Thread by @JSODonoghue

Today, I had an extended interview with St. Louis County Executive @DrSamPage about the region's response to the #coronavirus. You can listen to it on the Politically Speaking podcast feed through your iPhone/Android...OR by going to this link. news.stlpublicradio.org/post/political…

In the interview, @DrSamPage started off saying one of the biggest challenges in containing the #coronavirus is the lack of widespread testing.

"The news of the day really is we don't have enough testing. ...It completely changes how we approach this public health emergency."

.@DrSamPage says there is a "reasonable chance" that his "stay-at-home" order for St. Louis County might extend beyond it's April 22nd deadline.

Page said the high point for #coronavirus cases in the St. Louis area is likely to be in late April, though it's hard to predict.

In the interview, @DrSamPage said that there are plans in place to possibly use local college dorms and hotels in the St. Louis area for #coronavirus patients if hospitals run out of beds/capacity.

Per @DrSamPage....College dorms might be used for patients who get pass the acute phase of #coronavirus and no longer require hospitalization, but still need to be monitored. County also has contracts with hotels to house first responders and homeless if needed.

.@DrSamPage said he's not considering putting in more restrictions than "stay at home" at this time. "The voluntary compliance with this is extraordinary."

In response to a specific question I asked on behalf of @jrosenbaum....Page says NO....he's not shutting down parks.

What do you think about the feds response to this crisis?

@DrSamPage (who is a medical doctor by the way): We need better access to testing and personal protective equipment...We really need access to testing.

Interesting side note.... @DrSamPage says he thinks the state "reserve" of personal protective equipment has been opened...and that some of those materials are being used to protect County EMS. But the county has to provide PPE to law enforcement officers by itself.

The county ended up paying more for the law enforcement personal protective equipment (PPE) because it had to buy it on the open market. @DrSamPage says PPE costs three to eight times what it did a few weeks ago. He will be talking to @Eric_Schmitt about price-gouging.

On Missouri and @GovParsonMO's response to #coronavirus, @DrSamPage says he wants to see a statewide "staty-at-home" order put in place (similar to what exists in St. Louis city and county). Parson has refused to do that so far.

Page says that St. Louis' hospitals serve a very large region - SE Missouri, NE Missouri and Southern Illinois. The hospitals will have to treat #coronavirus patients that live in counties without "stay at home" orders, which will tax the health care system.

.@DrSamPage says rural hospitals will not be able to handle #coronavirus patients in Missouri's rural communities. That means they will rely on St. Louis (and presumably Kansas City) hospitals. Those hospitals will fare better if a statewide "stay at home" order took effect.

.@DrSamPage says local "stay at home" orders in the St. Louis region may have different wording, but they are "95% similar" in terms of their impact. He says liberals and conservatives are working together.

"What we are doing is extraordinarily similar."

And FWIW...@DrSamPage is a medical doctor, but he says he's unlikely to be treating people with #coronavirus. "I certainly can help in that regard, but I imagine I am needed here to keep the county going in the right direction more than I am needed as a health care provider."

.@DrSamPage says that #MedicaidExpansion could have kept some rural hospitals that closed in Missouri open (in his opinion.) If those facilities were open, it could help with #coronavirus response. As it is, there will be more pressure on urban/suburban hospitals in MO.

In any case, you can listen to the full interview with @DrSamPage on the #coronavirus here: news.stlpublicradio.org/post/political…