Health News
‘People want answers.’ Florida officials need to be more open about COVID-19, Buchanan says
U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan is calling on the Florida Department of Health to be more transparent with information about the novel coronavirus, the cause of COVID-19.
At times,the Florida Department of Health has delayed the release of information about new cases of COVID-19. As of early Monday, there were 18 known cases connected to Florida, which includes five Florida residents who are quarantined outside of the state and a California resident quarantined in Florida.
Late Friday night, the department announced the state’s first two deaths from COVID-19, one which was among three new cases. Since then the department has announced six additional cases, including a second case in Manatee County, news that was released late Saturday night.
“I think we need more transparency and more information because they’re the ones that are on the front line. They are working with the hospitals,” Buchanan, R-Longboat Key, said during a press conference at Blake Medical Center in Bradenton on Monday.
Manatee Health Department officials did not make themselves available during the press conference with Buchanan and hospital leadership. Jennifer Bencie, the department director, and staff had been at the hospital prior to the press conference to brief Buchanan.
“Same thing in Sarasota County, where they came to my meeting before and they leave at the time where we get to talk with the press,” Buchanan said.
In an email Monday afternoon, the Manatee Health Department said it could not provide details about where the latest Manatee case was being quarantined, which country they have recently traveled to or any other specific details about the case.
Local health departments have been able to answer most of his questions when briefed, Buchanan said, but the congressman thought it was wrong that information was not being disseminated to the media and made public.
“People want answers and they want them right now. They have most of the answers,” Buchanan said. “They give me some pretty good information but they need to be giving that to you.”
During the press conference, Blake Medical Center President Randy Currin confirmed that the latest COVID-19 case in Manatee, an 81-year-old woman who had traveled overseas, is not a patient there. The woman also is not a patient at Manatee Memorial Hospital or Lakewood Ranch Medical Center, according to their CEO Kevin DiLallo.
COVID-19 ‘is going to get worse’
Representing a district in a state with a large senior citizen population that is more vulnerable to the novel coronavirus, Buchanan said he is taking the issue seriously.
“It is going to get worse before it gets better,” Buchanan said. “That’s the reality.”
Buchanan said there was a need for faster testing and for it to be done locally, claiming that the resources exist to make the turn-around as quick as a couple hours, comparing it to a flu test.
“It’s taking way too long, five to seven days, by the time it goes to Tampa from here and then goes up to Atlanta. It’s just way too long. That’s got to change and has to change quickly,” Buchanan said.
Currin could not say Monday how many people at Blake have been tested for COVID-19. To date, Manatee Memorial Hospital has only made public one patient who was tested negative for the novel coronavirus while Lakewood Ranch Hospital has not made any public.
After the press conference, Buchanan said he was headed to Washington D.C., and that he would be in favor of Congress calling an emergency session.
“I am going to be pushing for a lot more action. We got the money. I want to see this coming together a lot quicker because there is a lot of unfortunate fear with anything else out there,” Buchanan said. “I think you are going to see more action. It can’t be partisan.”
Blake’s preventative measures
Beginning last Wednesday, Blake Medical Center began screening visitors at each of the hospital’s entrances. According to Buchanan, the simple screening was a first step in the right direction.
Visitors are questioned by a staff member about whether they have traveled outside the country in the last 14 days, whether they have they been exposed to anyone who has tested positive with COVID-19 or if they have had any flu-like symptoms in the past 14 days.
Blake Medical Center Chief Medical Officer Mitchell Rubinstein asked that the public to remember that common sense steps are the most important in preventing the virus.
“Hand-washing is the single most important thing people can do,” Rubinstein said.
The doctor also reminded people to extend each other the common courtesy of not coughing into their hands.
In addition to the screening of visitors, Currin said the hospital is also focused on ensuring that they have enough PPE, or personal pretective equipment, for their staff and ensuring everyone knows how to properly use that equipment. They also are concentrating on infection prevention.
Currin addressed the handling of Manatee’s first case of COVID-19 by Doctors Hospital in Sarasota, which like Blake is owned by HCA Healthcare.
“We had a situation last week and we learned from it,” Currin said.
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