When It Comes To COVID, Am I Missing Something?
A Honolulu doctor shares the many questions about Hawaii’s response to the pandemic that keep him up at night.
June 24, 2020 · 4 min read
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The June 19 Honolulu Star-Advertiser headline was 鈥淰irus Cases Jump By 18.鈥
鈥淭he infections spike was expected and will not stall restarting the economy,鈥 the article said. 鈥淗awaii鈥檚 daily COVID-19 case count rose to 18 cases Thursday, but official say the spike was expected and hasn鈥檛 reached a threshold that would delay reopening for the state鈥檚 local economy or interfere with planning to restart Hawaii tourism.鈥
Does it sound like the state officials are being complacent about the recent rise in community acquired cases of COVID-19 infection?
Yes, it is reassuring to be told that our local health systems have more than enough intensive care beds and ventilators to comfortably handle patients with COVID-19 infection. But do you want to be the one to occupy that bed or use that ventilator?
Is the true trade-off more COVID-19 cases in order to open up the economy?
Is the only response to an increasing COVID-19 disease burden to lock the economy down?
Are the social distancing guidelines/orders 鈥 wear a mask covering mouth and nose when outside of the home, maintain six feet of separation from others, frequently wash one鈥檚 hands and stay at home if ill 鈥 the correct guidelines?
If they are the correct guidelines, then is the recent uptick in community-acquired COVID-19 due to individuals choosing to not follow those rules?
Why aren鈥檛 our counties and state officials proactively monitoring the businesses that are re-opening to ensure that they have in place and are implementing the correct social distancing guidelines?
Why? Why Not?
The Los Angeles County Department of Public health does:
Why don鈥檛 we issue social distancing, COVID-19 safety certification placards to businesses? Wouldn鈥檛 proactive monitoring allow re-opening of the economy and reduce the spread of COVID-19 at the same time?
Why hasn鈥檛 the state hardened its stance and public messaging to vigorously and proactively monitor and enforce the social distancing COVID-19 safety guidelines when folks are out in public? Wouldn鈥檛 that help reduce the number of community acquired COVID-19 infections?
Why doesn鈥檛 the state test all contacts of infected individuals (preventive testing) with viral testing swabs for SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid/antigen in order to identify active infection? Isn鈥檛 there an ample supply of testing material available in our state?
Why do we not have a 鈥渉otline鈥 where citizens can report unhealthy behavior of individuals and establishments? Wouldn鈥檛 a KSSK posse for COVID-19 behavior alerts help keep everyone safe?
Why does our state not have a Department of Health law enforcement team that is tasked with being present in the community educating, reminding and enforcing social distancing rules?
Why, as a health primary care provider, do I have trouble sleeping at night and instead worry about keeping my patients, staff and myself healthy when patients need a health encounter?
Isn鈥檛 there an ample supply of testing material available in our state?
Why do I spend the extra dollars needed for personal protective equipment? Why do we do daily temperature and symptom checks before work each morning?
Why does my staff stay home whenever they don鈥檛 feel well? Why do we question every single patient before they are allowed to come to the office?
Why do we purposefully reduce the number of patients in our office at one time? Why do we offer secured texting, phone calls, and tele-health encounters instead of face to face visits?
Yet while we expend so much time and energy trying our best to tamp down this infectious disease, why do others do as they please and choose to skirt the rules? And why are they allowed to skirt the rules?
Isn鈥檛 there a lot more that our state should invest in and that we can all do to keep us moving forward despite the ongoing and long term threat of COVID-19 disease?
Am I missing something?
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