Friend,
We are all part of history in the making right now. With the best and worst-case scenarios lined out by President Trump last week, I wanted to send an email of hope and reassurance. This may be the greatest challenge facing Kansas since the Civil War. And though it may seem that we are looking forward to doom, one day we will look back in awe. This is not an easy fight, and there will be many victories and defeats over the next few months. But we are Kansans TOGETHER. The true heart of America will beat louder and faster. We will help each other in ways big and small, and we will do better than anyone expected.
I’ve been on the frontlines combatting the COVID-19 pandemic every day, working with other doctors and researchers in Kansas and around the world. We have been making progress on the treatment, and I’ve been sharing a message of hope in various news interviews with people such as Laura Ingraham, Dr. Oz, Sean Hannity, and local celebrities Pete Mundo and Shawn Wheat to name a few. Many of you have been asking questions, so here are some answers:
Q: Is the curve flattening?
A: Yes. We knew that when more tests became available, we were going to see a rise in confirmed COVID-19 cases, but social distancing is working, and we need to do our part to stay healthy and continue to slow the spread. We likely won’t see a peak in Kansas for a few weeks.
Q: What is the best way to stay healthy?
A: Social distancing and simple hygiene go a long way. Additional methods of staying healthy include:
- avoiding large crowds and interaction with new people
- washing your hands for the recommended 20 seconds
- disinfecting your hands before touching your face or another person after touching objects in public areas
Q: Is there a way to treat COVID-19?
A: Not yet, but there may be some hope. What is most important is if you think you are sick, talk to your doctor. Work with your doctor on what the best treatment options are for you. In a short series of Wall Street Journal articles, I outline new research on treatment that centers around the use of hydroxychloroquine paired with azithromycin. It isn’t a silver bullet, but it MAY BE the best option we currently have made available to us.
Here are the two Wall Street Journal articles:
In February, President Trump appointed me Chair of the National Advisory Committee on Rural Health and Human Services. In this capacity, I have been advising the President’s administration on how to minimize the blow to our rural healthcare systems.
Here’s a piece of good news and Kansas ingenuity: when this pandemic first started, I brought together a team of healthcare officials in Kansas to put together a solution. I am proud to announce that more than 50 KU Med students will graduate early and be deployed to serve in areas of critical need in rural Kansas, serving as a model for the rest of the nation!
Friend, I encourage you to send your thanks to ALL of the heroes serving on the front lines of this crisis, and to continue to stay healthy and hopeful. We will get through this together.
-Jeff
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