% >>> WELCOME TO "NOON WEDNESDAY,"
% I'M MARISA WOJCIK, MULTIMEDIA
% JOURNALIST WITH "HERE & NOW" ON
% PBS WISCONSIN.
% TODAY IS OCTOBER 6.
% WISCONSIN JUST SURPASSED 8,000
% DEATHS DUE TO COVID-19.
% HOSPITAL BEDS AND INTENSIVE CARE
% UNITS ARE REACHING PEAK
% CAPACITIES WHILE THE STATE ONLY
% INCHES FORWARD IN
% VACCINATIONSMEN.
% ALL OF THIS WHILE SOME CONSIDER
% A BOOSTER AND A NEW PILL THAT
% COULD BE TAKEN UPON RECEIVING A
% POSITIVE COVID TEST.
% TO UNDERSTAND WHAT'S CURRENT
% WITH COVID, WE TURN TO THE
% MEDICAL DIRECTOR OF INFECTION
% CONTROL AT UW HEALTH AND
% INFECTIOUS DISEASE SPECIALIST AT
% THE UW SCHOOL OF MEDICINE AND
% PUBLIC HEALTH, DR. NASIA SAFDAR,
% THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING
% US.%>> THANK YOU.
% >> SO THE STATE'S DATA IS
% SHOWING CASES AND
% HOSPITALIZATIONS ARE EITHER KIND
% OF HOLDING STEADY OR STILL
% INCREASING DEPENDING ON WHERE
% YOU ARE IN THE AREA OF THE
% STATE.
% HAVE WE KIND OF HIT THIS PEAK OF
% THE DELTA WAVE, OR ARE WE STILL
% GOING TO SEE THE WORST OF IT AS
% WE APPROACH MORE OF THE FALL AND
% WINTER MONTHS?
% >> YOU KNOW, IT IS OBVIOUSLY
% HARD TO COMPLETELY PREDICT, BUT
% I THINK WHAT'S HAPPENING IS IN
% AREAS THAT HAVE HIGH LEVELS OF
% VACCINATION, YOU ARE NOT SEEING
% QUITE A SHARP A PEAK AS YOU
% WOULD OTHERWISE EXPECT.%THER
E IS A STUTTERING EFFECT
% WHERE YOU ARE HOLDING STEADY OR
% SEEING MORE HOSPITALIZATIONS AND
% IT LEVELS OFF.
% IT WOULD BE GREAT TO HAVE A
% FEWER HOSPITALIZATIONS, AND NO
% ONE COUNTY OR REGION EXISTS IN A
% VACUUM.
% HERE, FOR INSTANCE, WE PROVIDE%
CARE FOR PATIENTS ALL OVER THE
% STATE AND BEYOND, AND HOSPITAL
% RATES GO UP REGARDLESS OF WHAT
% LOCAL VACCINATION RATES LOOK
% LIKE.
% >> AND THE 7-DAY AVERAGE OF
% THOSE HOSPITALIZED IS OVER 1
% ,000 AND -- 1,000 AND MORE THAN
% 300 IN THE ICU.
% THE HOSPITAL ASSOCIATION DATA
% SHOWS MORE THAN 40% OF HOSPITALS
% ARE AT PEAK CAPACITY.
% WOULD YOU CONSIDER THIS EVEN
% MORE OF A CRISIS THAN WHAT WE
% SAW LAST YEAR, AND ARE NON-COVID
% PATIENTS WITH CRITICAL CARE
% NEEDS BEING LIKEWISE IMPACTED?
% >> I THINK IT DEPENDS WHAT SORT
% OF CAPABILITIES EXIST WITHIN A
% PARTICULAR HEALTH SYSTEM.
% WE ARE NOT QUITE THERE WHERE WE
% WERE LAST YEAR.
% LAST YEAR, THERE WAS THE NEED TO
% POSTPONE ELECTIVE PROCEDURES AND
% SURGERIES AND REPURPOSE THOSE
% ROOMS FOR PATIENTS WITH COVID.
% THAT IS NOT HAPPENING AT THE
% MOMENT EVERYWHERE, ALTHOUGH SOME
% HEALTH SYSTEMS HAVE HAD TO DO IT
% BECAUSE OF THEIR CAPABILITY.
