[COVID-19 Town Hall]
[00:00:05]
FACEBOOK LIVE. WE'RE GOING TO GET STARTED HERE IN JUST A MINUTE.
WE'RE ACTUALLY GOING THROUGH OUR TYPICAL TOWN HALL PROCESS RIGHT NOW, WHERE WE DIAL OUT TO ALL THE NUMBERS IN OUR COMMUNITY FOR PEOPLE TO BE ABLE LISTEN IN, AS WELL AS ALLOW PEOPLE TO DIAL IN, TO LISTEN FROM HOME.
SO WE'RE GOING TO GIVE OUR MODERATOR JUST A MINUTE TO DO THAT.
HE'S GOING TO GO OVER SOME INSTRUCTIONS WITH THE CALLERS THAT I'LL GO THROUGH WITH THOSE JOINING US LIVE NOW AS WELL, WHICH IS THIS IS A SPECIAL CALLED LIVE TOWN HALL TO DISCUSS FRISCO'S RESPONSE TO THE CORONAVIRUS AND REALLY BE TRANSPARENT, IN A VERY FRISCO WAY, WHICH IS LETS YOU MEET THE PEOPLE IN CHARGE WITH KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE AND KEEPING OUR CHILDREN SAFE AND LEARN WHAT WE'RE DOING ON A DAILY BASIS AND FOR YOU TO ASK QUESTIONS DIRECTLY TO US.
SO HOW WE'RE GONNA DO THIS OR PEOPLE GOING TO BE ABLE TO ASK QUESTIONS, WE HAVE FACEBOOK.
YOUR QUESTION MAY GET GENERALIZED WITH OTHER QUESTIONS THAT ARE OF SIMILAR TOPICS OR JUST BE WHERE WE'RE TRYING TO ANSWER EVERY QUESTION THAT WE CAN HEAR THIS EVENING.
AND THE CALLERS. WE'RE NOT GOING TO TAKE LIVE CALLERS JUST FOR TIME'S SAKE, BUT THEY WILL BE DIALING IN AND GIVING QUESTIONS TO OUR MODERATOR, WHICH WILL FOR THOSE OF YOU JUST JOINING OUR PHONE FORUM, THANKS FOR JOINING US LIVE TONIGHT FOR THIS FRISCO VIRTUAL TOWN HALL ABOUT THE CORONAVIRUS, ALSO KNOWN AS COVID-19.
WE HAVE A PANEL OF SUCCESS FOR EXPERTS HERE READY TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS.
WE'LL GET AN UPDATE FROM THE MAYOR AND HIS STAFF IN JUST A MOMENT.
STAY TUNED FOR THAT AFTER OUR UPDATE.
WE'LL JUMP RIGHT INTO Q&A WITH RESIDENT.
SO AS YOU LISTEN TO BE THINKING ABOUT QUESTIONS YOU WANT TO SUBMIT FOR Q&A, THEN PRESS ZERO AT ANY TIME TO SUBMIT YOUR QUESTION TO AN OPERATOR.
I'LL BE READING YOUR QUESTIONS OVER THE AIR.
WE'LL BE GETTING ANSWERS DIRECTLY FROM THE MAYOR OF CITY STAFF.
PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERTS DURING TONIGHT'S LIVE TELE TOWN HALL FORUM.
WE'RE GOING TO RUN THIS ONE A LITTLE BIT DIFFERENTLY THAN OUR NORMAL TELE TOWN HALL FORUM. TONIGHT, OUR OPERATORS WILL BE NOTING YOUR QUESTIONS AND WE'LL BE TAKING YOUR QUESTIONS AND READING THEM OVER THE AIR.
SO, AGAIN, PRESS 0 AT ANY TIME TO SUBMIT A QUESTION.
ALL RIGHT. THANKS, MAYOR. BACK TO YOU.
THANK YOU. AND WELCOME TO OUR SPECIAL CALLED TOWN HALL MEETING MEETING.
I'M JOINED HERE BY OUR ENTIRE CITY COUNCIL.
SO I HAVE OUR MAYOR PRO TEM, JOHN KEATING, OUR DEPUTY MAYOR PRO TEM BILL WOODARD.
SHONA HUFFMAN IS ACTUALLY HELPING MODERATE OUR FACEBOOK LIVE QUESTION.
BRIAN LIVINGSTON, TIM NELSON AND WILL SOWELL ARE ALL HERE IN ATTENDANCE, ALONG WITH ALL YOUR KEY STAFF THAT ARE CHARTERED WITH KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE.
THEY ALL AGREE THAT WE'RE A LITTLE BIT IN UNCHARTERED WATERS AND THEY WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW, AS I DO I, THAT WE CONSIDER THIS CRISIS VERY SERIOUS AND KEEPING OUR COMMUNITY SAFE. AND WE'VE TALKED FOR YEARS THAT PUBLIC SAFETY IS OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE OUR NUMBER ONE PRIORITY.
THIS IS A DYNAMIC, EVOLVING AND LITERALLY CHANGING HOUR BY HOUR EVENT THAT WILL CONTINUE TO EVOLVE EVERY SINGLE DAY.
WE'LL BE HAVING DISCUSSIONS EVERY SINGLE DAY.
AND WE'LL CONTINUE TO BE TRANSPARENT WITH THE PUBLIC IN THE BEST WAYS THAT WE CAN.
AND THAT'S WHAT TONIGHT IS REALLY DESIGNED FOR, TO INTRODUCE HERE IN A MINUTE, SIX KEY PEOPLE THAT ARE CHARTERED WITH KEEPING THIS COMMUNITY SAFE, KEEPING OUR CHILDREN SAFE.
AND WE ARE ALL WORKING COLLABORATIVELY TOGETHER ON AN HOURLY AND DAILY BASIS AND MAKING REAL TIME DECISIONS ON WHAT'S THE BEST OUTCOMES FOR THIS COMMUNITY.
YOU'RE GOING TO BE WELCOME TO ASK QUESTIONS DIRECTLY TO US AND TO THEM AFTER WE GO THROUGH QUICK UPDATES ON WHAT CITY OF FRISCO IS DOING AND PLANS TO DO.
BUT FIRST, LET ME INTRODUCE OUR GUESTS.
WE HAVE OUR CITY MANAGER, GEORGE PUREFOY, TO MY FAR LEFT.
WE HAVE DR. MARK GAMBER TO MY RIGHT.
AND DR. GAMBER IS AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN WHO SERVES AS THE E.M.S.
MEDICAL DIRECTOR FOR THE FRISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT IN THE CITY'S PUBLIC HEALTH AUTHORITY.
DR. GAMBER RECENTLY SERVED AS THE CHIEF OF STAFF OF MEDICAL CITY PLANO, A LEVEL ONE TRAUMA CENTER AND MEDICAL CITY FRISCO.
SO WE'RE LUCKY, LUCKY TO HAVE DR.
TO HIS RIGHT IS FRISCO FIRE CHIEF MARK PILOT, AND HIS EXPERIENCE INCLUDES HE IS OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR AND DIRECTS OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER.
HE ALSO HAS A MASTER'S IN PUBLIC HEALTH FROM EASTERN VIRGINIA MEDICAL SCHOOL WHILE SERVING IN VIRGINIA BEACH.
PRIOR TO COMING TO FRISCO, CHIEF PILAND WAS AN INCIDENT SUPPORT TEAM LEADER WITH DEPLOYMENTS TO THE PENTAGON KATRINA AND [INAUDIBLE].
OF COURSE, WE HAVE POLICE CHIEF MR. DAVID SHILSON TO THE VERY FAR RIGHT.
WITH THAT THIS MORNING, THE I ACTUALLY DECLARED AN EMERGENCY ALONG WITH OUR SURROUNDING
[00:05:05]
CITIES AND COLLIN COUNTY.AND WE JUST WANT TO EXPLAIN WHAT THAT MEANT.
ESSENTIALLY WITH THAT ORDER, IT CLOSED OR SUSPENDED THROUGH MARCH 27TH, THE FRISCO ATHLETIC CENTER, THE CITY PARKS AND RECREATION FACILITIES, INCLUDING BALLFIELDS, WHILE PARKS AND TRAILS REMAIN OPEN.
ALL CITY RUN SPORTS LEAGUES, INCLUDING YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS, ALL CITY SPONSORED SPECIAL EVENTS. THE FRISCO PUBLIC LIBRARY.
ALTHOUGH DRIVE THROUGH WILL REMAIN OPEN AND CLOSED THROUGH APRIL 13TH THE GROVE AT FRISCO COMMONS. THE MEAL PROGRAM WILL CONTINUE AND ALSO LET OUR CHEIF SPEAK TO WHAT THAT EMERGENCY DECLARATION ALSO DOES AS FAR AS ALLOWING THEM TO RESPOND QUICKER TO POTENTIAL INCIDENTS THAT WE MAY HAVE TO HELP PROTECT THE PUBLIC.
BUT WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, I'D LIKE TO TURN IT OVER TO DR.
MARK GAMBER, WHO'S GOING TO GO THROUGH A QUICK UPDATE.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. APPRECIATE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADDRESS OUR CITIZENS AND TO SHARE WHAT I KNOW ABOUT THIS VIRUS.
CORONAVIRUS IS WE'LL ALSO CALL IT COVID-19.
IT IS A VIRUS THAT TYPICALLY ATTACKS THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM.
IT CIRCULATES IN THE ANIMAL POPULATION.
BUT THERE'S NOW ABOUT SEVEN TYPES OF CORONAVIRUS THAT CIRCULATE IN THE HUMAN POPULATION AS WELL. IT'S OFTEN CALLED THE NOVEL CORONAVIRUS BECAUSE IT'S NEW.
WE'VE NEVER FACED THIS PARTICULAR CORONAVIRUS BEFORE.
WE'VE SEEN OTHERS LIKE MERS AND SARS PREVIOUSLY, THEY WERE DIFFERENT CORONAVIRUSES.
THIS ONE IS NEW AND WE DON'T HAVE IMMUNITY TO IT YET, WHICH IS ONE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WE'RE FACING WITH THE SPREAD.
WE DON'T HAVE A VACCINE YET, ALTHOUGH THEY'RE STARTING TO TEST FOR THAT AS RECENTLY AS TODAY. THE MOST COMMON SYMPTOMS WITH COVID-19 ARE FEVER AND COUGH.
SOMETIMES YOU HAVE A MALAISE OR FATIGUE THAT GOES ALONG WITH IT COMPARED TO INFLUENZA THE BODY ACHES ARE A LITTLE LESS COMMON WITH COVID-19.
THERE ARE TYPICALLY MINIMAL GASTROINTESTINAL CONCERNS WITH COVID-19.
SO AGAIN, FEVER AND DRY, PERSISTENT COUGH OR THE PREDOMINANT PRESENTING COMPLAINTS.
THIS IS CHALLENGING RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE PEAK OF FLU SEASON ALSO.
AND THESE SYMPTOMS ARE SOMEWHAT SIMILAR TO THE FLU.
WITH COVID-19, WHAT WERE LET ME BACK UP JUST A SECOND.
SO WITH WITH COVID-19, WHAT WE'RE DOING FOR TESTING.
OH, THERE WE GO. MY SLIDES. THANK YOU.
LET'S TALK ABOUT HOW CONTAGIOUS THIS IS.
OK. SO IT'S SLIGHTLY MORE CONTAGIOUS THAN INFLUENZA.
INFLUENZA YOU CAN FOR EACH PERSON THAT HAS INFLUENZA.
YOU'LL TYPICALLY GIVE IT TO ONE OR TWO OTHER FOLKS COVID-19.
IT APPEARS YOU MIGHT GIVE IT TO TWO TO TWO AND A HALF OTHER PERSONS.
SO WE'RE FINDING SO FAR THIS IS ALL BASED ON EARLY DATA THAT IT'S SLIGHTLY MORE EASY TO PASS ALONG COVID-19.
THE OTHER THING, IF YOU'LL GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE, PLEASE.
WE WANT TO TALK ABOUT WITH COVID-19 IS SOCIAL DISTANCING.
OK. AND I REALLY WANT TO ENDORSE THE POLICIES THAT THIS CITY HAS UNDERTAKEN.
EARLY ON AND SOME OF THE COUNTRIES, PARTICULARLY CHINA, THAT WERE AFFECTED BY COVID-19, THERE WAS A MASSIVE UPTICK IN CASES ONCE THEY UNDERTOOK SOCIAL DISTANCING THAT CURVE REALLY FLATTENED. WHAT WE FOUND IN CHINA'S IS IT HIT 60, 70, 80 THOUSAND CASES AND THEY STARTED TO PUSH SOCIAL DISTANCING.
THE AMOUNT OF CASES STARTED TO FLATTEN OUT THAT SEEMED TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN OTHER COUNTRIES LIKE HONG KONG AND SINGAPORE AS WELL.
AND I THINK IT'S VERY APPROPRIATE THAT THIS CITY AND OUR DISTRICT HAVE UNDERTAKEN SOME OF SOCIAL DISTANCING POLICIES THAT WE'VE PUT FORTH.
SO I WANT TO I WANT TO LET EVERYBODY KNOW HOW MUCH I'M IN AGREEMENT WITH THOSE POLICIES.
GO TO THE NEXT SLIDE PLEASE. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT HOW TO GET QUESTIONS ANSWERED, BECAUSE RIGHT NOW I KNOW OUR CITIZENS HAVE QUESTIONS.
THEY WANT TO KNOW, DO I NEED TO BE TESTED? WHERE COULD I BE TESTED? WHERE CAN I ACCESS INFORMATION? AND WE'RE LUCKY TO HAVE STRONG HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS WITHIN OUR CITY.
