CDC webinar advises rural stakeholders on pandemic response; USDA launches rural response page

The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Rural Development agency has launched a rural response page for the pandemic. Click here for more information. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will host a webinar of interest to rural stakeholders today at 2 p.m. ET. The webinar will address higher-risk populations and people with underlying medical conditions. Click here for more information.

The CDC held a webinar on March 23 to inform and advise rural health-care providers and other stakeholders on responding to the coronavirus pandemic. The webinar featured Dr. Jay Butler, deputy director for Infectious Diseases at the CDC, and Health and Human Services Deputy Secretary Eric Hargan. Here are a few highlights from the webinar:

• Lab tests aren't seeing the virus sticking around long on paper or cardboard. So be cautious about handling mail, but not over-worried.
• Spring planting should not be affected by the pandemic.
• Rural areas, especially medical providers, are seeing shortages of supplies. The Federal Emergency Management Agency is working with HHS to look at alternative supply chains to increase distribution of supplies to rural areas (such as personal protective equipment). Butler mentioned distributing supplies from the federal government's Strategic National Stockpile, but was not specific. He also did not answer a question The Rural Blog submitted about how rural providers can purchase supplies when they're frequently at the end of supply chains and the federal government is a major competitor. 
• It's difficult to say whether rural areas are more or less at risk for the coronavirus. That depends not just on your population density, but on your household density, Butler said. In general, the spread in rural areas will be slower, but "we shouldn't assume that any part of the country will be spared."
• Butler addressed conjecture that the pandemic will peter out during the summer. Though viruses like the flu do see fewer cases in warm weather, it's impossible to say what will happen, he said.
• Rural health-care providers should exercise good judgment in deciding whether to keep well-child and other elective appointments and procedures. It depends on how much the virus is present in the community, though the CDC broadly recommends deferring non-essential appointments.
• Butler acknowledged that rural hospital closures make it harder for rural residents to access care. He said that, even if a local hospital is closed, local leaders could reopen it with a volunteer staff to handle moderately ill patients. But rural hospitals should ensure that there is a plan to transport severe patients to larger hospitals.
• Rural areas should set up isolation and quarantine areas, but the CDC doesn't recommend using large enclosed areas like school gyms. Since the virus is airborne, more caregivers will likely be infected.
• Almost all hospitals have done some pandemic planning, but Butler encourages them to revisit those plans and do tabletop exercises to consider different scenarios, such as health care workers suddenly unable to come in to work because of childcare issues.
• Butler recommended that churches avoid large gatherings.
• When asked how rural providers can get testing kits, Butler said the term "kits" is inaccurate, and that it can't be done just anywhere. The testing is mainly available only in larger hospitals and state labs, though they're hoping for rapid tests that can be done by local doctors. Doctors can work with state or private labs to get specimens tested quickly, Butler said. Butler acknowledges that there is a testing backlog, but said he has been told that that backlog should be cleared "fairly soon." That projection is at odds with reports that widespread testing will not likely be available soon.