‘People are behaving in reckless manners,’ State Health Officer says about COVID-19 spike

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MISSISSIPPI. ATTENTION TO THIS EVOLVING AND WORSENING CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC ESPECIALLY MISSISSIPPI TODAY. OBVIOUSLY REPORTED AN ASTOUNDINGLY HIGH NUMBER OF CASES OVER 1,000. I WOULD SAY THAT THIS IS A SURPRISE BUT IT’S NOT EVEN REMOTELY SURPRISED. IT’S SOMETHING THAT WE’VE BEEN SEEING PROGRESSIVELY INCREASING WE’VE HAD NUMEROUS WARNINGS ADMONITIONS, AND WE WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO OVER THIS LITTLE WITH YOU GUYS AND ANSWER ANY QUESTIONS AND AT THIS TIME I’LL TURN IT OVER TO MEIJER THANKS. DR. DOBBS. GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYBODY. YEAH, WE’RE REPORTING 1092 NEW REPORTS OF CASES TODAY FIVE NEW DEATHS, YOU KNOW OVER THE PAST COUPLE OF DAYS. WE HAVE HAD SOME SOME INCREASES IN THE NUMBER OF CASES REALLY SINCE THIS PANDEMIC BEGAN IN MISSISSIPPI. WE’VE SEEN GRADUAL INCREASES IN CASES FROM DAY TO DAY WITH THE WITH THE NUMBERS THAT WE’RE SEEING IT HAS NOT BEEN COMPLETELY UNEXPECTED. WE ARE SEEING COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION. WE ARE STARTING TO SEE CASES AMONG YOUNG FOLKS. WE’RE SEEING A GOOD NUMBER OF OUR CASES NOW ARE IN THOSE AGE GROUPS BETWEEN 18 AND 29 AND YOU KNOW, I THINK IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT WE’VE SEEN SOME INCREASES IN SOME COUNTIES, BUT THE REALITY IS IS THIS 1000 CASES ARE NOT TIED TO ANY ONE PARTICULAR EVENT? THEY’RE NOT TIED TO ANY ONE PARTICULAR COUNTY. WE ARE SEEING COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION THROUGHOUT MISSISSIPPI AND REALLY HONESTLY ONE OF THE BIG REASONS WE’RE SEEING COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION IS BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE STILL NOT SOCIAL DISTANCING. THEY’RE STILL NOT WEARING MASKS. THEY’RE STILL COMING TOGETHER IN VERY LARGE GROUPS PARTIES BARBECUES. USE SOCIAL EVENTS, AND THESE AREN’T EVEN REALLY ASSOCIATED WITH NECESSARILY BUSINESSES. THESE ARE TRANSMISSION THAT’S OCCURRING OUT IN THE COMMUNITY. GUYS, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE CAN REALLY HAVE AN IMPACT ON IF WE ALL BUY IN TO DOING THOSE THINGS THAT THAT REALLY ARE NECESSARY TO PREVENT TRANSMISSION. WE’VE LEARNED A LOT ABOUT THIS VIRUS AND WE KNOW HOW ITS TRANSMITTED AND IT’S TRANSMITTED THROUGH THAT VERY CLOSE CONTACT WITH SOMEBODY WITHIN SIX FEET FOR 15 MINUTES OR LONGER AND YOU KNOW, THERE HAVE BEEN LOTS OF PARTIES WHERE 300 PLUS PEOPLE ARE GETTING TOGETHER AND THEIR CLOTHES AND THEIR DRINKING AFTER EACH OTHER LOOK GUYS. IS NOT A WE CAN’T ACT SURPRISED THAT WE’RE SEEING THESE TYPES