THE NUMBER OF COVID-19 CASES IS NOW AT 256 IN THE STATE,
ACCORDING TO THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC HEALTH.
OFFICIALS STATE ON THE WEBSITE THAT DUE TO THE UPDATED GUIDANCE
BY THE C.D.C., ALL CONFIRMED OR PRESUMPTIVE CASES ARE NOW
CATEGORIZED AS SIMPLY POSITIVE.
THERE ARE NOW SIX CONFIRMED CASES OF COVID-19 AT BAY STATE,
ACCORDING TO DR.
MARK KEROACK THE PRESIDENT AND C.E.O.
OF BAY STATE HEALTH.
HE SAID THEY'RE WORKING ON INCREASING TESTING CAPACITY, AS
THAT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE FOR HOSPITALS ACROSS THE STATE AND
COUNTRY.
CAROLEE MCGRATH SAT DOWN WITH DR.
KEROACK TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE SITUATION AND HOW BAY
STATE IS AND HAS BEEN RESPONDING.
>> AS OF TODAY WE HAVE SIX CONFIRMED POSITIVES.
WE'VE TESTED 234 PEOPLE, AND KNOW THAT 104 OF THEM CAME BACK
NEGATIVE, SIX POSITIVE.
SO WE'RE STILL WAITING ON 124.
MOST OF THOSE ARE FOLKS THAT ARE AT HOME RECOVERING.
BUT WE HAVE SEVERAL DOZEN PEOPLE WHO ARE IN ISOLATION RIGHT NOW,
WAITING FOR THOSE TESTS TO COME BACK.
>> TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT HOW MANY BEDS YOU HAVE AVAILABLE AND
HOW YOU HAVE PREPARED.
>> BEFORE THIS EVEN STARTED WE HAD 80 BEDS THAT WERE SO-CALLED
NEGATIVE PRESSURE, WHICH MEANS THEY SUCK IN OXYGEN FROM THE
HALLWAY AND THEN OUT THROUGH A FILTER, SO THEY WERE SUITABLE
FOR THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH COVID-19.
WE TOOK OUT OF MOTH BALLS A 12-BED UNIT AND CONVERTED IT TO
A COMPLETE ISOLATION UNIT WHERE WE PLAN TO PUT OUR CONFIRMED
CASES.
AND BACK IN 2014 WE HAD A TWO-BED I.C.U.
THAT WAS OPEN FOR POSSIBLE EBOLA PATIENTS WHICH
FORTUNATELY NEVER CAME, BUT THAT UNIT WAS REACTIVATED AS WELL.
>> TELL ME ABOUT THE PRECAUTIONS THAT ARE BEING TAKEN.
>> ALL OF OUR EMPLOYEES WHO ARE CARING FOR THESE PATIENTS HAVE
BEEN TRAINED ON HOW TO PUT ON AND TAKE OFF PROTECTIVE
EQUIPMENT.
WE'VE DONE TRAINING AND VIDEOS AND WE HAVE OBSERVERS WATCHING
THEM DO IT TO MAKE SURE THEY DO IT CORRECTLY.
WE HAD SENT OUT AN ALERT TO ALL OUR EMPLOYEES TO NOT COME TO
WORK IF THEY HAD COLDS OR THE FLU OR WHATEVER.
AND WE HAD A SUDDEN RUSH OF PEOPLE DESCENDING ON OUR
EMPLOYEE HEALTH SERVICES, WHICH DID CAUSE A BIT OF A BACKUP.
THERE ARE A COUPLE OF HUNDRED PEOPLE, 200 PEOPLE NOW, WHO ARE
AT HOME, MOST OF THEM HAVE A SIMPLE COLD.
AND THEY'RE WAITING FOR A TEST RESULT TO COME BACK.
>> OKAY.
TELL ME A LITTLE ABOUT THE TESTING, BECAUSE I KNOW THAT
OBVIOUSLY THE NUMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO SURGE.
BUT THE TESTING RIGHT NOW IS DIFFICULT AND THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT YOU WANT TO ADDRESS.
>> YES.
TESTING REALLY HAS BEEN A MAJOR PROBLEM FOR US.
IT MEANS WE'RE KIND OF FLYING BLIND FOR MANY OF THESE MILDER
CASES, AND IT'S 80% OF THE PEOPLE WHO GET THIS INFECTION
WILL HAVE ONLY A MILD ILLNESS.
