COVID-19 News and Updates
Hello all,
Nina Duggan here with the latest COVID-19 news and updates. This week we have a special update in the form of a letter from Dr. Julius Krevans of Mount Desert Island Hospital. Dr. Krevans specializes in internal medicine, with special interests in team-based care systems and medical illness in adults, particularly infection, pulmonary, and cardiac problems, and pre-hospital and emergency stabilization and treatment. Dr. Krevans has been a stalwart member of the Downeast COVID-19 Task Force since early 2020.
COVID Communication: Special Letter from Dr. Julius Krevans
“I have recently been asked about my thoughts on the changing state and federal guidance
regarding masks in public places.
Yesterday I had conversations after email discussions with Chrissi Maguire and Trevor Casey. As promised, I have tried to create a summary email of my thoughts to assist. This is a personal document, with some science, some projection based on science, and a little personal philosophy. First, we need to be clear that the Federal and State recommendations to consider not requiring masks was not based on any inference that masks do not help prevent transmission; it was based on an estimation that in most areas sufficient resources are available for a medical response to the infections. This is true when case counts are low, human resources and hospital beds are available, and specialized medications needed for prevention and treatment are in adequate supply.
Several weeks ago, when the same question was raised none of those things were true, now all are partially true in our area. One thing I cannot speak to is the degree to which masks interfere with the educational and social function of the school; the school administration can balance those concerns against the risks of infection. There is a strong possibility that there will be more COVID-19 infection in the community if masks are not required than if they continue to be required. The hospital anticipates this and feels we are likely to have adequate staffing even with this. Other employers including the school should all consider this.
One step employers could take right now to decrease this risk is assisting any unvaccinated or unboosted employees to get the vaccine as soon as possible. This will markedly decrease the chance of infection, severe infection, or workplace spread if children bring home infection to their families. MDIH has adequate bedspace at this time for treatment of COVID cases requiring inpatient treatment. Availability of transfer for critical care has improved as the statewide hospitalization numbers have decreased, but bedspace statewide will likely be stressed for the near future due to large amounts of deferred surgeries and other care in the major hospital systems as well as staffing challenges they face. There is now access to early treatment medications for higher risk persons with early Covid19. We anticipate that this will further improve over the next few weeks to be available to all for whom it is indicated.
Evusheld, the long-acting monoclonal antibody cocktail that can be given every 6 months to
patients with highly impaired immune response to vaccines (transplant patients, cancer patients on chemotherapy, other immunosuppressed patients) is still in short supply, but we believe that we will be getting our first supply to administer in the next couple of weeks. Access will be limited based on FDA authorization and State of Maine Guidance depending on supply. Based on the information above, it would be reasonable for the school district to lift its masking mandate; it would also be reasonable to continue for a few more weeks based on competing priorities. Based on events elsewhere, if masks are allowed but not mandated, I would be very concerned that we as a community take strong steps to protect students who exercise their choice to mask or not from harassment either by other students or especially by adults.
Finally, I should note that while stopping masking at this time is reasonable, we need to be brutally honest about the severity of COVID-19, the high likelihood of recurrent waves, and the strong possibility that we will need to again respond as a community. More Americans have died of COVID in the past 6 months than died in the ten years previous from influenza. We have now had five waves of infection in the United States three to eight months apart with the most recent one being the second highest for deaths, despite the widespread availability of an effective vaccine and some availability of effective medication.
Death rates have varied by a factor of over 400% between different states depending on their choices. Coronavirus make their way in the world by evolving immune escape, and there is no reason to think we will not have to tighten and respond again.
On a personal note, I actually see this as a reason to loosen restrictions when we can, with open eyes to the need to change course in the future.”
- J R Krevans Jr.
The final piece for this week is a free digital COVID-19 communication toolkit. This is a fantastic resource in which doctors, nurses, and researchers provide facts in the forms of written material, videos, and other embeddable content to help dispel misinformation.
Thanks again everyone for checking in this week. Stay safe, and remember to take care of each other. ~ Nina
Nina Duggan is Healthy Acadia’s COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Project Coordinator. They share weekly updates about COVID-19 in the state of Maine and beyond, along with resources you may find useful on testing, vaccination, and best practices in preventative measures.
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If you or anyone you know have questions or concerns about COVID-19 or the available vaccines please call or text our COVID-19 Peer Support Line at 207-271-6023, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.