OF INCREASES IN CASES WHEN? WE’RE NOT WEARING MASKS WHEN WE’RE STILL GATHERING SOCIALLY WHEN WE’RE NOT THINKING ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT WE NEED TO GO OUT AND DO SOMETHING BECAUSE LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT THE 18 TO 29 YEAR OLD AGE GROUP. THE VAST MAJORITY OF THOSE FOLKS ARE GOING TO RECOVER WITHOUT ANY LONG-TERM PROBLEMS, BUT THE THING ABOUT IT IS IS THAT THEY CAN SPREAD THAT TO THE VULNERABLE POPULATION THOSE PEOPLE. THE OLDER AGE GROUPS AND NOW WE’RE LEARNING THAT REALLY THE RISK INCREASES AS YOU GET OLDER OF HAVING MORE SIGNIFICANT OUTCOMES. BUT THEY CAN SPREAD IT TO THOSE PEOPLE WHO ARE IN THE MOST VULNERABLE POPULATION. I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE’VE SEEN AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE WORKED VERY HARD TO DO OVER THE LAST SEVERAL WEEKS IS HAVE AN IMPACT ON CASES IN OUR LONG-TERM CARE SETTINGS AND AN IMPACT IN THE DEATHS THAT OCCUR AMONG LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENTS IF YOU LOOK AT OUR DATA, YOU SEE THAT OUR DEATHS ARE GOING DOWN. YOU CAN ALSO SEE THAT WE’RE HAVING A DECREASING NUMBER. LONG-TERM CARE OUTBREAKS. WE’RE ALSO SAYING A DECREASED NUMBER OF CASES AMONG LONG-TERM CARE RESIDENTS. BYE. WILL NOT BE SURPRISING IF WE START TO SEE INCREASES IN DEATHS AGAIN AND IMPACTS ON LONG-TERM CARE SETTINGS. SO THE THINGS THAT WE NEED TO DO OUR WE NEED TO CONTINUE THOSE THINGS THAT WE’VE SAID WE NEED TO DO FROM THE VERY BEGINNING WE NEED TO WEAR MASKS. WE NEED TO SOCIAL DISTANCE. WE NEED TO AVOID LARGE GATHERINGS. WE NEED TO THINK ABOUT THOSE GATHERINGS THAT WERE GOING TO SOMETHING AS SIMPLE AS A PARTY CAN RESULT IN TRANSMISSION TO HUNDREDS OF FOLKS THAT CAN. RIPPLE EFFECTS DOWN THE LINE. I THINK THAT’S EVERYTHING. A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE PROBLEM THAT WE’RE GOING TO HAVE IF THIS CONTINUES YEAH, AND ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE WE REALLY ARE THINKING ABOUT IS OUR OBJECTIVE OF MAKING SURE WE HAVE ADEQUATE HEALTH CARE RESOURCES FOR PEOPLE IN NEED. WE HAVE SEEN SIGNIFICANT STRESS ON THE HEALTH SYSTEM AND THEN OVER THE PAST COUPLE DAYS. WE’VE SEEN ON HIGHEST NUMBER OF HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS AS WELL. I’M NOT SO MUCH. I SEE UTILIZATION, BUT THERE’S A THERE’S A SEQUENCE FROM HOSPITALIZATION THEN THE ICU AND I’M ABSOLUTELY TERRIFIED THAT WE’RE WE’RE GOING TO OVERWHELM THE HEALTHCARE. SOME HOSPITALS AND I SEE YOU NOT IN THE FALL, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WORRIED ME PREVIOUSLY, BUT I’M WORRIED ABOUT NEXT WEEK OR TWO WEEKS FROM NOW. WE’RE ALREADY TIGHT. WE HAVE A MASSIVELY GROWING POPULATION OF INFECTED PEOPLE THAT ARE