% I THINK THE CONCERN IT MAY
% HAPPEN, THOUGH, EXISTS.
% I MEAN, IT'S NOT JUST THE
% PHYSICAL SPACE THAT'S THE ISSUE,
% BUT THE WORK FORCE.
% YOU KNOW, AS INFECTIONS ARE IN
% THE COMMUNITY, HEALTHCARE
% WORKERS TEND TO COME DOWN WITH
% THEM, AND GIVEN THERE'S A NEED
% FOR HIGHLY TRAINED PEOPLE TO
% CARE FOR COVID PATIENTS, THAT
% REALLY LIMITS WHAT ONE IS ABLE
% TO DO.
% >> AND WITH SCHOOL HAVING BEEN
% IN SESSION NOW FOR AT LEAST A
% MONTH, NOT ONLY ARE WE IN PERSON
% FOR THE UNIVERSITY, BUT ALSO FOR
% K-12.
% ARE WE SEEING MORE PEDIATRIC
% CASES, CONSIDERING THAT DELTA IS
% CONSIDERED A WORSE VARIANT THAN%
WHAT WE SAW LAST YEAR?
% >> I THINK OVERALL, PEDIATRIC
% CASES INCREASED COMPARED TO THE
% EARLIER DAYS OF THE PANDEMIC.
% I THINK THERE'S A BIG SPECTRUM
% HOW SEVERE THE ILLNESS IS FROM
% NO SYMPTOMS TO LANDING IN THE
% HOSPITAL.
% THERE'S A SYNDROME OF MASSIVE
% INFLAMMATION THAT HAPPENS AFTER
% ONE RECOVERED FROM COVID THAT'S
% MORE COMMON IN CHILDREN THAT
% LANDS SOME OF THEM IN THE ICU.
% HAVING SAID THAT, I THINK THE
% MITIGATING MEASURES THAT PLACES
% SHOULD TAKE, SUCH AS SCHOOLS,
% FOR INSTANCE, WITH WITH MASKING,
% TESTING, MONITORING, AND ALL OF
% THOSE, THOSE DO APPEAR TO BE
% EFFECTIVE IN CONTAINING THE
% NUMBER OF CASES.
% YOU KNOW, IN ORDER TO ERADICATE
% COVID, WE ALL CAME TO THE
% CONCLUSION THAT ERADICATION IS
% NOT A PRACTICAL OPTION, BUT
% LEARNING TO LIVE WITH IT AND
% MANAGE IS THE NEXT GOAL.
% >> ARE YOU WORRIED ABOUT LONG
% COVID SYMPTOMS OF CHILDREN?%
>> I THINK WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND
% THOSE A LOT BETTER, NOT JUST IN
% CHILDREN, BUT IN ADULTS.
% I THINK THERE'S A BIG SPECTRUM
% OF SYMPTOMS.
% SOME HAVE TO DO WITH HOW SEVERE
% YOUR INITIAL COVID ILLNESS WAS,
% LIKE PERSISTENT SHORTNESS OF
% BREATH AND FATIGUE AND SO ON
% THAT IMPROVE OVER TIME, AND
% OTHERS ARE NOT RELATED WITH THE
% INITIAL SEVERITY OF ILLNESS, AND
% THAT'S THINGS LIKE FEELING FOGGY
% AND MEMORY ISSUES, AND THOSE ARE
% CONCERNING.%IT IS CONCERNS B
ECAUSE WE CAN'T
% PREDICT THEM OR HAVE GOOD
% THERAPEUTICS AGAINST THEM.
% THE MAIN GOAL FOR COVID SHOULD
% STILL VERY MUCH BE UPSTREAM
% PREVENTION.%>> NEW FEDERAL D
EPARTMENT OF
% HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES REPORT
% VACCINATIONS PREVENTED AROUND
% 5500 INFECTIONS AND 700 DEATHS
% IN ELDERLY IN WISCONSIN.
