Atlanta prepares for coronavirus

While there is currently no vaccine for coronavirus disease, also known as COVID-19, the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus. At present, this is the only guidance from the Centers for Disease Control for first responders, healthcare professionals, and the public.

Police and Fire Chief, Robin Betts, says there is an emergency preparedness plan in place for coronavirus. However, the protocol is fluid and will be determined as we learn more about the virus and its behaviors. The Atlanta Police Department is updated, daily, and information is disbursed through the Department of Public Safety’s State Emergency Management.

“Through our Regional Advisory Committee and our Homeland Security, our COGS, you have an emergency management coordinator for each jurisdiction. The CDC and the federal government feed information to the states, then from there it’s fed down to us.”

The Department of Homeland Security collaborates closely with each of the 24 Regional Councils of Governments, “COGs”, across the state and provides funding for them to engage in regional and local planning efforts including threat and preparedness assessments and planning to implement the state’s homeland security strategy.

Betts added, “With RAC, the medical side of it, all your hospitals are on go with it. They have the latest updates. We have the latest updates. Emergency Medical Services have the latest updates.”

Regional Advisory Councils, “RAC”, are the administrative bodies responsible for trauma system oversight within the bounds of a given Trauma Service Area in Texas and tasked with developing, implementing, and monitoring a regional emergency medical service trauma system plan. Comprised of healthcare entities and other concerned citizens, they have an interest in improving and organizing trauma care.

Nursing homes receive regular updates from Betts as the elderly and those with underlying health conditions are the most vulnerable to serious illness.

Brandy Pulliam, Director of Nursing at Golden Villa Nursing and Rehab, explained that Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, a division of the Department of Health and Human Services, provide additional guidance to nursing homes for infection control and prevention of coronavirus.

Pulliam made a statement on behalf of Golden Villa regarding newly implemented measures to safeguard residents on Monday.

“The facility has been directed to follow CDC Guidelines about the Coronavirus outbreak. In doing so, the facility has taken the steps to temporarily limit visiting hours to 6:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., daily. Also, all visitors must register with the receptionist during business hours and at the nurse’s station after hours. Each visitor will be asked to complete a simple questionnaire about Coronavirus screening. Visitors that are experiencing the following are asked to not visit the facility until the symptoms have cleared; runny nose, sore throat, cough, fever, or difficulty breathing.”

Christus released a statement on Mar. 2 regarding coronavirus.

“In the event that possible coronavirus patients need hospitalization after screening, we have identified a portion of our facility as the best place to allow us to isolate and safely care for any potential patients without risk of transmission to other parts of the facility.”

Additionally, “Christus Health currently convenes daily, sometimes more, to check in our emergency preparedness plans. We have had many hands on deck during this process. Nearly everyone from physicians and nurses, quality and safety experts to those responsible for ordering supplies and keeping the hospital clean is involved in making sure we can do best for our patients, our associates, and this community we serve.”

At last Monday’s city council meeting, David Cockrell made the following statement.

“We are aware of what is going on, nationally, particularly in Washington State right now. We realize that we’re a small city and also realize that none of us is immune. We’re working with each individual department to make sure that planning isn’t an afterthought for when you need to be making decisions. We’ll be putting something together, round table some very simple things like what things we’re going to close and what services might we cut back.”

Cockrell suggested the possibility of neither accepting electric nor natural-gas payments within the city’s office. Instead, customers would be directed to use the outside drop box to minimize contacts.

If that action is taken, Cockrell said that contact with the public will be reduced by 50%.

More information will be released as decisions are made.