THE FIRST THING YOU WANT TO DO IF YOU'RE WONDERING ABOUT BEING TESTED IS YOU HAVE THE OPTION TO CALL YOUR PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR.
WE HAVE SOME VERY INNOVATIVE PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS IN THE CITY AND WE SOME OF THEM ARE PERFORMING TESTING IN THEIR CLINIC.
NOT EVERYBODY IS BECAUSE IT'S BEEN A CHALLENGE TO OBTAIN ACCESS TO TESTING, BUT WE HAVE SOME PRIMARY CARE DOCS.
I WOULD MAKE A CALL TO YOUR PRIMARY CARE DOC AND HAVE A DISCUSSION.
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NOT EVERYBODY HAS A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN, THOUGH.THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE HEALTH SERVICES, AS YOU CAN SEE ON THIS SLIDE, HAS A 1 800 NUMBER. EXCUSE ME, A 2 1 1 NUMBER THAT YOU CAN DIAL OPTION 6 AND FOR SEVEN DAYS A WEEK, 13 HOURS A DAY.
YOU CAN CALL THIS NUMBER AND OBTAIN ADVICE.
VIRTUAL VISITS ARE ANOTHER GOOD IDEA.
MANY PEOPLE'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN HAS THE OPTION TO DO A VIRTUAL VISIT WITH THAT VIRTUAL VISIT YOU CAN TALK TO YOUR PROVIDER.
THEY CAN ASSESS YOUR SYMPTOMS AND DETERMINE IF YOU SHOULD GO IN FOR TESTING.
THE MAJOR HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS IN THIS CITY, SUCH AS TEXAS HEALTH RESOURCES, BAYLOR SCOTT AND WHITE AND MEDICAL CITY HEALTH CARE, ALL HAVE AN ONLINE PLATFORM.
YOU CAN GO DIRECTLY TO THEIR ONLINE PLATFORM AND THERE'S A VIRTUAL QUESTIONNAIRE IN WHICH YOU CAN GO THROUGH YOUR SYMPTOMS. IF YOU SCREEN POSITIVE, YOU WILL BE GUIDED TO EITHER AN E-VISIT OR TO A FACILITY THAT'S DOING OUTPATIENT TESTING.
ONE OF THE EARLY CHALLENGES WITH COVID-19 IS ACCESS TO TESTING.
SO LET ME SHARE A COUPLE THOUGHTS ABOUT TESTING.
COVID-19 AFFECTS THE ELDERLY THE MOST.
IT AFFECTS OUR OLDER POPULATION THE MOST.
COMPARED TO INFLUENZA, THE FATALITY RATE IS SLIGHTLY HIGHER WITH COVID-19, BUT IN THE YOUNGER AGE GROUPS THERE IS NEARLY THERE'S REALLY WE HAVEN'T SEEN ANY FATALITIES.
WHAT WE'RE REALLY CONCERNED ABOUT IS OUR OLDER POPULATION WHO HAS CO-MORBIDITIES.
SO WE HAVE TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT HOW AND WHEN WE GO GET TESTING.
AND THAT'S WHY I WANT TO EMPHASIZE THE OUTPATIENT TESTING OPTION.
IF WE TAKE RELATIVELY WELL PERSONS IN THEIR 20S OR 30S WHO HAVE A COUGH AND A LOW GRADE FEVER AND EVERYBODY HEADS TO THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT, IT CREATES A CHALLENGING ENVIRONMENT WITH THE OTHER PATIENTS THAT ARE IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT AFTER CAR WRECKS, HEART ATTACKS AND STROKES.
AND I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT THIS WEEK THERE IS MORE OPTIONS FOR OUTPATIENT TESTING.
SO THAT'S WHY I'M ENCOURAGING PEOPLE TO LOOK AT THESE AT THESE OUTPATIENT OPTIONS FOR TESTING. ONE OF THE TRIGGERS, THOUGH, IS IF YOU'RE BECOMING SHORT OF BREATH.
SO IN ANY AGE GROUP, IF YOU'RE EXPERIENCING SHORTNESS OF BREATH, FEVER AND COUGH, THAT'S A TRIGGER POINT AT WHICH I WOULD SAY GO SEEK IMMEDIATE EVALUATION.
IF YOU'RE NOT EXPERIENCING THAT SIGNIFICANT SHORTNESS OF BREATH, IF YOU'RE HAVING SOME COUGH AND MILD FEVER, THAT'S WHEN I WOULD UTILIZE SOME OF THESE OPTIONS AND LOOK AT A POTENTIAL OUTPATIENT TEST.
CHIEF, I'LL LET YOU HAND OVER AND THEN I'LL ADD WE'RE GONNA HAVE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT THIS. I'LL TAKE A FEW OF THOSE QUESTIONS AT THE END.
SURE. CHIEF PILAND, YOU WANNA ADDRESS THE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS AND WHAT FRISCO'S WAS BEEN DOING. SURE.
THANK YOU, MAYOR. AND GOOD EVENING, EVERYONE OUT THERE.
I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT EMERGENCY OPERATIONS IS REALLY A MULTI PHASE PROCESS.
OUR FIRST PHASE IS OUR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT, WHICH WE HAVE A GREAT STAFF, AN EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT. JASON [INAUDIBLE], OUR DEPUTY COORDINATOR, [INAUDIBLE] IS OUR ANALYST.
AND I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT FOR OUR CITIZENS TO KNOW THAT WE HAVE BEEN TRACKING THIS VIRUS SINCE THE BEGINNING OF THE YEAR.
IF YOU LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF THIS, WHERE WE'RE PROBABLY NINE OR 10 WEEKS INTO IT, WE STARTED OUT WITH DAILY CALLS WITH THE DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, WITH THE STATE WEEKLY CALLS WITH THE CDC.
AND THOSE CALLS WENT ON AS WE BEGAN TO PREPARE.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE BIGGEST PART ABOUT EMERGENCY OPERATIONS IS BEFORE YOU DO ANY RESPONSE IS THE PLANNING AND PREPARATION THAT GOES BEHIND THAT.
SO WE'VE HAD A LOT OF OPPORTUNITIES TO LOOK AT WHAT COULD HAPPEN WITH THIS DISEASE.
AND SO WE LOOKED AT CHINA, WE LOOKED AT SOME OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE THIS HAD BEGAN, AND WE STARTED MODELING OUR RESPONSE EMERGENCY OPERATIONS AFTER WHAT WE HAD SEEN IN NEURALLY OR MONTHS WE RUN OUR EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER, WHICH BASICALLY IS AT A WHAT I CALL A WARM STATE IS NEVER CLOSED.
WE HAVE CAPABILITIES TO REACH BACK WITH IT STAFFED.
AND SOMEONE IS BY THE PHONE AT ALL TIMES.
THAT'S WHERE A LOT OF THE PLANNING AND PREPARATION GOES IN THESE CALLS AS THE VIRUS CAME TO A PATIENT IN FRISCO AND ACTUALLY THE FIRST ONE IN NORTH TEXAS.
THOSE CALLS RAMPED UP TO CONFERENCE CALLS WITH THE GOVERNOR, THE WHITE HOUSE.
WE'VE HAD CALLS WITH THE WHITE HOUSE AND ALSO WE'VE HAD DISCUSSIONS WITH HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REGION 6, WHICH IS THE NATIONAL OFFICE.
SO WE ARE REALLY DIALED IN TO ALL OF THE NATIONAL AND STATE EXPERTS.
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JUST GOT OFF THE PHONE ACTUALLY DAY BEFORE YESTERDAY WITH CHIEF NIM KIDD.HE'S THE STATE'S CHIEF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT COORDINATOR FOR THE STATE OF TEXAS, WORKS WITH GOVERNOR ABBOTT.
AND SO WE'RE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH THE GOVERNOR'S OFFICE AND CHIEF KIDD.
SO THAT'S BASICALLY ONE PHASE.
THE SECOND PHASE IS OBVIOUSLY OUR OPERATIONS.
WE HAVE SOME OF THE MOST TALENTED AND BRAVE MEN AND WOMEN IN THE FRISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT.
WE DELIVER ADVANCED LIFE SUPPORT.
AND I SAY ALL THE TIME IS THEY DEAL WITH INFECTIOUS PATIENTS FREQUENTLY.
THIS ISN'T THE FIRST TIME THEY DEAL WITH PATIENTS.
WE DEAL WITH FLU. WE DEAL WITH TUBERCULOSIS.
WE DEALT WITH SOME OTHER INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
AND I CAN'T TELL YOU WHAT PROFESSIONALS THEY ARE.
WE'VE BEEN PUMPING OUT DIRECTIVES TO THEM IN THE PAST TWO MONTHS ABOUT PREPARING FOR THESE PATIENTS. AND WHEN IT HAPPENED, THEY WERE PREPARED.
WE HAVE THE EQUIPMENT NECESSARY, THE PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT TO DEAL WITH IT.
WE HAVE GREAT RELATIONSHIPS WITH ALL OF OUR LOCAL HOSPITALS.
WE SIT ON MANY OF THEIR COMMISSIONS AND THEIR TEAMS AND WE HAVE DAILY CONTACT.
WE ACTUALLY ABOUT THREE TO FOUR WEEKS AGO STARTED THE FRISCO'S CORONAVIRUS TASK GROUP, WHICH IS MADE OF OUR TOP LEADERSHIP FROM CITY MANAGER'S OFFICE, OUR DEPARTMENT DIRECTORS, DR. GAMBER FROM PUBLIC HEALTH, LEGAL, AND ALSO BESIDE ME, MY COLLEAGUE, CHIEF [INAUDIBLE] WITH THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I THINK THAT'S THE IMPORTANT PIECE IN FRISCO IS WE DON'T STOVEPIPE THESE OPERATIONS.
WE HAD A CALL AGAIN TODAY WITH ALL OF OUR DEPARTMENT HEADS.
THEY KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON IN CITY OPERATIONS.
WE'RE IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH OUR POLICE DEPARTMENT.
AND I THINK THAT PARTNERSHIP, NOT JUST WITH THE PUBLIC, BUT WITH PRIVATE AGENCIES OUT THERE, IS WHAT'S MADE US SUCCESSFUL.
AND I CAN JUST ASSURE THE PUBLIC THAT WE ARE READY FOR THE CHALLENGES THAT ARE HERE TODAY AND THE LIE AHEAD. THAT'S GREAT.
CHIEF SHILSON, I KNOW THERE WERE SOME CONCERNS WHEN THERE'S SOME PANIC OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC AND WHY WE'RE PREACHING TO REMAIN CALM DURING THIS CRISIS.
WE ARE CONCERNED MAYBE SOME OTHER INCIDENTS.
YOU WANT TO UPDATE THE PUBLIC ON WHAT WE'VE SEEN THERE? YEAH. SO WE'VE WE'VE LOOKED AT, YOU KNOW, OUR CRIME, OUR CALL FOR SERVICE DATA OVER THE LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS JUST TO TO SEE IF THERE'S BEEN AN INCREASE.
AND THERE'S ACTUALLY BEEN TRENDING DOWNWARD, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS.
AND SO ONE OF THE THINGS I WANTED TO STRESS WAS IT'S IMPORTANT FOR THE PUBLIC JUST TO CONTINUE TO BE PATIENT. WE'RE GONNA GET THROUGH THIS.
YOU KNOW, I THINK I CAN SPEAK FOR ALL OF US.
WE'RE ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE WANT TO PARTNER WITH THE COMMUNITY TO GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER, BECAUSE THAT'S THAT'S HOW WE'RE GONNA DO IT.
AND SO I'LL SHARE WITH YOU, YOU KNOW, THAT WE HAVE SOME ADDITIONAL RESOURCES, YOU KNOW, WITH THE SCHOOLS BEING CLOSED, WE CAN REALLOCATE OUR SCHOOL RESOURCE OF.
SO WE HAVE AN INCREASE A NICE SUPPLEMENT TO OUR PATROL OFFICERS THAT ARE OUT THERE, SO WE'RE OUT THERE TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE.
IT'S IMPORTANT THAT AND FRISCO HAS ALWAYS DEMONSTRATED THAT, YOU KNOW, WE HELP EACH OTHER OUT. AND I THINK THAT'S WHAT WE'RE KNOWN FOR.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S IMPORTANT FOR US TO STAY PATIENT AND WORK WITH US TO KEEP THE COMMUNITY SAFE AND GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
AND I KNOW WE'RE HEARING A LOT OF THE NEWS ABOUT PEOPLE HOARDING SUPPLIES AND MATERIALS.
OUR PIPELINE. SO I DON'T KNOW IF SOMEONE WANTS TO ADDRESS THAT.
AS FAR AS SUPPLIES TO OUR CITY, IT'S LOOKING FINE AS A REASON TO RUN A COSTCO AND HOARD ALL THE SUPPLIES IN TOWN.
CORRECT. MAYOR. AND FROM EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PERSPECTIVE, YOU'RE ABSOLUTELY RIGHT.
I MEAN, THE SUPPLY CHAIN IS THERE.
WE'VE HAD CONVERSATION WITH ALL THE MAJOR GROCERS.
THERE'S BEEN NO INTERRUPTION IN IT.
AND I THINK IT IS REALLY A MATTER OF JUST CALMING SOME OF THE FEARS THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE OUT THERE. CERTAINLY UNDERSTAND THAT.
BUT IN REALITY, THERE IS NO SHORTAGES OR SHOULD SAY THERE ARE NO SHORTAGES AND THERE IS PLENTY FOR EVERYONE.
