The Laker/Lutz News

BayCare

Ending pandemic requires a unified effort

By

Doctors are continuing to urge those who are eligible to get vaccinated, to mask up, to keep a social distance from others and to practice good hygiene — in a layered effort to stop the spread of COVID-19.

Doctors from the University of South Florida, BayCare and AdventHealth delivered that message in two separate virtual sessions held last week.

“As we opened the school year, it was truly what I call the perfect storm,” Dr. Christina Canody, pediatric service line medical director for BayCare said, during a Zoom call arranged by U.S. Rep. Kathy Castor, who represents Florida’s 14th congressional district.

“Last year, when we opened, we had mandate mask requirements, we had some of the lowest rates of infectivity, positivity and prevalence that we had seen during the pandemic,” Canody said.

“This year, we were at absolute opposite ends of the spectrum.

“We were at very high prevalence and positivity rates, and we continue to see a large number of children impacted,” Canody said.

She emphasized that despite the tremendous increase in pediatric admissions to the hospital, that children generally have a less complicated course of treatment and pediatric death rates remain low.

However, she noted that the hospital chain had 180 pediatric admissions in August, which was the highest number, by far.

“The majority of those are cared for at St. Joseph’s Children’s Hospital,” the pediatrician said.

“We have seen an uptick in our emergency room visits, and in general, we still have capacity,” she said.

But the increase in pediatric cases, coupled with the surge in adult cases, puts a strain on health care workers, she said.

Previously, many of the hospital’s pediatric staff had transitioned to help care for adults, she said.

The hospitalization of a child also takes a toll on families — both emotionally and financially, and disrupts their daily lives, she said.

She also talked about the importance of children being able to go to school.

She noted that the social isolation during last school year has had a lasting effect on some children’s mental health.

She also noted that many people are coping with the death of relatives, colleagues or friends.

Canody emphasized the need to educate people about the seriousness of the pandemic.

She put it this way: “It’s going to continue to circulate as long as it continues to be transmitted. Most pandemics last, on average, three years.”

She underscored these steps to help reduce the spread:

  • Become fully vaccinated, if you’re eligible.
  • Wear a face mask. “It’s more important if a person who is infected wears one, but if you wear one as well, you can decrease your risk of being exposed to the virus,” she said.
  • Practice good hand hygiene. “For little kids, we try to encourage them to keep their hands to themselves and keep their things to themselves, and also to wash their hands frequently.”
  • Stay home, if you’re not feeling well.

“We all have to take care of each other,” Canody said. “It is a little defeating sometimes, when people don’t heed the message. And, I can be honest with you that personally, I’ve had family members who have been affected by this virus. I know people personally who have passed away from this virus.

“The majority of our patients in the hospital are unvaccinated and the majority of the deaths we are seeing now are unvaccinated.”

Dr. Jason Salemi, of the University of South Florida, noted “nine or 10 weeks ago we had about six children being hospitalized every day in the entire state, with COVID-19.

“We’ve had a (more than) 10-fold increase, where more recently, over the past seven days, it’s been about 66 children being hospitalized every day, with confirmed COVID-19,” Salemi said.

The USF doctor also shared statistics regarding numbers of people who are not fully vaccinated in Florida. He said those figures stand at 1 million, among those ages 12 to 17; 5.5 million for those 18 to 64; and 800,000 among those 65 and older.

There’s also 2.8 million children in Florida who are younger than 12 who cannot be vaccinated, he said.

“The most heavily vaccinated group in our society is our seniors, and they are realizing the benefits of vaccination more than any other group,” Salemi said.

The Greater Zephyrhills Chamber of Commerce also hosted a Zoom session involving Amanda Maggard, president and CEO of AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth Zephyrhills, and Dr. Rodrigo Torres, vice president and chief medical officer for the two hospitals.

Maggard told those listening that “about 90% of our admissions have not been vaccinated. So, the science really is proving true that vaccinations save lives, vaccinations prevent critical illness, so we really want to get the word out in the community and try to increase vaccination. That’s going to be our best way to get through this virus.”

She added that wearing masks continues to be important.

She also touched on the availability of a new monoclonal antibody treatment for patients who are 12 or older. The treatment can prevent hospitalization or death in COVID-19 patients.

