Arlington County Government, VA COVID-19, 1 Jul 2020

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From YouTube: Town Hall: Arlington’s COVID-19 Response

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For the latest information about Arlington's COVID-19 response, visit https://www.arlingtonva.us/covid-19/

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Hi everyone welcome to our Town Hall. The board is in session. I am Libby Garvey chair of the Arlington County Board I want to welcome everyone to what I hope and we all hope will be a series of virtual town halls that will help you get the information you need, as we all cope with this coded 19 pandemic. I think we've all heard the projections and watched communities around the world and in the country struggle to provide medical care to those who've been sickened by the corona virus.

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Today, we here in Arlington are all now largely confined to our homes. Our daily lives have been drastically disrupted people. We love, we've gotten sick or knows someone who's gotten sick. We've lost lives here in Arlington and we will lose more today. We want to talk about what we're doing and about how you can help. So we can all work together to slow the spread of this terrible virus in our community and save lives. With me today are my colleagues on the county board: Christian Dorsey Katie crystal and Matt Dee Franti vice chair, Eric guts.

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All is dear dealing with a serious health issue and cannot be with us today. We also have our county manager mark Schwartz and our deputy county manager Jim Schwartz. They are here to help provide the latest information and answer any questions and receive comments that you may have. They are among the many Arlington employees on the frontlines. Fighting this epidemic and I want everyone to know that they've been working hard since January when we saw this pandemic coming so our plan today, I think you can put up the first slide.

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Our plan today is for each of us to talk for a few minutes about one part of what your county government is doing and about what we need for you to do to fight this virus. So we can get our lives in our community back to something close to normal as quickly as possible. You can submit your questions and comments at any time. Next slide.

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It may be there at any time and we will be gathering those comments and, when appropriate, we're going to group them together with other similar questions, we'll answer as many questions as we can and once we're finished with our brief presentations. If your question requires a personal follow-up, please let us know how to reach you. You could submit your questions by facebook chat box or you can text them. Two.

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Five, seven one: three: five: six: nine, two, six seven now I'll turn it over to Christian Dorsey, who will be followed by Katie Krystal, then Matt defer ante and then I will return to conclude the presentation part of our program and we'll take questions. Christian.

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So at the moment to staff this is Libby. I cannot hear Christian.

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Thank you, madam chair I. Apologize for the delay. I was on you. Can you hear me now? I can.

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Very clearly, thank you, Christian. Take it away hello.

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I'm board member Christian Dorsey and the County Board understands that in this unprecedented medical and economic emergency it is vital for County government to continue to provide essential services and so much more since our declaration on March 13th Arlington has been in an emergency footing to manage the COBIT 19 crisis. Essential services continue with modifications to keep our workforce safe, critical safety net programs continue and have been enhanced to meet the human needs that have arisen.

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Non-Essential services and programs have been curtailed or modified, and our public facilities are largely closed and while we continue to keep maintaining our infrastructure testing the water, repairing the pipes, policing our streets and providing other services to our community, our focus has been on a coordinated response to the pandemic and involves working with Arlington Public Schools, Virginia, Hospital, Center, neighboring jurisdictions, the region, the state and federal government.

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The pandemic response is federally supported, state directed and locally executed, because without a vaccine or effective therapies, it will take each and every one of us to slow the spread of this socially transmittable disease. Thus, an essential part of our emergency operations is keeping our community informed and engaging with you to understand your needs.

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Now you should understand we can move to the next slide that we are in the acceleration phase of the coded 19 pandemic, how long it will last and how severe will be our unknown at this time, but we should all expect to measure it in months, not weeks, and while it remains true most who contract kovat 19 will experience mild symptoms without controlling community spread, the number that require hospitalization and who gets seriously sick will far exceed existing hospital capacity.

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Additionally, the state's medical infrastructure is already strained, so we have been working regionally to increase capacity at our hospitals. They are prepared to scale up by adding beds and we have a regional plan to provide even more beds if necessary and due to local foresight. We have no current shortages or PPE and at the moment there are no shortages of necessary medical equipment. There is cause for concern if we experience a significant surge and, of course, in any search scenario.

B

The key issue that we have not yet solved for is the available is the availability of trained medical personnel, and that is why flattening the curve, the graphic that has now become ubiquitous is so important. If we don't experience the surge in cases that overwhelms the system, then we can reduce the number of deaths not only from kovat, but also from other illnesses, while preserving staffing levels to meet medical needs for the duration of this pandemic.

C

Good afternoon everyone I'm board member Katie crystal. We know that the measures that are needed to prevent the worst health consequences- the Christian just alluded to in our community- are exacting an incredible toll on everyone, and that is especially true for those who have lost their income or access to services that are usually provided by closed facilities. So we are focused on supporting our community members in meeting their basic needs, food and shelter and working where we can to help minimize financial stress to address the immediate need of low income.

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Families for food Arlington has provided an additional $100,000 to a FAQ, the Arlington food assistance center to bolster their operations and allow them to get two families who need it. Irrespective of referral, the state has also increased snap food subsidy payments to households to the maximum allowed for their size for the months of March and April, and we are particularly attuned to a couple of groups at high risk for hunger or nutrition deficiency.

