For Valley Sentinel’s “Year in COVID-19” edition, we reached out to health directors of Sauk, Iowa and Richland counties for reflection on the departments experiences and handling of COVID-19.
Below are answers from Keith Hurlbert, Iowa County Emergency Management Director.
Valley Sentinel: If you could go back to last March, is there anything you’d do differently?
Keith Hurlbert: As an Emergency Manager I would pay more attention to Public Health and the response methodology to Public Health Emergencies. I spent a lot of time early on, learning the ins and outs of Public Health operations.
VS: What have we done well?
KH: We knew early on that messaging to the public was going to be crucial to keeping our communities safe. The success of Iowa County’s response was entirely in the publics hands. We needed to provide accurate information and guidance to them through every communications channel we could access. The media was very much a part of this process. We embraced working with the media whenever we could.
We kept the lines of communications open with our Public Safety, Schools, Long Term Care facilities, Upland Hills Health, and other community partners and agencies. This proved invaluable throughout pandemic and continues today. We have reduced the frequency of our meetings but we do continue to meet.
We worked very closely with Upland Hills Health. They assigned a staff person to be physically present in our Emergency Operations Center every day. To this day, although we do much of our EOC work virtually now, Upland Hills has continued to have a that liaison to assure good communications with them.
VS: What are we doing well currently?
KH: The Vaccination program we are administering right now is 2nd to none. We are very proud of what we have accomplished. Operations at Lands’ End are being tweaked for the adjustment to larger amounts of vaccine being available and increasing the number of people vaccinated on any given day accordingly.
VS: What do we need to do?
KH: Continue to educate and communicate with the public. We can’t let off the gas now. Until we have the vast majority of people vaccinated we need to continue following the CDC Public Health mitigation recommendations.
Below are responses from Iowa County Public Health Officer Debbie Siegenthaler.
VS: If you could go back to last March, is there anything you’d do differently?
Debbie Siegenthaler: For me, because March 13 was my first official day with the Iowa County Health Dept, I wish I had a period of orientation to county operations and even the benefit of having met key officials and individuals prior. I literally met some of the amazing people I would be working so closely with in the Emergency Operations Center. This is not ideal in any way. You are faced with serious and intense circumstances, with quickly changing variables. Knowing folks around the table is key and I didn’t have that luxury. I am a very firm believer in relationships, so not having established relationships was a huge challenge for me. Fortunately, each person I met, quickly showed their competence and dedication to the response. In particular, Keith Hurlbert, the EM Director, has been an incredible co-pilot. I am grateful to him every day. I also want to send a special thank you to Sue Matye, the immediate past Health Officer. She is a dear friend and assisted me tremendously this last year. I am grateful for her too.
VS: What have we done well?
DS: In a complex response such as a pandemic, there are many critical variables… Communication: to partners, stakeholders and the public. I feel this has been done well with all groups. We have hosted and held regular briefings with LTC, schools, public safety, and Upland Hills Health, some of which continue today. We now have a weekly vaccine call with all Iowa Co vaccinators. Consistent and ongoing communication is key in planning and implementation as well as providing accurate info and finding answers. In addition, we have had regular media releases and been very available for questions and interviews. This has been a key partnership in providing key info to the public as well as social media.
The team at the health dept along with emergency management has been truly stellar. They have taken challenges and acted professionally and compassionately. There were months where calls to positive cases were at times met with angry, hostile and unkind words on the other end. There were weeks where it seemed the climbing case numbers would not stop, but they kept forging ahead. We have an incredible group working for the health of Iowa County residents and it is my sincere hope they are truly appreciated as the work they have been committed to has saved lives.
I also feel the relationship with Upland Hills has been excellent and they have been an incredible partner, stepping up in so many ways and responding expertly.
I want to add that the dashboard with both general metrics and the school capacity indicators were an important piece to assemble and implement. These metrics have been consistently communicated to the public. They also inform recommendations and guidance. They have truly been a central and critical piece to the response.
VS: What are we doing well currently?
DS: Community vaccine clinic operations, held now, at the Lands’ End Comer Center, are working smoothly. This space is an extraordinary gift from Lands’ End. Furthermore, over 100 people have signed up to answer the call to volunteer. Dozens are assisting with multiple aspects of the community vaccine clinic. Other volunteers are assisting with answering phones, scheduling hundreds for their vaccine, and many other tasks.
The pandemic response in Iowa County has been full of challenge and hardship, for residents, businesses and all of us responding. However, it has also demonstrated residents showing tremendous diligence and fortitude. Residents, businesses and organizations have been terrific partners in following guidance. Additionally, there has been an incredible show of support, such as 100 plus volunteers coming forward to help, the amazing gift Lands’ End provided in allowing the use of the Comer Center and also a recent incredible donation of $5000 by Vortex to help fee all those helping at clinics.
VS: What do we need to do?
DS: Community vaccine clinic will be ramping up when we get more vaccine. We need residents to take the vaccine when it is their turn. In addition, we still need diligence with mitigation measures of masking, social distancing, washing hands.
Below are responses from Sauk County Public Health officer Treemanisha Stewart.
VS: If you could go back to last March, is there anything you’d do differently?
Treemanisha Stewart: Unfortunately this was a new virus, so we all had to learn as we went. Having correct information from the beginning (wearing masks versus not) would of helped our consistency in messaging to the public.
VS: What have we done well?
TS: We have been very transparent, doing what we felt was best for the community and being a place the community can come to for information.
VS: What are we doing well currently?
TS: We have a good system for vaccination, which is proven by our current vaccination rates. We also plan well and always try to think two steps ahead. We also strive to keep good communication with our community partners.
VS: What do we need to do?
TS: We want people to know, that when eligible to get vaccinated to get vaccinated. Waiting or ‘shopping around’ for their preferred vaccine only hinders our vaccination plan. Even with people being vaccinated we must continue to wear masks and practice social distancing.
Officials from Richland County did not respond, this story will be updated if they do.