% IS IT FRUSTRATING TO BE A PART
% OF THIS LIFE SAVING RESEARCH,
% PUTTING SO MUCH ENERGY INTO IT,
% AND YET THERE'S SO MANY CHOOSING
% NOT TO GET VACCINATED AT THIS
% POINT?%>> WELL, I THINK ONE D
OES WISH
% THAT MORE PEOPLE WOULD EMBRACE
% WHAT'S IN FRONT OF US AS AN
% EFFECTIVE WAY TO PREVENT COVID.
% HAVING SAID THAT, I MEAN, A LIFE
% SAVED IS A LIFE SAVED.
% WE TAKE EVERYTHING THAT WE CAN
% GET, BUT GIVEN THAT CAPACITY'S
% NOT SO MUCH AN ISSUE IN THIS
% COUNTRY WITH VACCINES AND THE
% SUPPLY'S THERE, IT WOULD BE
% GREAT IF THE DEMAND ALSO WENT
% UP.%>> AND NOW MANY ARE CONS
IDERING
% WHETHER OR NOT TO GET A BOOSTER
% AS THE EFFICACY OF THE INITIAL
% VACCINE SERIES WANES OVER TIME
% ANYWHERE BETWEEN SIX AND EIGHT%
MONTHS.
% WOULD YOU RECOMMEND THAT THOSE
% WHO CAN GET A BOOSTER SHOULD?
% >> ABSOLUTELY.
% IF YOU ARE IN THE GROUP THAT'S
% ELIGIBLE FOR A BOOSTER, YOU
% SHOULD.
% I SUSPECT MANY PEOPLE WHO HAVE
% TAKEN THE TWO DOSES ARE IN THE
% GROUP THAT THEY ARE BELIEVERS IN
% VACCINE EFFECTIVENESS AND DATA
% AND WILL TAKE A BOOSTERMENT I
% THINK FOR THOSE RELUCTANT TO
% TAKE THE VACCINE TO BEGIN WITH,
% I DOUBT THE AVAILABILITY OF
% BOOSTER WILL AFFECT THEIR
% DECISION MAKING.
% >> AND EVEN NOW A NEW PILL FROM
% MERCK IS SEEKING FEDERAL
% APPROVAL.
% IT IS DESIGNED TO BE TAKEN A
% POSITIVE COVID DIAGNOSIS, AND
% SUPPOSEDLY WILL HELP PREVENT
% MORE SEVERE SYMPTOMS.
% DO YOU SEE THIS AND OTHER
% SOLUTIONS THAT ARE NOT VACCINES
% BEING PROMISING IN THE FIGHT
% TOWARDS COMBATING COVID?
% >> WELL, ABSOLUTELY.
% YOU KNOW, THE VACCINES ARE
% GREAT, BUT WE STILL DON'T HAVE
% ONE FOR PEDIATRICS, AND WE NEED
% THAT FOR THE FIRST ORDER OF
% PRIORITY.%HAVING SAID THAT,
THERE WILL
% STILL BE SOME PEOPLE WITH
% BREAKTHROUGH INFECTIONS OR CAN'T
% TAKE THE VACCINE OR BE ABLE TO
% TAKE THE BOOSTER, SO TO MANAGE
% THE CASES WE DO GET, WE NEED A
% REALLY GOOD OUTPATIENT REGIMEN.
% RIGHT NOW, WE DON'T HAVE MUCH.
% WE HAVE THE MONOCLONAL
% ANTIBODIES, IT IS AN INFUSION
% THAT NEEDS MONITORING, AND IT IS
% COMPLICATED, AND WITH THAT COMES
% BARRIERS TO ACCESS, BUT IF
% THERE'S AN ORAL PILL TO TAKE
% WITHIN THE SAFETY OF YOUR HOME
% AND NOT GO OUT AND EXPOSE OTHERS
% TO YOUR ILLNESS, I THINK THAT
% COULD BE EFFECTIVE IN HOW WE
% MANAGE COVID CASES.
% >> AND TO BE CLEAR, YOU KNOW, WE
% HEARD THESE STORIES ABOUT PEOPLE
% WHO ARE IN THE HOSPITAL, SICK
% WITH COVID, AND THEY ARE ASKING
% IF THEY CAN NOW GET THE VACCINE,
% AND IT IS TOO LATE TO GET THE
% VACCINE, AND THIS PILL WOULDN'T
% BE FOR SOMETHING LIKE THAT.