GOING TO TRANSMIT IT MORE AND MORE TO OLDER FOLKS AND PEOPLE WHO ARE GOING TO HAVE SEVERE ADVERSE OUTCOMES. THIS RECKLESS SOCIAL BEHAVIOR IS GOING TO HARM THE WHOLE STATE. IT’S GOING TO HARM THE BUSINESSES IN THE STATE. IT’S GOING TO HARM OUR ECONOMY AND IT’S GOING TO CAUSE UNNECESSARY DEATHS AND JUST WE JUST GOT TO BE THOSE SIMPLE THINGS. WE’RE GOING TO PAY THE PRICE. THANK YOU. WE’LL TAKE QUESTIONS AT THIS TIME. THERE WERE ALSO STREAMING THIS LIVE. SO WE’RE GOING TO TAKE QUESTIONS FROM THE REPORTERS AS WELL. YES. DR. DAVID JUST MENTIONED THE I THE ICU SITUATION. DO YOU HAVE ANY NUMBERS WITH HOW MANY ICU SPACE ROOM WE MAY HAVE MANY ICUHAT’S AVAILABLE AND HOW PEOPLE ARE CURRENTLY ON I SEE YOU WHETHER YOU MMC OR OTHER HEALTH SYSTEMS TO GIVE US A THE LEAD WEIGHT IS. NOW, DR. MYERS HAS THOSE NUMBERS IN FRONT OF HIM AND WHAT I CAN TELL YOU IS IS IF YOU LOOK AT OUR DATA AND WE HAVE THIS ON OUR WEBSITE FOR THE FOR THE NUMBER OF PATIENTS WHO ARE COVID POSITIVE THE CURRENTLY IN THE ICU AND CURRENTLY ON THE VENTILATOR. WE HAVEN’T SEEN THOSE BIG INCREASES YET THAT WE’VE SEEN ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOSPITALIZATIONS, BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN IT’S GOING TO IT’S NOT GOING TO HAPPEN. WE DO HAVE ICU ICU BEDS AVAILABLE IN MISSISSIPPI, BUT IT’S NOT UNIVERSAL ACROSS THE STATE, YOU KNOW, ANECDOTALLY WE HEAR FROM FROM MANY HOSPITALS THAT THERE I SEE USER FILLING UP AND YOU KNOW AS WE THINK ABOUT GOING FORWARD INTO THE FALL, AND WE’VE PREDICTED THAT YOU KNOW, THE FALL COULD BE POTENTIALLY SIGNIFICANTLY WORSE THAN WE’RE SEEING RIGHT NOW IF YOU ALL REMEMBER FLU SEASONS WE’VE HAD IN THE PAST SEASONS CAN ABSOLUTELY FILL UP YOUR ICU AND YOU THROW COVID ON TOP OF THAT AND THEN YOU THROW THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GOING TO NEED THE ICU AND THAT DIRECT CARE FOR OTHER MEDICAL PROBLEMS. YOU KNOW, IT’S IT’S A RISK IT IS. SO RIGHT NOW OUT IN DOOR GATHERINGS ABOUT 20 PEOPLE AND OUTDOOR GATHERINGS OF 250 PEOPLE WITHOUT SOCIAL DISTANCING ARE ALLOW THEM TO THE CURRENT EXECUTIVE ORDERS. I’M CONFIDENT THE SPREAD IS COMING FROM THAT EXCEED THOSE LIMITATIONS. A LARGE A LARGE PART OF IT CERTAINLY IS CERTAINLY WITH THAT THOU BREAKS THAT WE’VE LOOKED AT. THEY’VE BEEN PEOPLE GATHERING IN MASS, BUT IT’S NOT IT’S NOT JUST IT’S NOT JUST THOSE EVENTS AND SOMETIMES IF YOU GO TO CERTAIN RESTAURANTS AND STUFF, WE SEE THAT PEOPLE AREN’T COMPLYING BARS AND THINGS LIKE THAT. IT’S JUST AND IT MAY WELL BE THAT WE CAN’T LEAVE IT AT 20, YOU KNOW, AS THIS GOES ON SOMETHING’S GOT TO CHANGE RIGHT? I DON’T KNOW WHAT WE’RE GOING TO DO TO MAKE SURE THAT IT’S ENFORCED AND WE’LL HAVE TO FIGURE OUT WHAT THAT IS, BUT PEOPLE ARE GETTING TOGETHER