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Children and seniors, so ApS has been providing students with breakfasts and lunches daily, and today they will provide families with a week's worth of meals. To get them through the upcoming spring break next week. In addition, the county is delivering meals to participants from the parks and recreation congregate meal program for seniors, while community centers are closed and meals on wheels is still available to participants regarding financial support. The Department of Human Services is working with the county's nonprofit partners to provide cash assistance to low-income families who cannot make meet basic needs.

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We are expanding support to those households affected by the Cova 19 outbreak. We have also appealed to landlords and property owners to show the maximum flexibility to those who had their ability to pay rent impacted the fight by the pandemic. We thanked those property owners and landlords who have stepped up to do so. We are also glad to share to the governor and the state courts, and our local courts have temporarily stayed any eviction proceedings through the end of April and our treasurer has suspended penalties and interest on business taxes that are paid late.

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Our economic development team is connecting local small businesses to resources that can help them. We also know that there are other consequences from the stay at home order, especially for mental and behavioral health being largely confined indoors. Sometimes, in close quarters can be incredibly stressful and it can compromise your emotional and physical well-being. A recent poll by the Kaiser Foundation connected just last week and publish yesterday found that 45% of adults in this country say the pandemic has affected their mental health.

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19% of said that it has had a major impact, as the Washington Post said, when they were reporting on the survey. His poll makes one thing clear: if you are scared or anxious or depressed or struggling to sleep through the night or just on edge, you are not alone and that's what we want to communicate to you too. You are not alone, and there are resources to help.

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We have Cova 19 mental wellness, information on our website and we'd, encourage you to check the CDC's daily life and coping webpage on their coronavirus website, while the county has closed parks, playgrounds and fields in order to discourage gatherings, and because we cannot keep the equipment properly, sanitized our 49 miles of trails are open. We encourage you to use them to walk jog or bike, but please do so safely, keeping at least a six-foot different distance from others.

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We know that this kind of exercise strengthens our immune systems and can give you a welcome break from the stress and, if you or anyone you know, needs help. Please consult these resources listed here for assistance on everything, from domestic violence to other mental and behavioral health needs.

D

Good afternoon, everyone I'm board member Maddie Franti, we expected over time. More needs will emerge and county government will be prepared to meet those needs as best we can it. The most important role in our successfully responding to this pandemic is yours. We need everyone to stay home as much as possible. This is absolutely vital. We know how difficult it is, but our only defense is against this virus.

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Our effective social, distancing and personal hygiene curve governor north can order executive order 53 to stay home, legitimate reasons to leave your home include, seeking medical attention, work care for family or household members or obtaining goods and services like groceries and prescriptions visit. The governor's website at Virginia gov, backslash, coronavirus, backslash for more information and to read the details of executive order 53.

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If you must go out, we need you to avoid social gatherings of more than 10 people and, at all times maintain that's at least that six feet of separation from others be mindful of compromising those with serious health risks. Even if you are young or otherwise healthy. You can get sick yourself and your actions can increase the risk for others. We know that this virus is transmitted even when you have no symptoms.

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So, in addition to washing your hands frequently, you need to clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces like your phone, even though we are all largely confined to our homes. There are still ways that you can help others, so social distancing does not have to mean social isolation if you're in a lower risk group reach out to your higher risk, neighbors in need ask how you can help, maybe by picking up prescriptions, groceries or offering other assistance.

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You can also check your neighborhood buildings, Civic Association communications tools, next door, Facebook or other tools that can help you keep in touch while being physically separate. If you had the resources and only if you have the resources we'd ask that you think I'd ask that you think about donating to Arlington's many safety net nonprofits, which are under tremendous pressure right now to provide food, shelter and housing, medical care and emergency financial support to so many volunteer. Arlington is maintaining a list of what those organizations need their website.

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The county's website or public website are available to help you help. Others.

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Thank you, Matt. Thank you for all our call. All our colleagues I think I speak for all of my colleagues when I say that we realize the toll this virus has already taken on everyone. The losses that we are all experiencing.

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We know the toll. It's taking on families with children is struggling to do distance learning and come up with creative ways to fill free time when you're largely confined to your homes. We know how isolated and vulnerable some of our seniors are feeling and how frightened our residents are who are in UHN compromised. We know that some people of missed family weddings and seen graduations canceled, and we know that many are experiencing far worse than inconveniences and disruptions to daily routines.

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Many people have lost jobs and are now wondering how they will support their families, pay their rent, make their mortgage payment put food on the table. Many people have seen their businesses shuttered and have been forced to lay off employees. Some have been sickened by this virus or have seen loved ones sickened.

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Tragically, we've already lost members of our community to cope at 19, as Matt noted. So many people in our community are putting themselves in harm's way to help others we're grateful to them all these communities. These people excuse me our community heroes and they deserve our appreciation and need our support. At last count, the number of active cases in our region exceeded 2,500. Those cases will continue to climb, as will the number who died.

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We know how hard it is to not know when this emergency will be over, but everything we are asking of you staying at home if possible, find in your trips. So you minimize going out practicing social, distancing and being rigorous about hygiene washing your hands. All of this is absolutely necessary for us to get through this storm so that we as a community can come out stronger on the other side. This is a good time for everyone to make themselves a kovat, 19 plan.

