Kane County Doctors Urge Public To Wear Masks
– For The Love Of Their Communities
By Josh Warburton
Doctors Call for a Change in Culture
In a bi-weekly call, today with the Kane County COVID-19 Task Force, Kane County doctors, and administrators from Kane County Hospital urged local leaders to help change the culture in our area towards mask-wearing. The reason being the current increase in positive cases in Kane county, with 40 so far in July adding greatly to the 11 cases prior to July.
Dr. Hollingshead stated “There needs to be a major culture shift in the county, and it needs to start with us. All our leaders need to wear masks. This is the best way we can do it. I know it’s contentious, but this is for public health and safety. It’s not about politics. I’m encouraging people to wear masks for the love of their fellow community members. To prevent their parents, grandparents from getting sick. I am extremely concerned.” Hollingshead said that all their doctors share his concern. “I just want to get my concerns out there. Many of the vulnerable get sick fast and need to be shipped out. Dixie [Regional Medical Center] is reaching capacity. And the concern is we are going to be in trouble in a month or so. We need to be careful of gatherings and get-togethers.”
This is amidst the lead-up to several public events starting tonight in Kanab and continuing with the Kanab Music Festival on Friday and Saturday as well as Pioneer Day activities. The Kanab Music Festival is taking the lead in promoting social distancing, mask-wearing, and they will have handwashing stations throughout the venue.
Kanab’s Mayor Houston said “We are trying to encourage people to mask up when they can. It’s amazing how people react to encouragement.” and added, “But that’s their choice.”
Camille Taylor with Kane County Tourism expressed the difficulties local businesses were currently having amidst the COVID-related decline in tourism while also expressing concern for the current health crisis; she asked hospital administrators if they could release information in an easy-to-consume format similar to what she’d seen from an area in Texas. Administrators expressed that could be an increasing possibility while prioritizing the privacy of individuals. Taylor invited the hospital to have a presence at the Kanab Music Festival event as a way to amplify the hospital’s message but representatives said it would be unlikely since they’d given all their staff guidance to avoid gatherings.
School District reopening plan approved
Also announced today by Kane County School Superintendent Dalton is the approval of Kane County School district’s plan to return in the fall. The plan offers families with three options. “Face to face. Blended/hybrid: school a few days per week, the other part streaming over the internet. Or full time online/streaming.” Said Dalton. “We plan to have all curriculum live streamed. Also, 3500 face coverings will be distributed.” Per state mandate, all students will be required to wear masks on buses and in classrooms. Parents can request which option they’d like for their children to receive instruction. Dalton said they plan to survey families within the next week to assess approximately how many are interested in each option.
Public Health Director stresses keeping most vulnerable safe
Dr. David Blodgett, the Director of Southwest Public Health Department, which includes the counties of Beaver, Iron, Garfield, Washington, and Kane, said that protecting the elderly is critical. “Most diagnosed were at nursing homes. People are self-identifying if they are at risk.” He stated that people over the age of 85 have a 15% mortality rate while for those under 50 it is under 1%. Asked by Kanab Mayor Robert Houston if there’s likely a point when we can return to “normal” Blodgett said that vaccine testing is showing positive signs and that he thinks a vaccine may be out by the end of the year. “Although polls say half may refuse it.” He added.
Differing views on the focus
While the doctors and administrators asked for attention to be focused on the changing of attitudes towards mask-wearing and adhering to guidelines, most community leaders expressed little or no change to report from their last call two weeks ago, with facilities largely being open, including the pools in Kanab, Fredonia, and Orderville. Additionally, Kane County Commissioner Lamont Smith suggested so much more attention was given to total cases rather than “active” cases. According to Blodgett, that number is around 800 known active cases of the 2563 positive cases in the five-county area. Cases move from active to recovered status three weeks after diagnosis rather than them being confirmed by a doctor as having actually fully recovered, although it’s thought that most would not be contagious three weeks after diagnosis. Based on that system Kane County currently has 38 active reported cases, but some of the most recent research says actual cases are likely six to 24 times higher. Using an average 10X multiplier would put actual cases in Kane County around 500.
Other news from the meeting
The state parks representative noted that visitorship was high and that they were seeing lots of Texas license plates. The water department representative simply stated, “We just need it to rain.”
Actual COVID numbers higher than reported
Chief Nursing Officer Britt Baer from Kane County Hospital also noted that the confirmed number of cases as reported by SW Public Health only includes local residents and does not include visitors to the area who have tested positive here. “We have a lot of tourists if they get sick while here it’s not on anyone’s [local] records. Sometimes half the E.R. can be from out of town,” said Baer.
“Our message needs to encourage everyone to wear masks, social distance, and wash hands. We care about everybody. Their health and safety and their businesses. If it’s as simple as wearing a mask so we can keep businesses open then let’s do it. ” Dr. Hollingshead said in summation.
Attached: Official statement from the Kane-County-Hospital.
