Adams Morgan Day Recap: Hola Cultura and Mary’s Center teamed up to discuss COVID-19
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Hola Cultura and Mary’s Center teamed up last weekend at Adams Morgan Day to talk about how COVID-19 has impacted the community. Katie Saavedra, MPH, PA-C, the Medical Director of the Center’s Adams Morgan site, and Hola Cultura’s Miriam Ostria also discussed how to take care of our bodies and minds, and support friends and family as the pandemic continues. Here’s a synopsis of the topics they discussed.
Above clockwise, Margaux Granat and Alain Parcan of Adams Morgan Day, Katie Saavedra of Mary’s Center, and Hola Cultura’s Miriam Ostria
Hola Cultura: What are some of the most significant ways that COVID-19 has impacted the community?
Katie Saavedra: COVID-19 has affected everyone in our community in different ways. From individual illness, job losses businesses and schools closing, depression, and stress related to the novel coronavirus, this has been a very difficult time for many. Unfortunately, the pandemic has disproportionately affected communities of color, particularly people who work essential jobs without paid leave or the ability to work from home, people who live in high density housing, and people with chronic medical conditions. As medical providers, we have watched many of our patients get sicker at higher rates and with more complications than the rest of the community, and those disparities continue. Some people unfortunately are having long-term health problems related to complications from contracting COVID-19 that we’re still learning about.
We’ve been hearing a lot of talk about herd immunity. What is it? Could herd immunity allow life to get back to normal soon or is it still important to follow social distancing guidelines? Why?
Herd immunity is the concept that once enough people in the community have immunity to a certain type of infection, that it will stop spreading through the community. The percentage of people who need immunity varies by how contagious the infection is. Scientists estimate that it would take about 70% of the population to have immunity to COVID-19 in order for it to stop spreading through the community, and that will likely only happen once there is a vaccine.
After you’ve had COVID-19, are you immune from the virus? Or is it still important to follow social distancing guidelines? Why?
Some people have antibodies to COVID-19 after they have the infection, which means their bodies developed an immune response to the virus. We do not know how long this immune response lasts, and unfortunately many studies are showing it may only last a few months, similar to the seasonal flu. It’s still extremely important to follow social distancing guidelines to prevent re-infection, or infection of other people. It’s hard to predict who will develop severe illness from contracting COVID-19 and important to stay home if you have any symptoms or believe you have been exposed to COVID-19 in order to reduce the spread to others.
What advice would you give parents regarding children’s vaccinations against other illnesses during these times. Why is it important that children in the community are current on their vaccine schedules?
Despite the pandemic, it’s very important to continue to have preventative care visits with your primary care provider. For adults, this means annual checkups and age-appropriate cancer screenings, and for children, this means well-child checks and staying on vaccine schedules. It’s important to continue to get checkups to stay healthy, prevent illness, identify medical problems early, and prevent chronic health issues from getting worse.
Can you briefly describe the two major types of COVID-19 tests? When would you advise someone to get these tests?
Two major types of tests for COVID-19 are “molecular” (nasal/oral swab) and “serology” (blood/antibody).
Molecular tests, also called PCR tests, detect the presence of active COVID-19 viral proteins in the nose or throat and can determine if someone has an active COVID-19 infection. It can detect the virus before symptoms start (sometimes) and can remain positive for a brief time after the person has recovered. This test should be done if you have had an exposure to someone with COVID-19, or if you have any symptoms which may be concerning for COVID-19 such as fever, chills, cough, body aches, nasal congestion, diarrhea, or vomiting.
Antibody blood tests detect whether someone has an immune response to the COVID-19 virus, rather than the virus itself. It signifies that someone likely had a prior infection to COVID-19, or have acquired immunity (like once there is a vaccine). This test should not be used to diagnose COVID-19 infection, and it is not known how long the antibodies will remain positive after someone recovers from a COVID-19 infection.
Could you recommend ways that we can look after our mental health during these stressful times? Why is that also important?
These are stressful and unprecedented times and many people are experiencing higher levels of anxiety, depression, and trauma as a result of navigating the pandemic. Whether due to losing jobs, worrying about the health of your family and friends, or experiencing systemic racism and unrest in our country, the COVID-19 pandemic and our current times have affected everyone in our community. It’s very important to care for your mental health, just like you would your physical health. Small ways to do this is by daily exercise, taking time for yourself, spending time on a hobby, and trying to focus on the things you can control. If you find that things still feel overwhelming, or find depression or anxiety interfering with your life, you can talk to a mental health therapist and your primary care provider to find coping mechanisms and other treatments. [For more on this topic, see Hola Cultura’s interview with Ana-Marie Parra (LISCW), Mary’s Centers’ Clinical Manager of Community Support Services. ]
Could you share some advice with the community regarding the upcoming flu season?
It is very important to get your flu vaccine, continue to practice social distancing, wear a mask in public, and wash your hands throughout flu season to prevent disease spread. Since the seasonal flu has very similar symptoms to COVID-19, it will be very challenging to tell the difference between the two and could lead to bad outbreaks of both viruses.
How can Mary’s center help during the pandemic?
Mary’s Center has stayed open to our participants throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, as the health of our community is our priority. We provide comprehensive medical care, behavioral health, and dental services through both in-person and virtual visits (telemedicine). We do thorough symptom check and screening of everyone who enters our well clinics.
We have COVID-19 testing and treatment capabilities for both adults and children, which we keep separate from our well-clinic to keep everyone safe. We also offer our social services, such as nutrition, access to housing and food programs, education, financial assistance, employment, and legal services
Any other final recommendation for our community members?
If we work together as a community to prioritize our health and wellness, we can get through this unprecedented time together.
This interview was made possible by Hola Cultura’s partnership with Mary’s Center to provide key COVID-19 information and resources to the community. Each moth this fall, we will continue publishing articles and information on the virus, along with resources and ideas on staying safe and healthy until the pandemic subsides.
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