COVID-19

As the health officer for Madison County - my lifetime home - it is my duty and responsibility to do what I can for our citizens.  This is a great honor - and a grave responsibility.  You rarely hear from me, because of the great staff at the MCHD who manage the day to day affairs.  My hat is off to them and especially to Stephenie Grimes - health administrator.

 

Now we find ourselves in a grave situation facing the Country and our County.  I must admit I was dubious about the severity of COVID-19 and advocated that we NOT close our schools when we did. It was too early, I believed, to cut short much needed education for our children.  Now we at the MCHD are directing that business that may, and I repeat, may, unintentionally, foster the spread of this contagion, the likes of which has not been seen in the world for over a 100 years.  Like influenza, COVID-19 causes respiratory issues, especially shortness of breath.  If you DO NOT HAVE shortness of breath it is unlikely that you have a coronaviral infection.  Will these directives make people happy? Absolutely not. Might they delay the spread of COVID-19?  Absolutely!  Tough times require tough decisions.
 

We are making the best decisions that we can.  We DO NOT wish to affect anyone’s work lives, recreation or freedom of movement.  But, as MCHD board President Dr. Troy Abbott (lifetime resident of Madison County), said: "No one will understand the magnitude or the devastation of this disease until it affects a family member".  I, for one, am in the high risk age group for complications.  I am exposed to sick patients on a daily basis.  Many medical offices have closed their doors to patient visits.  We believe that no matter the risks, we, at the tip of the spear in health care, need to continue to care for all patients - sick or well.
 

We will do our best to mitigate the risks to ourselves and staff in order to continue primary care.  The health department staff will do the same.  The volume of calls to MCHD is interfering with our ability to do that effectively.  Please use your best common sense when reviewing the directives.  We have no intention of sending police to close businesses - although it may be within our purview to do so.
 

The tendency of viral infections is to become more virulent over time.  The more individuals that become infected the more likely for COVID-19 to become more serious.  This may be happening now in Italy.  Previously young individuals were much less likely to be sick.  But anyone infected can spread the virus for days before they themselves exhibit signs of infections!!  The Spanish Influenza of 1918 did just that.  Mild disease the first time around but suddenly became so severe that millions died - mostly young persons.  We DO NOT want a replay of this.  Dr. Abbott also has said that we must be proactive. To be reactive means it is too late.  We do not want the citizens of Madison County, in a few months, to say: "You should have done more, Dr. Wright and MCHD"!
 

We will fight this disease wherever it is and we will never, never let down our guard until we have a vaccine and effective treatments to quell its onslaught.  COVID-19 will probably be a permanent part of our disease paradigm going forward; but if we can mitigate its effects through treatments and vaccines then we will know that we have done all that we can.  But for now our only recourse is to stop the spread by whatever means we have.  That means reducing person to person contact by whatever means necessary.  Please bear with us and support us in these efforts.
 

Governor Holcomb states in today’s paper, “Sometimes the best defense is a good offense. There is no greater civil liberty than the liberty to not being infected by the irresponsible actions of others who would dangerously impact the health and safety of our fellow citizens.”
 

 A military officer stopped me recently and said, “People think Freedom is an entitlement, most forget that it is a responsibility.” I thanked him for his Service and for reminding me what a great Country we live in.
 

Sincerely,

Stephen J. Wright M.D. Madison County Health Officer