Imperial County Copes With COVID Increase
Speaker 1: 00:00 The spread of COVID-19 in Imperial Valley has been the focus of statewide concern. Although the actual number of people infected is smaller than many other counties, including San Diego. Last week, the Imperial County showed a positivity rate of 23% of people tested for the virus. That's in contrast to the state's positivity rate of 5.9%. In addition, a wave of coronavirus patients has swamped Imperial Valley hospitals in recent weeks resulting in the transfer of patients outside the County and the creation of a state funded field medical center. There are some signs that the COVID-19 spike and Imperial Valley may be easing, but despite that yesterday, the Valley reported its highest one day death toll since the pandemic began. Joining me is Jeanette on Gullo director of the Imperial County department of public health and Jeanette, welcome to the program. Speaker 2: 00:57 Thank you, Maureen. Thank you for having me Speaker 1: 00:59 Last week. Governor Newsome asked Imperial County just stop any plans that had for reopening and just re intensify as stay at home order. How have Imperial County officials responded to that Speaker 2: 01:15 Marine as of earlier this week? Um, we, uh, have a new health officer order and within that health officer order, we are, um, closing further in store shopping and limiting businesses to curbside only, um, for the faith community and religious services. Um, the services are outdoors only with a maximum of a hundred people and of course, proper social distancing measures have to be in place. We also closed County parks and are working with our city officials so that they can do the same. And, um, we're also doing just reminders, reminders to the community that we still have a stay at home order that we have a face covering order. And, um, we all need to come together to ensure that, you know, there's some stability and Imperial County at the base Speaker 1: 02:11 Beginning of this spike several weeks ago, the consensus was, it was fueled by us citizens who lived in Mexico returning to Imperial County for treatment because they were sick with Corona virus. Is that still what's going on? Speaker 2: 02:26 There is a couple of factors that may be contributing to the COVID activity in Imperial County. We are, we are a border region and a highly mobile population. We have essential workers that commute daily from other parts of California, San Diego neighbors side, as well as Arizona, Yuma, Arizona, but we also have essential workers coming from Micale Mexico. So that's one. We also have Imperial County residents that seek health care and other services, the border and Mohit golly, but not only in [inaudible] it's also in San Diego and Riverside and other areas. And, and there's definitely COVID activity. Um, throughout California, Arizona, Mexico. Speaker 1: 03:16 Tell us about Imperial counties, testing capacity. Has it increased in the last month? Speaker 2: 03:21 It has definitely increased Maureen. Um, through the state of California, we currently have two Optum serve sites. That's the community testing sites that's being offered at no cost to our community. We have a site and Imperial, the city of Imperial and another site in the city of Brawley. We are currently working with the state and trying to get a third site, uh, in Imperial County, as well as additional lanes. Now we have medical providers that have been doing quite a bit of testing out in the community. So in any given day, um, we can have five, six, 700 tests, um, over a thousand tests. Speaker 1: 04:04 Now the statistics are that 93 people have died from COVID in Imperial County and 90% of the people who died were Hispanic. Does that demographic breakdown correspond with the ethnic makeup of the County? Speaker 2: 04:19 Um, we actually have 97 debts as of this morning, unfortunately, Marine, um, to give you an idea, um, over 85% of our population, um, is Hispanic, Latino Speaker 1: 04:33 Parallela County has been concerned about the health of residents for many years, with, for instance, pollution from the salt and sea causing high rates of asthma, do a variety of underlying health conditions, make the Imperial County population, especially susceptible to COVID Speaker 2: 04:50 Ariel County. Uh, we've had challenges and yes, there are higher rates of asthma, higher rates of diabetes and, uh, higher rates of certain chronic conditions. And of course COVID-19 is affecting those with, um, high risk conditions Speaker 1: 05:08 Since last week. Have you seen any movement in that positivity rate of 23%? Speaker 2: 05:14 Well, we have to keep in mind that the rate that the governor is using is a 14 day, um, rate and it, according to the parameters set forth in, uh, the state's variance plan, it's, it's a seven day average. So currently our seven day average is 18 point 36%. And that average has fluctuated. It's gone as high as you know, in the high twenties. Um, and it's been low, uh, you know, in the low tens. Um, so it ranges on a weekly basis. How do you assess the situation with hospitals in the County? We have two hospitals and Imperial County, both hospitals have definitely been stretched thin the local emergency medical services section of the public health department, and secured very much needed resources for both hospitals, personal protective equipment, gloves, gowns, face shields masks, and as well as medical supplies, including ventilators medication COVID-19 specimen collection kits and hospitals, um, have also received, um, staffing support. Speaker 2: 06:35 And all of this is facilitated through our EMS, uh, program, uh, support from the California national guard, California emergency services, authority, um, national disaster medical system. Additionally and early on, we received helped with some, um, ambulance strike teams being deployed to help out with, um, uh, County transfers. And finally, um, we coordinated with state officials on the setup of an alternate care site that's over at the Imperial Valley college, is that the field medical center that the state of California sent to Imperial County early on, it was referred to as the field medical station. Yes. And so how are you using it? Um, we have seen from may 26 through June 26, over, um, 107 patients. And so it's 80, it's an 80 bed capacity. Uh, and so, um, those patients that are well enough, uh, to be out of the hospital, but not well enough, uh, to be home, um, they are transported over to the alternate care site. Speaker 2: 07:49 And then, um, once they're well enough, then they get discharged home. How are Valley residents accepting and restrictions like wearing masks and social distancing and staying home? All of that, the community's divided. This is not an easy situation. So many within our community have done such an amazing job, keeping themselves and others healthy. This is about every one of us. Um, all of us, um, can decide it to be part of the solution or not. And, and today I'm asking that all Imperial County, you know, join the efforts, let's be part of that solution. Let's do everything we can to, to prevent anyone else from, you know, losing their children, their siblings, parents, partners, or friends, you know, to COVID-19. We know it's tough. I will let you go and say, thank you so much. Jeanette Gullo director of the Imperial County department of public health. Thanks for spending some time with us. Thank you so much, Maureen. Have a good day. You too.