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Think about two people you could call on for help. If you get sick, you need to start planning now, because we really are just at the beginning of this. Now my colleagues and I and our staff here are happy to take your questions. Our clerk, Kendra Jacobs, is collating them and will read the questions, and then we will try to move through them and answer as many as well as we can miss Jacobs. Would you like to read the first question? Please.

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Yes, thank you very much chair Garvey. We have some great questions coming in our first one has to do with the election process. Will the primary election on June 9th proceeded in Arlington so.

A

I think I could answer that. One I don't know we think so we hope so and how it will proceed proceed. We don't know I've been in touch with the Registrar everyone's trying to figure this out in the state. Therefore, there are places having actually more important elections for the positions themselves in May and even for them, it's not clear exactly what's going to happen, so this is one of those issues where we have to stay tuned.

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It's important we're all committed to our democracy, we'll make sure I think that it goes forward in some way, but I think people should be prepared, probably to be doing absentee ballots. I hope that helps is do any of my colleagues have something they want to add.

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Ok, miss Jacobs next question: please: okay,.

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Our next question in our assistant, county manager, James Schwartz, we'll- might want to weigh in on this, but the next question is what sites in Arlington will be used as overflow bed space. Thank.

A

You, yes, I, think, Jim or or mark. That's that's for you.

F

So this is Jim. The the choice of alternative care sites is actually made at the state level. The governor has already announced a site for the Northern Virginia area. That is not in Arlington. The details of that are still being worked out. It is likely to be a large site with what is known as arena style care.

F

The people in the in the public and the community may have seen pictures of this kind of thing where lots of beds are arranged in a wide open space. The challenge for all of the surge activities is providing the staff necessary to care for those that go to those facilities. Our hospitals, both here in Arlington and in the region, are planning for surge capabilities on their own campuses within their own facilities and have extended their capabilities to quite a large degree.

F

As far as the alternative care sites are concerned, we're monitoring the decisions by the state, the plans to stand those up. We are also looking at the possibility of using smaller facilities, perhaps here in Arlington, but have not made any decisions as yet.

A

Thank you next question. Okay,.

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What has been done in the county to protect the incarcerated population, especially those with medical conditions? Thank.

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You for that question mark I, think I'm.

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Gonna, actually let Jim do that, because he's been in conversations with sheriff Arthur. Thank.

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So, as you might expect, in a facility like the county jail, the sheriff has long had plans to deal with illness within the jail. Although kovat obviously is a novel kind of circumstance. Illness in the jail is a fairly regular occurrence, and so they are constantly taking precautions to separate those that are sick and may be in a position to transmit whatever the illness is. The sheriff has medical staff in the jail that are able to support their efforts.

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They have also been issued personal protective equipment to to be able to safeguard those that may become ill in the jail and to protect the staff. That is there in addition to that, many and the community may have heard that Virginia Hospital Center a few weeks ago stood up a collection site for testing and the some of the materials some of the equipment necessary to do that.

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Testing was given to the sheriff so that her medical staff can actually do that testing for symptomatic people that are in the jail so that we can stay ahead of any potential for transmission there. As of yet, there have been no cases identified within the jail. Thank.

A

You Jim next question. Please.

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Okay, our next question is how will Arlington enforce gatherings of ten or more people? I know that that is a very popular question right now,.

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Mark is that one for you.

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Let me let me start there and I think that I spoke to this when we had our last public meeting on the on this subject: the enforcement resources we have in the county related to what go on in our parks are.

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We have Park, Rangers and park monitors who are been working diligently to talk to people who are gathering and groups and not staying six feet apart from each other, giving them verbal warnings to stay apart and for the most part, especially over the last few days, we have found that people are being respectful when they're told that and following through on that on occasion, we have some recalcitrant individuals requires perhaps a stronger voice from our Park Rangers and then in the what I consider to be an unfortunate set of circumstances.

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If we have to call the police we will, but our police have much more important things to do and their concern themselves with making sure their ranks remain full and that they're not put in a situation where they're unnecessarily exposed. So that is essentially our goal is not to punish people but to have people practice. Good social behavior and, as I've said before, it's good to be outside and that's an opportunity for you to remind your neighbors to practice good social distancing. Thank.

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You Mark next question. Yes,.

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Thank you so, along the same lines of exercise and being outside, we have a question in DC members of the same household they play tennis together. Why can't arlington reopen the tennis courts.

A

Mark I think that might be for you again basically well.

G

And I I know that mr. Dorsey asked a very similar question to that last week, and you know if you're, applying the principle of staying six feet apart. There is on its face really nothing particularly horrible about standing on a tennis court. Forty feet apart and hitting a ball.

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The problem becomes in trying to make a carve out an exception and open up some of the park facilities. I realize this is a situation where we're perhaps painting with a broad brush, but we are left with limited resources, I wish. If we could have that sort of fine-tuned kind of enforcement, we would be able to do it, and the other thing I would add- and I've said this before- is that we will be revisiting these issues on a weekly basis and as of now, we just really it's unfortunate.