The state has opened a number of sites offering the treatment, including the Fasano Hurricane Shelter, at 11611 Denton Ave., in Hudson.

AdventHealth also is offering it at its Dade City campus. (Call the hospital or check its website for details.)

Torres gave a brief history on the pandemic and touched on various strains of the virus.

While much has been reported about the Delta variant, Torres said there’s another strain, known as the lambda, which is being carefully watched by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The lambda was identified in Peru at the end of last year, he said.

“It’s one that’s very virulent and it’s able to escape the mechanisms of how the vaccine works,” Torres said. “We believe that for the time being, we have a good control over this lambda variant, but this is one that actually concerns the CDC the most, out of all of these variants of interest.”

Torres also touched on the fact that the Pfizer vaccine has received FDA approval, and the hospital has recommended its staff get the third shot.

“The data has proven that on your third vaccine, you provide antibodies up to nine times the amount of what you normally would have produced just by keeping your two-vaccine regimen,” Torres said.

Published September 08, 2021

COVID-19 cases are straining hospitals, health care workers

By

Hospital admissions of patients with COVID-19 continue to rise, adding to the strain already being experienced by local hospitals.

Admissions for patients with COVID-19 are at their highest levels since the start of the pandemic in Alabama, Florida, Louisiana, Mississippi, Oregon and Washington, according to statistics kept by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Things are so serious that Pasco County Fire Rescue Fire Chief Scott Cassin and EMS Division Chief Paula Coleman have issued a video, asking residents and guests to avoid using the 911 system unless they are experiencing a true emergency.

“Hospital emergency rooms are currently being inundated with patients, and the time it takes to be seen in an emergency room is skyrocketing across our community,” the fire chief says in the video.

“Many hospitals are at, or over, capacity and ambulances are currently holding patients at hospitals for hours at a time, due to a lack of available beds and hospital staff.

“This is causing an ambulance shortage across the county, and is causing long wait times for our 911 callers,” Cassin says.

Coleman adds: “Please help us provide lifesaving interventions for those who truly need them. If your 911 call is not an emergency that needs immediate medical attention — such as chest pain, shortness of breath, stroke symptoms, serious trauma or other life-threatening illnesses or injury — please consider contacting your primary care physician, or utilizing a walk-in clinic or urgent care center. This will get you the help you need in a timelier manner, while at the same time assist an overtaxed health care system,” she says.

“Let’s all do our part to save the ambulances and ER visits for those who urgently need those services,” Coleman says.

Michael Weiss, epidemiology program manager for Florida Health-Hillsborough County, gave a big-picture look at Hillsborough County’s COVID-19 situation during an Aug. 18 emergency meeting of the Hillsborough County School Board.

“Right around June into July, we started this steep increase,” Weiss said.

“We are trending upwards. We are at 1,622 cases per day in our county. Positivity is around 22%. During the pandemic, this is the highest for both of those values.”

“This recent increase has coincided with a few things. In July, we had relaxed community mitigation measures, and we also saw the introduction of the delta variant into our community.

“These two things combined really increased the case transmission and the case rate in our community,” Weiss said.

“Hospital visits and hospitalizations both related to COVID are both at the highest levels seen at any point during our pandemic — during the entire pandemic. Hospitals are recording twice the number of COVID patients they saw in 2020 winter peak,” the epidemiologist said.

“Pediatric hospitalizations are also increasing. They represent a small percentage of the overall COVID hospitalizations, but they are also increasing. We are seeing both admissions and emergency department visits for pediatric cases increasing.

“Hospitalizations generally lag behind the case increases, so we expect the hospitalizations to continue to increase in the near future,” he added.

“Across all of these age groups, the hospitalizations are overwhelmingly in the unvaccinated population. Hospitals are reporting anywhere from 80% to 90% of cases are in unvaccinated individuals,” Weiss said.

Hospitals are making adjustments as the COVID-19 caseloads increase.

AdventHealth has halted elective procedures at AdventHealth Carrollwood, AdventHealth Dade City and AdventHealth Zephyhrhills, and at its AdventHealth Sebring facility, according to a media advisory issued Aug. 20.

“This decision allows us to further plan for the increased need for hospital beds, resources, and advocate for patients and team members. Patients will be notified if their procedure will be canceled,” the hospital chain announced.

