Rural community resentment over COVID-19 shutdown clashes with rising infection rates

As COVID-19 spreads to the American countryside, new infections have risen to peaks not seen during this pandemic, pushing hospitals to the limit.

The first outbreaks have occurred in many towns, but that does not mean that rural communities have previously escaped the devastating effects of a pandemic. Infection rates in rural and frontier communities declined in the first seven months and often appeared in pockets leading to streams, meat packaging factories, nursing homes and prisons.

Even in the absence of cases, many rural areas have received state-wide public health orders, businesses have been closed, and events have been cancelled. And that’s part of today’s problem. Early compassionate, cohesive community reactions to COVID-19 quickly led to increased anger and compliance fatigue, especially when some isolated towns did not see the first positive cases until summer. I gave it up.

Its resentment against public health recommendations, including wearing masks, is now on the crash course, where cases are increasing in the Mountain West, Midwest, and Great Plains. For the fifth straight week, rural counties witnessed a sharp increase in cases, with more than 70% of the country’s non-metropolitan counties receiving “red zone” designations and the spread of the virus in the region out of control. I suggested that. But in reality, COVID-19 has never been “controlled” in the United States.

As family medicine professors with experience in rural health policy and healthcare, we can solve the barriers facing rural communities during a pandemic and the challenges associated with COVID-19. I have been studying. Understanding the factors behind the increase in COVID-19 cases in rural areas is important to curb current surges and limit future relapses.

Why the number of local cases is increasing

Several factors have contributed to the increase in the number of cases in rural areas. The politicization of pandemics, and the politicization of wearing masks, has hampered both public health efforts and collaboration between businesses, community organizations, and healthcare organizations. Political tensions are producing false information and being reinforced on social media, which can be difficult to turn around. If people have not taken protective measures, when COVID-19 comes in, it can spread easily and quickly.

More infectious diseases are occurring in some communities due to the resumption of activities in small towns such as schools, churches and sporting events. Experts point out a social gathering, including the approximately 500,000 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally, held in South Dakota in August as the cause of the recent surge in COVID-19 in the northern Midwest.

Working from home is almost impossible for many rural jobs. Paid sick leave can also be difficult to obtain, and some encourage people to choose between working when they are ill or unpaid quarantine at home. Meat and poultry processing plants and other farm industries often employ migrants whose living and commuting realities can reduce social distance. Many rural locations rely heavily on the recreation and service industry. When visitors arrive from outside the town, they may bring COVID-19 with them.

Community health care is already in short supply

Identifying the outbreak of COVID-19 early and stopping its spread can also be difficult in rural areas. Financing the local public health sector has long been anemic, impairing the ability to perform testing, data sharing, and contact tracing. Limited resources also constrain education and outreach efforts.

Many local hospitals and primary care practices have plunged into a pandemic due to financial difficulties and chronic staff shortages. They exist straight at the end of the supply chain, making it difficult to obtain the necessary personal protective equipment and test consumables. Rural hospitals have fewer ICU beds per capita than urban hospitals. Lack of consistent broadband coverage can also make access to telemedicine difficult.

These factors are exacerbated by caring for the relatively old, sick and poor, leaving rural communities very vulnerable as cases continue to grow.

How to change the flow of rising cases

Current interventions can slow the rate of increase in COVID-19 cases in rural hotspots while at the same time building a stronger long-term response. To be most effective, the unique demographics, economies, and perspectives of each rural area should be considered when developing policies.

For example, allowing local communities to manage reopening and closure decisions based on the dynamics of local disease transmission can better balance disease mitigation and economic impact. Some states allow local communities with few or no cases of applying for exemptions from state-wide public health orders. These applications typically look at local infection data, containment measures, and medical capabilities.

Changing the nature of conversations about COVID-19 in the community can also help implement simple and effective measures such as wearing a mask. If the communications are personal, they may be more acceptable. For example, a public service message can remind people to keep their favorite business open and keep their grandmother healthy by wearing a mask. It is also helpful to formulate risk levels in terms that can be understood for different types of activities, such as how to exercise safely and socialize. You can communicate evidence-based information by working with trusted local messengers, such as business owners and religious leaders.

Planning is also essential. The community needs to be prepared to receive supplies, tests and treatments when needed. Protect the most vulnerable community members. Educate the community. Support people in quarantine and quarantine. Local regional approaches to testing and contact tracing, consumables sharing, and staff replacement can help fill some gaps. Bringing test results closer to home can reduce waiting times and courier costs. By sharing resources between medical institutions, the burden of dealing with them can be minimized.

3 ways to enhance your system for the future

COVID-19 is unlikely to have a final pandemic in the American countryside. There are three ways to strengthen the rural system for the future.

• By partnering with universities and local and state institutions, communities can incorporate their own sensitivities into dynamic epidemiological models and provide better information to local public health and economic decisions.
• Coordinating public health and health care measures can help governments improve their balance of pandemic response and ensure that all parts of the community are moving towards the same goal.
• Increasing broadband access and internet speeds in rural and frontier communities can also help. During the pandemic, people around the world appreciate the need for an internet connection for education, telecommuting, product purchases, and virtual health care.