By Sherry Larson
People’s Defender
Everyone has a story, and since 2019, COVID has become a part of that story. No matter who you are or where you are from, the Coronavirus has impacted you somehow.
Dr. William Hablitzel cares about these stories. In his interview, it is evident that the Adams County Health Commissioner is much more than a medical practitioner interested in the pandemic. He’s a humanitarian who cares about people and how this virus has affected Adams County residents and people around the globe. We are in an age of in and out doctor visits and impersonal data collection taken behind an electronic tablet. But Hablitzel isn’t in a hurry; he engages and shares the importance of people’s stories and listening. This story is an update on COVID with a bonus. The message is that no matter the long-term effects of this virus, there is hope and the possibility for healing.
Hablitzel explained lessons from the 1918 Spanish influenza pandemic. The Spanish flu and research on other pandemics through the years have shown us three main effects. The first effect is infection and the response to it. The second is the economic effect; we’ve seen and felt the blow of businesses closing. The third is the effect on society, the discourse and anger, and the changes we are seeing. In 1919, the effects of the Spanish flu pandemic helped structure the Ohio Board of Public Health with the Griswold Act. The construction included local control, which Hablitzel believes to be invaluable. Hablitzel thinks we may see a change in the composition of the Board of Health in the future. It’s a part of the societal impact that goes with a pandemic. But the actual effects won’t be known for quite a while.
Hablitzel stated, “We can talk about updates on COVID. We have truly lived science with all of this, and that’s hurt us in many ways. Initially, we knew very little, so recommendations from the CDC were based on the early studies in China, however accurate they may have been.” He continued discussing the early recommendations of not wearing a mask which evolved to the need to wear a mask. The more the discovery, the more changes. Science is fluid. But in the internet age, nothing ever goes away even when the guidance changes. In altering recommendations, science loses credibility with some folks, and not everyone makes the necessary adjustments; some harbor anger and distrust. Social media stirs the pot creating a challenging platform filled with differing views, and those views aren’t always science-based.
Approximately 120 people in Adams County have died due to the coronavirus. In a small county, that number means most everyone knows someone who has passed or a family who has experienced profound illness from the infection. Hablitzel didn’t have the numbers of vaccinated versus unvaccinated deaths from Adams County. He said that most deaths at the state and county levels have been unvaccinated.
Hablitzel said that the COVID vaccines effectively reduce severe illness and death. He stated, “They’re working on new technology and new types of flu vaccine, a universal vaccine that we don’t have to change every year based on strain. You can still contract the flu after the flu vaccine. But, generally, if you do, the disease is usually less severe, much like we are seeing now with COVID. Some people will get the COVID vaccine and then contract COVID.” Vaccinations need to be a well-informed choice. Hablitzel explained that there is plenty of information folks can access to justify their decisions of whether they become vaccinated. He says, “We need to get our information from reputable sites.”
The CDC uses a reporting system to report any adverse effects experienced after getting a vaccine. The system is called VAERS (vaccine adverse event reporting system). The system is designed as a mechanism that vaccine providers and the general public can report if they’ve had a negative effect after a vaccine. Hablitzel explained, “So what it’s used for is to help surveillance the safety of vaccines. If you get a vaccine and two weeks later, you develop chest pain, you can report it.” However, the chest pain may not be due to the vaccine but another preexisting condition. There are millions of entries in this VAERS system on observations. They’re reporting an event, and there are government people whose job is to follow all this information. If these people see a pattern with hundreds of people having the same adverse effects, they can determine there might be something to it, and the government can establish a possible problem.
Hablitzel discussed Omicron, saying, “The infection here was so widespread, and it proliferated so quickly. And generally, Omicron is much more infectious than Delta. I’ve seen some statistics that say 150% more infectious, but that varies. We do know it’s more infectious than Delta and spread throughout the community at a very rapid pace, but tended to produce less severe disease.” Folks interpreted the less severe disease to mean they didn’t have to worry about getting a vaccine. Still, some had a grave illness. Adams County Regional Hospital had its highest number of COVID patients since the beginning of the pandemic around the first part of January 2022. Those with Omicron were higher than ever before. Omicron may have produced a less serious disease, but when ten times the number of people get it, that is still a lot of critical illness.
Omnicron now has a sub-variant called BA.2 because viruses mutate (change a little). The case numbers are not high here and are much higher in Europe. It doesn’t appear to produce more severe disease, but the transmission seems higher. Hablitzel said, “It could work in our favor. Much like Omnicron, you have a variant that is much more infectious, and it spreads through the community with a wider spread but less severe disease. More people get sick – more people get immunity.” He believes we will get to a point where Coronavirus is an endemic (disease regularly found among a particular people). We will live with it, much like the flu. But it is not an endemic if it continues to bombard hospital emergency rooms and people can’t transfer. Hablitzel added, “But we are getting closer. If there is one big message, we do know regardless of whether or not this is an endemic or we are still in a pandemic; there are some people that still get profoundly ill from this infection, much like influenza. And the best way to protect family members is the vaccine. We’ve had enough experience with the vaccine that it’s safe and it works at preventing severe illness and death.”
Many have heard the campaigns that encourage people to get the vaccine for themselves and the community. Hablitzel pointed out the burden that the local hospital experiences serving an astronomical number of COVID patients in the emergency room. Adams County is in rural Ohio, and the hospital is a critical access hospital with 25 beds and no intensive care unit. In the past, they used an effective system to transfer patients needing tertiary care to an equipped hospital with an ICU bed. Now, these hospitals cannot take those patients, and they end up boarding in the emergency room, where it is a challenge to perform adequate care for everyone. Hospitals have been profoundly affected, and that impacts the community at large.
Another way the virus has impacted the community has been in mental health. Remote learning for children hasn’t been ideal, and being at home lends for more screen time. Hablitzel talked about studies showing that some social media platforms increase mental health issues in youth. When asked about the mental health of medical professions, he stated, “I think everyone’s been stressed.” Adams County medical professionals were busy three years ago before COVID. Enter a pandemic, and focus changed. Medical staff is dealing with social complications of the virus too. People are angry and fearful. They often take out frustrations on health care providers and staff. Then there’s the economic impact with turnover, difficulty hiring nurses, and increasing salaries.
Hablitzel provided charts he receives daily from The Health Collaborative. It was evident that there has been a significant reduction in the number of Omnicron cases from January 2022 to now. Still, the aftermath of COVID isn’t known. Hablitzel said, “No matter what your belief is in vaccinations – COVID is serious. We’re going to have things to deal with in the future. Where are we headed? I really don’t know, but the numbers are dramatically better.”
Today’s conversation had facts and statistics. There were moments of sad realization but hope that things are getting better. Hablitzel communicated respect for those with differing opinions and compassion for everyone because no one has gone untouched. Dr. Hablitzel is an inspiring man who has been called to the practice of medicine and given a heart for healing. He cares about others’ stories and how COVID has changed the narrative.
(Dr. William Hablitzel is the author of “Dying was the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me: Stories of Healing” and “Wisdom Along Life’s Journey” and “It was Only a Moment Ago: More Stories of Healing and Wisdom Along Life’s Journey”.