G

We would encourage people to stay away from the courts and instead stay in the open spaces excreted apart from each other. Thank.

A

You do any of my colleagues want to comment on this general issue of the parks and enforcement.

C

Libby I will say a word which is I'm noticing a lot of comments in the chat about exactly this, as you were describing the general issue should I be concerned. If the neighborhood kids are playing basketball and a shared hoop, why are these elements the park open?

C

Why aren't these and I think that the really important thing is to just encourage everyone to return to first principles here, which is we know that if we can stay six feet apart and avoid transmission of kovat, 19 or scuse me of the corona virus that causes Cova 19 through respirator droplets, then we are gonna, have our best ability to slow the curve and slow the growth of this disease in our community, and it really does come back down to that basic principle.

C

The community or the county will try to continue to give guidance, make closures informed by that principle, but, as you are making decisions about your family, your neighbors, your life, that is the one to come back to, can an activity be done safely, six feet away from other people. Thank.

A

You and as the manager said right now, we have sort of limited tools and we will keep revisiting things, but we need to do the best we can as quickly as we can, which is what we're doing next question. Please: okay,.

E

Some of the models predict a peak in mid-may for the DMV region. This is from the University of Washington model that they're referencing. Is this consistent with your expectations for each.

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F

Thank you, madam chair. So there is work being done on modeling for this particular virus and in fact we are the state that the Virginia Department of Health is doing modeling with the University of Virginia, which is really where we're getting more data from the the thing about the models that I think people should perhaps focus on was something that dr. Anthony Fauci said just a couple of days ago, and that is that the models have just enormous variability.

F

There are so many things to be considered, especially at this fairly urgent early stage in the evolution of the virus, and so the models are not telling us a lot as yet. They may tell us more as time goes on, but we are working with both Commonwealth of Virginia on modeling that they have commissioned through the state universities, and we are also looking at some data that is going to be applied to the National Capital Region as a whole to the metropolitan area that includes Arlington.

F

It may give us some indications of where things are going, but nothing definitive. At this point. Thank.

A

You Jim, you can correct me if I'm wrong the first thing about the model and how it works. It depends on how well we do right here with social distancing and staying at home and avoiding the spread so that that's how we, if we can affect our own model by our own actions, is that correct? That's absolutely.

F

True, madam chair, the the heart of all of this is regardless of what the models are showing. It is our own personal behaviors that are going to stem the evolution of this virus. Thank.

A

You and then the other issue, I'd like to point out, is once we get. If we manage to flatten the curve that doesn't mean that we're done right, it will take quite a while staying at a sort of steady level. I believe, could you talk a little bit about that people? I know we can't say how long this will go on, but I know a lot of people are wondering about that. Could you comment yeah.

F

You're, absolutely right again, the the purpose of flattening the curve is all to reduce the demand on the healthcare system. What we seen in some of the places in Europe, where the amount of people needing hospitalization needing critical care just exceeds the capacity of the healthcare system and the idea of flattening the curve is to reduce the day-to-day impact on the healthcare system, so that so that it doesn't become overwhelmed so that there are enough ventilators for those that need them.

F

There is enough staff to provide that critical care, but the cost of doing that is that we will be in this for a longer period of time. Now that means that more people will survive so there, so there's a benefit to this, but it means that the the kinds of practices that we've been in for the last several weeks, around social distancing and not gathering in groups of more than ten people, those those things are going to continue for longer than they might.

F

If we had the effective crash of the healthcare system, we would be over it more quickly, but we would certainly lose more Arlington Ian's. We would lose more Americans and we would simply would not be able to keep up with the demand in the healthcare system. Thank.

A

You next question: please.

E

Okay, so just sort of jumping back over to the issue of hospital beds. The question is: are there alternative spaces that are being refurbished now, such as hotels, other available properties to prepare for a likely surge in hospital overflow.

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F

So again, the governor is in a position of choosing the alternative care sites. We are looking at some potential contingencies here in Arlington, such as the questioner points to the use of empty hotels that is under consideration for us, but I have to really underscore here that the alternative care centers wherever they end up being located, the the the big unknown at this point is where the equipment and the staffing for such centers is going to come from. The hospitals who would normally provide this are concentrating on providing the surge capabilities at their own facilities.

F

They've done a very good job and crew of increasing the capacities. The potential capacities should we hit those surge marks, but that means that their staff and equipment is focused they're on their campuses and will be unavailable for the alternative care sites that are still being planned for. Thank.

A

You, in other words, I, think we focus on beds a lot because we read about that, but it really is. The beds are maybe the easiest part of that that equation, it's the staff and the and the equipment. Thank you next question. Please.

E

Okay, Derek from Walker Chapel United, Methodist Church asks. Is there any? Is there anything? In particular, faith communities can do to help our neighbors through this. That's a great question: Derek. It's.

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E

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Would you like to take that one.

B

Thank you, madam chair, so Derek. Thank you for that question and you know so. Many of our faith communities are devoted to active ministries and, during this era of social distancing and staying at home, it's very difficult for for church members to effectuate those those very worthwhile efforts in the community.