AS LONG AS WE'RE DISCIPLINED ABOUT OUR PURCHASES AND DON'T GET AFRAID THAT ITEMS MAY NOT BE THERE. AND TO MY POINT EARLIER, YOU KNOW, WE'VE SEEN SEVERAL GROUPS POP UP TO TO ASSIST IN MEAL DELIVERY.
YOU KNOW, DOING SHOPPING FOR SENIORS.
AND THAT'S REALLY ENCOURAGING.
THAT'S REALLY WHAT WE LIKE TO SEE THE COMMUNITY HELPING EACH OTHER OUT AND LOOKING FOR WAYS TO HELP EACH OTHER.
THAT'S GREAT. AND I KNOW WE HAVE OUR PARTNERS FOR THE SCHOOL DISTRICT HERE AS WELL.
FRISCO INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT TRUSTEE RENE ARCHAMBAULT IS IN THE AUDIENCE WITH US AS WELL. BUT WE HAVE DR.
MIKE WALDRIP. I KNOW YOU HAD AN EMERGENCY MEETING YESTERDAY.
AND PEOPLE WANNA GO BACK AND WATCH THAT'S AVAILABLE ON YOUR WEB SITE FOR PEOPLE TO GO SEE. BUT YOU ALSO SUSPENDED IN-CLASS INSTRUCTION AND REPLACED IT WITH TEMPORARY E-LEARNING AND ALTERNATIVE ASSIGNMENTS.
IT'S KIND OF A NEW DAY FOR LEARNING HERE IN FRISCO.
BUT YOU WANT TO GIVE A QUICK UPDATE?
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SURE. I GUESS MAYBE I SHOULD BACK UP.AND WE WENT INTO SPRING BREAK AS WE NORMALLY WOULD.
AND THEN COURSE, MONDAY, THINGS CHANGED AND OVER SPRING BREAK, WE WENT THROUGH SEVERAL ITERATIONS OF WHAT WE MIGHT DO AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT IN RESPONSE TO THIS AND AS LATE AS WEDNESDAY, WE WERE INTENDING TO OPEN SCHOOLS TODAY, HAVE NORMAL CLASSES WITH SOME ADJUSTMENTS TO SOME OF OUR PROCESSES AND PROCEDURES AND SOME OF THE THINGS THAT WE NORMALLY DO. AND THEN AS THE WEEK PROGRESSED, THIS THING BEGAN TO EVOLVE AND CHANGE ALMOST DAILY, AS YOU KNOW.
AND THEN WE EVENTUALLY, BY THE END OF THE WEEK, HAD GOTTEN TO THE POINT WHERE WE WERE GOING TO CLOSE THE SCHOOLS AND IMPLEMENT AN ONLINE LEARNING PLATFORM.
NOW, WE WERE VERY FORTUNATE THAT ABOUT FIVE WEEKS AGO WE HAD A GROUP INTERNALLY THAT HAD STARTED STARTED WORKING ON AN E-LEARNING PLAN FOR OUR STUDENTS IN THE EVENT THAT WE EVER HAD TO CLOSE A SCHOOL, BECAUSE ABOUT THE TIME WE WENT INTO SPRING BREAK, SOME SCHOOLS WERE CLOSING AROUND THE NATION.
AND SO ACTUALLY PRIOR TO THAT.
AND SO WE STARTED IN THE E-LEARNING PLAN IN ANTICIPATION OF THAT.
AND SO IT WAS FORTUITOUS FOR US THAT WE HAD DONE THAT.
SO A LOT OF PEOPLE CAME IN, GAVE UP THEIR SPRING BREAK.
WE HAD 50, 60, 70 PEOPLE UP THERE WORKING TO FINALIZE THE E-LEARNING PLAN FOR INSTRUCTION.
SO THAT BEGINNING TODAY, WE ACTUALLY OUR CAMPUSES WERE OPEN WITH A MINIMAL AMOUNT OF STAFF. WE WERE PASSING OUT ELECTRONIC DEVICES TO KIDS THAT DON'T HAVE THEM SO THEY COULD ACCESS THE E-LEARNING PLATFORM THAT WE'VE SETUP.
AND AS YOU MENTIONED, YESTERDAY, WE HAD AN EMERGENCY MEETING WHERE OUR SCHOOL BOARD HEARD ABOUT THE PLAN.
IT HAD A NUMBER OF OBJECTIVES, VARIOUS INDIVIDUALS ON OUR STAFF RESPONSIBLE FOR DEALING WITH THOSE OBJECTIVES. WE ALLOWED THE BOARD TO.
WE PRESENTED IT IN A KIND OF A GENERAL FORMAT.
THEY ASK A LOT OF QUESTIONS AND THEN THEY PASSED A RESOLUTION TO CLOSE SCHOOLS AND TO IMPLEMENT OUR E-LEARNING MODEL.
SO TOMORROW YOUR STUDENTS SHOULD BE WELL IN TO THE E-LEARNING PLATFORM.
WE HAVE WHAT WE CALL VIRTUAL HOURS WHERE STUDENTS WILL HAVE INTERACTIONS WITH THEIR TEACHERS BOTH IN THE MORNING AND IN THE AFTERNOON.
AND WE'VE SENT OUT A LOT OF INFORMATION ABOUT THIS TO PARENTS.
I ENCOURAGE YOU TO GO TO OUR WEB SITE, LOOK AT EMAILS, THE DISTRICT HAS SENT YOU SO THAT YOU CAN LEARN ABOUT EVERYTHING THERE IS TO KNOW ABOUT E-LEARNING AND WHAT WE'RE DOING WITH YOUR KIDS TO MAKE SURE WE'RE CONTINUING THEIR EDUCATION DURING THIS VERY UNPRECEDENTED, UNPRECEDENTED TIME.
AND A COUPLE OF THINGS I WANT TO MENTION IN REGARD TO THIS WHILE I'M TALKING ABOUT IT, IN FRISCO, WE HAVE A POPULATION OF DISADVANTAGED STUDENTS THAT QUALIFY FOR FREE AND REDUCED LUNCH AND BREAKFAST.
AND WE'RE CONTINUING THOSE SERVICES FOR THOSE STUDENTS.
AND WE'VE ALSO GOT SOME HELP FROM LOVE PACKS AND FAST PACKS.
AND THERE HAVE BEEN OTHER GROUPS THAT HAVE WANTED TO CONTRIBUTE AND HELP OUT.
AND SO WHAT WE'VE DONE IS WE'VE WE'VE PUT THEM IN TOUCH WITH LOVE PACKS AND FAST PACKS SO THAT WHATEVER ASSISTANCE THEY WANT TO PROVIDE, THEY CAN PROVIDE TO THAT ORGANIZATION THAT WE WORK WITH ON A REGULAR BASIS.
SO NOT ONLY ARE WE MEETING THE EDUCATIONAL NEEDS OF THE STUDENTS, WE'RE TRYING TO MEET SOME OF THEIR VERY IMPORTANT PHYSICAL AND PERSONAL NEEDS BY CONTINUING TO FEED THOSE STUDENTS THAT NORMALLY CAN'T THE FAMILIES CAN'T PROVIDE FOOD FOR THEM IN THE NORMAL SETTING. SO WE'RE VERY, VERY PROUD OF ALL THAT.
SO I JUST WANT TO KIND OF THROW THAT OUT, TOO.
WERE HANDING THOSE THINGS OUT, THOSE MEALS OUT DAILY.
AND IF YOU KNOW OF STUDENTS THAT ARE IN THAT SITUATION, MAKE SURE YOU PUT THEM IN CONTACT WITH THE SCHOOL SO THAT WE CAN PROVIDE FOR THEM.
THANK YOU, DR. WALDRIP. AND AS YOU MENTIONED, YOUR PLAN CHANGED FOUR OR FIVE TIMES EVEN.
AND I THINK AN HOUR BEFORE THE MEETING.
AND I THINK, YOU KNOW, THAT'S HOW WE'RE GOING TO WORK TOGETHER WITH THE PUBLIC GOING FORWARD. IT IS, YOU KNOW, TONIGHT'S MEETING IS ABOUT KIND OF WHERE THINGS STAND RIGHT NOW AND THEY MAY BE IN A DIFFERENT PLACE TOMORROW OR EVEN LATER TONIGHT.
AND SO OUR GOAL IS TO CONTINUE TO COMMUNICATE WITH THE PUBLIC, LET YOU KNOW WHAT WE'RE DOING AND WHY WE'RE DOING IT AND GIVE YOU THOSE RESOURCES.
SO, YOU KNOW, YOU'RE ALWAYS UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST INFORMATION.
AND WITH THAT, WE'RE GOING TO JUMP STRAIGHT TO A CALLER.
THANK YOU AGAIN, MAYOR, AND THANKS TO EVERYBODY WHO'S JOINED OUR LIVE FORUM TODAY.
[00:25:04]
REMEMBER, YOU CAN PRESS ZERO AT ANY TIME TO SUBMIT A QUESTION.WE HAVE PLENTY OF QUESTIONS IN LINE BUT IF YOU HAVE QUESTION OF YOUR OWN TO SUBMIT PRESS ZERO. I'LL BE READING YOUR QUESTIONS OVER THE AIR TONIGHT SO WE CAN TAKE AS MANY AS WE POSSIBLY CAN. YOU CAN ALSO PRESS 7 TONIGHT IF YOU'D LIKE TO GET E-MAIL UPDATES FROM THE CITY OF FRISCO GOING FORWARD.
SPEAK TO AN OPERATOR. GIVE THEM YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS AND WE'LL MAKE SURE WE GET YOU UPDATES VIA E-MAIL MOVING FORWARD.
PRESS 7 TO GIVE US YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS TO GET UPDATES AND OUR FIRST LIVE QUESTION IS COMING TONIGHT FROM DENISE. DENISE YOUR'RE LIVE.
GO AHEAD. DENISE, CAN YOU HEAR ME? I'M SORRY. SHE WAS BETTER AT THE INSTRUCTIONS THAN I WAS.
HER QUESTION IS, WHERE ARE THE DRIVE THRU TESTING? WHAT ARE THE HOURS OF OPERATION? ARE THERE ANY FEES AT THE TESTING STATION? THAT ONE'S COMING FROM DENISE.
WHO'D LIKE TO TAKE IT? I CAN TAKE THAT.
THESE ARE JUST STARTING TO STAND UP TODAY.
THERE IS NOT A CURRENTLY A DRIVE THROUGH TESTING SITE IN FRISCO.
LET ME BACK UP A LITTLE BIT TO ANSWER THAT.
AS RECENTLY AS ABOUT A WEEK AGO, THE ONLY TESTS AVAILABLE WERE THROUGH THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AND THERE WERE JUST A MINIMAL NUMBER OF TESTS THAT COULD BE DONE.
PHYSICIANS HAD TO ASK FOR PERMISSION FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
FORTUNATELY, IN THE LAST FEW DAYS, THE COMMERCIAL LABS NOW HAVE PROVIDED ACCESS TO TESTING AS WELL. SO WE CAN DO MORE TESTING THAN WE COULD PREVIOUSLY.
THAT'S GOING TO ALLOW US TO MOVE THIS TO AN OUTPATIENT ENVIRONMENT.
SO YOU WILL SEE IN A FEW SPOTS IN THE COUNTRY, THERE IS THE AVAILABILITY OF DRIVE THROUGH TESTING. WHAT I WOULD SAY IN FRISCO, TEXAS, IS WE HAVE A COUPLE OF PRIMARY CARE DOCTORS THAT ARE DOING TESTING IN THE AREA.
THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS ARE DOING TESTING.
AND WITHIN THE NEXT FEW DAYS, YOU WILL ALSO SEE URGENT CARES AND FREESTANDING E.R.S DO TESTING. IF YOU'LL GO TO THE SLIDE THAT I HAD EARLIER WHERE IT HAD ACCESS TO THE DIFFERENT HEALTH CARE SYSTEMS, WE'RE CALLING YOUR PRIMARY CARE DOCTOR OR THE 211 NUMBER FROM THE STATE. THEY CAN ALL HELP YOU FIND A PLACE THAT WILL DO TESTING.
ALL INSURANCE FROM WHAT I'VE READ, WILL COVER TESTING.
GOT IT SO THEY CAN DIAL 2 1 1, YOU SAID.
THANKS SO MUCH. LET'S GET OUR NEXT QUESTION UP AND I'LL ASK OUR FEATURED SPEAKERS IF THEY COULD PLEASE SAY THEIR NAME AND TITLE BEFORE THEY ANSWER QUESTIONS.
SO THOSE FOLKS ON THE PHONE KNOW WHO IS SPEAKING.
WE'VE GOT OUR NEXT QUESTION FROM SYLVIA, WHO'S ASKING.
ARE WE GOING TO HAVE A DRIVE THROUGH FOR COVID-19? LOOKS LIKE WE JUST TOOK THAT ONE.
LET'S GO RIGHT TO OUR NEXT ONE FROM KIM, WHO'S ASKING IF WE HAVE TESTED NEGATIVE FOR THE FLU AND STREP, CAN WE STILL BE POSITIVE FOR COVID-19? WHO WOULD LIKE THAT LINE FROM KIM.
YES, YOU. IF YOU'RE A NEGATIVE FOR FLU AND STREP, THERE IS THE POTENTIAL TO TEST POSITIVE FOR COVID-19. GOT IT.
THANKS. APPRECIATE THAT QUESTION FROM KIM.
LET'S GET OUR NEXT ONE FROM BARBARA, WHOSE QUESTION IS, HAS THERE BEEN ANY RESEARCH WITH THE COVID-19 BEING SPREAD THROUGH MOSQUITOES? WHO'D LIKE THAT ONE. COVID-19 IS NOT SPREAD THROUGH MOSQUITOES.