IN RECKLESS MANNERS, AND IT’S ALSO A FREQUENCY THING TO THIS IS NOT A THERE WE CAN’T BE NORMAL IF WE DON’T EXPECT TO JUST RUN THIS PANDEMIC FOR THE ROOF AND THAT’S WHAT WE’RE DOING. WE TALKED YESTERDAY ABOUT THE WHOLE FACIAL MASK STATEWIDE MANDATE FOR THAT. NOTHING ELSE JUST TO KIND OF REMIND PEOPLE OF REMIND PEOPLE ABOUT OF ITS IMPORTANCE. IS THAT SOMETHING YOU THINK YOU MIGHT CONSIDER PROTEIN WITH THE GOVERNOR AFTER TODAY? YOU KNOW, WE SPOKE A LOT OF OBVIOUSLY THE GOVERNOR IS KEENLY INTERESTED IN HELPING TO GET CONTROL OVER THIS THING. EVERY BAR EVERYBODY TO WEAR AM A STATEWIDE IS ABSOLUTELY DESIRABLE. HOW DO YOU GET TO THAT IS A REAL QUESTION UNTIL LEADERS ACROSS THE STATE AT THE STATE LEVEL AT THE LOCAL LEVEL LAW ENFORCEMENT THE PEOPLE WHO WE DEPEND ON TO BE ARE EXAMPLES IN EMBRACE IT AND UNDERSTAND IT’S GOING TO BE REALLY AN UNTENABLE VAN. I MEAN, I DON’T UNTENABLE MANDATE. SO I’M HOPING THAT PEOPLE WILL ENGAGE IN THIS AND I WOULD LOOK FORWARD TO A DAY WHEN WE COULD HAVE UNIVERSAL ACCEPTANCE OF MASKING IN PUBLIC ON APPLYING IT SAVE LIVES AND CERTAINLY THAT’S A THAT’S A HEALTHY DISCUSSION, BUT BUT YOU’RE OUT THERE YOU SEE WHAT PEOPLE ARE DOING. YOU SEE THESE EVENTS WHERE LEADERS ARE NOT WEARING MASKS AND AND SO UNTIL THE LEADERSHIP ADOPTS IT AND BUYS IN AT ALL LEVELS BUSINESSES TO I THINK OUR BUSINESS LEADERS BY AND LARGE HAVE BEEN REALLY PROACTIVE MAKING SURE THAT THEY CAN BE, YOU KNOW AGGRESSIVE LEADERS, BUT I WOULD ENCOURAGE OUR BUSINESS LEADERS TO REALLY PUSH FOR THIS BECAUSE IT’S GOING TO KEEP THEM OPEN. HOLD ON. LET ME TAKE SOME QUESTIONS FROM FOLKS FROM THE SUN HERALD. SHE SAID TO WHAT DO WE ATTRIBUTE THE NEW CASES? AND WHERE’S THE SPREAD THE HIGHEST? I THINK WE TALKED ABOUT THE NEW CASES ANYTHING ABOUT WHERE THE SPREAD IS THE HIGHEST WELL CERTAINLY IS WE’RE SEEING YOU KNOW INCREASED NUMBERS OF CASES IN THOSE AREAS WHERE WE SAY HIGHER POPULATIONS, YOU KNOW, BUT I THINK IT’S EVIDENT THAT WHAT WE’RE SEEING IS COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION WHEN YOU DRILL DOWN TO ACCOUNTING WHAT WE’RE NOT SEEING IS THAT IT’S NECESSARILY ASSOCIATED WITH WITH A LARGE DEFINABLE OUTBREAK AT A FACILITY AS MUCH AS IT IS BROAD COMMUNITY TRANSMISSION, AND SHE ALSO WANTS TO KNOW WHAT ACTION IS EMMA. SDH RECOMMENDING RAISE OR STATE GOVERNMENT TAKE TO SLOW THE SPREAD. FIRST AND FOREMOST FOLLOW THE CURRENT RULES FOR CRYING OUT LOUD. I MEAN IF YOU’RE NOT ENFORCE, WHAT’S WHAT THE RULES ARE. YOU KNOW IT DEPARTMENT HEALTH WORKING AT WE’RE GOING BY RESTAURANTS AND WE’RE GOING TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY’RE FOLLOWING THE RULES THAT THE EMPLOYEES ARE WEARING MASKS THAT THEY HAVE THE TABLE SEPARATED PROPERLY AND THEN IN THE LOCAL