State Rep. Justin Holland talks COVID-19 testing, Shelter In Place

State Rep. Justin Holland talks COVID-19 testing, Shelter In Place

In a recent interview with Blue Ribbon News, State Representative Justin Holland discussed COVID-19 testing and the importance of adhering to the Shelter In Place order for Rockwall County in order to flatten the curve.

Holland said the biggest thing for people to realize is that there are many people who don’t need to be tested – those exhibiting only the milder symptoms of the virus.

“Our local health authority Dr. Gary Bonacquisti said that approximately 70-80 percent of those who end up getting COVID-19 have mild flu-like symptoms. If you think you might be sick, don’t leave your house. Out of extreme caution, you need to monitor yourself at the house. Take Tylenol for fever or pain, drink lots of fluids, and get lots of rest like you would if you had the flu. Doctors say that it will run its course. If you develop chest pain or shortness of breath, you should contact your medical provider immediately,” Holland said.

Currently, the physicians at Texas Health Hospital Rockwall are only sending the tests for patients with hospital level of illness. It’s about a two to seven-day turnaround for the results. But there are no dedicated COVID-19 testing facilities in Rockwall. Dallas currently has two such sites, and there are private facilities such as Quest Diagnostics or LabCorp who administer tests, but only with a referral from your primary care physician.

“As far as testing goes, right now you have to go to Dallas to get it done, or if you have bad enough symptoms where you need a test, you’ll be instructed by your primary care physician on what to do,” Holland said.

According to the Texas Department of State Health Services and the Centers for Disease Control, only those exhibiting the following symptoms are able to get tested for COVID-19:

  • Shortness of breath
  • Cough
  • A temperature of 99.6 degrees or higher

The reality is there simply aren’t enough beds to have everyone experiencing symptoms to be hospitalized. With a low number of beds, and an even lower number of beds with respirators and ventilators, Holland said it’s important to have those beds for those who truly need the in-hospital care.

“The biggest concern we have right now, really as a nation but certainly as a state, is overwhelming our hospital and healthcare system with patients,” he said.

Holland emphasized the importance of staying at home as much as possible, and practicing social distancing guidelines if you must go out for grocery shopping and other essential tasks.

“If you feel you may have the virus and can handle it yourself at home, that’s better than you going out and giving it to somebody else,” he said. “This is an extremely fast-spreading virus, and there are those out there who may not even be aware they have it and pass it off unknowingly.”

Holland said people aged 65 and older and those with underlying medical conditions should pay extra attention, as they are the most at risk of developing the more severe symptoms. But anyone who starts showing the more severe symptoms such as shortness of breath should call their doctor.

On March 24, Rockwall County Judge David Sweet ordered a Shelter In Place for Rockwall County through April 15. Holland said the community has thus far been very compliant to that order. “Because of the way that our community has responded to the 15 days to flatten the curve, the governor’s orders and our local county order, we’re actually very encouraged by the way people are staying at home. We’re not getting in the situations where law enforcement needs to go write tickets for violating the order.”

At the time of this writing, there are three confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Rockwall County. Holland said according to Dr. Bonacquisti, the county will have a clearer picture of any community spread in the next two weeks.

Holland said so far both hospitals in the county have continued to do what they can to be prepared if the case numbers start growing rapidly.

“Our hospitals are in good shape right now,” he said. “Baylor Scott & White and Texas Health Hospital Rockwall are both managing very well. They are not stretched from a capacity standpoint right now, and are continuing to do the good things that they’ve done to prepare for the worst-case scenario.”

As far as facemasks and PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) for healthcare workers go, Holland said the state has been working quickly to get these necessary supplies to hospitals so that they can perform tests for the virus while maintaining the health and safety of doctors, nurses and medical staff.

“The Governor, the Department of Emergency Management as well as TDSHS are all working as fast as possible to replenish facemasks and PPE. But what we’re up against right now is that there is definitely a shortage of PPE not only across the state but across the nation. We are going to be getting about a million masks a month going forward, and that should help.

“But that’s why it’s so important that if you’re not feeling bad or experiencing those severe symptoms, you don’t need to be getting tested. We don’t need to overburden our healthcare system with people who just want to know if they have it or not, because most people will recover.”

The economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has certainly been felt across the country. Texas alone has seen hundreds of thousands of people applying for unemployment benefits after having been laid off from their jobs. But Holland remains optimistic that Texans will weather the storm and come back strong.

“I know that Texas has always been very resilient. The business community and our economy always bounce back. We have a wide variety of industries that will support each other. I’m at the point where I want business to come back as soon as it’s safely possible to do so,” he said.

By Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News.



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