"I am an actively practicing physician in a very busy and well-known medical practice in Central Wisconsin. My thoughts herein DO NOT represent any medical organization, or medical practice. These thoughts are my own, and are given in response to trying to look at the COVID-19 pandemic through the “medical lens of Central Wisconsin.” Although these thoughts are my own, I can tell you that the thoughts to follow are shared by many of my colleagues, and many of whom I’m sure you may know.
First, I would like to assure those of you here today that, from a medical standpoint, we have had time to prepare for COVID-19 in Central Wisconsin. The “pause” was necessary for our system, and others, to confront and to get ready for a possible surge, and what that might mean. It has forced planning and evaluation of manpower and resources that allows us in the medical community to now say that we are as ready as we can be. I can tell you that our manpower and resources are not perfect, but ready. I feel that the medical organization that I am affiliated with can actually make the claim that we are “COVID Ready, and frankly, COVID Safe,” but that does not mean COVID Free! Of course no individual, or organization, can make the claim to being COVID Free, but from a medical perspective that is NOT important….. but COVID SAFE is possible, and I think we can now say that. I don’t think our medical communities here are saying these words loud enough, and that is a message that needs to be better communicated to the public!
Let me share some data with you. Data is important, and local data is even more important when it comes to making decisions! As of 2pm on April 16 in Marathon County there have been a grand total of 16 confirmed (test positive) COVID-19 cases. To date! Total! And we are one of the main referral centers for a 14 county region and most of the Upper Peninsula of Michigan! 16 documented positive patients! Yes, there has been 1 death, very unfortunate under any circumstance. This happened to be in an 85 year old with MANY other medical problems. Sad, and very unfortunate, yet predictable. In the hospital system where I work, we are currently averaging less than 3 admissions/week that ultimately have the coronavirus. And this is in a system with over 500 hospital beds. We have basically shut down our hospital system, and all of it’s working parts, for these few admissions.
Time, fortunately, has been on our side. We are now starting to understand that the large majority of people that contract the coronavirus may well recover without ever knowing they were infected. Data released Friday by Stanford researchers looking at case rates in California suggest that case fatality rates there likely range between 0.12-0.2%, similar that of a bad seasonal flu, rather than initial models suggesting mortality upwards of 3-4%. The more data we get, the more it seems we’ve overestimated the impact of the coronavirus. The constant barrage of media reports certainly does not help to interpret the actual reality of what most of us are seeing on the ground, especially in places like Central Wisconsin.
As medical practices, many of the groups have basically come to a grinding halt. Patients are not being seen, and necessary procedures and operations are being delayed. Important staff are being laid off in this arena as well. As we all know, none of this without consequences, and also the potential for loss of life. Most concerning to me is that now, many patients and families are actually AVOIDING medical facilities and Emergency Rooms. This is unfortunate, and a mistake! Due to the precautions that are taking place on site within our organization, with many safeguards and extra screening, both of patients and staff, these are probably SOME OF THE SAFEST PLACES TO BE at the moment.
Needless to say, a “one shoe fits all” approach to this problem is inconsistent with what many of us within the medical community see, and think. We are not New York City, and we are not even Milwaukee. The initial state mandated shutdown may have made sense based on data that was available. But NOW, EVERY DAY, more data emerges that suggests that in communities like ours, we might not even see a surge. More concerning is the fact that in communities like ours, if the shutdown continues, our communities, businesses, and hospitals will just simply not survive. New York City will get through this, we will not. At least not as we recognize it. As we all know, some of this is already happening around us.
Physician leaders at my hospital have been urging the hospital systems here to get back to business and do what we do, and that is to take care of people. We must open our doors in a COVID-ready and COVID-safe way. If we don’t our medical care systems (and MANY in rural communities) will also be decimated! It is absolutely time to re-open our world, albeit with some safe-guards and common sense, which is clearly lacking in “statewide closures and mandates!” We can all agree that times have changed, and need to for the foreseeable future, but this clearly does NOT mean to any business that we are closed. It is imperative that we begin to re-open, with appropriate safeguards, and do this NOW!"
