading “Ohio Supreme Court Order Complements COVID-19 Relief Measure”

April 2, 2020August 31, 2020 by Duane Morris

Pennsylvania Offers Economic Relief Programs for Businesses and Nonprofits

In response to the current COVID-19 pandemic, federal, state and local governments are ushering in an array of programs and tax relief measures to help mitigate the adverse economic impact of COVID-19 on business and nonprofit entities.

To read the full text of this Duane Morris Alert, which identifies and provides an overview of available economic programs, tax relief measures and deadline extensions for applicable Pennsylvania and Philadelphia organizations affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and closures, please visit the firm website.