Hello and welcome.

PBS39 and WLVT arz community Update on coronavirus presented by Capital Blue.

It's also brought to you with help from our community partner Lehigh Valley Health Network.

We are live from the PPE Public Media Center in Bethlehem.

I'm Brittany Sweeney.

More and more signs are pointing to light at the end of the tunnel in this pandemic.

Our guests today include an infection control doctor doctor who has been monitoring and guiding our region through it from the very beginning.

We are also joined today by the leader of the Hispanics center of the Lehigh Valley to discuss outreach in underserved neighborhoods.

They'll both be with us in just a few moments.

We have a lot to get to.

If you have a question, you can give us a call.

The phone numbers for you, 4 8 2 1 0 0 0 8.

Our guests will answer some of those questions live, plus our daily coronavirus updates.

Be sure to sign up for our newsletter.

You can do that at our website coronavirus Lehigh Valley .org.

You can find helpful information there in both English and Spanish.

Now let's take a look at today's top headlines today.

A major step in getting kids back to school.

Governor Tom Wolf announcing the state's shipments of the new Johnson and Johnson vaccine will go exclusively to teachers and other school workers like bus drivers, cafeteria employees, custodians and administrators.

Pennsylvania will get 124,000 JNJ oneshot doses in the very first week, enough to vaccinate more than half every public and private school employees statewide.

The timing of school reopens ING's and a return to in-person classes potentially right around the corner.

According to Wolf.

It's a crude estimate, but again we have 94,600 vaccines in this first round of Johnson and Johnson.

The pharmacy partnership is another 30 thousand says 124,000 out of it.

Whatever it is, 200.

That's a lot of people who are going to be in line as quickly as we can roll this out to get a shot in the next couple of weeks and that means that the takes one to two weeks to make sure that the vaccine has taken hold in the body, that we should have the bulk of our educators able to go back to work by the end of the month.

Pre-K and elementary school teachers will get first priority, as will special education and English as a second language support staff.

The governor says that's because younger children are more prone to learning loss and their families and parents are more likely to have child care challenges.

Teachers of older students will soon follow.

Vaccination sites will be established by intermediate units and the Pennsylvania National Guard will help administer those shots.

Meanwhile, millions Phase 1, a category in Pennsylvania is still waiting to get vaccination appointments.

Lawmakers are calling on state officials to do a better job at getting Covid-19 vaccines to seniors citizens.

Those calls come as the flow of vaccines seemed to be opening up the states as saying more than two and a half million doses administered.

So far among a population of nearly $13 in Pennsylvania received more than 500 thousand Pfizer and Moderna doses last week alone.

And all this coming today as Pennsylvania reported another 2500 plus coronavirus cases and 69 more deaths.

Nearly 940 thousand infections have occurred in the states and 24,100 69 people have died.

The number of Pennsylvanians hospitalized continues to fall.

Fewer than 1,700 individuals are hospitalized and about 350 of those are in intensive care.

Numbers well, below the peak of more than 6000 around the new year.

It's time now to meet our guests for the day.

Dr Alex Benjamin has been with us before.

He's the chief infection control and prevention officer at Lehigh Valley Health Network and was involved with the first trials of the Pfizer vaccine.

Also here is Victoria Monteiro of the Hispanic Center of the Lehigh Valley based in Bethlehem.

Thank you both so much for joining us.

Today.

Victoria will be with you in just a few moments.

We want to get to Dr Benjamin first today.

Thank you so much for being here.

Dr Benjamin.

Absolutely.

Thanks, Reading.

Great to have you back.

And you know, time and time again, we've heard that things are going to get better.

So many hopeful signs right now is that what's happening here?

Could we really be rounding third and heading for home at this point?

I think it's very possible.

I think two things are happening at the same time.

One is obviously that the decrease in the number of cases we've seen a decrease in the number of cases per hundred thousand in multiple counties Lehigh County, Northampton County, we're still seeing cases over all are still not back to I wouldn't call them normal.

They're still elevated when you talk about 2025 hundred deaths cases, that's still a lot.

