This update has been provided by Dr. Mark Povroznik, Chief Quality Officer and Chair of Infection Control, WVU Medicine-United Hospital Center. 

 

Good morning Harrison and surrounding counties. It is already proving to be a long week and time for my coffee.

 

Covid-19...Should I travel? A question that many are still asking (or ignoring) and a common thread in each WV case I review.

 

Perhaps sharing the map below will help. If you copy and paste the following link (https://www.cdc.gov/…/2019-n…/cases-updates/cases-in-us.html) you can hover over any state to reveal:

 

In the US, it is NO LONGER the hotspot states of WA, CA, NY. It is multiple states now labeled "widespread community transmission". With total cases in the US now climbing to just over 33,000 in a relatively short period of time, this would be considered exponential.

In WV, cases are beginning to climb as well. Current case count is 20. And as previously stated, these numbers lag behind in reporting. There is NO REASON for me to believe that Harrison County will not soon be added to the list. Hence the extensive and incredible planning feats underway and being implemented on a daily basis at United Hospital Center, and all the hospitals across WVU Medicine.

 

The following link is the current reported cases for WV. (https://dhhr.wv.gov/COVID-19/Pages/default.aspx) Of the early identified cases, recent travel was the common theme. Not just travel alone, but travel to a known hotspot or travel to a gathering that went against the social distancing measures being taught. Make sense? It should. The virus cannot drive, its not old enough, it needs a transport vehicle...that is "You".

 

One should not travel without being cognizant that the travel could lead to virus exposure and contribute directly to viral spread in the mountain state.

 

Some West Virginian's may be resting on their laurels about social distancing, effective hand washing, or have a belief system that it does not pertain to them. I haven't met a virus yet that new anyone personally or even cared what their belief systems were. A virus is simply wanting a host to be able to grow and replicate. We just have to not give them one, until it dies off.

 

Once the virus has been transmitted, spread is slow, symptoms are for many mild, until the growth rate becomes exponential. Whatever your views on Covid-19, containment is KEY! I still here people say, I didn't travel internationally. Travel is really now anything outside WV.

 

For WV, the historic pattern of Flu transmission is to "typically" rise up from Florida, up the coast, around the state, and then slowly spread into the mountain state. The extent to penetration to some degree is travel, social distancing, vaccine effectiveness and the like. Travel is a subject that needs West Virginia embracement. Of the cases we have experienced there is a STRONG travel relationship. With widespread community transmission now including 8 states and GROWING, please re-evaluate your plans to travel outside the state and how you can help strengthen social distancing measures. The door to slowing the growth in WV will, like other states, slowly close.

 

Covid-19 is a real life testament to infectious disease transmission. It only takes one (1) infected person (who may be asymptomatic) to travel or gather socially to allow the virus to spread. And under the right conditions, that growth can become and is becoming exponential.

 

If you truly want West Virginia to be different from the other evolving COVID-19 states, it really starts by being a positive advocate to the advisories, believing that you as a single individual within a state of 1.8 million can have an impact and then committing and educating the prevention strategies to others in a positive, effective and impactful way that they can be implemented and sustained. Those measures are all over the news so I'll end here, by saying...

 

We can still flatten the curve and slow the rate of growth. It simply will not be from writing and reading social posts. It will be from practicing evidence-based precautions.

 

Time to refill my coffee, go join my colleagues for what I believe will be another productive and challenging day in these historic times.