GOT IT, AND WHO WAS OUR SPEAKER THERE IS DR.
ASSUME IT'S DR. GAMBER UNTIL SAID OTHERWISE.
LOOKS LIKE HE'S GONNA BE A POPULAR.
WE'VE GOT OUR NEXT ONE COMING LIVE FROM [INAUDIBLE] WHO'S ASKING, IS IT SAFE TO BE OUTSIDE IN OUR OWN BACKYARD? YES, THIS IS DR. GAMBER.
I DO FEEL IT'S SAFE TO BE OUTSIDE IN YOUR OWN BACKYARD.
ONE OF THE THINGS I ABSOLUTELY WANT TO EMPHASIZE IS WHILE THE CORONAVIRUS RECOVERED OR COVID-19 SPECIFICALLY CAN LIVE ON SURFACES FOR A PERIOD OF AT LEAST HOURS AND POTENTIALLY EVEN A DAY OR TWO, DEPENDING ON THE TYPE OF SURFACE, IT IS KILLED EASILY BY SOAP AND WATER. IT IS KILLED EASILY BY HAND SANITIZER AND BY [INAUDIBLE] WIPES AND SPRAYS.
SO WHAT WE'VE GOT TO DO IS JUST PRACTICE GOOD HAND HYGIENE.
SO, YES, IT'S OK TO BE OUTSIDE SOCIAL DISTANCING.
AND THE DEFINITION IS YOU WANT TO KEEP ABOUT A SIX FOOT RADIUS FROM YOURSELF IN GROUPS OF OTHER PEOPLE. SO WE WANT TO KEEP A LITTLE DISTANCE BECAUSE THIS IS SPREAD VIA RESPIRATORY DROPLETS. YOU WANT TO GET OUT OF THE RANGE OF SOMEBODY COUGHING OR SNEEZING ON YOU.
THANKS AGAIN, DOCTOR, AND THANKS FOR THAT QUESTION.
OUR NEXT ONE IS COMING FROM RONALD.
WHOSE QUESTION IS, I'M 73 WITH HEALTH ISSUES AND I CAN'T GO OUT TO GET SUPPLIES.
[00:30:03]
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY.WE'VE GOT A LOT OF RESIDENTS, THIS IS MAYOR CHENEY IN OUR COMMUNITY THAT ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO HELP PEOPLE WHO CANNOT GET OUTSIDE THEIR HOMES.
AND SO IF YOU LEAVE A MESSAGE, I THINK YOU CAN HIT ZERO, LEAVE A MESSAGE WITH THIS CALL, THEN WE WILL MAKE SURE THAT WE FIND SOMEONE THAT CAN ASSIST YOU.
MAYOR, ALSO SHARE THAT THERE IS A FACEBOOK GROUP CALLED COVID-19 NORTH TEXAS RELIEF.
THAT'S IT'S A MULTI CITY, INCLUDING FRISCO, WHERE PEOPLE ARE COORDINATING EFFORTS TO GET SUPPLIES FOR SENIORS.
AND THERE IS NO SHORTAGE OF FRISCO RESIDENTS THAT ARE WILLING TO STAND UP AND HELP.
SO IF YOU NEED HELP, PLEASE ASK FOR IT.
ALL RIGHT. THANK YOU VERY MUCH, APPRECIATE THAT ANSWER.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR QUESTION, RONALD.
LET'S GET OUR NEXT QUESTION UP FROM THE [INAUDIBLE].
[INAUDIBLE], YOUR LIVE. GO AHEAD. I'M SORRY.
LET ME READ [INAUDIBLE] QUESTIONS.
QUESTION IS, I HAVE A PHYSICAL THERAPY CLINIC AS A HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONAL.
IS THERE ANYTHING I CAN DO TO BE OF HELP? A NICE FOLLOW UP TO THAT LAST QUESTION FROM [INAUDIBLE].
ANY ADVICE FOR [INAUDIBLE] ON HOW HE CAN PROVIDE HELP? HE HAS A PHYSICAL THERAPY CLINIC.
THIS IS DR. GAMBER, MY THOUGHT WITH THAT WOULD BE YOU'VE GOT A LOT OF PATIENTS WHO NEED YOUR SERVICE, AND I THINK BY JUST BEING VIGILANT ABOUT SANITIZING AND BEING ABLE TO STAY OPEN SO THAT YOUR PATIENTS CAN MAKE PROGRESS WOULD BE THE KEY PIECE.
YOU'RE A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER.
YOU'RE CONSIDERED PART OF ESSENTIAL SERVICES.
WE NEED YOU. AND SO JUST DO EVERYTHING YOU CAN TO TALK TO YOUR PATIENTS ABOUT KEEPING THEM HEALTHY. THE OTHER THING WOULD BE TO SCREEN AND MAKE SURE THEY'RE HEALTHY BEFORE THEY COME IN SO THAT THEY DON'T CONTACT OTHERS WHO MIGHT BE IN THERE TO WORK WITH YOU.
THAT'S GREAT. I THINK IF ALL OF OUR HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS CAN HELP SHARE THE MESSAGE OF WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH AS A CITY AS FAR AS WAYS TO BE PREVENTATIVE, THAT'S A GREAT HELP. I THINK WE CAN GO TO A FACEBOOK QUESTION.
YES, MAYOR WE'RE GETTING THIS FROM QUITE A FEW PEOPLE.
SHOULD WE BE CALLING FOR PRIVATE BUSINESS CLOSURES SUCH AS RESTAURANTS, BARS AND OTHER BUSINESSES IN THE CITY OF FRISCO? YOU KNOW, I'LL TAKE THAT INITIALLY.
AGAIN, WE'RE CONSTANTLY EVOLVING AS A CITY.
THE CITY COUNCIL TOMORROW WILL ACTUALLY BE CONTINUING THIS DISCUSSION.
AS FAR AS NEXT STEPS THAT WE'RE GOING TO TAKE AS A CITY, WE ARE CERTAINLY AWARE OF WHAT OTHER CITIES HAVE DONE FROM DALLAS TO FORT WORTH, DOING PARTIAL CLOSURES OR 50 PERCENT OCCUPANCY. AND SO WE DON'T TAKE ANY OF THESE DECISIONS LIGHTLY.
THE IMPACTS OF WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW, WHILE HEALTH AND SAFETY IS A NUMBER ONE PRIORITY, THEY ARE MUCH FURTHER REACHING THAN THAT FROM OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT TO JUST THE ECONOMIC IMPACT THAT'S GOING TO TAKE MONTHS, IF NOT YEARS TO RECOVER FROM.
AND SO, YOU KNOW, WE'VE HEARD FROM RESTAURANTS AND BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, LITERALLY COMING TO ME IN TEARS SAYING IF YOU CLOSE ME, I MAY NOT BE ABLE TO REOPEN.
AND SO WE'RE NOT GOING TO MAKE ANY DECISION LIGHTLY.
CERTAINLY WE'RE GONNA DO WHAT'S BEST FOR THIS COMMUNITY AND WHAT'S BEST FOR FRISCO MAY BE DIFFERENT THAN OTHER COMMUNITY BASED ON THEIR SPECIFIC CIRCUMSTANCES.
SO, AGAIN, THIS IS GONNA BE A DAY TO DAY EVALUATION PROCESS JUST BECAUSE YOU SEE ONE CITY REACT. THAT MAY BE SPECIFIC TO THEIR COMMUNITY AND IT MAY BE VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT FRESCO NEEDS TO DO TO KEEP OUR RESIDENTS SAFE.
WE HAD MORE THAN ANOTHER ONE THAT WAS MORE OF A COMMENT, AND I THINK IT'S ACTUALLY PRETTY APPROPRIATE. BUT COULD THE STORES CONSIDER SOMETHING LIKE SENIOR SHOPPING HOURS? SO THAT WOULD BE APPROPRIATE TIMES WHERE MAYBE THOSE WHO ARE MORE VULNERABLE COULD GET OUT, WHERE THEY WOULDN'T BE INUNDATED WITH OTHER CROWDS.
I THINK THAT'S A GREAT SUGGESTION FROM THE PUBLIC.
YOU KNOW, WE WERE TALKING BEFORE THIS THAT I DON'T KNOW THAT THERE'S SUCH THING AS BUSINESS AS USUAL ANYMORE.
I THINK IT'S KIND OF CHANGED EVERYONE'S MINDSET.
HOPEFULLY PERMANENTLY, YOU KNOW, CONTINUE TO KEEP PATRONS SAFE WHILE THEY'RE IN THEIR ESTABLISHMENT. FROM SANITIZING TO HOW YOU MANAGE YOUR SERVICE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK EVERY BUSINESS THAT IS OPEN RIGHT NOW NEEDS TO BE THINKING WITH THAT MINDSET, WHICH IS THE MINDSET OF WHAT CAN I DO AS A BUSINESS TO CONTRIBUTING TO THE HEALTH AND WELL-BEING OF THE PEOPLE THAT COME THROUGH MY DOORS.
AND ANYONE THAT IS DOING BUSINESS AS USUAL PROBABLY NEEDS TO RETHINK THEIR STRATEGIES.
SO THANK YOU FOR THAT SUGGESTION.
ANOTHER FACEBOOK. WE HAVE SOME PEOPLE ASKING HOW WOULD YOU GET A TEST IF YOU DON'T HAVE INSURANCE? IF YOU BELIEVE THAT YOU NEED A TEST AND YOU'VE MAYBE BEEN EXPOSED, WHAT SHOULD YOU DO? SURE.
SO, AGAIN, I'M AN EMERGENCY PHYSICIAN IN THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.
WE SEE ALL PATIENTS REGARDLESS OF ABILITY TO PAY.
[00:35:03]
SO THERE'S ALWAYS ACCESS THROUGH AN EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT.THAT BEING SAID, YOU CAN PAY OUT OF POCKET THROUGH A AN INITIAL VISIT WITH A PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIAN. AND CERTAINLY WE HAVE MANY FOLKS WHO WILL USE AN URGENT CARE AS AN ACCESS POINT FOR HEALTH CARE AND CAN PAY OUT OF POCKET AT AN URGENT CARE AS WELL.
AND I THINK YOU'LL SEE A NUMBER OF AREA URGENT CARES START TO STAND UP OUTPATIENT COVID TESTING THIS WEEK.
YEAH, WE'VE GOT PLENTY WE'LL GO BACK TO SOME OF THESE.
CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE MAYBE ON THE INDEPENDENCE HIGH SCHOOL BAND MEMBERS THAT TRAVELED OUT OF STATE? AND ARE THERE STEPS FOR THE DISTRICT THAT THEY'VE TAKEN? WE HAVE. WE'VE ACTUALLY IMPLEMENTED SOME STRATEGIES NOT PARTICULARLY SPECIFIC TO THAT GROUP. WE'VE SUSPENDED ALL STUDENT TRAVEL AND ALL STAFF TRAVEL.
THERE WON'T BE ANY FURTHER TRAVEL UNTIL WE COME OUT OF THIS THAT WE HAD SEVERAL STUDENT GROUPS TRAVEL PRIOR TO SPRING BREAK AND SOME AT THE BEGINNING OF SPRING BREAK, FOR EXAMPLE, THE LIBERTY GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM WAS AT THE STATE TOURNAMENT, THEY WON STATE.
THEY WERE OUT IN SAN ANTONIO, WHERE I THINK A LOT OF THE AT LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, OBVIOUSLY THERE WERE SOME QUARANTINE PEOPLE THERE.
SO WHAT WE ASK IS IF FACULTY, STAFF, PARENTS, STUDENTS, ANYONE TRAVELED OVER SPRING BREAK TO ONE OF THE LEVEL TWO, LEVEL THREE AREAS, WE'VE ASKED THEM TO SELF-QUARANTINE.
WE'VE ASKED THEM IF THEY ARE FEELING ILL TO STAY AT HOME, TO SELF-QUARANTINE, IF THEY'RE MEDICALLY FRAGILE, TO STAY HOME.
SOME OF THE STAFF THAT THAT WE'VE HAD THAT WE'D NEEDED TO REPORT, SOME OF THEM SHARED CONCERNS AND WE JUST ASKED THEM TO STAY HOME.
SO WE'VE IMPLEMENTED SEVERAL STRATEGIES TO HELP PEOPLE DEAL WITH THIS ISSUE.
BUT AS FAR AS WE KNOW RIGHT NOW, WE'VE NOT HAD ANY STUDENTS TEST POSITIVE FOR THIS VIRUS.
AND AS FAR AS WE KNOW, WE DON'T HAVE ANY STUDENTS OR STAFF MEMBERS THAT HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FOR THIS VIRUS.
WE SURE DO. COULD YOU? IS THERE A WAY TO TELL US MAYBE HOW MANY PEOPLE IN FRISCO HAVE BEEN TESTED? NO, I DON'T THINK I WOULD ANY OF US WOULD HAVE ACCESS TO THAT NUMBER.
ONE OF THE THINGS I DO NEED TO EMPHASIZE ABOUT TESTING IS WE'RE STILL IN A PHASE WHERE WE HAVE RELATIVELY LIMITED SUPPLY OF TESTING.
SO JUST BECAUSE YOU GO TO A FACILITY AND WANT TO TEST DOES NOT MEAN THE PROVIDER WILL ORDER A TEST. WE COMING FROM A MONTH OR TWO OF EXTREMELY STRICT CRITERIA CONTROLLED BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT AS TO WHETHER WE COULD ORDER A TEST OVER THE LAST WEEK.
