BD COVID-19 Letter Northam From Medical Community
BD COVID-19 Letter Northam From Medical Community
BD COVID-19 Letter Northam From Medical Community
Click here to add your name to the letter. This letter was coordinated by the EndCoronavirus.org
network of scientists and activists. Send questions and media inquiries to
[email protected]
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We are scientists, healthcare professionals, policy experts, business owners, and concerned
citizens. We are calling on you to make Virginia a leader in deploying aggressive strategies
against COVID-19. Your March 30th stay at home order is saving lives and your Forward
Virginia blueprint contains important steps. However, we believe even more actions will be
needed before we can safely reopen Virginia. As you know, all Virginians are hurting, but
Virginians who happen to be elderly, unemployed, low income, African-American, or working in
high-risk jobs are suffering disproportionately.
We know Virginia is severely resource constrained as a result of this crisis. That’s why we are
proposing high-impact actions our state can implement now at minimal cost, even in the absence
of additional federal support.
Our goal must be near-zero infections in the short-term. Anyone who tells you this is impossible
is ignoring the experience of other countries. Taiwan and South Korea – countries with
populations several times larger than Virginia’s – have only a handful of new cases every day
(and zero on some days). Virginia can replicate their success with the right policies. And that
means Virginia will get back to work and become a model for the rest of our country.
The EndCoronavirus.org network of scientists and activists drafted this letter in conjunction with
the undersigned concerned citizens of Virginia. We respectfully request that you immediately
implement the following low-cost, high-impact actions to #CrushTheCurveVA:
1. Empower local governments: The counties and cities suffering most from COVID-19
lack the legal authority to take independent action against the disease. Virginia should
empower municipalities to make and enforce additional rules on social distancing, masks,
mandatory quarantines for outside visitors, among other measures. Aggressive policies in
areas with higher rates of transmission will protect neighboring counties. All
municipalities should continue to enforce state-wide rules.
2. Maximize social distancing: Maintain the stay at home order until we have near zero
new daily cases in Virginia. Educate the public about the importance of social distancing
within homes (most infections likely occur within families). Require businesses to enact
safer product and service delivery policies, such as curbside pickup when possible.
Ensure Virginia businesses that remain open provide their employees with protective
equipment as appropriate and adhere to social distancing. For further details: Social
Distancing Recommendations.
3. Expand mask usage: Ensuring greater usage of masks in Virginia is critical if we want
to save lives and end the lockdown. Virginia should require cloth face coverings in public
spaces such as supermarkets and common areas of apartment buildings. Building staff
should enforce the rule - not police. Individuals with serious health or safety issues
related to masks should be allowed to enter buildings without face coverings if they voice
their health or safety issues to building staff. Authorities should provide free masks at key
locations, such as supermarkets, and to low-income and high-risk individuals. Virginia
should continue to educate the public about how to safely make and wear masks. All
Virginia officials, starting with Governor Northam, should model the use of masks in
public. For further details: Mask Recommendations.
4. Deploy approaches that have worked elsewhere to cheaply scale up testing: Consider
low-cost approaches to cheaply scale up testing, such as CT Scans. CT scans have a low
false positive rate and tens of thousands can be done per day with existing equipment.
Medical and safety protocols exist. CT scans were used extensively in Hubei province in
China as an integral part of the early identification and isolation policy that led to a rapid
decrease in the number of cases. ddPCR Group Testing Methods should also be
considered. Virginia must scale up testing to the point that we test everyone with cold or
flu-like symptoms, workers in high-risk jobs, and members of the general population,
including individuals who live in high-risk settings (nursing homes, prisons, etc.). For
further details: Testing Recommendations.
5. Leverage volunteers to cheaply scale up contact tracing: We need an army of at least
1,000 paid contact tracers, but if that is not feasible in the short-term, volunteer contact
tracers can make a significant dent in infections. Engage with municipalities and
community organizations to coordinate community volunteer contact tracing efforts (or
work with Virginia Medical Reserve Corps). Contact tracers should support infected
individuals and perform door to door checks to identify individuals with symptoms
requiring testing. For further details: Contact Tracing Recommendations.
6. Convert unused college dormitories into voluntary isolation facilities: We know from
China that most coronavirus infections occur within families. Multi-case families are well
known to be common here as well. A “Safe Family” program is needed. Anyone who has
tested positive, is presumed to be positive, or is a close contact of a positive individual
should isolate. Anyone who is isolating but is not confirmed for COVID-19 must have at
a minimum their own bedroom and bathroom. Individuals with a dedicated bedroom and
bathroom in their home and not requiring medical care might isolate at home. For those
who cannot safely isolate at home, Virginia should use college dormitories as a low-cost
voluntary isolation option. This will dramatically reduce the number of cases and
dramatically shorten the time we spend under lockdown. These facilities should also be
open to first responders. Virginia should designate hospitals for COVID-19 patients to
reduce the spread of the disease in healthcare settings. For further details: Isolation
Recommendations.
The signers of this letter, including EndCoronavirus.org initiative leader Yaneer Bar-Yam, would
welcome the opportunity to discuss with you how these recommendations can help your
government #CrushTheCurveVA. Please reach out to [email protected] for any
matters regarding this letter. Thank you for your leadership during this difficult time.
UPDATES:
04/28/2020: Added references to #CrushTheCurveVA to letter.
