HJBR Sep/Oct 2020

HEALTHCARE JOURNAL OF BATON ROUGE I  SEP / OCT 2020 13 These team members have also been per- sonally impacted by the coronavirus, and yet they show up every day, often risking their own health to help others. They do this because they care. I am proud to be part of their team, and part of this effort. LDH indi- rectly touches the lives of every Louisianan through our programs and services. These are the sort of people you want leading that work. At the same time, a good bit has been written about the toll COVID-19 is taking on state and local health departments and their workforces. Juggling the fact that COVID- 19 is not going anywhere anytime soon, and that we must continue work on our many other critical issue areas, this seems to be our new normal, and it requires that we find ways to ensure our team can sustain. Editor  How has Louisiana’s experience been distinct from other states during the pandemic? Phillips  Unlike many disasters we have faced, this one has been felt across the United States. In many ways, it is a shared experience. And still, Louisiana has had a distinct journey. Not only were we among the first states hit hard by COVID-19, but we also have a unique epidemic curve. Our curve rose and fell sharply early on in the pandemic, and that was a direct result of tough, but necessary actions by Gover- nor John Bel Edwards. We are proud to be among the first states to stand up a COVID- 19 dashboard, and one of the first two states to share death data by race. We were also among the few to be hit hard again. At the time of my writing this, it appears we could be turning the corner. New cases, hospitalizations, and percent positivity are all down across the state. We know from the experiences of other coun- tries and states that mitigationmeasures like mask mandates work, but now we can see it for ourselves. As our public learns more about the value of public health, this crisis has also high- lighted the need for more sustainable fund- ing for this life-saving work. Editor  What have you learned about COVID-19 that surprises you most, or even keeps you up at night? Phillips This virus continues to surprise me as we learn more about it every day. There are many things that keep me up at night, but there is one in particular that is currently onmymind: the impact of COVID-19 on our children, and in turn, our communities. As the mother of a nine year-old boy, I feel the uncertaintymany parents feel right now. We all have a lot of questions. There is a lot we are still learning about this virus, but we do know that no one is immune. In fact, we have documentedmore than 11,000 cases in children 18 years old and under. Some children may show no symptoms at all, but this does not mean a child cannot spread the virus. This is why we shouldmake sure children are taking the same precautions we are recommending for adults: wearingmasks whenwe go out, prac- ticing good hand hygiene, and staying home when we are sick. Editor  Besides COVID-19, what other issues is your department focusing on? Phillips  COVID-19 has been themajor focus of our efforts for the past several months, but LDH continues to work on a number of issues that are important to improving Louisianans’health and well-being, such as Medicaid, behavioral health, and maternal health. Developing our goals and plan for the next several years starts with listening and learning—to and fromyou, my team, provid- ers, families, and the communities we serve. Together, we will craft an inclusive plan for the path forward. I have begun this work, and I am excited to see where it leads us. n