WE NOW HAVE ACCESS THROUGH PRIVATE LABS, BUT IT'S STILL SOMEWHAT LIMITED.
SO THERE NEED. IF YOU'RE ASYMPTOMATIC AND WANT TO BE TESTED, I'M ALMOST CERTAIN THE TEST WON'T BE DONE AT THIS POINT.
YOU KNOW, IF YOU'RE EXPOSED TO SOMEBODY, YOU WOULDN'T TEST POSITIVE ANYWAY.
SO SYMPTOMATIC AND HAVING SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND HAVING CERTAIN EXPOSURE RISK FACTORS SUCH AS BEING AROUND SOMEBODY WHO'S POSITIVE OR HAVING HAD TRAVEL WILL PROBABLY TRIGGER THE PROVIDER TO TEST.
BEING ASYMPTOMATIC WILL PROBABLY NOT PROVIDE THE PROVIDER, WILL PROBABLY NOT TEST FOR THAT. SO WE NEED TO BE THOUGHTFUL ABOUT IF AND WHEN WE GO.
AND THAT'S WHY I'M TRYING TO PUSH FOLKS TO EITHER HAVE A DISCUSSION WITH THEIR DOCTOR, THE STATE CALL IN LINE OR ONE OF THE SCREENING TOOLS OR A E-INTERACTION WITH THEIR PROVIDER BEFORE YOU HEAD IN SO THAT WE CAN MANAGE EXPECTATIONS ABOUT WHETHER YOU MAY GET TESTED OR NOT. I WOULDN'T SAY THAT WE PROBABLY HAVE NOT HAD A HUGE NUMBER OF TESTS IN FRISCO JUST DUE TO THE LIMITED ACCESS TO THE TEST.
I THINK THAT ACCESS WILL RISE IN THE NEXT WEEK.
DO YOU WANT TO SPEAK TO THE PRIVATE TESTING AT ALL ON THAT? SURE, WE SHOULD DISCUSS EXPECTATIONS AS FAR AS LAB TURNAROUND TIMES.
WE'RE USED TO A DAY IN AGE WHERE YOU CAN GO GET A RAPID STREP TEST OR A RAPID FLU TEST AND HAVE RESULTS IN 15 MINUTES.
WHEN THIS WHEN COVID-19 STARTED, THE TESTS WERE BEING SENT TO THE CDC AND IT WOULD TAKE IF YOU WERE TESTED, THE RESULTS WOULD TAKE SEVEN TO 10 DAYS, NOT 15 MINUTES.
THAT CREATES A HARDSHIP IF YOU'RE WONDERING IF YOU'RE SICK OR POSITIVE OR NOT WHILE YOU'RE ISOLATED AT HOME.
[00:40:01]
WE CAN NOW THE STATE TESTING IS NOW DONE.ONE OF THE SITES IS IN DALLAS.
AND SO IF YOU'RE TESTED THROUGH THE STATE, WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT A DAY OR SO ON THE TURNAROUND TIME. PRIVATE LABS, WE'RE TRYING TO HAVE THOSE TESTS DONE IN THE STATE AND THAT MAY HAVE STARTED OCCURRING AS A AS OF TODAY.
BUT IN THE LAST WEEK, THOSE PRIVATE LIVES HAVE BEEN SENDING OUT A STATE.
SO WE'RE LOOKING AT A TWO TO FIVE DAY TURNAROUND TIME.
IF YOU'RE TESTED VIA A PRIVATE LAB.
WE STILL HAVE MORE. ARE THERE PLANS TO HELP SMALL BUSINESSES WHO MAY STRUGGLE THROUGH ALL OF THIS? THERE WILL BE MANY BUSINESSES THAT STRUGGLE THROUGH ALL THIS.
I MEAN, I THINK OUR ECONOMY IS SEEING IT ACROSS THE BOARD, NOT JUST SMALL, BUT LARGE.
AND CERTAINLY SMALL BUSINESSES ARE FEELING THE PINCH.
THERE'S NO QUESTION ABOUT THAT.
I THINK IT'S SOMETHING, YOU KNOW, AS A COMMUNITY, WE'RE GOING TO HAVE TO CONTINUE TO RALLY BEHIND AND SUPPORT, YOU KNOW, ESPECIALLY AS WE COME OUT OF IT.
THE PEOPLE THAT SERVE THIS COMMUNITY AND I KNOW THERE'S ONGOING DISCUSSIONS AS FAR AS HOW WE CAN BEST HELP THOSE THAT SERVE THIS COMMUNITY THROUGH THEIR SMALL BUSINESS.
THAT'S AN ONGOING PROCESS THAT'S GOING TO GO ON FOR MONTHS.
LIKE I SAID, IF NOT YEARS AFTER WE GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER.
WE'RE GOING TO JUMP TO A CALLER. SURE THING.
WE'VE GOT AMY [INAUDIBLE] NEXT.
AMY'S QUESTION IS, IF WE ARE NOT ABLE TO PAY A BILL WHAT STEPS ARE WE SUPPOSED TO TAKE? WILL THEY SHUT OFF THE WATER? ELECTRIC. WHAT ARE WE SUPPOSED TO DO? WHO'D LIKE THAT QUESTION FROM AMY.
I DID SEE, I BELIEVE TODAY ONE OF OUR GAS COMPANIES SAYING THEY WEREN'T GOING TO SHUT OFF SERVICE. SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO UPDATE THE PUBLIC REGARDING THAT.
CERTAINLY THE CITY OF FRISCO IS SENSITIVE TO WHAT'S HAPPENING TO OUR RESIDENTS.
SO WE'LL CONTINUE TO HAVE THAT AS A CONVERSATION, AS A COUNCIL.
AND I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE FURTHER INFORMATION THE FUTURE AS FAR AS HOW WE'RE GOING TO HANDLE THOSE TYPES OF OF SITUATIONS.
WE HAVE A LOT OF AGENCIES, AS DR.
WALDRIP MENTIONED, THAT ARE SERVING IN THIS COMMUNITY THAT DO GREAT WORK FOR THIS COMMUNITY. THE ONES HE MENTIONED, BUT ALSO ORGANIZATIONS SUCH AS FRISCO FAMILY SERVICES.
WE KNOW THEIR RESOURCES ARE GOING TO BE STRAPPED IN LIGHT OF WHAT'S COMING IN THE COMING MONTHS. SO THOSE THAT ARE ABLE TO AND HAVE THE MEANS TO, YOU KNOW, WE HOPE THAT YOU THINK OF SUPPORTING THIS COMMUNITY AND SUPPORTING IN WAYS THROUGH THAT THAT'S GOING TO HELP THE MOST THOSE MOST IN NEED BY SUPPORTING THE SMALL BUSINESSES, THE WAYS THAT YOU CAN, AND JUST FINDING THOSE SMALL WAYS ON A DAILY BASIS, HOW WE CAN WORK TOGETHER, HAVE THAT BIG FRISCO HEART AND GET US OUT OF THIS AS FAST AS WE CAN.
WE'VE GOT ONE COMING FROM HOLLY [INAUDIBLE].
HOLLY IS ASKING ANY PRECAUTIONS TO MAKE SURE SEWAGE WATER LINES ARE BEING PRESERVED DURING THIS TIME. THIS IS GEORGE PUREFOY, CITY MANAGER. WE ALWAYS TRY TO MAKE SURE THE WATER AND SEWER STAYS ACTIVE AND FLOWING.
SO DURING THIS TIME, JUST AS WE WOULD ANY OTHER TIME.
SO, YES, WE ARE VIGILANT ABOUT KEEPING THOSE SYSTEMS UP AND RUNNING.
BUT MAYBE, GEORGE, AS A FOLLOW UP, MAYBE YOU COULD TOUCH ON.
I KNOW RESIDENTS ARE HEARING OF, YOU KNOW, JUST KEY PERSONNEL THAT ARE COMING TO WORK.
HAS THERE BEEN ANY OF THAT DONE HERE IN FRISCO AS FAR AS ANY DEPARTMENTS WHERE MAYBE WE'RE NOT FULLY STAFFED? SO FAR, WE'RE STILL FULLY STAFFED AND WE'RE ASKING ALL OUR EMPLOYEES TO TAKE PRECAUTIONS.
GAMBER SAID, FOR THE GENERAL PUBLIC, IF THEY COME INTO CONTACT WITH SOMEONE THAT MAY HAVE THE VIRUS, THAT THEY MAY SELF-QUARANTINE FOR TWO WEEKS.
AND SO WE'RE TRYING TO TAKE ALL THE PRECAUTIONS THAT WE'RE ASKING THE GENERAL PUBLIC TO MAKE SURE THAT OUR EMPLOYEE BASE STAYS WHOLE SO WE CAN CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE NECESSARY SERVICES. FACEBOOK.
THANK YOU SO MUCH APPRECIATE THAT ANSWER.
GO AHEAD AND TAKE A FACEBOOK QUESTION.
WE'VE GOT OUR NEXT ONE COMING FROM [INAUDIBLE], [INAUDIBLE] QUESTION IS HOW LONG DO YOU ANTICIPATE SCHOOLS TO BE CLOSED? ARE THERE ANY PLANS TO CLOSE THEM ALL.
THAT WAS FROM [INAUDIBLE]. I'LL TAKE THE SCHOOL QUESTION ON THIS, MIKE WALDRIP.
AS I SAID, THIS IS WE'VE TAKEN THIS DAY BY DAY.
WE CHOSE TO CLOSE SCHOOLS THIS WEEK.
THERE IS A GOOD CHANCE THAT THIS COULD EXTEND INTO THE WEEKS AHEAD.
[00:45:05]
SOME OF OUR NEIGHBORING SCHOOL DISTRICTS, I KNOW IF YOU PAID ATTENTION TO THE NEWS TODAY.DALLA ISD, GARLAND ISD, RICHARDSON ISD ALL CLOSED INDEFINITELY.
WE'VE GOT SOME SCHOOL DISTRICTS THAT ARE CLOSING AROUND US FOR LONGER PERIODS OF TIME.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THAT.
WORKING WITH OUR BOARD, WITH OUR STAFF, AND IF WE FEEL THE NEED TO CLOSE SCHOOLS LONGER, WE WILL. BECAUSE THE WHOLE PURPOSE OF THIS IS DR GAMBER AND I WE'RE TALKING ABOUT BEFORE THE STARTED IS TO HELP CONTAIN THE SPREAD OF THIS VIRUS.
THAT'S THE WHOLE PURPOSE BEHIND CLOSING THE SCHOOLS.
AND SO IF WE NEED TO DO THAT TO ASSIST WITH THAT, THEN WE CERTAINLY WILL.
WE DON'T WANT TO DO IT FOR LONGER THAN WE HAVE TO.
BUT WE DO HAVE AN E-LEARNING PLAN IN PLACE WHERE WE'RE CONTINUING TO PROVIDE A LEVEL OF SERVICE WITH STUDENTS.
SO WE HOPE WE CAN MAKE IT THROUGH THIS TIME UNTIL WE CAN RESUME NORMAL OPERATION.
AND AS FAR AS OUR RETAIL ESTABLISHMENTS, INCLUDING THEM ALL AT THIS POINT, WE'VE LET THAT BE A PRIVATE DECISION AND SOME HAVE CHOSEN TO VOLUNTARILY CLOSE.
THAT COULD CHANGE AT ANY POINT, BUT THAT'S WHERE COUNCIL AND FRISCO STANDS AS OF THIS POINT IN TIME. WE'LL CONTINUE TO EVALUATE THAT SITUATION AND MAKE A DAILY DECISION ON THAT. WE'RE GONNA JUMP TO A FACEBOOK QUESTION.
WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE ASKING [INAUDIBLE].
WE HAVE SEVERAL PEOPLE ASKING ABOUT DAYCARES AND PRESCHOOLS.
ARE WE ASKING THEM TO CLOSE? DO WE THINK IT'S BETTER IF THEY CLOSE, ETC.
I'LL GROUP THAT IN WITH THE KIND OF ALL THE PRIVATE BUSINESSES, YOU KNOW, THE CITY OF FRISCO HAS NOT TAKEN OFFICIAL POSITION ON THAT.
YOU KNOW, AGAIN, ANY BUSINESS THAT IS OPEN NOW OR TOMORROW, THINGS SHOULD NOT BE BUSINESS AS USUAL. THEY SHOULD BE SHOWING THEIR CLIENTELE THE EXTREME PRECAUTIONS ARE TAKEN TO KEEP THEM SAFE.
AND, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO ENCOURAGE ANYONE WHO THINKS THEY MAY BE SYMPTOMATIC OR IS SICK TO STAY HOME. AGAIN, WE'LL CONTINUE TO MONITOR THOSE SITUATIONS AND COULD CHANGE AT ANY POINT. WE HAVE OTHER FACEBOOK QUESTIONS.
WILL TRASH PICKUP OR OTHER CITY SERVICES BE INTERRUPTED OR WILL THEY BE CHANGED DURING THIS TIME? THERE ARE NO CURRENT PLANS TO CHANGE ANY OF THE UTILITIES AND GARBAGE SERVICE.
OBVIOUSLY THAT AS THE MAYOR NOTED AT THE VERY BEGINNING, THERE WAS SOME OF THE FACILITIES THAT HAVE BEEN CLOSED. DR.
GAMBER, THIS ONE'S PROBABLY. THIS ONE'S PROBABLY MORE FOR YOU.
WHAT ARE SOME SAFE OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICINES FOR SOMEONE WHO MIGHT HAVE SYMPTOMS AT HOME? WITH THE SYMPTOMS TYPICALLY FEVER AND COUGH.
