Here & Now

State Response to Coronavirus

Frederica Freyberg:

As we’ve said, the coronavirus outbreak is a fast-moving situation across the country and here in our state. We check in with one of the people at the helm of the response. We are joined by the secretary-designee of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Andrea Palm. She’s here with the latest and thanks very much for joining us.

Andrea Palm:

Thanks for having me.

Frederica Freyberg:

So these new cases are spread all across the state, which again, kind of describes the progression. In the coming days, what do you expect to see?

Andrea Palm:

We expect here in Wisconsin to continue to see confirmed cases. That’s part of why we have been leaning in to increase access to testing. It’s really important for us as a state to know where those infections are so that we can move into action quickly with our local partners in local public health to get those folks into self-quarantine, to do the contact tracing so that we know who else might be at risk and to really work hard to mitigate the spread of this disease.

Frederica Freyberg:

As to testing, there’s been just an awful lot of discussion about this and how in many places, it’s just inadequate. What about in Wisconsin? Do you have the capacity to test as many of these cases as needed?

Andrea Palm:

We currently are meeting demand. We don’t have more demand for tests than we have capacity for. But we do think as this continues to ramp up, we will be in a situation similar to many other states where we need increased access from the federal government to these test kits. We have put in a request now so that we are hopeful that the feds can fulfill that request before we get to that point. The State Lab of Hygiene has also put in a request. We recognize that a shortage, an inability to access tests could very well come to Wisconsin and we are urgently asking the feds to meet our need, as are many other states.

Frederica Freyberg:

Are there other hospitals or facilities that expect to start taking on testing?

Andrea Palm:

That’s a really important question and an important point. We have had a couple of private labs come onboard. Most hospitals and clinics, they have contracts with labs who run their tests. They take the swab or take the blood, or whatever, send it to their diagnostic and get the results back. So adding that capacity so that hospitals can use the current infrastructure they already use will a really important tool to expand capacity moving forward. And we at the state lab in the state are working to help those places get up and running as quickly as possible. And we also are exploring things like centralized testing facilities or drive-through clinics. You hear about that in other states. We’re exploring as many options as we can so we’ll be able to meet demand.

Frederica Freyberg:

As to those passengers on the cruise ship, have they already been tested where they are or will that happen once they get back to Wisconsin?

Andrea Palm:

So we are in really close communication with HHS and those folks are still with the federal HHS folks at bases either in Georgia or in California. And we have requested that the tests be done before they’re returned to the state of Wisconsin. We want folks to come home as soon as we can, but we also want to be really careful not to have symptomatic or confirmed cases mixed with folks who are asymptomatic and negative. We are working out those details right now with HHS but are moving as urgently as we can to be able to bring these folks home.

Frederica Freyberg:

When K-12 schools close — and some in the state already have — what kinds of provisions would need to be made for free and reduced meals?

Andrea Palm:

That’s a great question and something that the governor keeps flagging for folks. And we have made recommendations to schools that they think about those things when they are thinking about closures. Planning for alternate child care, planning for workers who may need to take time off because their kids aren’t in school and what we do about access to meals. And there are federal provisions that — DPI, I think runs the program — can access a shift to what would be the summer meal program, which is kind of pick up and go kind of scenarios where kids can still have access to that food, but it’s a different form as opposed to in a school building.

Frederica Freyberg:

How successful do you think the cancellation of mass events, universities going online and K-12 schools closing will be toward mitigating the community spread?

Andrea Palm:

They have different impacts on mitigation. I think the reason we came out yesterday as part of the declaration of the public health emergency on mass gatherings is because there is very clear evidence that these large gatherings with lots of people in close contact for extended periods of time is a very important way that the virus spreads. And so it is why we leaned in first there and why we continue to try to give good advice to schools. We think that the move to cancel or do audience-free sporting events and other sort of social distancing tactics are really important to stop the spread of this disease.

Frederica Freyberg:

What message would you give to people?

Andrea Palm:

So I think there’s a balance here between the urgency of this and doing what we need to do to pitch in and help each other and take care of those who are most vulnerable in our state, those who are older, those with underlying health conditions. And so while most folks who will be infected with this will experience mild symptoms, we all need to take care of the folks who are more susceptible to severe disease. And so getting prepared now for the disruptions that could happen in your life is a really important thing to do and then to be super conscientious about how what you do impacts others in our community.

Frederica Freyberg:

All right. Secretary Palm, thanks very much and good luck.

Andrea Palm:

Thank you.