We had strategy to deal with second wave: Dr Debra J Brennessel, infectious disease specialist in New York

National Herald spoke with Dr. Debra J. Brennessel, an infectious disease specialist in New York who is affiliated with NYC Health + Hospitals. This is the largest public health care system in the United States.

This reporter requested Dr Brennessel to share their planning and strategy for the second wave. She said, “Strategy was to put our emergency management plan together. We looked at personnel, supplies, space.”

Dr. Debra J. Brennessel said that they were pre-emptive about plans vis-a-vis the number of patients coming in. They deliberated upon how they will maintain healthy staff. “In the first wave, a lot of staff had to be quarantined. We maintained a policy that they should not come to work if they were sick.”

We asked Dr Brennessel how they were dealing with the fatigue among the health care workers. She asserted, “Frequent appreciation of health care workers is important.”

“Food was delivered to health care workers thrice a day. Our behavioural team supports people and groups that are stressed. For instance the ICU staff and staff who are unable to be with their family are considered to be doing high stress jobs,” she said.

This reporter asked how was New York City handling infection and isolation among children. Dr Brennessel mentioned that some schools were offering hybrid teaching to parents. “Children of a certain age group can go to school for three days. The rest of the education is in virtual mode. Some municipalities are offering summer learning,” she said.

Dr Debra Brennessel shared how she had not been able to see her newborn grandchild for 14 months. She could travel to see her daughter only after getting vaccinated.

Dr Brennessel mentioned how families are stressed because they are not able to see each other in the pandemic. She spoke about her daughter feeling distressed as a new mother. After all, the family had not been able to meet her for a long time.

She said that the pandemic had isolated children from school, friends and family members.

We discussed with Dr Brennessel about NYC Health + hospital’s emergency health strategy during the first wave. She spoke at length about why New York is in a good spot right now and that they have gone beyond their second wave.

This reporter asked her about whether she believed there would be a third wave and how was she preparing for the same. We also talked about the structure of public health system in United States of America and New York City in particular.

Dr Brennessel spoke about the services they were providing to the homeless. She also asserted the way ahead was vaccination and herd immunity.