Three Decorah doctors add their voices to discussion of COVID case peak

Posted: Thu, Nov 5, 2020 2:39 PM

(The following Letter to the Editor has been submitted by Decorah physicians Kevin Sand, Max Quaas and David Bakken):

"Please take actions now to save the lives of many in our community. Iowa is experiencing a surge of Covid-19 infections, with 700 Iowans hospitalized and cases up 103 percent in two weeks. Things will likely get much worse. If we take action now, lives will be saved.

Please avoid indoor Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings. Even small family gatherings with relatives outside your "bubble" can cause Covid-19 spread. Mask, distance, wash hands, and get your flu shot.

If you can, get groceries and restaurant meals curbside, and support our local businesses and essential workers. We are already a Covid-19 red state, meaning there is free spread of the virus in our community.

Here are the warning signs:

     1) Winneshiek Public Health Director Krista VandenBrink states "The virus is out of control".
     2) The University of Iowa Hospitals' CEO implores us to avoid Thanksgiving and Christmas gatherings. He states "really what we're entering is the danger zone." If overwhelmed, transfers from smaller hospitals will need to be restricted. I can tell you, you don't want this to happen to you or your loved ones. Help keep our local hospital from being overwhelmed."
     3) Dr Fauci warns "if things do not change, if they continue on the course we're on, there's gonna be a whole lot of pain in this country with regard to additional cases and hospitalizations and deaths." He also warned the nation "could not be positioned more poorly to battle the pandemic."

Sadly, Dr Birx of the White House Coronavirus Taskforce states that there are unnecessary deaths from Covid-19 in Iowa. Governor Reynolds continues to refuse to take appropriate actions, for example, closing businesses at high risk to spread Covid-19. She states the reason is that our hospitals still have capacity. Well, we have been warned, they may be overwhelmed soon."