SO TYLENOL, WHICH IS ACETAMINOPHEN, SHOULD BE FINE.
IF YOU HAD LIVER ISSUES, YOU MIGHT WANT TO THINK TWICE ABOUT TAKING ACETAMINOPHEN.
OTHER NON-STEROIDAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY IS LIKE IBUPROFEN AND NAPROSYN, MOTRIN AND ALEVE WOULD BE EXAMPLES ARE ALSO GOOD FOR FOR FEVER CONTROL.
ASSUMING YOU DON'T HAVE KIDNEY ISSUES WITH THOSE.
AS FAR AS COUGH, YOU KNOW, ANY OF THE USUAL OVER-THE-COUNTER COUGH MEDICINES THAT YOU MIGHT TAKE FOR THE COMMON COLD WOULD ALSO BE REASONABLE IF YOU HAD COVID-19.
I THINK THE BIG THING IS TO EMPHASIZE YOU WANT TO WATCH FOR SHORTNESS OF BREATH IF YOU'RE BECOMING SHORT OF BREATH.
THAT'S AN INDICATOR YOU REALLY NEED TO TALK TO YOUR PHYSICIAN OR SEEK EVALUATION BECAUSE IT'S THE SHORTNESS OF BREATH.
IT'S THE VIRAL PNEUMONIA THAT IS CAUSING THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CONSEQUENCES FROM COVID-19.
AND WE'LL GO TO A CALLER. SURE THING.
LINDA SAYS, WE GOT SENT AN EMAIL ABOUT E LEARNING, BUT THERE IS NO LINK AND DOESN'T KNOW WHEN THAT STARTING.
WELL, WE'VE SENT OUT SEVERAL EMAILS REGARDING E-LEARNING AND THE STUDENTS WILL BE CONTACTED BY THEIR TEACHERS.
THERE'LL BE ADDITIONAL E-MAILS COME OUT ABOUT E-LEARNING.
AND IF YOU WANT ADDITIONAL INFORMATION, THERE ARE SOME PLACES ON OUR WEB SITE WE'VE ACTUALLY MODIFIED OUR WEB SITE TO SPECIFICALLY ADDRESS THIS PARTICULAR TIME IN OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT. SO IF YOU'LL GO TO OUR WEB SITE, THERE'S ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT E-LEARNING AND ABOUT JUST THE MODE OF OPERATION WE'RE IN RIGHT NOW AS A SCHOOL DISTRICT.
AND IF YOU DO NEED TO SEEK ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT E-LEARNING, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT YOUR CHILD'S TEACHERS, BECAUSE THEY WERE ALL EDUCATED TODAY ABOUT OUR E-LEARNING MODEL. THEY'RE GOING TO BE IN WORKING WITH THEIR STUDENTS.
[00:50:03]
AND YOU SHOULD SEE MORE INFORMATION ABOUT THAT TO COME.I COULD COME BACK TO THE LAST QUESTION ABOUT MEDICATIONS QUICKLY.
THERE'S TWO POINTS I WANT TO EMPHASIZE FROM THAT.
SO ANTIBIOTICS DON'T WORK FOR THIS.
THE SECOND IS SOMETIMES WITH WHEN YOU HAVE INFLUENZA, IF YOU SEEK CARE RAPIDLY, YOU MIGHT BE PUT ON A MEDICATION CALLED [INAUDIBLE] OF YOUR TAMIFLU.
THERE IS NOT AN ANTIVIRAL RIGHT NOW THAT'S KNOWN THAT'S EFFECTIVE FOR COVID-19.
SO THAT'S ONE OF THE REASONS THAT IF YOU'RE REASONABLY WELL WITH MINOR SYMPTOMS, I WANT PEOPLE TO UNDERSTAND THERE'S NOT A TREATMENT OUT THERE FOR THIS.
THE TREATMENT IS HOSPITALIZATION IF YOU HAVE RESPIRATORY ISSUES.
OTHERWISE, IF YOU COME TO THE E.R.
AND YOU TEST POSITIVE, BUT YOUR VITAL SIGNS ARE OK AND YOU'RE BREATHING OK, THERE'S REALLY NOTHING I CAN DO OTHER THAN TRY AND COACH YOU THROUGH WHAT I ANTICIPATE THINGS WILL BE. SO I JUST WANT THE PUBLIC TO UNDERSTAND THERE IS NOT A PRESCRIPTION FOR THIS.
IT'S THE TINCTURE OF TIME AND REST.
OK. WE'RE GOING TO JUMP BACK TO A CALLER.
THANKS. YEAH, WE'VE GOT ONE COMING FROM [INAUDIBLE] WHOSE QUESTION IS WE HAVE SOME SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS. IS THERE ANY E LEARNING THAT CAN BE DONE TO HELP THESE STUDENTS IN PARTICULAR? YES.
OUR SPECIAL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT IS WORKING VERY CLOSELY WITH OUR SPECIAL NEEDS STUDENTS.
AND E-LEARNING WILL BE AVAILABLE FOR SOME OF OUR SPECIAL ED STUDENTS.
SOME STUDENTS HAVE FALLEN CERTAIN CATEGORIES THAT WILL PROBABLY ACTUALLY COME INTO OUR FACILITIES AND WORK MORE DIRECTLY WITH OUR TEACHERS.
SO IT WILL BE A MIX OF DIRECT INSTRUCTION OR E-LEARNING DEPENDING ON THE NEEDS OF THE STUDENT. WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER CALLER.
THANKS SO MUCH. WE'VE GOT ONE FROM RICHARD HERE.
RICHARD'S QUESTION IS HOW MANY STAGES DOES THE CDC HAVE? WHAT DOES EACH STAGE ENTAIL? WHAT ARE THE RESTRICTIONS AND WHAT STAGE ARE WE IN IN TEXAS? WILL IT BECOME MARTIAL LAW? THAT ONES FROM RICHARD. YEAH, I'M NOT FAMILIAR WITH THAT.
AND THERE HASN'T BEEN ANY DISCUSSION ABOUT ANY MARTIAL LAW IN TEXAS.
WE WERE ON A CONFERENCE CALL WITH THE GOVERNOR A FEW DAYS AGO AND WAS NO MENTION OF THAT.
TAKE A FACEBOOK QUESTION. CAN YOU PLEASE TELL US ABOUT THE PLANS MAYBE FOR LOCAL CHURCHES? I KNOW A LOT OF LOCAL CHURCHES THAT RESTRICTED THEIR SERVICES ON SUNDAY.
BUT IS THERE GOING TO BE A PLAN FOR LOCAL SERVICES GOING FORWARD? YOU KNOW, I KNOW A LOT OF THEM HAVE, YOU KNOW, CLOSE SERVICE.
YOU KNOW, I THINK IT'S SMART LIKELY TO RESTRICT GATHERING SIZES FOR THE FORESEEABLE FUTURE. ANYTHING YOU WANT TO JUMP IN AND SAY.
MY FAMILY AND I WATCHED CHURCH ON SUNDAY.
BUT I ALSO, AS THE PHYSICIAN FOR THIS CITY, APPRECIATE THE HOUSES OF WORSHIP THAT ARE PRACTICING SOCIAL DISTANCING, BECAUSE THE GOAL HERE IS THAT WE GET THROUGH THIS.
AND AS YOU HEARD FROM THE WHITE HOUSE ADDRESS TODAY, THIS IS THIS ISN'T GOING TO BE FIXED IN A WEEK. THIS IS GOING TO TAKE A WHILE.
PRESIDENT TRUMP TODAY WAS TALKING ABOUT JULY AS A POTENTIAL DATE.
I'M NOT SAYING WE'LL BE OUT OF CHURCH UNTIL JULY NECESSARILY, BUT THIS IS A NECESSARY SOCIAL EXPERIMENT TO THE POINT WE'VE NEVER BEEN THROUGH THIS BEFORE.
AND WE HAVE TO TRY THIS TO BEND THE CURVE, BECAUSE AS I MENTIONED EARLIER, IF EVERYBODY GETS SICK ON THE FRONT END, BECAUSE WE DON'T TRY AND DISTANCE OURSELVES, WE WILL OVERWHELM OUR HEALTH CARE SYSTEM.
WE WILL HAVE WHAT'S GOING ON IN SOME OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE WE RUN OUT OF ICU BEDS AND VENTILATORS. BUT IF WE CAN DISTANCE EACH OTHER, LOWER THE AMOUNT OF ILLNESS, SPREAD IT OUT OVER A PERIOD OF MONTHS, THEN WE'RE GOING TO BE MORE SUCCESSFUL AS A COMMUNITY BY GETTING THROUGH THIS. SO I THAT'S THAT'S A LONGER ANSWER FOR WHY.
I DO APPRECIATE THE CHURCH'S SUPPORT IN WHAT WE'RE DOING ALONG WITH THE SCHOOL DISTRICT.
IT'S THE RIGHT THING TO DO SO THAT WE GET THROUGH THIS AS A COMMUNITY.
AND I'LL JUST ADD TO THAT THE CITY WE YOU KNOW, WE PUT THE MARCH 27TH DATE, YOU KNOW, JUST BECAUSE WE KNOW THE NEXT FEW WEEKS WILL BE CRITICAL.
AND I THINK JUST LIKE CHURCHES, YOU KNOW, WE'RE GOING TO KIND OF GET TO THAT DAY AND REEVALUATE AND AND SEE WHERE THINGS ARE.
AND, YOU KNOW, IT'S PROBABLY A GOOD STRATEGY FOR THEM TO FOLLOW AS WELL.
ANOTHER FACEBOOK. WE'RE GOING TO TAKE A CALLER.
SURE THING. WE'VE GOT ONE FROM MARY HERE WHO WAS ASKING IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE COVID-19. HOW LONG DO YOU SELF-QUARANTINE IF YOU ARE CARING FOR SOMEONE WHO HAS SYMPTOMS,
[00:55:02]
BUT YOU ARE NOT IN THE SAME AMOUNT OF TIME TO SELF-QUARANTINE? OK. SO IT SOUNDS LIKE THEY'RE ASKING HOW LONG DO THEY SELF-QUARANTINE AND THEN HOW LONG DOES SOMEBODY WHO'S SHOWING SYMPTOMS SELF-QUARANTINE? 14 DAYS. TAKE ANOTHER CALLER.YEAH. NEXT ONE'S COMING FROM TERRY.
TERRY'S QUESTION, IS OUR HOSPITAL, WITH THE PEAK OF THIS GOING TO HAVE ENOUGH NURSES? I BELIEVE THEY WILL.
AS LONG AS WE WORK TOGETHER AS A COMMUNITY, IF WE DON'T PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING.
IF MANY OF US GREW UP IN THE AGE OF CHICKENPOX.
AND SO I'LL GIVE THAT AS AS SORT OF AN EXAMPLE.
AND, YOU KNOW, THERE WERE FOLKS THAT WOULD WHEN WE WERE YOUNG, GET TOGETHER SO EVERYBODY WOULD GET CHICKENPOX. RIGHT.
SO THAT'S NOT A GOOD IDEA HERE, BECAUSE CHICKENPOX, WHILE EASY TO SPREAD, IS NOT FATAL.
THIS IS EASY TO SPREAD AND HAS MUCH MORE POTENTIAL TO BE FATAL.
AND IF WE WERE TO LET THIS PASS EASILY THROUGH, THE COMMUNITY WILL OVERWHELM THE HEALTH CARE SYSTEM AND OUR HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS WILL GET SICK, TOO.
SO WE'RE FASTIDIOUSLY TRYING TO WEAR OUR PPE, OUR PERSONAL PROTECTIVE EQUIPMENT.
BUT AS EVERYBODY HAS SEEN IN THE NEWS, THAT IS NOT IN GREAT SUPPLY RIGHT NOW.
AND WE HAVE TO CHANGE AFTER WE'VE COME INTO CONTACT WITH INFECTED PERSONS.
SO WILL WE HAVE ENOUGH NURSES? YES. IF WE AS A COMMUNITY WORK TOGETHER TO PRACTICE SOCIAL DISTANCING AND IF WE AS A COMMUNITY, IF WE'RE REASONABLY WELL BUT WANT TO GET TESTED, SEEK OUTPATIENT RESOURCES SO THAT WE CAN FOCUS ON THE SICKEST OF THE SICK IN THE HOSPITALS.
THAT'S HOW WE PRESERVE OUR FIREFIGHTERS, OUR PARAMEDICS, OUR POLICE OFFICERS, OUR NURSES AND OUR PHYSICIANS. WE'LL TAKE ANOTHER CALLER.
SURE THING, WE'VE GOT ONE HERE FROM CHAD WHO'S ASKING WHAT IS THE STATUS OF HOW MANY ARE INFECTED IN FRISCO? DO YOU HAVE A PLAN ON HAVING CURFEWS? WE HAVE WE HAVE A HANDFUL OF PATIENTS IN FRISCO WHO HAVE TESTED POSITIVE.
I'M PLEASED TO SAY THAT THESE FOLKS ARE DOING WELL.
AS OF THIS POINT THEY'RE AT HOME, WE WILL HAVE POSITIVE CASES EVENTUALLY THAT ARE IN THE HOSPITAL AS WELL. RIGHT NOW OUR PATIENTS ARE AT HOME AND I THINK THAT'S AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO HEAR. IT DOESN'T MAKE US ANY LESS VIGILANT BECAUSE I KNOW I HAVE READ OF TWO EMERGENCY PHYSICIANS THAT ARE IN THE ICU IN OTHER STATES RIGHT NOW.
SO THIS IS A VERY SIGNIFICANT ILLNESS.