% IT IS ALSO TOO LATE ONCE THE
% SYMPTOMS, THE SEVERE SYMPTOMS
% HAVE ALREADY SET IN, IS THAT
% CORRECT?%>> THAT IS CORRECT.
% THIS IS REALLY DESIGNED TO
% PREVENT HOSPITALIZATION, AND
% ONCE THAT HAS HAPPENED, THEN
% THIS WOULD BE FEUDAL TO USE AT
% THAT POINT.
% THERE ARE OTHER MEDICATIONS FOR
% PATIENTS WITH COVID WHO GET
% HOSPITALIZED, BUT NOTHING TRUMPS
% THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THE
% VACCINE.
% >> CONSIDERING THIS, THIS PILL
% NOW AND OTHER WAYS IN WHICH
% WE'VE COME TO START FIGHTING
% THIS VIRUS IN MANY DIFFERENT
% WAYS, ARE THERE PARTS OF YOUR
% RESEARCH OR OTHER'S RESEARCH YOU
% SEE THAT YOU ARE EXCITED ABOUT
% AND ON THE HORIZON OF AS ANOTHER
% FACET, ANOTHER ANGLE TOWARDS THE
% FUTURE OF FIGHTING COVID?
% >> WELL, I THINK IN THE VACCINE
% DEVELOPMENT REALM, THERE'S
% POTENTIALLY PROMISING
% DEVELOPMENTS ABOUT NASAL
% VACCINES, MAKING IT EASIER FOR
% PEOPLE TO GET IT, AND LOOKING AT
% THE EFFECTIVENESS OF THESE WHO
% ARE OLDER, COMPROMISED, AND
% CONVENTIONAL DOSES DO NOT TAKE
% AS WELL, I THINK ALL OF THESE
% ARE PROMISING LINES OF INQUIRY.
% THERE'S OVER 300 DIFFERENT
% CANDIDATES AS FAR AS THERAPEUTIC
% AGENTS IN VARIOUS STAGES OF
% CLINICAL TRIALS FOR COVID.
% THERE'S NO SHORTAGE OF RESEARCH
% UNDERWAY TO IDENTIFY WHAT THOSE
% ARE, BUT WE DO HAVE TO HAVE THEM
% GO THROUGH THE RIGOROUS PROCESS
% OF EVALUATION FOR EFFECTIVENESS
% AND SAFETY BEFORE WE JUMP THE
% GUN, AND THAT'S TRUE FOR THIS
% MERCK PRODUCT AS WELL.
% YOU KNOW, THE ONLY DATA SEEN SO
% FAR IS IN THE FORM OF A PRESS
% RELEASE SO IT NEEDS TO BE
% INDEPENDENTLY VALUED.
% >> BEGINNING IN 2022, YOU WILL
% TRANSITION TO A NEW ROLE AS THE
% ASSOCIATE DEAN OF CLINICAL
% TRIALS AT THE UW SCHOOL OF
% MEDICINE AND PUBLIC HEALTH.
% HOWEVER, IN YOUR CURRENT WORK AS
% AN INFECTIOUS DISEASE
% SPECIALIST, YOU HAVE ALREADY
% BEEN INVOLVED IN CLINICAL
% TRIALS, PARTICULARLY RELATED TO
% COVID-19.
% WHAT HAVE THOSE LOOKED LIKE?
% >> WELL, SO ONE OF THE TRIALS,
% FOR INSTANCE, THAT'S STILL
% UNDERWAY IS USING A TOPICAL%
COMBINATION OF THINGS.% IT IS INTERN
ASAL ODODINE APPLIED
% WITH A SWAB, AND THEN THERE'S
% ANTISEPTICS AVAILABLE OVER THE
% COUNTER AND WELL TOLERATED, BUT
% USING IN A PROGRAM TO SEE IF
% THEY REDUCE COVID INFECTIONS.
% THAT'S ONE OF THE COVID TRIALS
% THAT'S POTENTIALLY LOW COST AND
% HIGH IMPACT IF IT IS FOUND TO
% WORK.
% >> YOU DO A LOT OF MEDIA
% AVAILABILITY, AND YOU DO A LOT
% OF RESEARCH SIMULTANEOUSLY.