COMMUNITIES, WE HAVE TO ENFORCE THE RULES THAT ARE THERE. THAT’S THE FIRST THING AND THEN LOOKING AT OTHER MEASURES THAT WE MAY HAVE TO DO. THERE’S BEEN THIS MAD RUSH TO GET BACK TO NORMAL PEOPLE ARE FIXATED ON THINGS THAT ARE NOT NECESSARY. LIFE, THEY’RE FUN, AND UNDERSTAND IT. BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, WE’LL LOOK AT, YOU KNOW DOING MORE AGGRESSIVE STUFF. WE’RE GOING TO HAVE TO BECAUSE THIS IS JUST GOING TO CONTINUE TO GET WORSE AND WILL CONTINUE TO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE GOVERNOR’S OFFICE. WE SPENT A LOT OF TIME TODAY TALKING ABOUT IT THINKING ABOUT WHAT OUR NEXT STEPS ARE GOING TO BE. SO EXACT SPECIAL SEE SOME STUFF IN THE NEAR FUTURE, BUT I DON’T WANT TO COMMIT TO ANYTHING UNTIL WE COME TO SOME SORT OF FINAL CONCLUSIONS THAT YOU’RE WORRIED ABOUT THE HOSPITAL BEING OVERWHELMED IN A MATTER OF WEEKS. HAVE YOU BEEN IN CONTACT WITH MEMA TO SET UP SOME OF THE RIGHT BELT? I’LL TELL YOU THE BREAK-UP HOSPITAL IS A FALLACY AND REASONING BECAUSE THERE’S NO STAFF. THERE’S NO STAFF TO DO IT. NOW IF I GOT SO BAD WE HAD TO PULL IN FEDERAL RESOURCES WE WOULD BUT THE THINGS THAT WE WOULD DO OR THE THINGS WE KNOW GOING TO WORK. IT’S GOING TO BE CANCELING ELECTIVE PROCEDURES. IT’S GOING TO BE DOING THAT STUFF. THAT WAS VERY HARMFUL TO THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM OR IN THE HEALTH ECONOMY BEFORE AND WE MAY HAVE TO GO THAT DIRECTION. WE NEED WE’RE WORKING AGGRESSIVELY WITH HEALTHCARE PARTNERS TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE EXPANDABLE CAPACITY. THAT’S HAD THERE’S SOME VARIABILITY FROM LOCATION LOCATION WHETHER OR NOT THEY CAN DO IT AND THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WE’VE TALKED ABOUT AND IF HOSPITALS ARE UNABLE TO MEET THE INTERNMENT NEEDS OF THEIR COMMUNITY WITH ICU RESOURCES AND STAFFING THEN THERE’S TWO CHOICES THEY CAN EXPAND AND OPEN UP ADDITIONAL UNITS BECAUSE THERE IS AN EXCESS CAPACITY WITHIN HOSPITALS. IT’S NOT A LOCATION ISSUE. IT’S A STAFFING ISSUE. AND SO THAT’S SOMETHING THAT HAS TO BE ADDRESSED. BUT THERE’S TWO PARTS OF THE EQUATION THEIR SUPPLY AND DEMAND AND AND WE MAY HAVE TO LOOK AT SELECTIVELY EVEN OR EVEN MORE SO ABOUT LOOKING AT ELECTIVE PROCEDURES BECAUSE TIME AND TIME AGAIN, WE KNOW THAT IF THOSE ARE NOT ALLOWED IT WILL OPEN UP SPACE WITHIN THE HEALTHCARE SYSTEM. AND IS THAT IN THE WORKS? ARE WE PLANNING ON FINDING THOSE VALVES? THEY WANT WE’RE TALKING ABOUT ALL OPTIONS. I DON’T WANT TO COMMIT TO ANYTHING WITH ELECTIVE PROCEDURES HOSPITAL BEDS ARE ALREADY KIND OF LIMITED WITH THERE AND THEN WITH COVID PATIENTS. ISOLATED WHERE IS THAT GOING TO WEAR THIS TO GOING TO MEET WHERE YOU NEED MORE HOSPITAL BEDS TO ACCOMMODATE