{"id":2495,"date":"2020-07-17T09:17:55","date_gmt":"2020-07-17T16:17:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.piercecountywa.gov\/executive\/?p=2495"},"modified":"2023-06-26T13:34:10","modified_gmt":"2023-06-26T20:34:10","slug":"a-roller-coaster-ride","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.piercecountywa.gov\/executive\/2020\/07\/17\/a-roller-coaster-ride\/","title":{"rendered":"A roller coaster ride"},"content":{"rendered":"

A roller coaster ride<\/h2>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

I like, but don\u2019t love, roller coasters.\u00a0 I ride them mostly with my son, Colin, who loves them.\u00a0 The roller coaster rides that I hate are where you can\u2019t see what is coming and have no ability to anticipate and prepare.<\/p>\n

Well, that is exactly what the coronavirus feels like to me.\u00a0 We have ups and downs \u2013 corresponding to both the epidemiological curve and some other key measures \u2013 but not knowing what lies ahead is very challenging.\u00a0 We all yearn for some sense of certainty.<\/p>\n

I assume you\u2019ve seen the concerning rise in new positive cases \u2013 with a new record set yesterday.\u00a0 It is very important that we get this to plateau and stabilize \u2013 and then start coming down.<\/p>\n

I am frequently asked, \u201cWe are testing more widely, so isn\u2019t that why we are seeing more positive tests?\u201d\u00a0 Yes, we are testing more widely and that is a very good thing.\u00a0 We need to get a better picture of what the virus is doing in our community.\u00a0 We need more data points to understand the virus.\u00a0 We want to identify those who are sick so they can get treatment.\u00a0 And negative tests bring peace of mind to those who are concerned about whether they have the disease.<\/p>\n

Just yesterday, our Department of Emergency Management\u2019s Mobile Testing Team had both their trailers out at the Blue Lot at the Fairgrounds and tested 835 people!<\/p>\n

\"\" \"\"<\/p>\n

Great teamwork by DEM, the TPCHD, the City of Puyallup, and the Fair!\u00a0 The tests are free and available to anyone who wants one.\u00a0 You can find the schedule for future testing sites here<\/a>. So, yes, some of the increased number of new positive cases is attributable to more testing \u2013 but not all of it.<\/p>\n

I also want to acknowledge the TPCHD group doing contact investigations. Even with the increase in testing they are doing a good job in keeping up with the volume of cases they are managing.<\/p>\n

We are definitely seeing increased spread of the virus in our community and in nearly all areas of the County.\u00a0 You likely have heard that many of these new cases are from a younger demographic and that is true (Check out what MultiCare\u2019s head epidemiologist has to say in this article from The News Tribune.<\/a>)<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why we are urging everyone to wear a mask, practice social distancing, wash your hands, and stay out of crowds – even if you\u2019re young enough to be my son or daughter! Please encourage your family members and friends to follow these precautions.\u00a0 We all want to get to Phase 3 but to do so we need everyone to cooperate.<\/p>\n

But we also have some good indicators too.<\/p>\n

For now, at least, our hospitals are more than able to handle the number of people who are battling COVID-19 and need care. \u00a0This is a very important measure.\u00a0 We need to make sure any one who gets very sick can have access to local care.\u00a0 This is a \u201clagging indicator,\u201d meaning that\u00a0people with the virus don\u2019t normally need hospitalization for up to two weeks after they get sick.\u00a0 So while, it is currently good news, we need to hope it stays that way.<\/p>\n

And, while we mourn the lives lost to this horrid disease, I take some solace that our numbers aren\u2019t worse.\u00a0 So far, the deaths from the infection have not followed the increase in our new positive cases.\u00a0 Like hospitalizations, this is a lagging indicator, by as much as several weeks.\u00a0 So hopefully, it stays very low.<\/p>\n

Unless we can turn things around fairly quickly, we won\u2019t move to Phase 3 until sometime in August, at the earliest. So, you can expect to continue teleworking for the foreseeable future.<\/p>\n

Before I close, I want to thank our partners in the Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department for their commitment and dedication to the health of our residents.\u00a0 Many thanks, also, to our Facilities Management team for providing us with safe, clean places to work.\u00a0 And, I appreciate the work the Communications team has done to keep our residents engaged through new platforms like Zoom, and by effectively using social media and videos to keep folks informed.<\/p>\n

Lastly, my thanks to all of you for your resilience, flexibility and persistence these past few months.\u00a0 I don\u2019t think any of us thought we\u2019d be in this situation for this long. We\u2019ve all had to adjust our work environments, and some of you have had huge challenges balancing your family\u2019s needs with your professional lives.\u00a0 Our residents have been so well served during this tumultuous time – thanks to you!<\/p>\n

Enjoy the beautiful weather this weekend – even if just from the safety of your own backyard!<\/p>\n

\"Bruce\"<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Bruce<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A roller coaster ride I like, but don\u2019t love, roller coasters.\u00a0 I ride them mostly with my son, Colin, who loves them.\u00a0 The roller coaster rides that I hate are where you can\u2019t see what is coming and have no ability to anticipate and prepare. Well, that is exactly what the coronavirus feels like to […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":59,"featured_media":2498,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[38509],"tags":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"yoast_head":"\nA roller coaster ride - Pierce County Executive<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/blog.piercecountywa.gov\/executive\/2020\/07\/17\/a-roller-coaster-ride\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"A roller coaster ride - Pierce County Executive\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"A roller coaster ride I like, but don\u2019t love, roller coasters.\u00a0 I ride them mostly with my son, Colin, who loves them.\u00a0 The roller coaster rides that I hate are where you can\u2019t see what is coming and have no ability to anticipate and prepare. 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