BUT EARLY ON THERE WAS VERY FEW TEST KITS AVAILABLE, SO THEY HAD
TO REALLY PRIORITIZE PEOPLE WHO WERE SERIOUSLY ILL OR HEALTH
CARE WORKERS.
AND NOW THERE ARE A NUMBER OF COMMERCIAL LABS THAT ARE COMING
ON, SO WE EXPECT THAT TO RAMP UP QUICKLY.
BUT IT HASN'T HAPPENED YET.
RIGHT NOW WE HAVE THE AVAILABILITY TO TEST DOZENS OF
PEOPLE EVERY DAY, BUT WE'RE PRIORITIZING PEOPLE WHO UNDER
THE FIGHT, THE HEALTH CARE WORKERS, PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE
HOSPITAL AND WHO WE WOULD LIKE TO GET OFF OF ISOLATION IF WE
COULD, DIRECT CONTACTS WITH KNOWN CASES.
SO FOLKS WHO HAVE JUST A MILD COLD OR A MILD FLU WHO COME FOR
EVALUATION WILL OFTEN JUST BE SENT HOME AND TOLD TO SELF
QUARANTINE, WE JUST DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TEST KITS TO TEST THEM
NOW.
>> BUT THOSE TESTS ARE THEN SENT OUT?
>> THEY'RE SENT OUT TO A COMMERCIAL LAB, WE'RE USING ONE
IN NEW JERSEY AND ONE IN MARLBOROUGH.
AND THE TURN AROUND HAS BEEN THREE OR FOUR DAYS UP UNTIL
RECENTLY.
WE'RE HOPING THAT THAT'S GOING TO COME DOWN IN THE NEXT COUPLE
OF DAYS TO A 24 HOUR TURN AROUND.
>> IS IT POSSIBLE THAT YOU'LL BE DOING ALL THE TESTING IN-HOUSE?
>> THAT'S OUR ULTIMATE GOAL AND WE HAVE TO JUMP THROUGH A FEW
HOOPS AND GET CERTAIN MATERIALS TO MAKE THAT HAPPEN, BUT WE
ALREADY TEST FOR 20 DIFFERENT VIRUSES WITH A TURN AROUND TIME
OF ABOUT FOUR HOURS, AND THAT WOULD BE IDEAL, JUST TO SEND IT
TO OUR BIG LAB IN HOLYOKE AND ALLOW THEM TO QUICKLY TURN
AROUND THE WAY THEY DO ALL THE OTHER VIRUSES.
THERE ARE SHORTAGES FOR SIMPLE SWABS AS WELL.
WE'RE SCRAMBLING TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE ENOUGH SWABS TO DO THE
TESTING, IN ADDITION TO THE EQUIPMENT IN THE LABS.
>> GETTING BACK TO THE EMPLOYEES WHO ARE STAYING HOME OUT OF JUST
BEING PRECAUTIOUS, HOW ARE YOU REPLACING THOSE EMPLOYEES TO
COME IN AND CARE FOR THE OTHER PATIENTS THAT YOU HAVE?
>> WE'VE CANCELED ALL ELECTIVE SURGERY, SO THERE ARE A NUMBER
OF EMPLOYEES WHO ARE NOT DOING THEIR USUAL JOB WHO HAVE
VOLUNTEERED OR BEEN REASSIGNED TO DOING OTHER JOBS.
AND WE HAVE BASICALLY BEEN SCRAMBLING OUR WORK FORCE TO
PLUG VERY BASIC HOLES.
PEOPLE HAVE BEEN TERRIFIC IN TERMS OF WILLINGNESS TO STEP UP
AND DO SOMETHING NEW, OR SOMETHING DIFFERENT.
AND PEOPLE ARE IN SOME KIND OF UNUSUAL ROLES, BUT IT'S REALLY
AN ALL HANDS ON DECK KIND OF SITUATION.
>> DO YOU FORESEE SORT OF A THRIVE-THROUGH TESTING THAT
WE'VE SEEN IN OTHER STATES COMING THIS WAY?
>> I'D LIKE TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.
I THINK THAT WE FIRST NEED TO HAVE PLENTIFUL TEST KITS
AVAILABLE.