B

What I would suggest is that you form a volunteer network within your church, where you assess the capability of people to provide either neighbor-to-neighbor care or who have other skills which might be useful should we need to, for example, expand the number of medically trained personnel who are deployed to this effort, people who are able to devote time and use of their vehicles to transport goods to people who need them, namely food.

B

If churches can be the place that organizes its members so that we know the capacity we can then I'll link you to the broader arlington volunteer networks, so that as needed and if needed, you can actively play a part in meeting the community need. Thank.

A

You very much I'd like to put in another another suggestion which I talked to earlier about everyone needing a Cova 19 plan. If church communities could work to ensure that every member their congregation has such a plan and knows what they will do if they get sick and has at least two people that they can call on, I think that would be really helpful and make what the work we're doing. You know stronger and I really appreciate the question and that thought denne. My colleagues want to add add anything to this either Matt or Katie.

D

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On this, that's why thank you next question. Please, okay,.

E

So this is a topic that you all have been talking about a lot lately in your conversations around the community. Why is social distancing and hand-washing so important, Oh excellent.

A

Question Matt: do you want to take that one start sure.

D

I think there have been a couple of questions that have touched on how concerned people are about. When might be the peak at this time. We really the tools that we have to prevent the spread of this virus and save lives are really those are the key tools. We know that koba 19 is can be passed even before you show symptoms, so the spread can come through being in proximity, and you pick it up from other people as they as you pass them in the grocery store or you.

D

You could be anywhere and pick it up so keeping outside that six foot distance is really the way to stop this spread and stop the growth of this disease, which already is such a challenge. So that's that's on the six-foot spread and and social distancing and staying home as a way of ensuring that and really protecting yourself. Thank.

A

You, my colleagues, want to add anything. Katie Christian.

B

Mrs. Christian just to speak to the hand-washing piece, even though it seems like a very old-school technology, there's nothing that has been developed that replaces the ability to rid germs from the skin, then rigorous hand-washing for at least 20 seconds with soap. It's even better than hand sanitizer hand.

B

Sanitizer will do in a pinch, but the soap and water, rigorous hand-washing removes removes the germs the virus from your skin, and, as you go through your daily life, you realize how often your hands actually end up touching your face, even when you don't intend to, and by constantly tending to that hand washing you reduce the transmission risk of things that you may touch, then coming into your own respiratory system, causing you to contract the virus. Thank.

A

You I think this is a really really important message and question and point so I'm going to invite Jim Schwartz to actually, if you would like to talk a little bit more about how this virus actually works and spreads, I think that might help people understand a little bit.

F

Well so, madam chair I, don't have an MD after my name nor an mph, but I think that what both mr. D Franti and mr. Dorsey talked about bears reinforcing that this is a virus that is transmitted by respiratory droplet when we sneeze or when things come out of our mouths inadvertently, if they land on other people or other surfaces, and we touch those if it happens to contain the virus. Then that is the means of transmission.

F

Viruses are living things and they have figured out how to maintain themselves in transmission, and obviously one of the the things that is a benefit to them is that they are unseen, and so the social distancing is what it is believed that the six-feet is essentially the distance that a droplet can travel before dropping to the ground. And then the idea of washing hands is, as mr.

F

Dorsey emphasized, how we keep from transmitting things to our nose, our mouth, our eyes, which is the entry point for the virus for us and the continued transmission in the community. Thank.

A

You very much and then I will just add that I noticed we haven't had winter this year, but if you think back to when it's really cold and you're outside with friends and everybody's breathing and everybody's breath, shows in the air in the vapor or you walk by somebody, who's smoking and the smoke cloud is pretty big and widespread I think that's just an indication of why we need to be six feet apart in the good weather like this. We don't see it but think about in the winter, with vapor.

A

When people are reading, you can see how much you can see that and the same thing with smoke. So the six speed is really important. All right ready for the next question, I think all.

E

Righty, our next question is: what does the governor's new stay-at-home order mean for Arlington ian's all.

A

Right Katie, would you like to take that one sure.

C

Madam chair I'd be happy to do that so, as you all have been following, the governor issued a statement earlier this week with the expectation that all Virginians will now stay at home, except for essential personnel and except for essential reasons.

C

We have been working very hard to get that message out and I think actually it has been noted or by MOU Starling Toni ins right now, I think we've already talked on the piece about enforcement and what that means in our community the priority that we have, that our police and our Park, Rangers or roamers have to trying to disperse any gathering of ten or more people has been a priority, and so we are continuing to follow that consistent with what we have heard from the governor again.

C

I think you know most Harlan, Toni ins are pretty familiar with this at this point, but basically the the implications of that order is that we are asking for people. Rather, the governor is asking for people to stay home with exceptions for buying food, caring for a family member, seeking medical attention going to work for an essential, essential business.

C

The governor does allow for individual exercise compliant with social distancing guidelines, which is what we've talked a little bit about with our parks now so and I think in some ate some ways that order really formalizes a lot of the conversation we've been having thus far on the Town Hall. Thank.

A

You next question: please.

E

Okay, so how is Arlington coordinating with other local jurisdictions, DC Fairfax Maryland.

