CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — As the cases of COVID-19 rise in the Coastal Bend, and across the state of Texas, local health professionals from the Driscoll Health System held a virtual meeting on common concerns.
In this meeting, Driscoll Health System Chief Operating Officer Dr. Mary Dale Peterson, and Driscoll Children's Hospital's Director of Infectious Diseases Dr. Jaime Fergie took turns answering questions.
The first few questions that arose were about safety precautions with this new spike. Fergie said that we need to get back to the basics.
"The face masks are clearly critical at this point, for us to remain open, and I think that's what we all want -- is to remain open," he said. "So we need to do the physical distancing, the masks, the (alcohol-based) hand sanitation."
While talking about social distancing, Peterson said we should go back to limiting the people we choose to be around.
"Maybe now is the time to make those groups, much, much smaller so that we can still maintain some socialization, but doing it in a much safer way."
Peterson answered hospital concerns, saying there are more than 90 beds available, and that it is not limited on resources.
One question asked was about local school activities and sporting events: Fergie said keeping up with conditioning is not a concern, but engaging with physical interactions is not encouraged.
"Doing cross country, or running, that's an ideal situation," he said. "Just use distant from the other people. Fresh air, that is going to decrease the transmission of any viruses."
Fergie also said getting to the doctor before you are severely sick is best. If you have COVID-like symptoms or shortness of breath, then speak with your doctor.
He said that COVID-19 is a virus health professionals constantly are learning about every day. Peterson and Fergie believe the best way to stay clear of the virus and flatten the curve, is continue social distancing, sanitizing and wearing masks around others.