As some organizers cancelled their events due to COVID-19 fears, Dr Daliah Wachs MD attended another – responsibly

The convention industry is emerging as a headline casualty of coronavirus, better labeled “COVID-19.” [1-15]

This comes as no surprise to those familiar with the business, and likely common sense to anyone following official advice to avoid public gathering places as a means of both self-protection and a general support of helping reduce potential contamination spread. [16]

In 2018, the top twenty-five trade shows alone here in the United States attracted over 1.3 million attendees. More specific to southeast Michigan, the 2019 North American International Auto Show had a ticketed attendance of 774,179 and “an estimated economic impact of $430 million to the regional economy.” That makes for a business bellwether of sorts. [17,18]

Earlier this week, Las Vegas-based radio personality Dr Daliah Wachs MD had traveled to the Great Lakes region for conference — allowing Saline Journal the opportunity to connect with her for a practicing medical practitioner’s perspective on this topic. [19,20]

In characterizing the general state of our society in the face of coronavirus, she opened her responses by expressing concern that basic “diligence in hand washing” and the need to now advise “those who are ill to avoid school and work” suggest that the fundamentals “do not seem to be taken as seriously as they should have been all along.

These things should have already been commonplace, since we deal with deadly flu outbreaks and infection control each year. Fortunately, the US understands and appreciates the gravity of this outbreak and will be more fastidious in infection control.

Dr Wachs went on to note that “we expect to see more many more cases of coronavirus as testing becomes more readily available. But that may not be indicative of actual viral spread, since we have not been able to accurately test American cases up until now.”

As increased widespread testing comes facilities, then, the data that it will provide should more appropriately be regarded as that of a now higher accuracy in measuring “present cases.” For the most part, putting more accurate numbers to an understanding of cases that were already there.

Having traveled from her timezone to ours by plane, she did not herself take any extraordinary precautions. This decision relied on information that “many cases are occurring in those who have health vulnerabilities and are older.” She did, however, emphasize here “use the same precautions as I would any other flu, cough, cold season.”

On the ground, she continues to see that “many games, functions, events have been cancelled to avoid large quantities of people in close contact.

However, I have not witnessed many people, in a social setting, change their greeting habits; people are social creatures and still like hand shaking and giving hugs.

That being said, there has been a huge rise in telemedicine visits as people wish to avoid hospitals, urgent cares and medical centers. [21]

With the exception of seeing some people in the airports wear masks, and some store shelves being empty, many are not panicked and still engaging with others as usual.

Regarding the efficacy of face masks, Dr Daliah Wachs was in agreement that purchasing “and wearing them to avoid getting coronavirus may be misguided, as many online-purchased masks may not protect one from getting the virus, and masks must be changed out frequently. For example, the N95 respirators last approximately eight hours. [22]

Stepping back to provide a broader perspective, she hopes that warmer weather will render coronavirus “less virulent with the epidemic ending this summer. However, some suggest it may be seasonal and return next year.

We need to not panic, as cases will appear to rise in the US as testing is becoming more available.

Be optimistic that we will have a vaccine soon.

Recognizing that so many Americans are especially inclined to look for ways they can help at times of great challenge such as this, Dr Wachs turned to an opportunity that touches her own personal passion: Giving blood. [23]

As many may choose to avoid public places or be suffering from cough, cold, flu, coronavirus season, they may be reluctant to donate blood and thus supplies are critical this time of year.

Worldwide COVID-19 health concerns, then, make it that much more imperative that those who are willing and able to give blood, act to do so. It’s an excellent way to convene on behalf of mankind when social distancing measures put a damper on in-person gatherings.

References

1. “SXSW cancels its 400K-person conference due to coronavirus” Josh Constine (March 6, 2020) Tech Crunch.
2. “Ace Hardware cancels spring convention at McCormick Place amid coronavirus worries, in another loss for Chicago convention business” Abdel Jimenez (March 6, 2020) Chicago Tribune.
3. “Several Las Vegas conventions canceled, rescheduled amidst coronavirus concerns” Steve Wolford (March 6, 2020) NBC 3 News Las Vegas.
4. “How 2020 presidential campaigns and convention planners are handling potential coronavirus outbreaks” Katelyn Burns (March 6, 2020) Vox.
5. “Coronavirus concerns prompt postponement of Downtown convention, fundraiser” Elizabeth DePompei and Holly V Hays (March 6, 2020) Indianapolis Star.
6. “McDonald’s cancels in-person convention for worldwide franchisees due to coronavirus” Amelia Lucas (March 6, 2020) CNBC.
7. “Orange County loses out on $154M after Coronavirus concerns cause convention cancellations” (March 5, 2020) Click Orlando.
8. “Japanese Officials Say 2020 Olympic Games Could be Postponed” Donald Wood (March 3, 2020) Travel Pulse.
9. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19)” CDC: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
10. “Novel Coronavirus Reports” CDC.
11. “Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak” World Health Organization (WHO).
12. “Rolling updates on coronavirus disease (COVID-19)” World Health Organization.
13. “Coronavirus Disease 2019 Information for Travel” CDC.
14. “US to See 6 Percent Drop in International Inbound Travel Over Next 3 Months” Rosie Spinks (March 3, 2020) Skift.
15. “Nearly 90 Percent of US Travelers Have Yet to Cancel Plans Due to Virus: Skift Research” Seth Borko (March 2, 2020) Skift.
16. “Preventing the Spread of Coronavirus Disease 2019 in Homes and Residential Communities” (February 14, 2020) CDC.
17. “2018 Top 250 US Trade Shows” John Rice (2019) Trade Show News Network.
18. “750,000+ Celebrate the Future of the Mobility Industry at 2019 NAIAS” (2019) North American International Auto Show (NAIAS).
19. Daliah Wachs MD, FAAFP (home page).
20. Dr Daliah (Twitter feed).
21. “What’s the difference between telemedicine and telehealth?” American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP).
22. “N95 Respirators and Surgical Masks (Face Masks)” United States Food & Drug Administration (FDA).
23. “Michigan governor has declared September 5, 2019 ‘Blood Donation Day,’ helping underscore worldwide need” Dell Deaton (September 4, 2019) Saline Journal.