So we're definitely trending in the right direction.

Hospitalizations are going down.

That's great for all health care networks and headed in the right direction.

The other thing I want to mention is that, you know, of course, the vaccines.

Right.

So those who've been rolling out now hopefully getting more quantities delivered throughout the states.

And I think those two things are definitely heading toward a better spring, better summer from.

Sure.

When we're looking at that broad picture and trying to see where we are in the pandemic and analyze the situation, what are we taking into account as if those hospitalizations.

Is it positive test rates?

Is it the number of vaccines that have already been given out?

How do we how do we get a grasp point?re we stand at this- Yes.

So obviously good mounds of data being collected by the Department of Health every day.

The one thing I think that people the community can look at at the Department of Health website is what's called the early warning dashboard and that looks at cases per hundred thousand as well as hospitalizations and deaths.

All of those are very important markers.

You know, if we talk about when, you know, possibly another surge is happening, the numbers we're going to be looking at the early numbers that I would say that we're looking is the percent of test test tests being done.

I'm sorry.

The number tests being done and the percent of those tests that are testing becoming positive.

Right.

Most of the cases that are going to sort of signal an early surge are going to be happening in the community.

So, you know, shortness of breath losing your sense of taste and smell that'll prompt testing.

And you know, if you're if you are not that sick and you're able to manage things at great.

So we like looking at test case numbers and percent positivity to sort of tell us look as what we call a leading indicator, meaning early on in surge.

We can look at those numbers as try to say, you know, from a network perspective, hey, you know, we need to ramp up our capacity to handle patients in the hospital.

By the time you see the numbers of cases in the hospital starting to rise.

That is what we call a lagging indicator, meaning things are already tapping into the community and some percentage of the community is going to end up in the health care system in the hospital.

So the other number, of course, is going to be deaths and deaths are going to be a lagging indicator just like hospitalizations.

People have to get sick.

So those are the numbers we're looking at.

Like I said, Department of Health has good information about that and that those are the numbers that we look at as well to trend and prepare for any possible surges.

Dr Benjamin, some alarming news if you ask me coming out of Texas.

The governor there saying that we should lift the mask mandate.

They're going to lift the mass mandate there.

Mississippi saying the same thing.

I know we are all itching to get through this pandemic and be done with the social distancing, the mask wearing that kind of thing.

But is it too soon for that Gamma Can we just throw it hall out already?

This early in the game?

Well, I'll just tell you that I'm not traveling to Texas or Mississippi any time soon.

With that mandate.

I'm very concerned about this kind of lead from those states.

I think it's been pretty clear early on, even from early vaccine rollout that Dr Fauci, the CDC, he had been very clear that even though we were starting to vaccinate more and more people, the need for social distancing, masking and hiding will have to continue for a good amount of time until we can establish that the people of more people are vaccinated in our community or you know, that they unfortunately develop natural immunity from infection.

And certainly I think natural immunity is not the way to go to try to make sure that it's safe for people to take their masks off and, you know, try to pretend that everything's back to normal.

We certainly are not in normal times.

I know for certain that in Texas there are multiple viral variants that have been demonstrated.

So to have that masking mandate removed.

To me is very worrisome.

And it'll be I won't say interesting.

That's maybe not the right word.

But I'll be curious to see what happens to Keith's numbers in Texas after this mandate has been instituted.

Sure.

I was going to say as a health care provider, as a physician, as someone on the front line, is that alarming to you?

And do you think that the repercussions from that will trickle to the rest of the country?

Certainly.

I think one of the things that people have talked about is spring break.

You know, very common this time of year.

I know a lot of I'm sure a lot of people are very hesitant to travel.

But you know, it's springtime.

People are itching to get their houses from the winter cold.

And with these kinds of relaxation.

I think that will draw certain crowds to these states.

And so what if and if they travel to these states and then come back to their communities, it's certainly possible that they may be bringing the disease back to their communities.

Sure.

Something that can help the situation progressed a little further.

Of course, the vaccines like we've been talking about in here in Pennsylvania.

