WASHINGTON CO. LEADERS MEET TO TALK PLANNING FOR, RESPONSE TO COVID-19

  

Leaders from across Washington County met this (Wednesday) afternoon to discuss planning efforts and what the county can expect as the COVID-19 situation develops.

Representatives from local governments and schools, along with officials from Baylor Scott and White, the Washington County Chamber of Commerce, Texas A&M AgriLife, nursing and funeral homes gathered at the Washington County EMS Station on Highway 290, either in person or via conference call, to gather information and air concerns about the coronavirus.

EMS Director Kevin Deramus began the meeting by saying even when there is not a disaster, panic can cause problems.  He said right now, there is a disaster, and it is invisible.  He said the purpose of this stakeholder meeting was for all parties to pass on any advice and concerns they had to Washington County’s health authority, Dr. William Loesch.

Deramus told those in attendance that as of this afternoon, there were still no confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county.  He said EMS has transported nine COVID-19 suspicious patients, with all of their tests coming back negative.  In total, he said 14 people have been tested, with no positive results.

Deramus went over several hypotheticals and planning assumptions with the group, discussing several what-if scenarios and how they could be addressed.  While going over his assumptions,  Deramus said to keep in mind that while Washington County accounts for 35,000 citizens, the county is a healthcare hub for surrounding counties.  He also said susceptibility to the pandemic influenza subtype would be universal, while the clinical disease attack rate could be 30 percent in the overall population.

Continuing his assumptions, Deramus said, out of working adults, an average of 10 to 20 percent will become ill during a community outbreak and seek in-hospital care.  Of those who become ill, 50 percent will seek outpatient medical care.

The group then estimated worst-case scenario numbers of illness, hospitalization, and deaths in moderate and severe pandemic scenarios, using the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic events as an example.

Deramus said the county is currently in Phase Four of pandemic alert, which calls for the county to evaluate the need to activate its Emergency Operation Center and Public Information Call Centers.  It also calls for regular briefings with health care system partners, response agencies, schools, businesses, and politicians.  In addition, it mandates that, according to national guidelines, protocols for vaccine and antiviral dispensing are finalized.

Phase Five, according to Deramus, calls for all schools, colleges and universities to be closed, along with churches, theaters, stadiums, and community centers.  It also mandates the cancellation of all large public gatherings, and the implementation of strategies to expand triage, treatment and morgue capacity.

Some of the concerns presented by local stakeholders at the meeting included having enough personal protective equipment on hand, what will happen to healthcare systems and local businesses, the effect the virus will have on students and the economy, and the panic the virus is creating.

After the meeting, Deramus said he feels confident about the county’s preparation efforts.

 

Deramus also acknowledged the challenge of feeding the correct information to the public.

 

Deramus said this local health care coalition will continue to meet in the future, albeit at a smaller scale, due to current recommendations from health officials to keep in-person gatherings to less than ten people.