WE'VE SEEN THE DEATH RATES IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
BUT OUR PATIENTS IN THIS CITY ARE DOING WELL RIGHT NOW.
WE INTEND TO KEEP IT A SAFE CITY.
AS I MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY, YOU KNOW, WE'VE ACTUALLY SEEN A DOWNWARD TREND IN OUR CALLS FOR SERVICE OVER THE PAST WEEK.
AND WE HOPE THAT THAT CONTINUES.
AND WE'RE GOING TO DO EVERYTHING TO KEEP FRISCO A SAFE CITY, AS IT'S ALWAYS BEEN.
AND I'LL ADD TO THAT THAT I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE ARE SITTING AT HOME AND THEY'RE WATCHING THE NEWS THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
AND EVERY COMMUNITY IS DIFFERENT AND EVERY COMMUNITY HAS DIFFERENT NEEDS AND HAS DIFFERENT CHALLENGES FROM A DENSITY PERSPECTIVE OR WHERE PEOPLE GATHER AND CONGREGATE.
AND SO HOW ONE COMMUNITY FEELS THEY NEED TO ACT TO KEEP THEIR RESIDENTS SAFE, MAYBE VERY DIFFERENT FROM WHAT ANOTHER COMMUNITY NEEDS TO DO TO KEEP THEIR RESIDENTS SAFE.
AND SO THAT'S WHY WE'RE HAVING ALL THE PROFESSIONALS BEFORE YOU TONIGHT SO THEY CAN LET YOU KNOW THAT EVERY HOUR ON NOW OR THEY'RE HAVING THOSE DISCUSSIONS AS FAR AS HOW WE KEEP EACH RESIDENT IN THIS COMMUNITY, SPECIFICALLY FRISCO SAFE.
ONE MORE FROM THE PHONES REAL QUICK.
BUT I ALSO WANTED TO REMIND THOSE OF YOU THAT ARE ON THE PHONE AND THEY HAVE PRESS 7 TO GIVE US YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS.
WE JUST GOT THAT QUEUE CLEARED AND IF YOU WANT TO PRESS 7 ON YOUR PHONE NOW TO GET EMAIL UPDATES, NOW'S YOUR OPPORTUNITY TO DO THAT.
WE'RE GOING TO GO FOR ABOUT ANOTHER HALF HOUR TONIGHT.
IF YOU PRESS 7 RIGHT NOW, THAT SHOULD GIVE US TIME TO GET YOUR E-MAIL ADDRESS AND GET EMAIL UPDATES FROM THE CITY MOVING FORWARD.
SO AGAIN, PRESS 7, GIVE US YOUR EMAIL ADDRESS TO GET UPDATES.
OUR NEXT QUESTION IS FROM PATRICIA, WHO IS ASKING, WHY IS THIS BEING TREATED SO DIFFERENTLY THAN THE SWINE FLU OR EBOLA? WHY IS IT BEING TREATED SO MUCH MORE SERIOUSLY? THAT'S FROM PATRICIA. COULD YOU REPEAT THAT QUESTION ONE MORE TIME? SURE. HER QUESTION WAS, WHY IS THIS BEING TREATED SO DIFFERENTLY THAN THE SWINE FLU OR EBOLA? WHY IS IT BEING TREATED SO MUCH MORE SERIOUSLY? SO IT'S A LITTLE DIFFERENT.
[01:00:02]
SPECIFICALLY EBOLA.EBOLA, WHILE MORE FATAL, IS NOT AS EASY TO TRANSMIT.
THIS THIS COVID-19 IS FAR MORE EASY TO TRANSMIT FROM PERSON TO PERSON BECAUSE IT'S A RESPIRATORY SPREAD LIKE THE FLU.
EBOLA IS NOT A RESPIRATORY SPREAD.
IT'S MORE DIFFICULT. YES, THE CASE FATALITY RATE IS HIGHER.
BUT OVERALL, IT'S BEING TRACKED.
IT'S BEING TREATED DIFFERENTLY BECAUSE IT'S TRANSMITTED IN A SIMILAR FASHION TO THE FLU, I.E. IT CAN GET THROUGH THE POPULATION MUCH FASTER THAN EBOLA COULD.
SO WE HAVE SOME NATURAL IMMUNITY TO INFLUENZA.
IT'S A GUESSWORK EACH YEAR WITH THE IN THE FLU VACCINE, BUT IT BLUNTS THE SEVERITY OF THE ILLNESS. SO WE NOVEL COVID-19 NOVEL IS NEW.
WE DON'T HAVE IMMUNITY TO THIS.
WE DON'T HAVE A VACCINATION AND WE DON'T HAVE ANY INBORN IMMUNITY LIKE WE DO TO SWINE FLU. SO IT'S DIFFERENT THAN EITHER OF THOSE.
AND THAT'S WHY WE'RE TREATING IT DIFFERENTLY.
SO THAT WAS THE LAST CALLER YOU HAD IS THAT WHAT I UNDERSTAND.
OK. DID YOU HAVE ANY OTHER FACEBOOK QUESTIONS? DR. WALDRIP, COULD YOU PLEASE EXPLAIN IF STAAR HAS BEEN CANCELED AND MAYBE GIVE AN EXPLANATION OF WHAT THE GOVERNOR DISCUSSED EARLIER TODAY? I WOULD BE HAPPY TO EXPLAIN THAT STAAR HAS BEEN CANCELED.
EARLIER IN THE WEEK, THERE WERE A GROUP OF ABOUT 60 SCHOOL DISTRICTS IN THIS AREA THAT SENT A LETTER TO COMMISSIONER [INAUDIBLE] AND GOVERNOR ABBOTT AND ASKED IF THEY WOULD CANCEL STATE TESTING, GIVEN THE EXTRAORDINARY SITUATION THAT WE'RE IN.
ALSO, A NUMBER OF OUR LEGISLATORS LOCALLY SIGNED ON TO THAT AND SUPPORTED THAT.
AND THE GOVERNOR TODAY PUBLICLY SAID THAT ALL STAAR TESTING FOR THIS SCHOOL YEAR WOULD BE CANCELED SO THAT THAT IN A SITUATION WHERE THERE ARE A LOT OF BURDENS TO DEAL WITH THAT'S ONE BURDEN THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS NO LONGER HAVE TO HAVE TO MANAGE IS THE TESTING OF STUDENTS THIS SPRING.
COULD YOU MAYBE ADD TO THAT WITH THE END, OF COURSE, EXAMS OR THE AP TESTS OR ANY OF THE OTHER TESTS THAT STUDENTS THAT WOULD HAVE COMING UP THIS SPRING AS WELL? THE END OF COURSE, EXAMS ARE OBVIOUSLY PART OF THE STAAR TESTING PIECE.
ALL STAR TESTING HAS BEEN CANCELED AND ANY OF THE THE GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS RELATED TO EOC WITH SENIORS AND SOME OF THOSE ARE GOING TO BE LEFT UP TO THE LOCAL SCHOOL DISTRICT TO DEAL WITH THROUGH THE GRADUATION COMMITTEES.
AP TESTING IS A DIFFERENT ISSUE.
THAT IS A THOSE ARE TESTS THAT OCCUR IN MAY THAT ARE ADMINISTERED BY THE COLLEGE BOARD.
WE DON'T KNOW YET WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN WITH AP TESTING.
SO WE'LL WAIT AND SEE IN THE COMING WEEKS, PARTICULARLY IF WE CONTINUE TO BE OUT OF SCHOOL. THAT WILL HAVE SOME EFFECT ON THAT.
SO WE'LL THAT'S MORE OF A WAIT AND SEE RIGHT NOW AND SEE WHAT WE'LL DO WITH AP TESTING AND WHAT THE COLLEGE BOARD DOES WITH THAT.
DR. GAMBER, COULD YOU PLEASE ANSWER THAT WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF PEOPLE ASK ABOUT THIS ON FACEBOOK. IF SOMEONE IS HIGH RISK, THEY'RE ALREADY EXPERIENCING SHORTNESS OF BREATH.
WOULD YOU ENCOURAGE THEM TO CALL AN AMBULANCE? REGARDING MAYBE EXPOSURE OF OTHER PEOPLE ARE JUST TO BE TAKEN BY A FAMILY MEMBER? THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.
IT'S A DIFFICULT QUESTION TO ANSWER PERFECTLY.
I WOULD ERE ON THE SIDE OF CALLING AN AMBULANCE IF YOU'RE HIGH RISK AND SHORT OF BREATH.
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE HERE FOR. I MEAN, WE'RE HERE FOR THE PUBLIC WHEN THEY'RE WHEN THEY'RE LIKE THAT. IF IT'S A MILD SHORTNESS OF BREATH AND YOU'RE OTHER CONDITIONS ARE MILD AND YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE DRIVING YOURSELF, THAT'S THAT'S A REASONABLE OPTION.
BUT I WOULD AIR ON THE SIDE OF CALLING US IF YOU HAVE SIGNIFICANT ILLNESS AND SHORTNESS OF BREATH. WE'LL TAKE A CALLER.
SURE THING, WE'VE GOT ONE HERE FROM RAY.
RAY'S QUESTION IS IF SOMEONE GETS THE VIRUS AND BUILDS UP THEIR IMMUNITY TO COVID-19.
CAN THEY GET IT AGAIN? YES. SO WE'VE SEEN A CASE REPORTER TO EVEN WITHIN THIS COVID-19 SEASON, A PATIENT OR TWO, GETTING IT NOT HERE IN THE UNITED STATES, BUT IN OTHER COUNTRIES.
BUT BIG PICTURE, THIS IS MUCH MORE LIKE SEASONAL FLU.
SO, YOU KNOW, UNFORTUNATELY, YOU GET THE FLU ONE YEAR AND THEN YOU CAN GET IT AGAIN THE NEXT YEAR. THE SAME WILL BE TRUE OF COVID-19.
YOU CAN GET IT ONE YEAR AND GET IT THE NEXT YEAR.
IT'S DIFFERENT THAN SOMETHING LIKE MEASLES OR SMALLPOX WHERE YOU GET IT ONCE AND YOU
[01:05:02]
WON'T GET IT AGAIN. SO THIS IS AN ILLNESS THAT IS PROBABLY IN, YOU KNOW, HUMANKIND FOR GOOD. BUT THE GOOD NEWS OUT OF THAT IS THIS MAY BE THE MOST DIFFICULT YEAR BECAUSE HUMANS WILL DEVELOP SOME IMMUNITY TO IT IN THE COMING YEARS.WE PROBABLY WILL NOT HAVE A VACCINE THIS SEASON.
WE HOPE TO HAVE IT, YOU KNOW, IN 2021.
BUT WE WILL ALSO BUILD UP IMMUNITY TO THIS OVER THE YEARS THAT IT AT LEAST BLUNTS THE LEVEL OF ILLNESS. WE HAVE GOT OUR NEXT ONE COMING FROM JIM, AND JIM'S QUESTION IS WITH SOCIAL DISTANCING IS IT OK TO HAVE PLAY DATES? WELL, THAT'S TOUGH, I'M A FATHER OF THREE, SO I'M TRYING TO THINK THROUGH IT.
I MEAN, IT IS, THERE IS A FINE LINE HERE BETWEEN THE PSYCHOLOGICAL DISTRESS OF COMPLETELY ISOLATING YOURSELF AND, YOU KNOW, THE IMPORTANT IDEA OF NOT BEING IN LARGE GROUPS.
I DO THINK IT'S OK TO HAVE SOMEBODY OVER TO PLAY.
I THINK YOU HAVE TO BE AS A PARENT YOU'VE GOT TO SCREEN FOR SYMPTOMS FOR WHOEVER IS COMING OVER. AND, YOU KNOW, YOU'VE GOT TO HAVE A BIG TUB OF HAND SANITIZER.
AND THAT WOULD BE MY ADVICE, PROBABLY AS MUCH AS A PARENT, AS A PHYSICIAN.
IS THERE A PROCESS ONCE SOMEONE HAS BEEN POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED, THAT THE COUNTY THEN GOES BACK TO FIND OUT WHERE THEY'VE BEEN OR WHO THEY'VE BEEN IN CONTACT WITH? IT'S A GREAT QUESTION. THE ANSWER IS YES.
SO A POSITIVE TEST IF WHEREVER IT GENERATES FROM THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT TRACES CONTACTS.
AND SO EVERYBODY CAN IMAGINE HOW BUSY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT IS RIGHT NOW TRACING CONTACTS.
SO THEY'LL GO BACK AND THEY'LL TALK TO SOMEBODY WHO TESTS POSITIVE AND ASK WHERE THEY'VE TRAVELED, WHO THEY'VE BEEN IN CLOSE CONTACT WITH.
AND THEN THEY'LL GO INTERVIEW THOSE FOLKS FOR SYMPTOMS, TOO.
AND THAT IS THAT'S SOMETHING WE'RE DOING HERE.
AND WHEN YOU LOOK AT THE COUNTRIES THAT HAVE BEEN SUCCESSFUL IN BENDING THE CURVE, IT'S THROUGH FASTIDIOUS CONTACT TRACING, WHICH IS SOMETHING THAT WE KNOW WE AS A CITY ARE SPLIT BETWEEN COLLIN AND DENTON COUNTY HEALTH.
WE ARE IN DAILY CONTACT WITH THEM AND THEY SPEAKING FOR DR.
[INAUDIBLE] AND DR. RICHARDSON AS PART OF THOSE DEPARTMENTS.
THEY'RE DOING A GREAT JOB WITH FOLLOWING UP WITH THE CONTACTS.