AdventHealth “continues to see a significant increase in COVID-19 cases at its facilities across West Florida and has far surpassed its highest peak at any point in the pandemic,” the advisory adds.

The hospital system’s 10 hospitals in its West Florida Division had 600 currently admitted COVID-19 positive patients, according to the Aug. 20 advisory.

BayCare, another health care system in The Laker/Lutz News coverage area, paused all of its elective surgeries and procedures at its hospitals in Pinellas, Pasco and Polk counties, regardless of whether they require an overnight stay, effective Aug. 14, according to the hospital’s website.

“This will help reserve resources for the urgent and emergent needs of severely ill patients,” the posting says.

“COVID-19 hospitalizations have increased 10-fold since the beginning of July, and today we have more than 1,000 COVID positive patients in our 14 acute care hospitals across the Tampa Bay area,” Glenn Waters, chief operating officer for BayCare, said in a website post.

“We’re making these operational adjustments to be sure we can continue providing safe, high-quality care to the recent influx of COVID patients, in addition to hundreds of other people in our hospitals with unrelated, serious medical issues,” Waters said.

In a new development, Gov. Ron DeSantis held a news conference last week to announce the opening of local sites to provide a new monoclonal antibody treatment for patients who are 12 years old or older. The treatment can prevent hospitalization or death in COVID-19 patients.

DeSantis presided at the opening of the site at the Fasano Hurricane Shelter, at 11611 Denton Ave., in Hudson.

Another site has opened in Hillsborough County at King Forest Park, at 8008 E. Chelsea St., in Tampa. The only access into the park is off Orient Road just north of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, according to a Hillsborough County news release.

Both sites will be open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For additional details, call the Florida Department of Health Monoclonal Antibody Treatment Support Line at 850-344-9637.

COVID-19 statistics: Aug. 13 to Aug. 19

Florida
New cases: 150,118
Positivity rate 19.8%

Hillsborough County
New cases: 11,161
Positivity rate: 22%

Pasco County
New cases: 4,223
Positivity rate: 26.4%

Source: Florida Department of Health

COVID-19 symptoms
Symptoms of COVID-19 may include:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

Source: U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Published August 25, 2021

Local hospitals respond to surge in COVID-19 cases

By

A surge in COVID-19 cases has prompted AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and BayCare’s St. Joseph’s Hospital-North in Lutz to temporarily halt elective surgeries.

BayCare also tightened its visitation rules, effective Aug. 3.

“No one takes any pleasure in having to limit visits from patients’ loved ones or telling someone they will need to wait for their procedure,” BayCare Chief Operating Officer Glenn Waters said, on a hospital website posting. “But our first priority has to be to keep our facilities as safe as possible for our caregivers, so patients can recover and return home as soon as possible.”

AdventHealth continues to see a significant increase in COVID-19 cases at its facilities across West Florida and has surpassed its highest peak since the pandemic began, according to the healthcare system’s website.

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel and AdventHealth Carrollwood have temporarily postponed any non-urgent elective procedures that require an overnight stay, according to media alerts from AdventHealth.

Dr. Doug Ross, is chief medical officer of AdventHealth Hospital Tampa, the largest AdventHealth Hospital in Tampa Bay. He shared updates for the West Florida Division locations during an Aug. 3 video interview, published on the hospital’s Facebook and LinkedIn Live event.

“In the Tampa Bay region, we’re well over 300 patients now,” Ross said, noting that number exceeds the hospital’s past surges.

“Greater than 90% of those patients are unvaccinated and our numbers continue to grow,” Ross said.

The health care system has seen patients ranging from a baby, to people into their 90s, he said. “But really the shift has been toward younger people because those are the people who have opted not to get vaccinated,” he said. “So, that’s what we’re seeing.”

“It’s the usual symptoms,” he said, including shortness of breath, flu-like symptoms such as congestion, headache, cough and runny nose.

Ross said the delta variant “is probably tied with some of the most contagious viruses we’ve ever known — measles and chicken pox being examples of that.”

“That’s very concerning because the amount of spread that is occurring is so much greater,” he said.

It went from one patient spreading it to two or three patients, in the early COVID cases, to now, with one patient spreading it to eight or 10, he said.

“The viral load seems to be so much greater in delta variant, probably a thousand times greater in the respiratory tract.