COVID PATIENTS VERSUS RUNNING YOU LIKE THE SURGERY. THAT’S FOR SOME FOR A LOT OF THE PATIENTS THAT IT’S IDEAL TO HAVE THEM IN NEGATIVE PRESSURE ISOLATION. AND SO THERE ARE THERE IS LIMITATION IN THAT BUT A LOT OF IT IS GOING TO CAN BE DONE IN NORMAL ROOMS IF WE HAVE TO AND THAT’S OKAY AND CERTAINLY WE’VE SEEN THE HOSPITAL’S TAKE SOME INNOVATION IS AS CONVERTING AREAS TO NEGATIVE PRESSURE SO THAT THE AIR IS EXTERNALIZED BUT IF WE DO MAKE SURE THAT WE HAVE ACCESS TO ADEQUATE CAPACITY THAN WILL BE ADEQUATE RESOURCES AS FAR AS I STAFFING AND PP SUPPLIES LOCALLY AND ALL THAT TO TAKE CARE OF THE WE NEED TO BE TAKEN CARE OF BUT IT WOULD IT WOULD BE MANAGEABLE EVEN WIN THAT BALANCE. OKAY, LET’S TAKE A FEW QUESTIONS HERE, ERICA HENSLEY WITH MISSISSIPPI TODAY WANTS TO KNOW IS THERE A PARTICULAR CLUSTER ASSOCIATE WITH TODAY’S 1000 AND ARE THERE PARTICULAR COMMUNITY OUTBREAKS OF CONCERN? POLYGON ANSWER. YEAH THE THING, YOU KNOW OUR INVESTIGATION INTO THE CERTAINLY TO THE NEW CASES IS STILL ONGOING. WE JUST GOT THOSE CASES YESTERDAY. WE’RE STARTING OUR INVESTIGATIONS NOW, SO, YOU KNOW, WE CAN’T SAY EXACTLY WHAT ALL THE NEW CASES ARE PRIMARILY DUE TO AND WHAT THEIR ASSOCIATED WITH BUT IN GENERAL, YOU KNOW THESE THESE PAST FEW DAYS WITH THESE INCREASES THAT WE’VE SEEN IT HAS IT BEEN, YOU KNOW, ONE PARTICULAR CLUSTER. OR ONE PARTICULAR COMMUNITY TOTALS, YOU KNOW WEEKLY OR WHATEVER SO OUR CONTACT TRACING IS BASED ON AN INDIVIDUAL CASE INVESTIGATION. SO WE INVESTIGATE EVERY CAT EVERY CASE THAT’S REPORTED TO THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND IDENTIFY CONTACTS AND MAKE SURE THAT FOLKS ARE QUARANTINED AND MAKE SURE THAT THE CASES ARE ISOLATED THAT’S DONE ON AN INDIVIDUAL CASE BASIS AS THAT CASE IS REPORTED TO US. AND SO WE DON’T DO THAT BASED ON LOOKING AT THE COUNTY OR WE DON’T DO THAT. LESEN STATEWIDE THAT’S ON A ONE-PERSON IF YOU LOOK AT OUR DATA THAT’S ON OUR WEBSITE. WE PRESENT THOSE CASES ON WHAT’S CALLED AN EPI CURVE AND WE HAVE THAT DEMONSTRATED ON THE DATA THAT WE HAVE ON OUR WEBSITE THAT OCCUR BY DAY. AND SO WHEN A CASE IS REPORTED TO IS THAT DOESN’T NECESSARILY MEAN IT OCCURRED THAT DAY. THERE’S OFTEN CAN BE A DELAY OF WHEN THAT PERSON REALLY REALLY BECAME SICK AND WAS REPORTED TO SO I ENCOURAGE YOU TO LOOK AT THAT PER DAY. NOW. WE ARE GOING TO HAVE SOME COUNTIES SNAPSHOTS THAT WILL BE AVAILABLE SOON AND THAT WILL PROVIDE SOME ADDITIONAL GRANULARITY FOR FOLKS TO BE ABLE TO SEE HOW THOSE CAKES COUNTS ARE UNFOLDING WITHIN THEIR ACCOUNTS. OKAY. I’VE GOT ERIN KELLY FROM THE MERIDIAN STAR HOW HAS THE STATEMENT HELPING WITH THE MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW INDIANS WHICH CONTINUES TO SEE STEADY INCREASES ESPECIALLY IN THE PEARL