A

I I'm doing a lot of coordinating here on the regional level in Virginia, but when it comes to the other I think maybe Christian as I represented on the cog board. Perhaps you could take that and then I'd like to ask mark Schwartz to talk a little bit about what he's doing with his colleagues Christian yeah.

B

I'll start I think we probably all could add a little bit do this. You know when it comes to regional coordination, one it's it's it's recognizing! That Arlington is mr. Schwartz Jim Schwartz said earlier is within the National Capital Region and it's an area. We're working in concert is really essential since there's already existing great mobility among people within all of these jurisdictions. People who live in Arlington work in Bethesda and vice versa, so ensuring that all three broad jurisdiction and the cities and counties within are coordinated with the same message is really essential.

B

So the Council of Governments has gotten the local jurisdictional governments to issue a joint statement which essentially reflects the stay at home guidance that we have been providing and encouraging, urging requiring our community to rigorously adhere to social distancing. That's point number one point number two is really trying to figure out how regionally we can respond to the issue of capacity having available medical personnel to deal with surges and continuing the cooperation. That's present when it comes to mutual aid for Public Safety, that's been a part of the National Capital Region for a while. Thank.

A

You- and this is a big issue and I- think I'm gonna ask actually everyone to comment. I know: Katie you've worked particularly on transportation. Would you like to talk a little bit about what you're doing sure.

C

And I think you know a lot of the questions that we've been handling. We're talking about so far have been about crisis response, which is obviously at the top of mind for everyone, including the region as well as local government, but as the social distancing orders continue. A lot of our conversations have been about how to maintain our systems for the long haul in a dramatically altered daily state and I.

C

Think that's been especially true for transportation, with wa mata, as well as with other transit networks like the Virginia Railway Express, of which Arlington is a part. We've been in as close a coordination as possible, trying to be aware of and help disseminate information about closures, as some in our community, for example, have seen. Metro made the decision to close a couple of stations in Arlington, as well as otherwise through the system on the basis of the the inability to keep the full stations clean and sanitized.

C

We've been in close touch, for example, with Metro bus operators about the safety precautions that the system can take for them, including percussions.

C

That you'll now see on Metro bus, as well as art buses, which are rear boarding to allow distance from the bus drivers themselves and again, we do continue to really encourage everyone in the same way, we're trying to ask you to protect our medical, professional and first responders by staying home, we're asking you to protect our transit operators and drivers as well by not writing transit unless it is for an absolutely essential reason. Thank you. Matt.

A

Would you like to talk out address this question a little bit sure.

D

Just briefly, there is the Northern Virginia Regional Commission provides a daily update for our situational awareness that helps inform I, know the work that we're doing just to understand what other local jurisdictions are doing on a day by day basis and I think that's been a significant resource. They've also provided some data analysis. That's been helpful, so those are pieces that are important and I know. We've already touched on the hospital to regional hospital approach, so I think there's a lot of different ways: we're working regionally.

A

Absolutely thank you and then the Northern Virginia, Regional Commission is also set up a call twice a week for the mayors and chairs and I get on that call, and we trade ideas, and you know what are people seeing? What are we worried about?

A

What do we need help with they've organized calls for us with the governor to try to let the governor know what it's like here on the ground and that's helpful and at from time to time my counterparts more than Northern Virginia, then across the river, but we just pick up the phone and call each other every now and then I think we're all doing that. It's really crucial. So I'd like to go to the the mr.

A

Schwartz mark and Jim to talk a little bit because I know both of you were doing very a lot of a lot of work to coordinated. It's absolutely crucial. Who would like to start I'll.

G

Take that madam chair, thank you so one point which we practice a lot, which is it's much easier in an emergency to collaborate with your colleagues. If you've built up those relationships beforehand towards the end of 2019, it turns out that cog, council governments have sponsored a tabletop exercise on a similar set of circumstances and I was able to sit there with our emergency manager and our public health official with all the other jurisdictions in the region and talk through some of the issues we're facing today. We have actually every morning there's a all.

G

The public health officers have a phone call with each other. I have been in constant communication with my colleagues who are administrative officers in Fairfax, Alexandria, Prince, William, waton, the district and also our Maryland colleagues, and, as has already been referenced in Northern, Virginia, Hospital Alliance, and then in Northern Virginia. We have something called the emergency response, a system that was set up after 9/11, and we have fortunately for us. That is where we've stockpiled a lot of resources that we are able to make access to, but I would just say.

G

I people should not be concerned that we're not consulting I'm suffering from a little bit of video meeting fatigue because we're doing a lot of consulting so have anything to add on that yeah.

A

Jim and I I think you've been working on emergency preparedness in the region since at least 9/11. Yes, well,.

F

Actually, madam chair I would say that much of the benefits that we are reaping today in this crisis go back as long as 40 years. They certainly played dividends on 9/11, but the relationships that mark was just talking about the caching of equipment and supplies that has been sitting. You know somewhat dormant, you might say, for a number of years, is now paying the dividends of those relationships, and those are something that lead like mark are constantly trying to reinforce to the next generation of people that come in.

