Photo By Douglas Stutz | A year’s worth of PHEO…Cmdr. Rob Uniszkiewicz, NMRTC Bremerton, NHB/NMRTC...... read more read more
It spread like the common cold, caught many unaware, and sparked global suffering.
The influenza illness of 1918 resulted in over 50 million deaths world-wide, including approximately 675,000 in the U.S., with countless others sickened.
Fast forward to today where the ongoing viral pandemic outbreak continues to approach the previous deadly contagion in fatalities, with currently more than 400,000 deaths in the U.S., innumerable illnesses, and continual global concerns. Multiple city, county and federal agencies continue to work to protect, prevent and preclude citizens from getting infected by COVID-19.
During its onset last year, the novel coronavirus was closely monitored by federal government lead agencies such as the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Department of Defense (DoD) healthcare professionals closely followed their lead, including those assigned to Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Center (NMRTC) Bremerton.
“This virus was followed very closely by the CDC and other public health officials. The concern was how contagious it was with human to human transmission,” said Dr. Dan Frederick, Navy Medicine Readiness Training Command (NMRTC) Bremerton population health officer and public health emergency officer (PHEO) who was monitoring the rapid-moving contagion.
Frederick and other command public health officers became increasingly aware of the all-encompassing need to coordinate and communicate with interagency and municipal partners to help stop the spread of the virus, especially when one of the earliest confirmed COVID-19 cases in the U.S. was in the greater Puget Sound region.
Although the viral respiratory illness at that time seemed far afield from NMRTC Bremerton, Frederick and other PHEOs knew better than to disregard the threat. Similar to carefully studying the measles outbreak in southern Washington State the previous year, command officials were again acutely aware that being forewarned is forearmed.
“The collaborative effort throughout the region allowed for consistent messaging and reassurance that the most up to date information was being passed to all stakeholders to keep our Navy family well informed and safe as possible,” commented Cmdr. Rob Uniszkiewicz, NMRTC Bremerton, NHB/NMRTC Bremerton public health director and head of the command COVID-19 working group.
That cooperative resolve continues on as efforts to eradicate the pandemic have added safe and effective vaccines to become proactive instead of reactive to the disease.
An initial shipment of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine that received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration arrived at NMRTC Bremerton on Dec. 22, 2020.
COVID-19 vaccinations began the day after, Dec. 23, 2020.
“This vaccine allows us to ensure our staff are as protected as possible as we continue to provide care,” Uniszkiewicz said.
In conjunction with CDC, the DoD distribution plan for administering the vaccine at military medical treatment facilities like NMRTC Bremerton calls for prioritizing through a phased approach to vaccinate all active duty and reserve components, TRICARE Prime and TRICARE Select beneficiaries, along with select DoD civilians and contract personnel authorized to receive immunizations from DoD.
Using a football analogy, Frederick added, “for ten month we’ve been playing defense against this virus. Now it feels like we’re finally on the offense.”
As of Feb. 3, 2021, compiled COVID-19 statistics from all segments of Department of Defense - military, civilian, dependent and contractor - show 225,753 total cases, with 3,333 hospitalized, and 145,450 recovered. There have been 252 fatalities, with 19 active duty personnel.
The entire past year has had Frederick and Uniszkiewicz completely immersed in trying to stop the spread of COVID-19, from initial pandemic planning to the current long hours of mass vaccination administration.
The operational tempo has been unrelenting.
Many of the mitigation strategies to protect staff, patients and visitors that were enacted are still in place, such as adhering to CDC guidelines of mandatory mask wearing, social distancing and frequent hand washing. Health protections measures are still in place, including decreasing foot traffic throughout the facility and implementing a drive through screening and triage process, following CDC criteria to effectively assess those arriving on base.
There were many questions and innumerable queries. The command Preventive Medicine department was inundated with verifying any possible COVID-19 cases, as well as undertaking the time-consuming task of contact tracing, and also collaborating with other partners such as the local Kitsap Public Health District.
There were also more than a share of rumors, misinformation and innuendoes, ranging from outlandish generalizations to unproven simplifications.
One local resident appealed to the city mayor to limit Navy personnel movement in the community and institute restrictive guidance for Sailors commuting to and fro. Another hinted to the mayor that local naval base and shipyard workers were spreading the virus unchecked.
Throughout it all, NMRTC Bremerton remained open and committed to operational mission needs, ensuring the Navy fleet was a medically ready force being supported by a ready medical force.
Yet in response to the significant public health challenges posed by COVID-19, some services were reduced in accordance with guidance provided by the CDC and the Defense Health Agency. The reduction was designed to shift medical assets and resources to meet the demands of the pandemic by allowing medical professionals to evaluate and treat affected patients, and also deploy staff to support efforts nation-wide.
