How Straight Talk Helped Manage COVID in One State

Maine has the oldest population in the United States, with an average age of 45.1, compared to 38.5 in the United States as a whole. It is also one of the poorest countries in the country. Less than one-third of residents have a bachelor’s degree or higher. However, despite these risk factors, the prevalence of Maine is significantly lower. COVID-19 (new coronavirus infection) (# If there is no character limit, add parentheses when it first appears: Lastly, there were 5,780 cases (about 430 cases per 100,000 people), 463 hospitalizations, and only 143 deaths. State COVID-19 Test Positive Rate —About 0.5 percent on average— Is The lowest in the whole country. In comparison, about 60% of Maine’s population, with an average age of 35.5 years, in North Dakota, also far away in the countryside, killed 28,244 (about 3,700 per 100,000) and 357. The test positive rate was about 8.1%. ..

The face of Maine’s successful policy is Nirav Shah, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Maine. Shah’s rock star status is reflected in his impressive Twitter followers, Facebook fan clubs, and even electronic road signs on Route 196 in the state where “In Shah We Trust” flashes. The fact that he calls himself “a brown man with a strange name in another state who has been here for 400 days” can be regarded as the voice of science. Tweeted“Speaks more about the character of the people of Maine than anything else.” Obviously, that “voice of science” has a powerful influence. Mobile phone tracking data shows that residents of Maine have significantly reduced their travels since March. Studies also show that outdoor spaces such as hiking trails generally adhere to public health advice regarding mask wear and social distance.

Trained in law and economics, and medicine, Shah has a broad view of public health that relies on equality in science, persuasion, and empathy. His twice-weekly public radio briefing follows the three principles of never being ashamed of the truth, answering questions directly, and admitting statistics and numbers without overlooking human factors. Our country’s approach, He says he does not adhere to those principles.

This month, 23 states from Alaska to New Mexico reported a record number of COVID-19 cases.Shah said as the days shortened and the country began to face fears of becoming the second wave of the virus. Scientific American How lessons learned in Maine can be applied to control illnesses in the country and around the world.

[An edited transcript of the interview follows.]

What makes the main stand out in terms of restricting transmissions?

First, the people of this state believe in science. Mobile phone tracking data tells us they were doing when they asked to stay home. They did when we asked them to wear masks. Of course, not everyone, but most. They paid attention to the public health people and kept our advice in mind. When I chat with colleagues in other states (Ohio, Michigan), I hear that the situation is completely different.

Maine appears to have responded to the initial reports of the virus much earlier than many other states, including Massachusetts and New York, both suffering a horrific outbreak last spring. Can you explain what turned you upside down?

I first worked in Cambodia SARS epidemic Also through some outbreaks of bird flu. I was part of a large team there and learned a lot about the resistance faced by epidemic political and public health professionals. I still have a close relationship in Asia, and at the end of last year I heard about heat clusters in December. And the chorus of warning voices grew between Christmas and New Year. As soon as I came back from the New Year holidays on January 2nd or 3rd, my office started preparing. PPE was distributed by February 8th [personal protective equipment] For nursing homes, hospitals and first responders. I have planned all the contract tracking plans. This was weeks before the first documented case of COVID-19 on March 12.

How important is testing and contact tracing to your response?

They are essential. There are relatively few cases, but 100 people are tracing and will hire more. Since May, we have partnered with IDEXX, a laboratory based in Maine, where the reagent bench is very deep. So, unlike some states, there was no problem getting reagents for testing. Anyone in the state over 12 months can take the test for free and have no questions.

Do you think part of Maine’s success comes from being relatively rural and remote?

not really. Other regional states such as Idaho, Dakotas, and West Virginia have much higher rates. This suggests that geography is not very explanatory.

What indicators do you rely on to measure success?

Our goal is not to eradicate the disease, but to control the virus and put us in an advantageous position. vaccination..Our test positive rate is consistently less than 1% for several weeks [remained] Less than 0.6 percent. This is the lowest in the United States and we think it puts us in a good position.

What was wrong with the federal government’s response to the virus?

I don’t know …We know it on February 25th [Nancy] Meissonier, [head of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases]Warned an American to prepare for a pandemic, she was threatened [with firing by President Donald Trump in a call to the Secretary of Health and Human Services, according to reporting by the Wall Street Journal] And the CDC started taking back seats.

What are the first steps to change the federal response?

Stop candy coating. Communication approaches are filtered by what the people of Washington, DC want the intended impact. It’s result driven and it doesn’t work. They have to stop shaping the message to match what people want to believe.

Can you give a concrete example of this distorted messaging?

Rollout [the antiviral] Remdesivir as if “operation completed”. At that time, we knew little about whether the drug would work for the treatment of COVID-19. This also happened with other treatments.

Regular press briefings on public radio and daily interviews on main AM radio. What do you want to achieve with these frequent interactions with the media and the general public?

Governments are often defensive, and our first trend is to say “what is this?” [the government has] Done. This is what we have to do. But in these anxious and unreliable situations, we need to empower people to take action. Every five or six weeks, I find out where I am and ask the people of Maine some important questions. For example, this week I asked them to promise to get a flu shot. This is a phrase that encourages concrete action and is something that everyone can do for themselves and their families. And it builds confidence and trust.

President Insist He said he didn’t inform the public early about the seriousness of COVID-19 to avoid causing a panic. Can too much truth provoke such a reaction?

Which president [Donald] Trump often says he has a grain of truth: of course panic is never good. My goal is not to be afraid and crippled, but also to give them a false sense of security. I try to encourage them to understand the risks and take appropriate precautions to participate in the activity. If you feel you have to attend a crowded revival rally on a very high risk Sunday morning, it is advisable to wear a mask. If they choose to go hiking, it is advisable to know that the risk is very low.

Do you think a complete economic closure is needed to curb the spread of COVID-19?

Last March and April, we knew very little about the disease, which led to the spirit of shelter. I had to be there at the time, but I’m not there now.We know that most people with this illness do so [eventually] farewell. Of course, we still need precautions, but we also need to provide context. Nuances don’t work well in public health, but when you see someone wearing a mask and driving a car alone, they don’t need it.

So what do we suggest to do to turn the epidemic around at the national level?

We need a much stronger federal voice to advise us. First, let’s return to the daily CDC press conference. I start every briefing with difficult facts and follow with action-inspiring phrases. Explain specifically what citizens can do to help themselves and their families. I bring back many experts who have resigned from the CDC — we need them — and also reinforce the institution’s presence in Washington, DC, where it all happens. We encourage you to present the COVID-19 Grand Unified Theory to the CDC and other government agencies, that is, to clearly present the goals, indicators, and strategies of the American people. In public health, our first and most important task is to take the people behind us.

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