F

You know to this arena or arrived from elsewhere in the country, because Northern, Virginia and I would say, the Metropolitan Washington area under the auspices of cog has some of the strongest regional relationships and interdependencies anywhere of anywhere in the country. Thank.

A

You Jim all right. Thank you all next question. Please. Okay,.

E

Our next question is how is the county reaching out with COBIT 19 information to our large immigrant communities, and they wanted to also make a point that this information needs to be provided in Spanish and other major languages.

A

And my colleagues want to comment otherwise I think I'll throw this to Jim to mark oh I'd,.

C

Be happy just to chime in to say absolutely. We agree that reaching out to not only Spanish speakers in our community but Amharic speakers, speakers of mongolian languages and others is really important. Our key public health messages are available and I believe six different languages. Our staff is posting a lot of the information on the website in Spanish as well. Although, with that information changing frankly hourly, it is hard to offer everything in the full array of languages spoken in the county, but I do think.

C

Perhaps the most important thing to note is that our public health line, seven, oh three, two to eight seven, nine, nine nine is available in Spanish as well as English, and so, if members of our community don't have access to the internet or are not finding enough information there in the Spanish language, they can talk to a person on espanol at that line, which I think is an important resource to make sure folks are aware of Thank.

A

B

Christian- and this is where community organizations have been critical in our work, we engaged with a number of organizations which serve non-english speaking communities and keeping them apprised of the latest. Information were thrilled that they're able to turn around providing language.

B

Specific information for communities have limited English proficiency and I want to encourage anyone who is in gay reached in a network where they, they are largely engaged with people who do have limited English proficiency to connect with us so the weekend we can ensure that we we give you what you need in order to provide the appropriate information to people who are not well served by the voluminous information that's available only in English at this time. Thank.

A

You and Matt I know: you've worked with our schools a lot on hunger issues with the student population. I don't need to comment a little bit well.

D

Certainly, the points made are important ones. It's been great to see the expansion of the this food sites to serve many of our immigrant communities, and so that's a key piece. I think the hashtag, together alone or alone together in Spanish, that's juntos solo and that's something that it's sort of captured the spirit of the partnerships. We've been working on the work with ApS and then beyond that the efforts to make sure that, in multiple languages, all the materials are available as quickly as possible. Thank.

A

G

I think all has been said so I will pass it on to somebody else or maybe for a new question.

A

Next question: please: okay,.

E

How are how's the county reaching out to help our neighbors with disabilities and their special needs? That's.

A

Another good question who would like to start with that Katie? Would you like to start with that? One.

A

Katie, if you're speaking you're on mute, I, think I know.

C

Can you hear me now? Rach I have a little bit of technological difficulty with the frozen screen. I think the most important thing to know is that our Human Services Division and branch that works on adult needs and and folks with disabilities and behavioral health needs has been in really close touch with their clientele. We don't have the Director of Human Services here with us, but I can tell you.

C

She joined Libby and I on an event hosted by aging matters on Monday to talk about the amount of outreach, that's happening with clients now to ensure that those needs are met, whether those might be transportation, food delivery or others. So there is a lot of active outreach. I. Think one of the things that has prepared Arlington County to take on this crisis is how active and healthy that Bureau of Aging and Disability Services already is to be able to know where the needs are in our community and reach out to meet them. Okay,.

A

Any of my colleagues want to comment more and then I will ask mark to talk a little because I know he's working. Our DHS Department is working very hard. Christian are mad. Anything you'd like to add.

B

Just say we do have organizations again community partnerships or what really makes it work for us to meet the needs of each and every one organizations such as Arlington neighborhood villages, which already existed prior to the COBIT pandemic, to connect people with disabilities and our senior community to folks who could essentially serve as that buddy that you, you recommend it miss Garvey.

B

That organization is recruiting volunteers and working to meet the needs who are connected through that network and I encourage people to look at volunteer Arlington for organizations that are serving the disabled community and to enlist to help. If you can provide assistance. Thank.

A

You mark, would you like to talk a little bit about what DHS is doing yeah.

G

And and I think that that part has been fairly well covered by both miss Krystal and mr. Dorsey, but I did want to elaborate a little bit further on a point that's been made, which is that we often get the question. You know what is the county doing to serve population a or population B and I just wanted this. So everybody understands this pretty. Clearly, the county government itself will not be able to succeed in this without partnerships with members of the community and I'm. Thinking, specifically, you know.

G

The Department of Human Services started out working with the Arlington food assistance center, and we we determined very quickly that there is nothing in place in our County and perhaps any many other jurisdictions where we could deliver food to people in homes.

G

Perhaps people who are disabled, who aren't able to make it out so we're in the process right now of working very closely as a partnership between the government and between some trusted people in the community to put together what is essentially a feeding network which has never existed before and we are gonna need the help from a lot of people and if people are interested in helping with that, you know. Mr. Dorsey already said they can reach out to volunteer Arlington and there'll, be a lot more information coming out. So that's just an example.

G

You know looking at Maslow's hierarchy of needs when it comes to food and shelter in basic health care. We can do a lot, but we can do a lot more if we get partners in the community. Thank.