“That means when you cough or sneeze or whatever, there’s a lot more virus that’s being let out into your surroundings and makes it more likely that other people will pick up that virus,” Ross said.

He encouraged people who are not immunized to get immunized.

“You will have a lot less severity if you’re immunized and you get the delta variant than if you didn’t have it,” he said. “That, to me, seems a pretty compelling argument.”

The other argument, he said, “is that you want to protect other people. There’s a certain sense of community that I think we need to appeal to people on, because as we reach herd immunity, we’re actually protecting people that can’t protect themselves.”

That includes people who have immune deficiencies, as well as children who are 12 and under and can’t get the vaccine yet, he said.

Ross continued: “If we don’t get control of this virus and it’s continuing to mutate, there is some fear out in the scientific community that this virus could mutate to a point where it actually beats the vaccines. It comes to a point that it mutates in such a way that the vaccine is no longer effective to the virus and then, we are back to really Square One, with the entire population, because no one will be immune to that variant.”

Ross also advised both vaccinated and unvaccinated people to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations.

Those going to indoor public spaces should wear masks, Ross said, “to protect themselves from getting the infection and from spreading the infection.”

It’s been shown that people who have been immunized can get infected, Ross said. It may stay asymptomatic, but they are still able to spread it.

He also encourages people to maintain social distancing, to limit their chance of exposure, and washing their hands.

“Try to avoid spaces that are indoor spaces, with a lot of people,” he added.

Ross also touched on the impact that this new surge has had on health care workers.

“We’d gone through two surges,” he said. “We thought we were sort of improving and getting better, and things were calming down.

“Now, all of a sudden, when we thought we were getting a handle on this whole thing, we had a surge and a surge bigger than any surge we’ve had so far. So that has really been a challenge emotionally to people because people were a little bit celebratory — in their own minds — because they had gotten through the worst of COVID, and that’s just not the case.”

While the hospital’s staff is very dedicated, he said, “we’re all a bit frustrated because of the fact that if more of the population had been vaccinated, we wouldn’t be seeing this surge and we wouldn’t be stressing our health systems out.”

Ross also offered another reason for wearing a mask: “One of the early reasons to wear a mask was to sort of dampen the curve, the rate of increase of the viral spread, so that it wouldn’t put a strain on our health systems.

“If this continues to rise, the way it’s rising, it’s definitely putting and will continue to put, a significant strain on our health systems,” Ross said.

To get the most current information relating to any changes regarding hospital policies, be sure to check with your local hospital.

In response to the surging cases, Hillsborough County has temporarily opened two COVID-19 testing sites, to help shorten the wait times for people wanting to check on their status, according to a county news release.

The county had anticipated administering 500 tests at each site but, in total, administered more than 2,000.

The sites are located at:

  • Palm River Community Center, 725 S. 58th St., in Tampa
  • Code Enforcement Complex, 1101 E. 139th Ave., in Tampa

The sites are open daily, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with testing done on a first-come, first-served basis.

There is no charge to be tested and health insurance is not required.

If you have health insurance, however, bring your insurance card because federal guidelines require the collection of health insurance data.

COVID 19 statistics, July 30 through Aug. 5
Florida: New cases: 134,506; new case positivity, 18.9%
Pasco: New cases, 3,404; new case positivity, 24.3%
Hillsborough: New cases, 8,583; new case positivity, 22.8%
Source: Florida Department of Health

Published August 11, 2021

Drug overdoses increasing in Pasco County

By

During the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, there’s another alarming issue surging in Pasco County  — rising fatal and non-fatal drug overdoses.

The Pasco Sheriff’s Office has reported 1,491 overdoses (and 268 deaths) from January 2020 to December 2020 — representing a 71% increase from 2019.

This includes a single-month high of 168 overdoses (39 fatal) in May, agency data shows.

Most recently, the month of December proved one of the most troublesome months in the past year — with 135 reported overdoses and two deaths. The trend continued in 2021, as the first weekend in January recorded 19 overdoses, with three deaths, according to the sheriff’s office.

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco

Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco says the COVID-19 pandemic has only exacerbated the county’s substance abuse and mental health problems because more people are dealing with job and financial losses, loneliness, homelessness and other personal struggles.