Teachers being offered the vaccines now.

Now, if all the teachers get the shot by the end of the month.

Do you think that in-person learning can resume and then will the school year be normal?

Will children be able to go back and even have maybe proms or graduation ceremonies by June Gamma I think well, first of all, I think obviously, you know, focussing on teachers and getting back into the classroom is very important.

I think this is a great step for the education community, for four kids.

As far as going back into school again, you know, getting everybody back together in terms of graduation and, you know, large gatherings.

That to me, I still have some questions about that part.

Certainly the combination of masking social distancing and the vaccine, you know, environmental cleaning in our schools makes things much more safe than they were before.

You have to remember with like large ceremonies like graduation, prom, there are still individuals and groups that don't have access to the vaccine.

I think the data is still we're still trying to compile data on the safety and efficacy of vaccines for kids under the age of 16, especially the studies that Pfizer conducting.

So that makes it really difficult.

And again, even though we're increasing the number of people eligible to be vaccinated, you know, teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, janitorial staff, they're still going to be visitors and people who do not have access to the vaccine.

And I think in some populations that may be very critical of that.

Well, critical that, you know, that these unvaccinated populations are going to be getting back together.

So I still have some cautions, concerns about large gatherings like graduation and prom.

Sure.

Well, the good news that's for teachers, the arrival of that Johnson and Johnson vaccine will hopefully have a trickle down effect for the rest of us.

That was something Governor Tom Wolf touched on in his remarks earlier today.

Let's take a listen because we're dedicating all of the supply from a newly approved vaccine to this effort.

Our vaccine roll out to the rest of the population, be unaffected.

In fact, those in line for Moderna and Pfizer will see an increase.

Dr Benjamin with more vaccines being allocated, is LVHN in a position to offer more vaccination appointments or schedule more mass clinics out at Dorney Park like you did previous Gamma You know, we don't.

We are seeing the trend upward in the number of vaccines being allocated to Lehigh Valley.

So that's great.

I know we were able to push out a bunch of first dose appointments this past.

So we're really excited about that.

Hopefully that's a sustainable trend so that we can offer more appointments to people.

And yes, I think definitely with the sort added security of knowing that more vaccine is coming, that we can start to plan for large scale events like Dorney Park.

The challenge with what doing something like Dorney Park sort of weekly allocation.

You know, it it's difficult to say, hey, Lehigh Valley would like to do a mass vaccination of 5000 people at Dorney Park in April.

And get out get a positive response back from the state that just hasn't been our are working feeling at this point an Obviously that's due to scarcity So I think if no our allocation starts to increase, you'll be seeing more those mass vaccination efforts being rolled out.

We'll have to just wait and see.

In the meantime, I know you mentioned groups that aren't being vaccinated and the concern over them, but what about the groups that are getting vaccinated Gamma Can they then gather safely?

Can people who are all vaccinated get together in a group and say your grandmother gets vaccinated, you're vaccinated?

Can you now give grandma a hug.

It's a difficult question.

It's a question that is individual.

You know, every individual you know, imagine that you get a gathering of your 10 friends.

All of you are vaccinated, right?

Some of the things that would factor into that are where they tend to be meeting is a public space.

Is there still, you know, added with air exchanges, ventilation and are you all going to still wear masks Gamma Are you still going to stay socially distant?

I think the security that comes, the secure feeling that people have from vaccination has to be tempered by some of those things.

Certainly.

And I think every any one of those 10 people will have a different story about the people who surround the children, parents, parents who might immunocompromised people who don't have access to the vaccine yet.

And so those things have to be considered.

When we talk about getting back together, you know, there may be some compromises that we have to make.

If grandma, you finally get a chance, your grandma, you know, do you still need to wear a man's skin?

I think maybe wearing a mask adds just another layer of protection just in case.

But certainly I think these are good challenges to have.

I think talking about what to do now, people are vaccinated.

These are honest and good, conversate.

We should be having among our friends, within our network, in our communities.

It seems like we should just continue to be mindful of this social distancing practices.