GEORGE, COULD YOU MAYBE TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT WE'RE DOING TO CLEAN PUBLIC SPACES IN THE CITY, SO THINGS LIKE THAT WERE CITY OWNED.
WHERE THERE'S PUBLIC CONTACT, WE HAVE OUR CREWS GOING OUT AND CLEAN THOSE ON A REGULAR BASIS. OBVIOUSLY, THE MORE PUBLIC CONTACT THERE IS, THE MORE THEY'LL DO THE CLEANING.
BUT YES, WE HAVE CREWS THAT ARE DOING THAT.
I THINK WE'RE KIND OF WRAPPING THE END OF QUESTIONS.
YEAH, LET ME GET ANOTHER ONE UP, WE'VE GOT A QUESTION HERE FROM FERNANDO, WHO ASKS, IS COVID-19 AIRBORNE OR ONLY CONTRACTED THROUGH INFECTION? GREAT QUESTION. AND THE HONEST ANSWER IS WE'RE NOT 100 PERCENT SURE.
IT'S CERTAINLY A RESPIRATORY DROPLET TRANSFER SIMILAR TO INFLUENZA.
THERE IS SOME CONCERN AMONGST INFECTIOUS DISEASE PHYSICIANS THAT THERE MAY BE A LITTLE BIT OF AN AEROSOL COMPONENT TO IT, LIKE MEASLES THAT MAKES IT A LITTLE MORE TRANSMISSIBLE THAN REGULAR INFLUENZA.
AND THAT'S WHY WE TALK ABOUT STAYING SIX FEET AWAY WHENEVER POSSIBLE.
THE TYPICAL IT'S A LITTLE GRAPHIC, BUT THE TYPICAL SPRAY FROM A COUGH OR SNEEZE IS A FEW FEET. AND THAT'S WHY YOU WANT TO STAY A LITTLE LONGER THAN THAT.
SO AEROSOL DROPLETS, THAT'S WHAT WE WORRY ABOUT.
LIKE I SAID EARLIER, THIS CAN LIVE ON SURFACES FOR A PERIOD OF HOURS AND MAYBE EVEN A DAY OR SO. SO WE HAVE GOT TO CLEAN SURFACES.
THINK ABOUT THE PRECAUTIONS YOU TAKE WITH THE FLU AND THEN RAMP IT UP EVEN A LITTLE BIT MORE WITH COVID-19.
NEXT ONE'S COMING FROM SONYA WHO ASKS, I HEARD URGENT CARE WILL BE CHARGING FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS FOR COVID-19 TESTING.
IS THIS ACCURATE? I HAVE HONESTLY, I'VE NO IDEA WHAT THE CHARGE IS FOR THE COVID-19 TEST.
I THINK IF IT'S DONE BY THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT, I WOULD HAVE A HARD TIME IMAGINING IT WOULD BE THAT EXPENSIVE.
I'VE CERTAINLY SEEN NO INFORMATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT THAT THIS WILL BE COVERED BY
[01:10:05]
COMMERCIAL INSURANCE, BY MEDICAID, BY MEDICARE.SO YOU KNOW HOWEVER YOU ACCESS YOUR HEALTH CARE COVERAGE.
GREAT. WE'VE GOT ANOTHER ONE HERE, THIS ONE'S FROM SARAH, WHO'S ASKING REGARDING FOOD INSECURE STUDENTS AND FAMILIES WHEN THEY GO TO THESE LOCATIONS TO GET FOOD.
DOES THE STUDENT NEED TO BE PRESENT WITH THEIR STUDENT ID? THE PARENT JUST NEEDS TO ID THE STUDENT IN SOME WAY, I DON'T THINK THE STUDENT HAS TO BE PRESENT TO GET THE MEAL.
[INAUDIBLE]FACEBOOK QUESTIONS WE CAN GO TO NEXT.
I THINK WE'RE WRAPPING UP ON OUR FACEBOOK QUESTIONS.
ARE YOU OUT OF CALL OR QUESTIONS? WE'RE TRYING TO GET THROUGH THEM. WE DO HAVE QUITE A FEW MORE IN LINE.
DID YOU WANNA MAKE A COMMENT? WE'RE PRETTY MUCH GETTING TO REPETITIVE FACEBOOK QUESTIONS AT THIS POINT, BUT WHAT WE DID WANT TO TELL PEOPLE WHO WERE ON FACEBOOK IS THAT EACH OF THE HOSPITAL SYSTEMS THAT ARE IN FRISCO HAS A HAVE A HOTLINE NUMBER THAT YOU CAN CALL.
WE'RE GOING TO POST THOSE ON THE CITY PAGE THAT IS DIRECTED TOWARDS COVID-19 AND SO THAT YOU CAN CALL. SO IF YOUR QUESTION IS NOT ANSWERED HERE TONIGHT, INSTEAD OF POSTING THEM ON FACEBOOK WHERE THERE WILL NOT BE EXPERTS TO THEN CONTINUE ANSWERING THEM, AND WE WOULD CAUTION RANDOM WATCHERS ON FACEBOOK FROM ANSWERING THOSE QUESTIONS.
WE WOULD SAY YOU COULD CALL THOSE HOTLINES.
THERE ARE PEOPLE STAFFED ON THOSE HOTLINES TO ASK THE SPECIFIC QUESTIONS, BECAUSE NOW WE'RE STARTING TO GET JUST INTO REPETITIVE ONES SO LISTENERS CAN EITHER GO BACK AND WATCH IT FROM THE BEGINNING ONCE WE'RE DONE AND THEY CAN ALSO THEN CALL THOSE HOTLINES AND WE WILL POST THEM THE NUMBERS IN THE COMMENTS AND THEN WE'LL ALSO POST THEM ON THE PAGE THAT THE CITY HAS. THANK YOU, SHAUNA.
AND WHILE HE'S KIND OF GOING THROUGH THOSE LAST FEW CALLERS, [INAUDIBLE], DO YOU WANT TO PUT UP THE WAYS THAT PEOPLE CAN STAY IN CONTACT? WE CAN DISCUSS THAT REALLY QUICK BEFORE WE WRAP UP.
IF YOU DON'T FOLLOW THE CITY'S SOCIAL MEDIA, I ENCOURAGE YOU TO FOLLOW THE CITY SOCIAL MEDIA. THE SCHOOL DISTRICT, SOCIAL MEDIA.
ALL YOUR ELECTED OFFICIALS FROM YOUR TRUSTEES TO YOUR COUNCIL MEMBERS.
WE'RE ALL POSTING UPDATES REGULARLY THROUGHOUT THE DAY.
WE'RE GONNA MAKE OUR BEST EFFORTS TO KEEP EVERYONE UP TO THE MINUTE ON INFORMATION.
THE CITY ALSO HAS A NEWSLETTER FUNCTION WHERE WE PUSH INFORMATION OUT.
SO WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO JOIN OUR NEWSLETTER AND GET OUR COMMUNICATIONS IN ALL WAYS.
AND WE ALSO HAVE A DEDICATED WEB PAGE THAT WILL REMAIN UP.
THAT'S FRISCOTEXAS.GOV/ CORONAVIRUS. I'M SURE WE'LL HAVE THE LATEST UPDATES ROLLING THROUGH THAT PAGE.
YOU'LL BE ABLE TO SEE THE READ THE ACTUAL EMERGENCY DECLARATION THAT WAS MADE THIS MORNING SO YOU CAN CHECK THAT REGULARLY TO KEEP UPDATED ON WHAT'S HAPPENING.
AND WITH THAT, ANY PARTING SHOTS THAT YOU WANT TO SHARE? I JUST WANT TO REITERATE THAT WE ARE GOING TO GET THROUGH THIS AS A COMMUNITY.
I THINK THIS AS THE PHYSICIAN FOR THIS COMMUNITY, I THINK OUR LEADERS ARE TAKING ABSOLUTELY THE RIGHT STEPS AND IT'S THE SIMPLE THINGS THAT EACH ONE OF US CAN DO.
I WANT TO REITERATE JUST WASHING HANDS, IF YOU'RE SICK, STAY HOME.
AND IF YOU'RE EXPERIENCING SIGNIFICANT SYMPTOMS LIKE SHORTNESS OF BREATH, GO BE SEEN IMMEDIATELY. IF YOUR SYMPTOMS ARE MILDER CONTACT YOUR PHYSICIAN OR ONE OF THE ACCESS POINTS THAT WE'VE GIVEN YOU TODAY TO HAVE A DISCUSSION ABOUT IF YOU SHOULD BE TESTED AND IF SO, WHERE? MAYOR, THANKS FOR THE OPPORTUNITY.
I JUST LIKE TO TELL ALL OF OUR OUR CITIZENS AND THOSE WATCHING THAT THE MEN AND WOMEN OF THE FRISCO FIRE DEPARTMENT ARE DEDICATED TO YOUR HEALTH AND SAFETY THROUGH EXCEPTIONAL SERVICE. THAT'S OUR MISSION STATEMENT.
WE WILL CONTINUE TO BE HERE FOR YOU.
WE ARE HERE TO SERVE. SO I JUST WANT EVERYONE TO KNOW OUT THERE, IF YOU NEED US, WE'LL BE HERE FOR YOU. AND I'LL JUST SHARE THE SAME FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT.
I'VE WORKED FOR THE POLICE DEPARTMENT FOR OVER 17 YEARS.
AND WHAT I KNOW ABOUT OUR ORGANIZATION IS THAT'S MADE UP OF MEN AND WOMEN THAT ARE GOING TO STEP UP THROUGH THIS AND KEEP FRISCO SAFE.
AND I JUST ASK FOR THE COMMUNITY'S PATIENCE AND GETTING THROUGH THIS AND WORKING WITH US.
GAMBER SAID, WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS.
I JUST WANTED TO ADD. WE A LOT OF QUESTIONS ABOUT HOW CAN PEOPLE HELP AND VOLUNTEER AT THIS POINT WITH OUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, AND ONE OF THE WAYS YOU COULD REALLY HELP RIGHT NOW IS THROUGH THOSE ORGANIZATIONS LOVE PACKS AND FAST PACKS.
THIS IS GOING TO PLACE PROBABLY AN UNUSUAL BURDEN ON THE SERVICES THEY PROVIDE.
AND SO IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO HELP.
I'M SURE THEY WOULD WELCOME THE HELP.
I'M SURE THEY WOULD WELCOME THE FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE.
THIS IS A DIFFICULT TIME AND WE DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT WILL GO.
SO IF YOU'RE LOOKING TO VOLUNTEER, I'D ENCOURAGE YOU TO CONTACT THOSE ORGANIZATIONS.
[01:15:04]
AND I'LL GO AHEAD AND WRAP UP THE CALL FOR THIS EVENING AND JUST SAY THANK YOU FOR JOINING IN AND TUNING IN TO WANTING TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT THE CITY OF FRISCO'S DOING AND TO REALLY MEET YOUR TEAM AND PUT A FACE WITH A NAME WHEN YOU SEE IT AND PRESS RELEASES OR GUIDANCE. WE HAVE A VERY STRONG TEAM COLLECTIVELY THAT IS WORKING TO KEEP ALL OF YOU SAFE AND SECURE. AND WE WANT YOU TO HAVE PEACE OF MIND.WE WANT EVERYONE TO BE CALM AND THE PUBLIC.
AND IF YOU HAVE A CONCERN, WE WANT YOU TO ASK AND WE WANT TO GET YOU THAT ANSWER.
AND WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS.
THIS IS GOING TO BE AN ONGOING CONVERSATION AND IT'S GOING TO CONTINUE TO EVOLVE AND IT'S GOING TO BE A DAILY CONVERSATION.
SO PLEASE STAY TUNED WITH WHAT THE CITY OF FRISCO'S PUTTING OUT.
PLEASE READ IT. PLEASE HEED THE ADVICE AGAIN.
PLEASE OPERATE WITH AN ABUNDANCE OF CAUTION.
YOU HEARD DR. GAMBER SAY, YOU KNOW, JUST HAND HYGIENE, HOW IMPORTANT IT IS KEEPING THINGS CLEAN FOR THE BUSINESSES THAT ARE OPENING RIGHT NOW.
WE'RE CALLING FOR YOU TO TAKE EXTRAORDINARY PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES AND PEOPLE THAT ARE OUT IN THE PUBLIC TAKE EXTRAORDINARY PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES BECAUSE WE WILL GET THIS THROUGH CAN THROUGH THIS AS A COMMUNITY.
THE FASTER WE GET THROUGH THIS AS A COMMUNITY, THE MORE WE RETURN TO NORMAL LIFE.
AND WE KNOW THAT EVERYBODY WANTS THAT.
YOU KNOW, WE JOKE. WE PUT OUT ON FACEBOOK THAT, YOU KNOW, THE SHACKING THE HANDS THING IS GOING OUT THE DOOR. SO WE'RE ALL TRYING TO FIGURE OUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT'S IT WHAT TO DO NEXT, WHETHER IT'S THE THUMBS UP OR THE HEAD NOD.
AND I KIND OF LIKE [INAUDIBLE] AND COMMUNICATIONS TEAM THEY CAME UP WITH THIS AFTERNOON THAT JUST KIND OF THE HAND OVER THE HEART AND JUST SHOW FRISCO RESIDENTS HOW BIG OUR HEART IS AS A COMMUNITY, I THINK IS A GOOD SOLUTION FOR THAT.
YOUR CITY COUNCIL, YOUR ISD, THEIR TRUSTEES, THIS ENTIRE LEADERSHIP TEAM.
WE WILL GET THROUGH THIS TOGETHER, BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP.
THANK YOU.
* This transcript was compiled from uncorrected Closed Captioning.