Thread by @BenWinslow

Rep. Daw has gaveled in the Health & Human Services Interim Committee and welcomed the public (virtually).

We are expecting @UtahDepOfHealth to appear to discuss #COVID19 response efforts. @fox13 #utpol #Utah

.@UtahDepOfHealth Director Dr. Joseph Miner begins by offering a timeline of #COVID19 response.

Here's the timeline up on the screen. @fox13 #utpol #Utah

.@DrAngelaCDunn now testifying before the committee.

She's going over the origins of #COVID19 in January to present, detailing the state's response.

"We had structure in place almost two months before first case in Utah," she says. @fox13 #utpol #Utah

.@DrAngelaCDunn says they set up contact tracing, quarantine/isolation protocols, vulnerable population working group.

Big events really worried them, including Sundance and Chinese New Year. Congregate living situations also focused on, she says. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Health care capacity/PPEs evaluated at the same time, @DrAngelaCDunn testifies.

"We also were focused on our testing capacity," she says.

Initially, CDC got all Utah tests. Then Utah Public Health Lab got ability to test, giving a 24-hour turnaround. #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Outreach efforts began late January warning of #COVID19.

March 6 was first case. @UUtah has been contracted with as of June 8 for tracing capacity expansion.

Testing capacity started increasing. PPE has always been issue. Mobile testing sites set up. @fox13 #utpol #Utah

coronavirus.utah.gov and materials on #COVID19 in multiple languages, @DrAngelaCDunn says.

Rich Saunders with @UtahDepOfHealth talking about Utah Leads Together Plan and health guidelines. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Health guidelines get reviewed every Friday based on feedback, Saunders testifies.

Recommendation then put forward to #utleg commission, then presented to @GovHerbert for approval or revisions. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

.@DrAngelaCDunn says halting non-essential procedures was really helpful to protecting health care capacity.

Dr. Miner says it preserved hospital beds, PPEs and other resources. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Dr. Miner says color-coded guidelines are separate from the rest of the reopening of the economy.

"Statewide, Utah is in the green category" in terms of hospital beds, PPEs, etc.

Elective procedures done again. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Intermountain Medical Center and @UofUHealth still "yellow" because of their capacity, etc., Dr. Miner says.

(Note: this is SEPARATE from the color-coded system y'all are familiar with.) @fox13 #utpol #Utah

Hospital data checked daily and determinations made on their own color-coded status.

In other words, hospital capacity is still good.

@DrAngelaCDunn says they have a "unified command" structure under @UtahDPS and the #utleg commission. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Maj. Gen. Jefferson Burton (acting director of @UtahDepOfHealth) praises the "unified command" structure and says they probably should have done it sooner in the pandemic.

@fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Gen. Burton says the #utleg's commission to re-open Utah has been a "good addition" in providing @GovHerbert with their perspective.

Now @DrAngelaCDunn pivots to being in the "acceleration phase" of the outbreak. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

We average 300 cases a day and @DrAngelaCDunn says contact tracing/testing remains important to helping control the pandemic.

78% of outbreaks tied to worksites. That'll increase as economy opens, she says.

Focus on under-resourced communities, she says. @fox13 #utpol #Utah

.@DrAngelaCDunn says they have a great collaboration with @SenatorLuz and @RepAngelaRomero to reach out to communities.

Amount of contacts has increased (as has investigation time). She says they need more resources for that. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Long-term care facilities need PPEs, ability to test staff/patients, etc.

They are also working on schools and coming up with a plan to re-open those.

@fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Cases will continue to rise. Flu season will add to that, @DrAngelaCDunn testifies. They need to protect health care capacity.

She says they must promote flu vaccine more this year. She's hoping/planning for #COVID19 vaccine in the late fall. @fox13 #utpol #Utah

.@DrAngelaCDunn says they need a comprehensive statewide public health infrastructure that's devoted to disease prevention.

She says this can protect physical health and economic health. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

"We appreciate your great work," Rep. Daw tells @DrAngelaCDunn.

Sen. Vickers says they've seen a spike in Washington/Iron counties (his district), but many rural areas haven't seen much at all. Some could go green. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

.@DrAngelaCDunn says data is sparse in rural areas and people naturally socially distance.

But they also look at surrounding areas, knowing the virus doesn't stop at the border.

Sen. Vickers says some area anxious to start going green. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

.@DrAngelaCDunn says local health officer makes recommendation to @UtahDepOfHealth and then it goes to @GovHerbert.

Hospitalization rates are increasing. 140 right now (and going up). We do have capacity, but ICUs seeing increases in urban areas. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

.@DrAngelaCDunn says they need to be cautious to make sure they have surge capacity in hospitalization.

Sen. Vickers says he's talked to @SWUHEALTH and they are worried about the fall and an uptick.

"It's going to happen, we need to manage it."

@fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

.@jenforutah says she has concern "we've just stopped talking about prevention as much and more about response."

"I see us trending away from that and it gives me a huge amount of concern."

@fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

"We know where COVID is spreading," @DrAngelaCDunn says.

So they're focusing on worksites and vulnerable populations.

They're highly focused on hotspots to "keep it in a campfire situation as opposed to a wildfire." @fox13 #Utpol #Utah #COVID19

Focusing on long-term facilities, group homes, is essential moving forward, @DrAngelaCDunn says.

"We have the data. We know where it is likely to spread," she says.

@fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

.@RepBrianKing says he's "very troubled" by looking at the cases and deaths increasing.