RIVER COMMUNITY. YES IT CERTAINLY WE ACKNOWLEDGE. WHAT A BIG CHALLENGE THAT IS WITH THE CHOCTAW TRIBE. WE’VE HAD A TESTING LOCATIONS AND WORK CLOSELY WITH THEIR HEALTH CENTER AND ALSO WITH THEIR LEADERSHIP AND CHIEF BEEN I’VE BEEN VERY COMMITTED. YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE SOME OF THE SAME CHALLENGES EVERYBODY ELSE DOES AND WE’RE TRYING TO YOU KNOW WORK WITH THEM, AND I KNOW WE’RE DOING SOME EPI COOPERATION WITH THOSE GUYS, TOO, BUT WE’RE COMMITTED TO CONTINUE THAT PARTNERSHIP WHATEVER SUPPORT THAT THEY NEED WE’LL WANT TO DO THAT AND PAUL. I DON’T KNOW IF YOU WANT ANYTHING MORE NO. YOU KNOW, WE WORK WITH THEM CLOSELY AND WORKING WITH THE MISSISSIPPI BAND OF CHOCTAW HOUSES IS NOT A NEW PHENOMENON. WE’VE WORKED WITH THEM OVER THE YEARS ON WHENEVER THERE ARE COMMUNICABLE DISEASES OR OUTBREAK. SO WE HAVE ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM AND AND CERTAINLY WE’RE WILLING TO PARTNER AND ASSIST IN ANY WAY THEY CAN AND THEY HAVE THEIR OWN PUBLIC HEALTH AND THEIR OWN CONTACT TRACERS AND STUFF AND WE WORK WITH THEM AND WE HAVE A GOOD RELATIONSHIP. WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE ARGUING ONE WAY OR THE OTHER THAT MAYBE THERE’S MORE TESTING GOING ON. IS THERE MORE TESTING DOES THAT EVEN MATTER? COULD YOU SPEAK TO THOSE PEOPLE ARE TESTING RATES ARE RELATIVELY STABLE NOW COMPARED TO A MONTH AGO IF YOU LOOK AT THE NUMBER OF TESTS, WE’VE DONE THIS. WE’RE NOT DOING ANY MORE TESTS AND WE DID A MONTH AGO AT LEAST NOT NOT SIGNIFICANTLY. WE DID A LOT MORE TESTS WHEN WE HAVE THE NURSING HOME PUSH, BUT THAT THE PERCENTAGE POSITIVE THAT WAS VERY LOW. WE’RE SEEING A TON MORE CASES ARE PERCENT POSITIVE IS HIGHER. WE’RE SEEING IN YOU KNOW, SIGNIFICANT HOSPITAL UTILIZATION INCREASE FACES ON OUR COVID LIKE ILLNESS WITH ON OUR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM. WE’RE SEEING INCREASES I MEAN EVERY INDICATORS UP RIGHT? I MEAN WE CAN STICK OUR HEAD IN THE SAND AND TRY TO FIND EXCUSES SO THAT WE DON’T HAVE TO MODIFY OUR BEHAVIORS. BUT IT DOESN’T CHANGE THE TRUTH. THE TRUTH IS THERE’S A LOT OF COVID OUT THERE. IT’S KILLING PEOPLE. IT’S GOING TO KILL A LOT OF PEOPLE AND IT’S GOING TO STRESS OUT OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM. THAT IS JUST REALITY AND IF PEOPLE DON’T WANT TO ACKNOWLEDGE IT THEN YOU KNOW, I HOPE THAT WHEN THEY GO TO THE ICU AND WANT CARE THERE’S CARE AVAILABLE FOR THEM. PROBABLY MINISTRATION IS SENDING FEDERAL SUPPORT FOR THE INTESTINE SITES ACROSS THE NATION. WAS THAT ENDANGER OUR TESTING REGIME AT ALL. THEY’VE NEVER HELPED US WITH THAT, BUT THEY’VE GIVEN SUPPLIES AND STUFF. BUT WE’VE DONE ALL OVER ON MY TESTING SUPPORT HERE. YEAH. WELL, WE’RE GONNA DO TESTING WHERE