% DO YOU SEE HOW TO TALK ABOUT
% THIS RESEARCH, HOW TO ALMOST
% MARKET THIS TO PEOPLE TO MAKE
% SURE THEY ARE GETTING THE MOST
% ACCURATE INFORMATION?
% DO YOU SEE THAT AS BEING A PART
% OF THE FUTURE OF RESEARCH AND
% SCIENCE IN DEVELOPING NEW WAYS
% TO COMBAT VIRUSES LIKE THIS?
% >> OH, ABSOLUTELY.
% I MEAN, HONESTLY, RESEARCH MEANS
% NOTHING IF IT'S CONDUCTED AND
% DOES NOT GET APPLIED, AND THE
% PEOPLE THAT APPLY IT AND TAKE IT
% FORWARD IS THE PUBLIC, SO BEING
% ABLE TO EFFECTIVELY COMMUNICATE
% WHAT RESEARCH IS DOING, HOW IT'S
% HELPING THE HUMAN CONDITION AND
% HUMAN HEALTH IS REALLY CRITICAL.
% >> AND SO HOW WILL YOUR WORK
% GOING FORWARD AS YOU TRANSITION
% TO THE NEW ROLE, HOW WILL IT
% EXPAND AND HOW IMPORTANT ARE
% THINGS LIKE CLINICAL TRIALS
% IMPORTANT TO THE CONTINUED FIGHT
% AGAINST SAR-COV-2 AND COVID-19
% AND HAS THIS ACCELERATED SINCE
% THE URGENCY OF THIS PANDEMIC?
% >> WELL, I THINK THE SARS-COV-2
% PANDEMIC HIGHLIGHTED THE GAPS WE
% HAVE IN CLINICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
% AND HIGHLIGHTED MIRACLES THAT
% HAPPEN WHEN PEOPLE COLLABORATE
% TO RAPIDLY BRING SOMETHING FROM
% COLLABORATION TO AUTHORIZATION
% AND TO THE PUBLIC AND THE
% OUTCOMES AND SEEING THE REAL
% WORLD OUTCOMES AROUND US, AND
% MORTALITY OF COVID AND
% DEPENDENCE ON THE VACCINE HAS
% COME DOWN BECAUSE OF THE NEW
% DEVELOPMENTS, AND NEW NEW
% DEVELOPMENT YOU THINK OF IS THE
% PRODUCT OF RESEARCH.
% WE OFTEN DON'T SEE THAT, ALL THE
% BACK END WORK, BUT THINKING
% ABOUT THINGS, INDEPENDENT OF
% INFECTIOUS DISEASES, BUT THINK
% OF BREAST CANCER, FOR INSTANCE,
% GO IN THE PHYSICIAN'S OFFICE,
% DIAGNOSED, AND YOU ARE OFFERED
% TREATMENT OPTIONS, THOSE ARE A
% RESULT OF KI DECADES OF RESEARC.
% WE HAVE TO BENEFIT FROM THAT AND
% THE WAY TO DO THAT IS TO BE
% ACTIVE IN TRIALS SO MY ROLE IS
% TO LEAD AND DEVELOP AND
% ACCELERATE A PROGRAM OF CLINICAL
% TRIALS RESEARCH SO IT WILL
% BEYOND BY OWN WORK, FOR
% INSTANCE, IN INFECTIOUS
% DISEASES, BUT WILL BE TO SUPPORT
% THE PARTICIPATION OF AS MANY
% PATIENTS AS POSSIBLE IN CLINICAL
% TRIALS, FOR THEM TO OFFER THEM
% THE OPPORTUNITY.
% TOO OFTEN, THAT OPPORTUNITY IS
% LIMITED AND WE WANT TO CHANGE
% THAT.
% >> AND YOU DO WANT YOUR WORK TO
% EXPAND BEYOND COVID, BUT DO YOU
% ALSO SEE COVID CLINICAL TRIALS
% EXPANDING AS YOU'RE DOING THIS
% FUTURE WORK?
% >> ABSOLUTELY.