Signed:
Physicians
17. Dean Kedes, MD, PhD Molecular Biophysics and Biochemistry, University of Virginia,
Charlottesville, VA
18. Katharine Claire Degeorge, MD, MS, Physician, Associate Professor of Family
Medicine, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
19. Denise Way, MD, Physician, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
20. Irène Mathieu, MD, Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, University of Virginia,
Charlottesville, VA
21. Anna Bittner, MD, Family Physician, North Chesterfield, VA
22. Cindy Anderson, MD, Physician, Arlington, VA
23. Krista Pine, MD, Physician, Richmond, VA
24. Donna A Landen, MD, Physician, Charlottesville, VA
25. Susan Kohn, MD, Physician, Falls Church, VA
26. Theodore Wu, MD, PhD, Physician, Virginia Eye Institute, Mechanicsville, VA
27. Kristina Johnson, MD, Family Physician, University of Virginia Family Medicine
Program, Charlottesville, VA
28. John M North, MD, Retired Neonatologist, Glen Allen, VA
29. Jethro H. Piland, Jr., MD, Family Physician (Retired), Mechanicsville, VA
30. Sarah Lewis, MD, Physician, Charlottesville, VA
31. Patricia A. Nahormek, MD, Cardiologist (Retired), Newport News, VA
32. Tegwyn H. Brickhouse DDS, PhD, Dentist, Virginia Commonwealth University,
Richmond, VA
33. Awa Sanneh, MD, Physician, Baltimore, MD
34. Christian P. DiPaola, MD, Physician, Shrewbury, MA
35. William Malone, MD, Twin Falls, ID
36. Frank Maletz, MD, FACS Orthopaedic Surgery, Founder CEO HEALTHSPITAL
Foundation and OrthoMedCon, East Lyme, CT
37. Leonard Schultz, MD, Chairman, Nascent Surgical, Eden Prairie, MN
38. Robert J Settipane, MD, East Providence, RI
Healthcare Workers
101. Tina Sweeney Gustin, DNP, Assistant Professor of Nursing, Old Dominion
University, Virginia Beach, VA
102. Kate Brennan, Nurse Practitioner, Radford University/Pulaski Free Clinic, Radford,
VA
103. Michelle Maher, Registered Nurse, Haymarket, VA
104. Jane Wilhite, Registered Nurse, Chester, VA
105. Stephanie Proto McAnally, Registered Nurse, Glen Allen, VA
106. Alicia Ruiz, Registered Nurse, Manassas, VA
107. Chelsea Weaks, Standardized Patient Educator and Nurse, Eastern Virginia Medical
School, Norfolk, VA
108. Teresa Isom, Chesterfield County Public School Nurse, Chester, VA
109. Maureen McNultt, Registered Nurse, Medstar Health, Alexandria, VA
110. Lisa Clausen, Registered Nurse, Alexandria City Public Schools, Alexandria, VA
111. Linda Turner, Certified Nursing Assistant, Axton, VA
112. Ellen Lesher, Registered Nurse, Acute Dialysis Team, Fredericksburg, VA
113. Jonathan Wade, Mental Health Therapist, Bristow, VA
114. William G. McLees, MS, OTR/L, Occupational Therapist, Richmond, VA
115. Karen A.Bladergroen, Licensed Professional Counselor, Eastern Virginia Medical
School, Norfolk, VA
116. Sita Topalli, Healthcare Administration/Medical Education, Virginia Beach, VA
117. Kenneth Vezey, Retired Hospital Chaplain, Virginia Beach, VA
118. Pam Garrett, Dental Receptionist, Roanoke, VA
119. Cameron F., Dental Assistant, Richmond, VA
120. Tiffany Landsowne, Medical Assistant, Manassas, VA
121. Joy Edmonds, Pharmacy Technician, Rural Retreat, VA
122. Shannon Childers, Chiropractic Assistant, Lemmata Chiropractic, Hampton, VA
123. Abdulaziz S Omar, Licensed Optician, LensCrafters, Alexandria, VA
124. Meri A Huddleston, Registered Dental Hygenist, Star City Family Dentistry, Hardy,
VA
125. Blue Wooldridge, PhD, Distinguished Career Professor of Public and Government
Affairs and Professor Emeritus, Virginia Commonwealth University, Fredericksburg, VA
126. Charles Holt, PhD, A. Willis Robertson Professor of Political Economy, University of
Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
127. Nancy Stutts, PhD, Associate Professor of Public Administration, Virginia
Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
128. Laura S. Jensen, PhD, Associate Professor of Public Administration, Virginia Tech,
Blacksburg, VA
129. Lucy Bassett, Associate Professor of Practice of Public Policy, University of Virginia,
Charlottesville, VA
130. Talitha LeFlouria, PhD, List Smith Discovery Associate Professor of African and
African-American Studies, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
131. Beth Schueler, PhD, Assistant Professor of Public Policy & Education, University of
Virginia, Charlottesville, VA
132. Sarah Jane Brubaker, PhD, Professor, Criminal Justice and Public Policy, Virginia
Commonwealth University, Glen Allen, VA
133. Mishal Ahmed, PhD, Assistant Professor of Public Policy, University of Virginia,
Charlottesville, VA
134. Richard Huff, PhD, Assistant Professor, Public Policy & Administration, Virginia
Commonwealth University, Chester, VA
135. Aris Spanos, PhD, Professor of Economics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
136. Richard Ashley, PhD, Professor of Economics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
137. Amoz Kats, PhD, Professor of Economics Emeritus, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA
138. Dr. Bethany M. (bee) Coston, PhD, Assistant Professor of Gender, Sexuality &
Women's Studies, Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, VA
Business Owners:
Concerned Citizens