Take action to curb COVID-19? Nah, says one leader. We just need more hospital beds

Eight months ago, when the novel coronavirus was still novel and Wichita-area hospitals had yet to report their first COVID-19 patient, Jim Howell balked at restrictions aimed at curbing the spread.

Back in March, hospitals were quiet. Calm before what has become a devastating storm.

“That should be our trigger — just watch what the hospitals are doing,” Howell, a Sedgwick County commissioner, said at the time.

“That should be one of our data points we’re looking at to make our decisions.”

On Wednesday, Wichita hospital officials reported dire conditions — record levels of COVID-19 cases, record numbers of patients in hospital rooms and ICUs, worsening shortages of doctors and nurses, staff members stressed and needing relief.

Dr. Lowell Ebersole, chief medical officer for Wesley Medical Center, pleaded with commissioners to enact tougher restrictions aimed at slowing the spread and saving lives:

Close bars, nightclubs, large venues and other gathering spots. Cancel sporting events. Restrict restaurants to take-out only. Prohibit gatherings of more than 10 people.

How did Howell respond? With more hemming, hawing and hesitation.

“What we’re seeing right now may be bigger than anything we can control,” Howell said.

“We might implement everything you’ve suggested this morning (but) here’s the reality: The hospitals need to prepare for more patients.”

Howell accused the medical community of being “woefully underprepared” for the pandemic. He said what’s needed isn’t tougher restrictions to slow the spread of the virus, but a plan for handling more critically ill people.

Clearly, he argued, we just need more hospital beds.

Howell’s reasoning — and his shocking hypocrisy — would be laughable if it wasn’t so tragic.

He said last spring that restrictions such as closing bars or limiting gatherings weren’t necessary because hospitals were doing fine. If they weren’t, he said, we should do something.

Now local hospitals are overrun with patients, medical officials are pleading for action, and Howell is saying we should have known better.

He criticized efforts at contact tracing, saying officials don’t go far enough to detail people’s whereabouts and identify super-spreader businesses and gatherings.

He said shutting down bars, nightclubs or sporting events isn’t fair because most take precautions and follow public health guidelines.

“It would be nice if we had evidence of the bad players in the community,” he said.

That’s funny, commissioner. Because back in the spring, when Sedgwick County had a coronavirus tip line for residents to report violations of public health orders, you rebuked it as a “snitch line” and voted to shut it down.

Thankfully, three of the four Sedgwick County commissioners seemed moved by hospital officials’ comments Wednesday, and they urged their health officer to toughen restrictions.

Heading into the Thanksgiving holiday, when family gatherings could prompt another spike in cases, the message from leaders needs to be swift, clear and strong:

Stay home if you can. Mask up if you can’t. Avoid crowds to reduce your chances of contracting the virus. Do whatever you can to protect yourself and your loved ones.

That’s not living in fear. It’s being smart.

This story was originally published November 18, 2020 at 3:14 PM.