RIGHT NOW IF WE'RE SHORT ON SWABS, YOU WANT TO PRIORITIZE
THE PEOPLE WHO, FOR WHOM IT'S MOST IMPORTANT, AND NOT THE
PEOPLE WHO YOU EXPECT ARE GOING TO RECOVER ON THEIR OWN.
BUT I THINK ULTIMATELY THE WAY THAT OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE GOTTEN
THEIR ARMS AROUND THIS EPIDEMIC IS TO REALLY TEST A WHOLE BUNCH
OF PEOPLE.
IN SOUTH KOREA THEY'RE TESTING 10, 15,000 A DAY, AND THAT'S THE
WAY THEY FINALLY GOT THEIR ARMS AROUND IT.
>> IS THE HOLDUP ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL, IS THAT WHERE YOU'RE
RUNNING INTO DIFFICULTY?
>> IT'S KIND OF A LONG STORY, BUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
INSISTED ON DEVELOPING THEIR OWN TEST.
WHEN THEY SENT IT OUT, IT HAD SOME BUGS IN IT AND REALLY
COULDN'T BE USED AND HAD TO BE DONE AGAIN.
NOBODY AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL EXPECTED TO IT BE AS VAST AND AS
BROAD AS IT IS RIGHT NOW.
SO THEY'VE BEEN CONSTANTLY PLAYING CATCHUP ON THIS, WHICH
IS TOO BAD BECAUSE THERE IS AN INTERNATIONAL TEST AVAILABLE
THAT OTHER COUNTRIES ARE USING AND ARE ABLE TO TEST FAR MORE
FOLKS THAN WE ARE.
>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT PRIORITIZING TESTING THOSE WITH
SEVERE SYMPTOMS, I THINK THERE'S A LOT OF CONFUSION OUT THERE.
BECAUSE OBVIOUSLY IT'S STILL FLU SEASON, PEOPLE ARE STILL GETTING
SICK, AND I'M TALKING ESPECIALLY FOR CHILDREN, THEY MIGHT HAVE
STREP THROAT OR AN EAR INFECTION.
WHAT'S THE FIRST STEP THAT YOU TAKE IF YOU HAVE A CHILD AT HOME
OR MAYBE IT'S YOU YOURSELF WHO IS NOT FEELING WELL?
>> THE FIRST THING TO DO IS TO CALL YOUR PROVIDER, CALL YOUR
PHYSICIAN, OR TO CALL AN URGENT CARE CENTER.
WE DON'T WANT PEOPLE JUST SHOWING UP AND SITTING AROUND IN
THE WAITING ROOM POSSIBLY INFECTING OTHER PEOPLE.
WE HAVE IN TERMS OF THE FOLKS ANSWERING OUR PHONES THEY WOULD
TAKE YOU THROUGH A SERIES OF QUESTIONS THAT WOULD DETERMINE
IF INDEED YOU ARE WELL ENOUGH JUST TO STAY HOME AND MONITOR
YOUR TEMPERATURE DAY BY DAY AND CHECK IN FROM TIME TO TIME.
OR IF YOU SOUNDED LIKE YOU WERE SICK ENOUGH THAT YOU REALLY
OUGHT TO COME IN AND GET CHECKED OUT.
IF YOU DO THAT WE HAVE A SPECIAL AREA IN OUR EMERGENCY ROOM,
WHICH KIND OF BYPASSES THE USUAL EMERGENCY ROOM, SO AGAIN WE'RE
NOT INFECTING OTHER PEOPLE.
>> SO THEY WOULD SEND YOU TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, SO IF YOU WERE
ON THE ROOM PERHAPS WITH YOUR PEDIATRICIAN'S OFFICE AND GO
THROUGH THOSE REQUIREMENTS, HOW HIGH IS THE FEVER, HOW LONG HAS
IT LASTED.
>> RIGHT, LET'S SAY YOU HAD A FEVER WITH SHORTNESS OF BREATH,
THAT WOULD GET YOU RIGHT INTO THE EMERGENCY ROOM, AND TO BE
EVALUATED YOU NEED TO MEET A PHYSICIAN OR A NURSE WHO IS
ALREADY IN FULL PROTECTIVE GEAR, TOO, BECAUSE WE DON'T WANT TO
EXPOSE THEM EITHER.