% I THINK FOR AS LONG AS THE
% PANDEMIC IS A THREAT, WHICH, YOU
% KNOW, IT'S FOR THE FORESEEABLE
% FUTURE, SEEMS TO BE, WILL WANT
% TO ABSOLUTELY OFFER TO OUR
% PATIENTS ANY CLINICAL TRIALS
% THAT ARE HAPPENING AND LEAD SOME
% LOCALLY AS WELL THAT WILL BE
% NATIONAL AND LARGE TRIALS.
% FRIENDSHIPS, THE NIH HAS A
% NUMBER OF PRODUCTS THEY ARE
% TESTING.
% THESE ARE SUCH TRIALS THEY CAN
% BE OFFERED TO ANYBODY IN THE
% NATION.
% YOU DON'T EVEN HAVE TO TRAVEL.
% YOU CAN ENROLL IN A STUDY AND
% AGREE TO TAKE A PARTICULAR
% CANDIDATE INTERVENTION.
% IT'S THOSE KINDS OF THINGS WE
% REALLY WANT TO FACILITATE.
% A LOT OF WHAT CLINICAL TRIAL'S
% LEADERSHIP PROGRAM DOES IS
% COLLAPSING BARRIERS TO CLINICAL
% TRIAL PARTICIPATION AND MY ROLE%
WILL HOPEFULLY ALLEVIATE SOME OF
% THE BARRIERS.
% >> YOU SAID A FEW MOMENTS AGO
% THAT YOU DON'T THINK THAT
% ERADICATION OF THIS VIRUS IS
% GOING TO HAPPEN.
% DID YOU ALWAYS THINK THAT, OR IS
% IT JUST RECENTLY THAT THAT KIND
% OF SEEMS LIKE THE REALITY, AND
% IF IT'S NOT ERADICATION, WHAT IS
% THE MANAGEMENT?
% >> I DON'T KNOW THAT I ALWAYS
% THOUGHT THAT.
% I THINK WE WERE ALL HOPEFUL IN
% THE BEGINNING, ESPECIALLY IN
% THESE HIGHLY EFFECTIVE VACCINES
% CAME OUT THAT THIS MIGHT BE THE
% END.
% I THINK WE BELIEVED IT WOULD BE
% A LITTLE BIT OF SMOLDERING OF
% THE VIRUS, MAKING ITS WAY INTO
% RESPIRATORY VIRUSES LIKE OTHERS
% DO, AND IT WOULD CEASE TO BE THE
% KIND OF THREAT THAT IT STILL IS,
% AND NOW I THINK WHAT WE'RE
% LEARNING IS THE WAY THESE, THIS
% PARTICULAR VIRUS MUTATES AND
% STRAINS THAT EMERGE, SOME OF
% THEM ARE MORE THREATENING THAN
% OTHERS, AND DELTA IS ONE OF
% THEM, AND WHO KNOWS WHAT THE
% NEXT ONE WILL BE.
% TO FIND A WAY TO MANAGE THE
% THREAT, MEANING USING ALL THE
% TOOLS AT OUR DISPOSAL, INCLUDING
% VACCINES AND READILY AVAILABLE,
% EASY TO TAKE INEXPENSIVE
% THERAPEUTICS, AND PROVIDE THE
% BEST POSSIBLE CARE TO THOSE
% HOSPITALIZED WITH COVID
% REGARDLESS OF OTHER THINGS.
% I THINK ALL OF THIS NEEDS TO BE
% BROUGHT TO BEAR, AND, OF COURSE,
% RESEARCH AND AID AND DEVELOPMENT
% AND IMPLEMENTATION OF NEW
% THINGS, AND SO WE MAY FIND
% SOMETHING THAT WILL COMPLETELY
% ALLEVIATE IT, BUT UNTIL THAT
% HAPPENS, WE HAVE TO CONTINUE TO
% USE EVERYTHING WE CAN AT OUR
% DISPOSAL.%>> ALL RIGHT.
% DR. NASIA SAFDAR, AS ALWAYS,
% THANK YOU SO, SO MORE FOR YOUR
% WORK AND JOINING US TODAY.
% >> THANK YOU.
% >> FOR MORE FROM "HERE & NOW"
% AND PBS WISCONSIN, VISIT
% PBSWISCONSIN.ORG, AND THANK YOU%
SO MUCH FOR JOINING US ON "NOON
% WEDNESDAY."