Dr Benjamin, before we let you go, today, if I could ask you, we're coming up on a year since the lockdown and since really all of this really ramped up.

So I'd like to know how has your life personally been impacted in the last year?

This is a really good question.

I actually took the job with the network interviewed for the job with the network in January.

And at the time in January.

I laugh about this all the time in January.

We're just starting to hear about problems Wuhan, you know, mysterious novel virus was infecting people associated with an open market in Wuhan.

And of course, as an ID doctor, you know, it's fascinating.

It has poses lots of questions.

And you know, in the back of your mind, you always think like that.

Certainly, you know, a respiratory illness is something that is easily transmissible, could come under the United States at any time.

So by the time that I was able to start with a network in May, you know, we were dealing with a full blown pandemic.

And I think it's time to step into the network at that time was truly amazing.

You know, not everyone is going to have that opportunity to say that, you know, I was thrown basically into the fire to work.

But obviously the network has a great grade structure.

People, scientists, doctors, that are willing to work to keep community safe.

So while why was know you got thrown into the fire?

I think I was I had a lot of support and I'm really grateful for that.

And you're still here and you're talking and giving us some great answers.

Thank you so much for joining.

Dr Alex Benjamin from Lehigh Valley Health Network.

And we continue this community update on coronavirus on PBS.

39.

You can hear the rebroadcast on the radio tonight, 9:30 on 91 3 W Elvie.

Now let's bring in our next guest.

Victoria Monteiro is executive director of the Hispanic Center of the Lehigh Valley, the center on East 4th Street in Bethlehem has ramped up its outreach efforts as the vaccines have rolled out.

A clinic last month resulted in 200 people getting vaccinated over two days.

Victoria, let's start there.

Tell all about that and how that went.

The clinic was a success.

What we did with this partnership whisking Duke's University Network, we simplified the process of registration as we've heard the news and now from our community, they have had a little challenges getting deregister.

The language barrier, the technology, having access to a computer to be able to shed join appointment or having a hard time schedule appointment when they call the phone lines at the hospitals.

So community members call that Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley and we work with the hospital to schedule their appointments.

So when they call the center, they provide the information and then our staff work with the hospital staff to be scheduling those up women's in the ethics system the day of the clinic.

We had a bilingual nursing students that were able to communicate in the language of the clients coming to our facilities before they left.

Their appointment was gadjo and we have received since then over 100 phone calls or even more every we continue to receive more asking the community for additional clinics coming up short.

And what's the answer to that?

Do you think you'll hold more clinics in the future?

Yes, we are hoping as now we don't have definite dates, but we are continue to have conversations with the network for future Clinics of the Hispanic Center.

Sure, Victoria.

In general, what are you hearing from the Hispanic community about the vaccines?

Do you hear any hesitancy or are people just signing up and ready to get those vaccines?

There's still hesitation from the Hispanic community.

There is no you know, the data as we know the cases in the Hispanic community have been dramatic of this Ben Stemrich in our Hispanic community has been impacted in many different ways.

So we are trying to create different initiatives in the community that weakens working on building the trust and be able to get more community members vaccinated.

And one of those initiatives was having a clinic here in the community side that they know in the community.

This in ages that has been opened up, the at the in the Bethlehem area for the three years that they know, you know, the staff, we speak their language, a trusted environment for them.

So we're hoping that through our different efforts we're able to get more community members vaccinated.

I think Sputnik Center or connecting to local community resources.

Sure.

Is that the best way to persuade them and let them know the health benefits of getting this vaccine?

Yeah, we're really trying focus on the personal benefits.

You know that you Sputnik community is all of our family.

We love to gather together, enjoy our music, you know?

So we want to be able to give back to that with our community in our center, be able to have our clients back in the facility.

So we're within our efforts into education primarily right now.

Victoria, how does the center get word out about the vaccines and testing for Covid-19?

I understand you're going to have some free testing coming up next week with the cain't mobile.

Can you tell us about that Gamma So we focus on differen strategies.