"We've talked for weeks, months, now about flattening the curve. I don't see any flattening," he says.

@fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

.@DrAngelaCDunn says she agrees with concerns about acceleration.

"We definitely need to turn that around before the fall otherwise we're going to see excess infections and preventable deaths," she says.

We have NOT flattened the curve, she says. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

.@DrAngelaCDunn says as things loosen up, cases will grow.

Nate Checketts, deputy director of @UtahDepOfHealth says they are looking to test asymptomatic people in specific groups. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Critical infrastructure testing will also be looked at, Checketts says.

@UtahDepOfHealth has opened RFPs for additional lab/collection capacity.

(Note: That's NOT emergency procurement!) @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

.@RepBrianKing says "there's a lot of positive talk about we're reopening and it's a wonderful thing" and he isn't so sure.

He acknowledges it's a tough balance, but asks if they believe we're properly balancing health vs. business? @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

.@DrAngelaCDunn says everyone is trying to figure out that balance (health/economics).

"We provide our best subject matter expertise from the public health department to state leadership," she says.

State leadership makes decisions. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Gen. Burton says @RepBrianKing's point is well taken, noting the graph of cases.

"Balancing economics, politics and health is a real challenge," he says.

Gen. Burton says they also see citizens "not wanting to participate" in social distancing. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Want things to open up? Gen. Burton says social distancing, face masks.

"We have got to get our public on board in participating with those two things," he says, suggesting that if things don't improve they may "back things off." @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Rep. Ray asks how things are classified as COVID deaths?

"When we count a COVID death, it's because #COVID19 caused the death," @DrAngelaCDunn says.

"Is that the same with the flu?" Rep. Ray asks.

Those are not reported to @UtahDepOfHealth. @fox13 #utpol #Utah

.@DrAngelaCDunn says it's a fallacy to compare flu to #COVID19.

Rep. Ray asks about TestUtah and 21 violations on federal violations?

Checketts says the RFP is now under @UtahDepOfHealth and out for bid, but they DID renew TestUtah. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

It is a SHORT TERM (up to 45 days) extension, Checketts says.

It's a bridge to get through the RFP process, Rep. Ray says.

Correct, Checketts replies. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Rep. Ray says "we've completely crashed our economy" and believes they should be GREEN, while protecting the vulnerable.

He says #COVID19 task force was DISBANDED yesterday. (?) @fox13 #utpol #Utah

Just got a text from @SpencerJCox's Office who tells me they have NOT disbanded the #COVID19 task force.

Meeting frequency has changed, but they have NOT disbanded, despite what Rep. Ray claimed.

@fox13 #utpol #Utah

Back in the meeting, Q on where Utah has failed in protecting vulnerable population in long-term care facilities?

"We've actually been doing an excellent job compared to national partners," @DrAngelaCDunn says.

Low mortalities, strike teams. Vigilance must increase, she says.

.@raywardutah asks about asymptomatic testing and antibodies?

@UofUHealth doing a study. Results due in the coming weeks, @DrAngelaCDunn says.

@fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

.@raywardutah asks what's the criteria to move to green?

Capacity to investigate every case of #COVID19 and test everybody who needs one, @DrAngelaCDunn says.

She also needs a drop in cases for 14 days. @fox13 #utpol #Utah

Community spread is another criteria and identifying specifically where they got it, @DrAngelaCDunn says.

Decreasing test positivity and community spread. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

.@SenatorLuz says there's a difference in high risk and vulnerable populations.

"This committee likes to talk a lot about numbers," she says. "This is about people."

She says #COVID19 is rough.

"I can say that personally." @fox13 #utpol #Utah

A reminder: @SenatorLuz is the only member of the #utleg to publicly disclose she contracted #COVID19.

She says Utah has been successful compared to other places "because we acted fast."

She says put infrastructure on those having the hardest time quarantining. @fox13 #utpol

.@DrAngelaCDunn says social determinants of health are highlighted in a pandemic.

Policies around workplace safety will be essential moving forward, she says.

"Our worksite outbreaks are huge," she says, also noting the majority are Hispanic. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Rep. Ray chimes up to clarify his comment on the #COVID19 task force. Future meetings canceled except for an "as needed" basis.

"In the passion of the moment, I kind of misspoke," he says.

@fox13 #utpol #Utah

Rep. Shipp says there's a huge uptick in mental health cases because of social distancing and there needs to be a balance with economy.

He asks at some point need to take individual accountability for what they do "understanding the risk." @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

.@DrAngelaCDunn says high risk individuals are being impacted by low risk individuals.

We have increasing community spread right now, she says.

"In order to best protect those at high risk, we have to decrease #COVID19... among everybody." @fox13 #utpol #Utah

.@SpendloveRobert asks what lessons learned at this point?

@DrAngelaCDunn says infrastructure/collaborations already in place helped. Alternative testing/mobile testing also good to help understand where spread is happening. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

More resources earlier, @DrAngelaCDunn says.

Time will tell how quickly they acted and lifting restrictions and impact on outbreak. Hindsight will be 20/20 in coming years. @fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19

Rep. Daw wraps up and praises @DrAngelaCDunn and @UtahDepOfHealth for their work in responding to #COVID19 pandemic.

"We appreciate your openness and transparency," he says. "You're doing a very good and tough job."

@fox13 #utpol #Utah

Rep. Ray says there's no manual and he does push back as a representative of the people on the task force, but he's glad health officials are doing the job they're doing.

@UtahDepOfHealth signs off.
@fox13 #utpol #Utah #COVID19