Marie Y. Lemelle, MBA - Contributing Writer
The coronavirus, a global pandemic, is testing the resiliency of the United States. While we are overwhelmed with fear and the constant evolving stream of information, people need to remember the insurmountable tragedies that Americans have faced and overcome.
Novel infectious coronaviruses may sound new but are common. In fact, it was first discovered in the late 1960s. Direct viral and bacterial pneumonia and bronchitis, influenza, and the common cold are all coronaviruses. What’s different is that COVID-19 is a new strain that started in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei Province in Central China, a city of 11 million people. According to the Wuhan CDC, there was a cluster of unknown pneumonia cases related to Huanan Seafood Wholesale Market.
The Mayo Clinic reports that symptoms may appear two to 14 days after exposure. A coronavirus vaccine isn't currently available.
To address concerns by the Los Angeles population, the Los Angeles City Council voted on more than 100 motions to assist residents and business owners to help stop the spread of the coronavirus by implementing social distancing; self-isolation; bars, entertainment venues and gym closures; help financially by ending utility shut off and issuing parking tickets on street cleaning day; clean but not remove homeless encampments; provide meal service to senior by utilizing local restaurants, and more.
“The person who should be wearing a mask are those who are coughing, sneezing and a mild fever. Droplets can reach up to 6 feet on surfaces, the TV remote, uncovered food and bathroom areas. The mask protects those around the person who are already comprised. Viral shedding, the excretions from the mouth and nose with the potential for disease transmission and infection, stops about a week after symptoms first appear,” said Dr. Nancy E. Gin, a board certified internist, is the Senior Vice President and Chief Quality Officer for The Permanente Federation, overseeing quality for 23,000 physicians nationwide and more than 12 million members.
A recent study published in the Lancelet Journal found prolonged viral shedding at the shortest amount of time someone was infectious was eight days and the longest amount of time was 37 days.
“Kaiser Permanente is in the position to test people. Since the resources are limited, we will reserve testing for those who are at high risk and are already sick,” said Dr. Gin who also serves as the Medical Director of Quality and Clinical Analysis for the Southern California Permanente Medical Group leading Quality and Safety for 4.4 million members.
Kaiser Permanente states that their staff are receiving refresher training to protect themselves from infectious diseases and coronavirus. Staff does have a higher concentration of sick people around them and personal protective equipment is available for them.
“Our nation’s health professionals are at risk. We serve on the front lines of this pandemic. Many are becoming exposed to the virus and test kits are still not available,” said Lorna Johnson, MSN, NM, NP. “This is no cause for alarm as testing is currently limited to those who are at risk. If you are sick with a high fever or cough, have a higher risk for complications from severe respiratory infection, older than 65, have a chronic medical condition or are pregnant, call your healthcare provider to be evaluated in person.”
Johnson added, “If you do need to be tested the process is simple and painless.” Johnson founded and operates the Advanced Family Care Medical Group, an inner-city medical clinic. “A culture is taken from the inside of your nose and throat using swabs then sent to specific labs. Results are typically ready within 24-48 hours.”
“Artificial intelligence is running our lives and we are skipping our common sense intelligence to change things that will not matter if we don't go back to the basics and do the right thing,” said Bill Montgomery, a transportation & technology expert and founder of Hidden Pioneers. “Wash both our hands with soup and warm water using the World Health Organization technique for 20 seconds or longer often and especially after we touch people, surfaces, including but limited to door knobs, counter tops, boxes, windows, technology devices like cell phones, computers, note books, remote controls, car steering wheels, TV's and more.” Montgomery comes from a military family. His cousin was the celebrated and late Katherine Johnson, the NASA mathematician and inspiration for the award-winning 2016 film, “Hidden Figures.”
“The virus can survive on hard surfaces such as plastic and stainless steel for up to 72 hours and on cardboard for up to 24 hours,” said study author, James Lloyd-Smith, an assistant professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at UCLA.
While the United States is experiencing a rapid increase in cases, countries like Taiwan have made it through the pandemic. “In Taiwan, we went through the 30-day heightened social distancing, school closures, self-quarantine, interruption of daily routine lives, hand washing, and mask wearing enforcement in late January 2020 through February 2020,” said Juanita Ingram, Esq., a wife, mother of two, and an Expat originally from Chattanooga, Tennessee. “The mandates work and our numbers continue to be low while the world is exploding with active cases.”
According to the John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, Taiwan only had 77 reported cases, 22 have fully recovered, and one death. For real-time numbers from around the world, visit the Coronavirus Global Cases interactive map that was designed by Professor Lauren Gardner, a civil and systems engineering professor at Johns Hopkins University. The dashboard was built with her graduate student, Ensheng Dong.
John Hopkins University uses data for the map from the World Health Organization, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the European Center for Disease Prevention and Control, the National Health Commission of the People’s Republic of China, local media reports, local health departments, and the DXY, one of the world’s largest online communities for physicians, health care professionals, pharmacies and facilities. More than 1.2 billion daily requests to view the map since early March 2020.
For up-to-date information in Los Angeles County, go to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health website that is in cooperation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for recent reports of a novel (new) coronavirus.
For assistance information, call 211.
Resources:
John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center - https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/
Lauren Gardner - https://systems.jhu.edu/about/team/
Juanita Ingram, Esq. – https://www.iamjuanitaingram.com/
Lorna M. Johnson, MSN, NM, NP – https://www.lornamaejohnson.com/
Bill Montgomery - https://www.facebook.com/hiddenpioneers/
Nancy E. Gin, MD - https://about.kaiserpermanente.org/who-we-are/permanente-medicine/the-permanente-federation/nancy-gin-md
Hand-washing Steps Using the WHO Technique - https://youtu.be/IisgnbMfKvI
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