A

You and I think I'll just add this really. Is it isn't about the government doing this on our own? It really needs to be a team effort with the community. A lot of people are stepping up. I also don't want people to be too complacent and that their vulnerable populations, and certainly there are populations that are more vulnerable vulnerable. But if you read about this disease and what's happening, everyone is vulnerable.

A

We all are and that's why again, I will urge everyone to start thinking now about what is your own personal, kovat 19 plan if you get sick? Thank you next question. Please, okay,.

E

Madam chair, so we have a lot of great questions coming through we're not going to be able to get to them all so that I will present this. As the last question it has to do with healthcare and healthcare professionals. I am a member of the Arlington Medical Reserve Corps. Is there any system in place to allow healthcare professionals help out in the community or to plan having them help out if the hospitals get over loaded? Thank.

A

You I believe so I believe that as a Jim Schwartz question.

F

So, madam chair, the the answer, the to that question is actually in in the question itself. The Medical Reserve Corps is a wonderful resource that we have here in Arlington, but so to do all of our regional partners have their their own Medical Reserve course. We are actively recruiting for more members of the Medical Reserve Corps when I mentioned earlier.

F

In the conversation, the need for staffing for alternate care centers, one of the ideas envisioned- is to try and capture, try and recruit as much of the outpatient healthcare community, that is, private doctors, nurses, physician's assistants, those kinds of folks that right now, given the circumstances with both the virus and the economy, most of those offices are not open, are not functioning, certainly at the same level that they were just a few weeks ago. So there is an effort underway to try and recruit more of those health care professionals through the Medical Reserve Corps.

F

We will I think we have information on our website about how people can contact Medical, Reserve Corps, but I will I will verify that, and if it's not there, we will put it in a highlighted place so that people can find it. We are going to need more health care professionals, as this virus continues to affect our community in our region and the more that are willing to step up and help the better, we'll all be. Thank.

A

You very much we have about four minutes left I'm, going to invite my colleagues if you need to like to have a final comment for about a minute which might work out. Christian I might start with you. If you have any final comments at the moment. Thank.

B

You madam chair I, would just like to thank everyone who participated today who asked questions, hopefully we'll find a way to get responses to other people whose questions were not answered either by providing materials on our website, sending them out in the newsletter or responding specifically as appropriate.

B

Beyond that, I want to reiterate what you said, madam chair, at the very beginning that we plan to do this regularly, so that we can keep in touch with our community so that you can understand what we're working or what we're planning for and the obstacles that we face, but also just to encourage people, as we engage in this for the long haul. To understand that.

B

Despite that, the fact that it's difficult it's absolutely necessary and we need to encourage each other motivate each other and support each other so that we can get through this and return to what we hope will be normal as soon as possible. Thank.

A

You Katie indeed,.

C

So allow me, madam sure, I wanted to just confirm one. One question I think it's really important that I don't know if it's been answered yet, which is folks who are uninsured right now, who are interested in where they can get care, or can they have access to tests I'm going to ask, or maybe our manager, mr. Schwartz, either mr. Schwartz, to speak to that issued our partnership with a free clinic and whether folks, who are uninsured, can get tested, if prescribed by a medical, professional. The.

G

Short answer is absolutely: nobody is going to go without a test or care in our community and I'll just leave it at that. We have worked out the mechanisms to make sure that the costs are covered, we're actually very close to standing up a telehealth link between Virginia, Hospital, Center and the free clinic in a matter of a few days.

G

We just signed the agreement on that, and even if people can't make it out to the clinic or the hospital, they need to get in contact with us and we will arrange to make sure they get the care they need. Thank.

C

G

C

And so in closing, I would just say I. You know we don't want insurance to be a barrier to anybody to seek medical attention or telehealth attention and similarly, we hope very much and are working hard to make sure that this crisis doesn't mean anyone in our community has to go without the money they need for rent the food they need or other access to critical resources.

C

I saw a lot of questions coming in later in the chat, and we just really encourage anyone who is concerned about those needs to see if they couldn't go back and watch. This chat from the beginning see the number of resources that are available or assistance line, our food assistance resources and those can also be found on Arlington Va. Us click on the banner for kovat 19. Thank you. Matt.

A

D

Thank you, madam chair I, just wanna there's a couple other questions we're there. In addition to those phone numbers that Koba 19 page has a ton of resources. One question was was with respect to trash pickup and another question was: is related to parks. Earlier the tennis court example came up and I would just encourage folks to understand both with respect to trash and all the services that are provided. Those individuals who are helping us are in some ways on the front lines of responding and the same with respect to our parks.

D

So there's both that individual. What we can each do to stay home and stay and wash our hands and keep social distancing, but then I just encourage us. We've seen so many residents doing such great things for us to be gentle and compassionate and aware that we're all going through this together and help each other out to the maximum extent. We can thank.

A

You nobody's ever been through something like this that's alive today and I also encourage everyone to stay tuned with the information we've got. This is our first town hall like this or you know making it up as we go. We would love feedback from people who've been on the call and on our Facebook live, and let us know how it's working for you.

A

Any suggestions about how we can make it better in the in the future would be great I I do plan on having us do we do plan to do another one so with that I hope everybody stays well and take care and we'll we'll see you all in this format again possibly next week. Thank you.