We first reached the Klans typically come to you Sputnik Center, you know, Commodore food pantry due to the pandemic, the Hispanic Center has seen a dramatic increase number of Klans that we're serving and the food pantry we have had in 180% of the individuals utilizing our pantry as food insecurity continues to be one of the major areas that we're facing challenges in our Lehigh Valley.

So that's one big focus is working with our clients first as we're doing food deliveries for our seniors.

We also take that information home and we also work very closely with Lamay got radiostation Lamebrain Station in the Lehigh Valley.

So they help with the promotion of our initiatives.

We have our Covid-19.

We have been working very closely with Latino connections and they have been bringing mobile testing to this Hispanic center Lehigh Valley over this initiative.

We have tested close to 200 individuals from our area.

This is in their neighborhood.

We have spanish-speaking staff there.

They're we're also providing mask can sanitizing and it's within walking distance so that their community and their homes.

Sure.

I understand the next date for the caite mobile to visit the Hispanic Center is March 10th.

Can you tell us about that date?

Correct.

So we getting ready for them?

We work.

I guess that I mentioned worked very closely with their on radio station and they help with the promotion.

So we're able to hire, you know, have more members of our community than just the Southside community come to the for the testing and, you know, get to the local schools in our clients.

You know, being able to reach more people so we can get them and get them tested.

Sure.

Is that a walk up clinic or do people made appointments to get tested?

That's a testing event.

No, it's just walking.

They don't have to have symptoms.

You know, if they want to come in, there's a location.

So no, the and there's no no appointments.

Great.

Great to know.

And how about the other outreach of other outreach reach programs that are happening, Spanish language, community conversations, what are they all about?

So they Hispanics and or Lehigh Valley every year holds in on November, only October, a company equity summit.

And every year we focus on an issue affecting our community locally or national level.

So we've been doing this for the past three years.

The first year we focus on immigration.

It was when President Trump there was a lot of conversation at the National level when immigration issues children being separate at the border of the United States and Mexico.

So that was our first community conversation.

The second year we focus on the census 2020.

The census has an impact on the funding agencies like the Hispanic Center Lehigh Valley receives from the county and also the stay bedroll level in this year.

Our community conversation, it was based on racial justice.

I don't know that we have continued to have follow up community conversations and they're focussing on topics affecting the Latino community.

We had one on colorism.

Ibuki in mental health, policing and immigration and the one that is coming up next month actually ends right this month.

It is on mental health.

So we're bringing speakers from different areas of the state that have expertise in these topics and we're able to engage community members on the Emmaus issues.

In fact, the Latino community.

Victoria, before we go today, I wanted to ask how operations were impacted at the Hispanic Center over the course of this pandemic.

I imagine like so many other places, a lot of changes had to be made correct.

We had it shipped or operations to virtual appointments or by appointments are golf courses serving up women's virtually minimally.

We're having a few appointments actually coming our facility, our senior center.

Unfortunately, we're not able to have our seniors in our facility, but we are doing virtual services for case management and we're also doing food delivery, some home twice a month.

So we have been in contact with every single senior that has been a client.

They Sputnik center prior to this pandemic food pantry has shifted also to appointments only prior to the pandemic.

The Hispanic Center onaverage was serving about a hundred people a year in the food pantry by the end of the fiscal year.

We serve over 2500 in this year alone we are more than 1400 New individuals.

Again, the food insecurity definitely an area that we're seeing the most affecting the services that we have at the community.

We have remained open from the pandemic and we continue to be open.

We are a community center that our community, NATO's even more now and we are committed to continue serving our community to this pandemic.

Victoria Monteiro, the executive director of the Hispanic Center of the Lehigh Valley, thank you so much for that information today.

Thank you.

And we want to thank our guests for being here with us.

And we want to thank you for joining us for the community update on coronavirus.

We'll be here at 4pm each Monday, Wednesday and Friday on PBS39.

And on the radio at 9:30 those same nights, WLVT News.

We'll be back Wednesday at 4:00 with guests from LVHN and Discover Lehigh Valley for PBS39 and WLVT News, I'm Brittany Sweeney Stacee.