“We’re definitely seeing an extremely high spike since COVID hit with mental health and substance abuse, and especially the overdoses. There is an absolute correlation there,” Nocco recently told The Laker/Lutz News.

Overdose survivors have told deputies that “they feel like they’ve lost human connection with people,” Nocco said.

Instead of finding solace in faith, Nocco thinks many turn to substance abuse, and that, he said, is creating major issues.

During the midst of a pandemic, there are mental health issues occurring that won’t be healed with a vaccination, he said.

“People right now, they’re constantly on edge,” Nocco said.

These overdoses, Nocco said, are mostly related to heroin and other drugs laced with fentanyl, a powerful synthetic opioid analgesic similar to morphine but believed to be 50 times to 100 times more potent.

Said Nocco: “Heroin and fentanyl are the main two killers. When you’re seeing overdoses, it’s fentanyl. It’s sad. When you have an overdose and people pass away, it’s probably more likely than not that it’s fentanyl.”

Nocco noted the agency has even witnessed instances of carfentanil — an analogue 100 times stronger than fentanyl and most commonly used as an elephant tranquilizer.

Aside from its users, fentanyl and carfentanil offshoots pose a threat to the public and to first responders, as they can be absorbed through the skin or through accidental inhalation of airborne powder.

These substances are coming in from overseas, with stronger and stronger variations being discovered on the streets, Nocco said, adding, “It’s a very dangerous situation we’re dealing with.”

The overdoses predominantly are occurring in the western part of Pasco County, along the U.S. 19 corridor, Nocco said, but there are also pockets of activity in Land O’ Lakes, Wesley Chapel and Zephyrhills.

A nationwide problem
Rising drug overdoses are trending across the nation.

Over 81,000 drug overdose deaths occurred in the United States in the 12 months ending in May 2020. That’s the highest number of overdose deaths ever recorded in a 12-month period, according to recent provisional data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

While overdose deaths already were on the rise in the months preceding the COVID-19 pandemic, the latest numbers suggest an acceleration of overdose deaths during the pandemic, the CDC reports.

This graphic shows fatal and non-fatal overdoses in Pasco County for each month in 2020. Absent is the month of December, which yielded 135 overdoses and two deaths. (Courtesy of Pasco Sheriff’s Office)

“The disruption to daily life due to the COVID-19 pandemic has hit those with substance use disorder hard,” CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield said, in a December news release. “As we continue the fight to end this pandemic, it’s important to not lose sight of different groups being affected in other ways. We need to take care of people suffering from unintended consequences.”

According to the CDC, synthetic opioids (primarily illicitly manufactured fentanyl) appear to be the primary driver of the increases in overdose deaths, increasing 38.4% from the 12-month period leading up to June 2019 compared with the 12-month period leading up to May 2020. During this time period:

  • 37 of the 38 U.S. jurisdictions with available synthetic opioid data reported increases in synthetic opioid-involved overdose deaths
  • 18 of these jurisdictions reported increases greater than 50%
  • 10 western states reported over a 98% increase in synthetic opioid-involved deaths

More troubling trends
While overdose figures were substantially higher in 2020 compared to 2019 and some previous years in Pasco, the sheriff’s office’s intelligence-led policing unit likewise found a steady increase each year since 2017, which, of course, predates the pandemic.

This may result from lasting effects of Florida’s opioid prescription pill epidemic, Nocco said, with many users who initially got hooked on prescription pills turning to heroin, meth and other substances to get their fix.

“We’re still dealing with it. It’s not over,” the sheriff said of the statewide pill crisis. “You’re looking at individuals that would’ve never used hard drugs such as meth or heroin, but because they were prescribed Roxys (Roxicodone), Oxys (Oxycodone), Xanax for minor things like a minor surgery, a tooth issue, something like that, they then became addicts, and so those people with those addictions, they’re still suffering right now.”

Seeking solutions
To tackle these various substance abuse and related mental health issues, the local law enforcement agency is continuing to leverage its community-based health partners such as BayCare, Chrysallis Health and Pasco County Alliance for Substance Abuse and Prevention, and others.

The sheriff’s office has a rolodex of health care agencies that can provide help with a range of issues, including mental health, substance abuse, homelessness, youth and family services, autism, suicide, and veterans and post-traumatic stress. More details on resources can be found on PascoSheriff.com/MENTALHEALTH.html.

