HomeMy WebLinkAboutCOM 0843.132 2018-2020 COUNTY CLERK
COUNTY OF HAWAI'I
RECEIVED
Time Mg orrl By diri
Date MAR 2 0 2020
Fri 3/20/2020 12:28 AM
Fwd: Undeliverable: [EXTERNAL]Testimony re: urgent meeting and COVID-19
To: Council Testimony
Dear Council Members,
. l
I am a practicing physician, both on Big Island, as well as on the East Coast of the US via
telemedicine. I have seen what is happening on the East Coast and elsewhere. I have grave
concerns about Hawaii County's response, or lack thereof,to the COVID-19 crisis. Our medical
system on Hawaii Island is already understaffed and fragile. It will not take many COVID cases
before our hospitals are overwhelmed. We have only 24 ICU beds on the island, and only 39
ventilators, and most of those ICU beds are already in use with other patients.
Data shows that approximately 15% of COVID cases are severe, requiring hospitalization, and
5%requiring ICU_care. Assuming half of the ICU beds are already taken up by patients with
other medical problems, once we have 240 cases on Big Island, our ICUs will be full. We do
NOT want to end up like Italy, forced to triage patients and decide who gets the ventilator, and
who dies.
The virus is extremely contagious, and spreads exponentially when unchecked. The only weapon
we have against the virus is social distancing. When everyone stays home, the virus eventually
will die out, as it won't have anyone to spread to.
It is not too late to protect the Big Island medical system, and the residents, but the window to
act is rapidly closing. We need to lock down Big Island now. I strongly recommend
MANDATORY 15 day quarantines for ANYONE landing on Big Island. I also strongly
recommend all county facilities are closed, and all public gatherings prohibited.
Lockdown is coming to Big Island at some point. There is no reason Big Island will be any
different than any other place. The only question is, do you want to lock down Big Island now,
or after more people get sick? Do you want to lock it down now, or after our medical system is
overwhelmed?
Therefore, I implore you to act swiftly.
Thank you,
Jennifer Real, MD
Comm. No. 15141)•01
Ref. To: P l MA
Ref. Date MAR 2 0 2020