WHICH IS WHY WE USE A SPECIAL KIND OF BY-PASS, IF YOU WILL,
WHERE YOU WALK IN THE FRONT DOOR, YOU'VE GOT RESPIRATORY
SYMPTOMS YOU TAKE A LEFT TURN AND GO TO ONE OF A NUMBER OF
STATIONS WHERE YOU'D BE EVALUATED, POSSIBLY FOR
COVID-19.
SOME OF THOSE PEOPLE DO GET SWABBED, SOME GET ADMITTED AND
PUT ON ISOLATION WAITING FOR THE SWAB TO COME BACK.
BUT WE TRY TO PRIORITIZE THE SICKEST INDIVIDUALS AS WELL AS
THOSE WHO WOULD BE CRITICAL FOR US TO RESPOND TO WHAT WE THINK
IS GOING TO BE A SURGE.
>> I KNOW THAT SENATOR WARREN IS CONCERNED ABOUT MAKING SURE THAT
HOSPITALS ESPECIALLY IN MASSACHUSETTS HAVE THE NECESSARY
EQUIPMENT AND PROTECTIVE GEAR.
HOW DO YOU FEEL IN THE CURRENT SITUATION?
>> I THINK ACROSS THE NATION THERE ISN'T A HOSPITAL THAT
ISN'T WORRIED ABOUT THIS.
YOU KNOW, YOU HAVE THE USUAL RATE OF USAGE AND SEVERAL DAYS
OF SUPPLY.
BUT EVERYONE IS EXPECTING THE USAGE IS GOING TO GO UP.
SO PEOPLE ARE WORKING AT THE STATE LEVEL AND AT THE NATIONAL
LEVEL.
WE'VE ACTUALLY HAD A NUMBER OF MANUFACTURING COMPANIES RAISE
THEIR HANDS AND VOLUNTEER TO GIVE US THE MASKS THAT THEY USE
FOR DUST CONTROL AND THINGS LIKE THAT, THESE SO-CALLED N95
RESPIRATORS.
AND THERE ARE A COUPLE ENTREPRENEURIAL COMPANIES EVEN
WITHIN MASSACHUSETTS THAT HAVE SAID WE'D LIKE TO GO AHEAD AND
START MAKING THESE THINGS IN LARGE QUANTITIES, AND WE'RE JUST
FINE WITH THAT, WE'D BE THRILLED.
>> WHEN YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THE TESTING, THE AVAILABILITY OF
TESTING I SHOULD SAY, WHAT WOULD THE NUMBERS BE LIKE IF EVERYBODY
WHO HAS THE COMMON COLD COULD BE TESTED IN URGENT CARE OR AT
THEIR PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN?
>> I THINK IF YOU DO IT JUST AS A BASIC MATH PROBLEM, AND LET'S
LEAVE ASIDE KIDS, BECAUSE THE ATTACK RATE THERE APPEARS TO BE
LESS.
CHILDREN CAN BE AFFECTED, BUT I THINK THE ATTACK RATE IS LESS.
HERE IN THE PIONEER VALLEY LET'S SAY THERE ARE 500,000 PEOPLE.
IF 20% OF THEM WERE INFECTED THAT WOULD BE 100,000 PEOPLE.
HOW MANY WOULD NEED TO COME TO THE HOSPITAL?
MAYBE 10 TO 20,000.
HOW MANY WOULD NEED INTENSIVE CARE?
MAYBE TWO OR 3,000.
SO THOSE ARE PRETTY BIG NUMBERS.
AND THE KEY THING IS, THE QUESTION IS COULD YOU HANDLE
THAT MANY PEOPLE.
AND THE ANSWER IS IT DEPENDS.
IF A ALL CAME IN A WEEK WE'D BE OVERWHELMED, BUT IF THEY CAME
OFF A PERIOD OF TWO OR THREE MONTHS WE COMMANDING IT.
WHICH IS WHY THIS WHOLE SOCIAL DISTANCING THING IS BEING TALKED
ABOUT, AND THIS IDEA OF FLATTENING THE CURVE.
SO INSTEAD OF SOME BIG SUDDEN SPIKE YOU HAVE THIS LONG, SLOW
BURN, AT A PACE WHERE THE HEALTH SYSTEM COULD KEEP UP.
>> WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT FLATTENING THE CURVE, HOW LONG,
I KNOW THERE'S SO MUCH ANXIETY AMONG PEOPLE WONDERING HOW LONG
WE'RE GOING TO BE LIVING IN THIS WAY.
OBVIOUSLY IT'S WHAT MUST BE DONE.