WE HAVE TO DO IT. CERTAINLY WE’RE GOING TO TARGET IT A LOT OF HE’S NOTHING ABOUT THIS. THE TESTING HAS ALREADY KNOW MOST TESTING IS NOT COMING IS IN DOCTOR’S OFFICE BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE COMING. IN SICK WE’RE NOT OUT THERE DRUMMING UP A LOT OF PEOPLE WHO AREN’T SYMPTOMATIC. WE DO SO LIKE WE KIND OF GOT A BIT, YOU KNOW FROM THE NURSING HOME AND STUFF AND WE DO CHECK SOME ASYMPTOMATIC PEOPLE THROUGH THE DRIVE-THROUGHS, BUT IT’S PEOPLE WHO ARE SICK. THAT’S WHAT’S TRIGGERING THE TEST AND THAT’S WHY WE’RE FINDING THEM IN THESE CLINICS ARE DOCKS AND NURSE PRACTITIONERS AND CLINICS HAVE BEEN A FANTASTIC JOB PROVIDING THE SERVICE AND THERE’S THERE’S A BROADER AVAILABILITY TO TESTING NOW. YEAH AS WELL COMPARED TO TO WEAR JUST A JUST A MONTH AGO, AND THAT’S THE BEST PLACE FOR IT TO BE BECAUSE THEN YOU HAVE TESTING AND EVERY IN EVERY LOCATION WITH A LOT FASTER TURNAROUND. AND SO JUST LIKE TO COMMEND OUR HEALTH SYSTEM IN OUR FRONTLINE PHYSICIANS AND NURSE PRACTICE AND CLINICS FOR DOING THE RIGHT JOB. THEY’RE DOING LOOK IF YOU’RE TRYING TO GET BUY-IN FROM SOME OF THE STATE AND LOCAL OFFICIALS. TAKE THIS MORE SERIOUSLY. CAN YOU SAY WHAT TYPE OF REAL CASES WILL OCCUR IF THIS CONTINUES ON ITS CURRENT COURSE AS FAR AS HOSPITALS AS FAR AS PEOPLE GETTING TREATMENT? WHAT WOULD YOU SAY TO THEM? I MEAN, I MEAN, IT’S THIS WE’RE JUST SAYING THE SAME THING WE SAW BEFORE. IT’S OUR MEMORY SHOULDN’T BE SO SHORT THERE’S CASES. THERE’S A LAG THERE’S HOSPITALIZATIONS AS I SEE YOU USE AND THERE’S DEATH AND THEN THERE’S INFILTRATION IN THE NURSING HOMES. IT’S THE SAME SORT OF SEQUENCE AND YOU KNOW WE CAN WILL WE’RE WE GOT AGGRESSIVE WE HAVE AGGRESSIVE EFFORTS TO PROTECT OUR NURSING HOMES. UM, BUT THEY’RE NOT IMPERVIOUS PEOPLE WORK IN THE NURSING HOMES. WE WERE HOPING TO OPEN UP FOR VISITATION AND THIS IS THIS IS SCREWING IT UP. IT IS SO SELFISH FOR PEOPLE TO BE OUT DOING STUFF PERPETUATING THIS PANDEMIC FOR NOTHING MORE THAN THE CRAWFISH BOIL. I GUESS WHAT I WAS TRYING TO GET AT IS IF THE HOSPITAL HAS CONTINUED TO CLIMB WHAT’S GOING TO HAPPEN TO NOT ONLY PEOPLE WHO HAVE CORONAVIRUS BUT CAR CRASH AGAINST PEOPLE WITH HEART ATTACK. YEAH, SO I HEAR STORIES ALL THE TIME PEOPLE GO TO THE ER WITH A FRACTURE OR SOMETHING I HAD THIS AS WITH THIS WEEKEND. SOMEONE HAD A BROKEN LEG AND THEY COULDN’T GET A DON’T TAKE THEM ANYWHERE BECAUSE THERE WERE NO BEDS IN THE HOSPITAL THAT WORRIES ME TO DEATH. IT DOESN’T MATTER. WHY THE HOSPICE WHAT’S YOUR PROBLEM IS WHEN THE HOSPITAL IS FULL OF HOSPITALS FULL IF YOU HAVE A HEART ATTACK AND YOU NEED A VENTILATOR FOR TWO DAYS AND JUST YOU KNOW, YOU’RE GOING TO BE NORMAL. WELL IF THERE’S NO CRITICAL CARE TEAM THERE TO TAKE CARE OF YOU