Several strategies were used to ensure patients’ healthcare needs were addressed while complying with social distancing guidance. Primary and specialty care clinics employed virtual health resources on a much broader scale, maintaining direct communication between providers and patients.
As efforts continued to get rid of the virus, continue normal duties, and maintain a healthy work-life balance, staff became creative, flexible, and resourceful in caring for self and one another, as well as caring for patients.
With the command fitness facility closed, Navy physical readiness test postponed and interactive mobility curtailed, Hospitalman Alexandria Lee knew that six feet was still just a fathom away. She began running 4,400 fathoms – five miles for those less nautically inclined - in pre-dawn workouts before duty, a distance that became routine during the work week.
“Almost every day since the base gym closed due to COVID-19,” said Lee, with the Pediatrics department.
NMRTC Bremerton’s obligation to continue to support mission readiness during the protracted pandemic in the third largest fleet concentration area was persistently put to the test and the efforts were lauded by Navy leadership.
Rear Adm. Blake L. Converse, Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, contacted Capt. Shannon J. Johnson, NMRTC Bremerton commanding officer, on behalf of his submariners, thanking her command’s leadership and Sailors for their support to the Pacific Submarine Force during the pandemic.
“Through these uncertain times, your team took care of my Sailors in a disciplined yet compassionate manner,” wrote Converse, on receiving timely, needed COVID-19 swab testing for boat crews prior to deployment. “It is clear that NMRTC Bremerton has every Sailor in their best interest. Your efforts contribute to the submarine force’s mission readiness.”
NMRTC Bremerton also opened the inaugural COVID-19 Asymptomatic Testing (CAT) Clinic in July to perform sentinel surveillance testing for commands in the Pacific Northwest area of operation. The clinic was designed to test asymptomatic service members sent from their respective command, pre-operative surgical patients and those deemed necessary for traveling purposes.
“It was a lot of coordination and hard work to make our CAT Clinic ready for prime time. The clinic allowed us to maintain the Urgent Care Clinic for what it’s designed to do, which is treat those sick and in need,” remarked Lt. Cmdr. Mia Jin, CAT Clinic coordinator and Public Health Emergency Officer.
As the pandemic continued past the long Labor Day weekend, a smoky pale was cast across much of Puget Sound by fast-moving wildfires, making the air quality unhealthy and conceivably contributing to a host of associated health risks that mirror COVID-19 symptoms.
“The smoke exasperated any existing underlying condition,” noted Uniszkiewicz, acknowledging similarities between COVID-19 and wildfire smoke. Both can wreak havoc on a person’s respiratory and immune systems.
Hospital Corpsman 1st Class Omar Garcia-Argueta, respiratory therapist assigned to Internal Medicine & Specialty Clinics, was actively engaged reminding patients, as well as staff, “to do their best to avoid prolonged exposure to the smoke due to the fact that it can irritate the eyes, nose, throat and lungs.”
As part of the Puget Sound Military Health System along with Madigan Army Medical Center and Naval Health Clinic Oak Harbor, NMRTC Bremerton, also began to reach out to all eligible beneficiaries to inform them not to let COVID-19 keep them from their medical and dental appointments.
‘Don’t delay’ was the message.
Wellness and preventive visits resumed, including prioritized care for high risk patients and previous preventive care that was deferred, particularly for maintaining operational and mission readiness. Additionally, the use of telehealth and virtual health for care delivery would continue as appropriate.
As the holiday season(s) approached, the annual influenza vaccination became available, initially provided to healthcare workers and active duty personnel, followed by all eligible family members of active duty and retirees. The flu shot exercise was modified from years’ past, with social distance protocols in place and cloth-face coverings mandatory.
“It was important to take care of the one – influenza – before we have the vaccine to effectively take care of the other – COVID-19,” stressed Uniszkiewicz.
“We remain agile and dedicated to providing the highest quality healthcare available to our Sailors, Marines, and their families during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic,” stated Capt. Shannon Johnson, NMRTC Bremerton commanding officer, noting that along with protecting beneficiaries, the hospital still prioritizes mission readiness, as well as supporting the whole-of-government effort.
To that end, NMRTC Bremerton’s role in this national effort involves continuous collaboration between healthcare providers, emergency managers, public health officers and hospital leaders, to stop the spread of the outbreak.
The viral foe has proved difficult to eradicate.
But not impossible to eliminate, as NMRTC Bremerton continues public health measures in place to daily work towards a faster and sustainable recovery and defeat of COVID-19.
| Date Taken: | 02.11.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 02.11.2021 17:18 |
| Story ID: | 388931 |
| Location: | BREMERTON , WASHINGTON, US |
| Web Views: | 216 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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