BUT WHAT IS YOUR EXPECTATION?
>> THE SHORT ANSWER IS NO ONE KNOWS, SO THIS IS MY BEST GUESS
AND THAT'S BASED ON WHAT THE C.D.C. IS TELLING US NOW, IS
THAT THIS MIGHT PEAK SOMETIME IN EARLY MAY AND THAT WE MIGHT BE
IN THE MIDST OF IT FOR ANOTHER THREE MONTHS OR SO.
SO MAYBE INTO JUNE OR JULY BEFORE IT FINALLY LEAVES THE
AREA.
PROBABLY THE GOOD NEWS OF THE DAY, IF YOU CAN BELIEVE IT, IS
THAT IN WUHAN, CHINA THEY REPORTED NO NEW CASES.
AND SO AS A RESULT OF THEIR QUARANTINE ACTIVITIES, PLUS THE
FACT THAT EPIDEMICS LIKE THIS TEND TO JUST BURN OUT, THEY'VE
GOT NO NEW CASES WHICH MEANS ENOUGH PEOPLE HAVE GOTTEN THE
INFECTION AND GOTTEN IMMUNITY TO IT THAT THE VIRUS ISN'T
SUCCESSFUL IN SPREADING FROM PERSON TO PERSON ANY MORE.
>> BUT THEIR QUARANTINE MEASURES ARE DEFINITELY MORE STRINGENT.
>> WAY MORE AGGRESSIVE.
>> I THINK EVEN NOW WITH THE MESHERS THAT HAVE BEEN PUT IN
PLACE BY THE GOVERNOR, A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE UNCOMFORTABLE.
WHAT, I CAN'T DO WHAT I NORMALLY HAVE DONE.
DO YOU THINK THAT'S WHERE WE WOULD HAVE TO MOVE TO?
>> I'M NOT SURE.
I KNOW THAT A COUPLE OF CITIES HAVE GONE THAT FAR, I KNOW THE
GREATER SAN FRANCISCO AREA IS A SORT OF SHELTER IN PLACE.
NEW YORK HAS WARNED THAT MAYBE THEY'RE GOING TO BE GOING THERE.
I DON'T KNOW IF WE'LL NEED TO DO THAT IN WESTERN MASS, IT WILL
DEPEND ON HOW SUCCESSFUL WE ARE IN EVERYBODY COOPERATING WITH
THE GUIDELINES THAT HAVE BEEN IN PLACE SO FAR.
I THINK THAT WHAT WE'VE CHOSEN TO DO SO FAR PUTS US IN PROBABLY
THE MORE AGGRESSIVE GROUP OF STATES.
AND THAT SHOULD ALLOW US TO GET THINGS TO SORT OF SLOW DOWN.
I DON'T THINK THAT THERE'S ANYTHING WE COULD DO TO JUST
STOP THIS, FLAT OUT STOP IT.
BUT REALLY TO GET IT TO SLOW DOWN WOULD BE REALLY A BIG DEAL.
>> SURGEON GENERAL ADAMS HAD MENTIONED HIS CONCERN ABOUT THE
YOUNGER GENERATION.
WE'VE SEEN DIFFERENT NEWS REPORTS OF PERHAPS ABOUT MAYBE
NOT UNDERSTANDING THE SEVERITY OF THIS.
BUT THAT THE YOUNGER GENERATION IS STILL SUSCEPTIBLE.
HOW COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT FOR US?
>> WELL, I THINK THIS VIRUS DOESN'T PICK FAVORITES.
IT TENDS TO CAUSE MORE SEVERE DISEASE IN OLDER PEOPLE.
IT TENDS TO HAVE A HIGHER ATTACK RATE IN OLDER PEOPLE.
BUT THE YOUNGER GENERATION IS NOT IMMUNE TO IT.
AND I THINK, UNFORTUNATELY, WHEN YOU'RE IN YOUR 20'S YOU THINK
YOU'RE SUPERMAN AND YOU CAN DO WHATEVER YOU WANT TO DO.
AND I'VE SEEN PICTURES OF PEOPLE ON SPRING BREAK, WHICH I REALLY
THINK WOULD BE A BAD IDEA.
IT REALLY DOES MAKE SENSE TO TRY TO RESPECT THIS AND TO TAKE IT
VERY SERIOUSLY, AND KNOW THAT THERE ARE WELL DOCUMENTED CASES
OF PEOPLE IN ALL AGE GROUPS.
ONE OF OUR SIX CASES IS A SCHOOL AGED CHILD.
>> HOW DO YOU HELP PARENTS WHO PROBABLY HAVE SO MUCH ANXIETY
AROUND THIS KIND OF PROCEED AS WE'RE GOING THROUGH UNCHARTED
TERRITORY?
>> I THINK IT'S BEEN VERY STRESSFUL.
IT'S GOING TO INCREASE THE STRESS LEVEL FOR EVERYBODY, AND
PARENTS IN PARTICULAR TALKING TO CHILDREN WHO ARE GOING TO BE
ANXIOUS, WHY AM I HOME FROM SCHOOL, WHY DOES EVERYBODY FEEL
SO ANXIOUS.
IT'S IMPORTANT TO SPEAK WITH THEM CALMLY AND WITH SOME
ASSURANCE THAT HERE'S WHAT'S GOING ON, IT'S NOT GOING TO LAST
FOREVER, THIS IS GOING TO GO AWAY.
THE CHANCES OF YOU AS A YOUNG CHILD BEING EXPOSED ARE LOW.
AND TRYING TO PROJECT A SENSE OF CALM AND ASSURANCE I THINK IS
REALLY A CRITICAL PIECE.
>> CAN YOU DESCRIBE A LITTLE ABOUT WHEN YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT
THAT RESPIRATORY ILLNESS THAT IS ACTUALLY KILLING PEOPLE, THE
VULNERABLE POPULATION, WHAT IS HAPPENING THERE?
>> WELL, A NUMBER THINGS.
IN ADDITION TO HAVING THE FLU SYMPTOMS WITH HIGH FEVERS AND
CHILLS, THE VIRUS GETS INTO THE LUNGS AND IT CAUSES THE LUNGS TO
LEAK FLUID INTO THE AIR EXCHANGING SPACES.
SO PEOPLE DEVELOP AN INABILITY TO GET ENOUGH OXYGEN INTO THEIR
BODY, THEY GET SHORT OF BREATH, THEY GET TIRED, THEY OFTEN HAVE
TO BE ON A VENTILATOR TO BREATHE FOR THEM.
THEN IN ADVANCED SITUATIONS THEY GET INTO SOMETHING CALLED
MULTIPLE ORGAN FAILURE WHERE THEIR KIDNEYS AND LIVER SHUT
DOWN AND THEY BASICALLY DROP THEIR BLOOD PRESSURE.
THAT'S REALLY A SERIOUS SIGN.
>> IS THERE ANYTHING THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE DONE THAT
WE'RE NOT DOING YET?
>> I THINK THAT THE KEY THING FOR EVERYONE TO DO TODAY IS TO
REALLY OBSERVE THE GUIDELINES THAT THE GOVERNOR AND THAT THE
OTHER AUTHORITIES HAVE PUT OUT AROUND REALLY TAKING THIS
SERIOUSLY.
AND THE CARE WITH HAND WASHING, I KNOW IT SOUNDS VERY SIMPLE,
BUT THAT IS THE MAJOR WAY VIRUSES LIKE THIS PASS AROUND.
THAT I MAY HAVE THE INFECTION, I TOUCH MY FACE, WE SHAKE HANDS,
YOU TOUCH YOUR FACE, AND THEN IT'S GAME OVER.
THAT'S THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS TO AVOID THAT CLOSE PERSONAL
CONTACT, WASH YOUR HANDS FREQUENTLY, COVER YOUR MOUTH OR
NOSE WHEN YOU COUGH OR SNEEZE.
THE ISSUE AROUND DISINFECTING SURFACES I THINK IT'S PROBABLY
PLAYED SOME ROLE, ALTHOUGH IT'S THE PERSON TO PERSON STUFF
THAT'S MOST IMPORTANT.
WE REALLY ARE IN A RACE AGAINST TIME AT THIS POINT.
THERE WILL BE TREATMENTS FOR THIS THAT WE'LL KNOW ABOUT IN
THE MONTHS TO COME.
THERE WILL BE A VACCINE FOR THIS, IN A YEAR OR TWO.
BUT WE NEED TO ACT NOW TO PREVENT THIS FROM BECOMING A
CATASTROPHE LIKE WHAT HAPPENED IN ITALY.