“We want to get to people before they get to that crisis stage,” Nocco said, adding, “and if people are starting to feel depressed, if they’re starting to feel issues and concerns, please reach out to those resources immediately.

“If those health care issues are dealt with very early on, they don’t turn into criminal justice issues,” he said.

The CDC also has made recommendations that can help curb drug overdose epidemic in local communities:

  • Expand distribution and use of naloxone and overdose prevention education
  • Increase awareness about and access to and availability of treatment for substance use disorders
  • Intervene early with individuals at highest risk for overdose
  • Improve detection of overdose outbreaks to facilitate more effective response

On a related note, the sheriff’s office is working to make positive lasting impressions on the younger people, to help get a grip of at-risk mental health and substance use issues.

The agency has partnered with the Pasco County Council Parent Teacher Association (PTA) on a mental health initiative titled, “You Matter,” which mainly focuses on suicide prevention among juveniles. Part of the effort involves distributing magnets with upbeat reminders that can be attached to cellphones and wallets, and other places.

The sheriff said his agency is trying to get this message out to teenagers and young adults: “You matter in life.”

The fact is that many of these kids are isolated, Nocco said.

“They’re on their phones and they don’t feel like they’re engaged with what’s going on.
“I understand a lot of people go on social media and walk away depressed thinking about what they read or if somebody put a negative comment on there,” he said.

He wants to spread the word, to help people realize their value.

“It doesn’t matter what somebody wrote about you, you matter to somebody else, and your life is important.

“We don’t want to see people harm themselves or get an addiction over a comment made on social media by somebody who could live a couple of thousand miles away,” Nocco said.

Published February 03, 2021

Apartments proposed on Bruce B. Downs, at Eagleston

By

The Pasco County Planning Commission has recommended approval of a conditional use permit to allow an apartment development on the west side of Bruce B. Downs Boulevard, south of Eagleston Boulevard.

The request, submitted by Adventist Health System Sunbelt Healthcare Corporation, would allow a maximum of 248 apartments on the 16.24-acre site. Adventist intends to sell the land to enable the development.

The Pasco County Commission is scheduled to hear the request on Jan. 12 at 1:30 p.m., in the board’s chambers at the Historic Pasco County Courthouse in Dade City.

Pete Pensa, director of planning for AVID Group of Tampa, outlined details of the request for planning commissioners.

The property is located at 5101 Bruce B. Downs Blvd., which is about one-fourth mile south of Wesley Chapel Boulevard, Pensa said. It has direct frontage on Bruce B. Downs and Eagleston boulevards.

There’s a mixture of development in the area, including retail, medical office uses, car dealerships and an assisted living facility, Pensa said.

It’s south of BayCare’s planned hospital, which recently was announced, Pensa said.

Baycare hospital officials recently had a ceremonial groundbreaking for the facility, which is under construction.

Other nearby uses include fast-food and sit-down restaurants, and a bank, Pensa added.

“To the south of us are townhomes and single-family subdivisions,” he said, adding, “there is no existing multifamily within this mixed-use quadrant.”

He also mentioned that multifamily is an appropriate transitional use between commercial to the north and single-family residential to the south.

The site has been zoned for commercial use since 1984, but there hasn’t been a market for that use, Pensa said. “They’ve not been able to find a buyer and developer.”

“There are a variety of commercial uses in the area that support the project, both from  opportunities for shopping and eating, as well as working, including the BayCare facility,” he said.

The hospital is expected to have 275 jobs, and the nearby assisted living facility.

Plans call for preserving a significant portion of the apartment project property, Pensa added.

Amenities will include walking trails around a pond, a park, a dog park, picnic areas, a clubhouse and a pool.

Pensa also noted that there would be fewer trips generated by this development than from a commercial use. And, he said there is water, sewer and reclaimed water available to service the site.

He submitted two letters of support for the project.

However, there were objections.

Todd Yontec emailed his objections, noting that he’s a longtime resident of the Seven Oaks community and objects to adding apartments in an area that already has plenty of residential development.

“This would truly be poor planning by the commission, if it keeps adding apartment complexes without encouraging the building of the infrastructure to support the increasing population density in this area,” Yontec wrote.

“The only deviation from this original plan that I would support would be to return the parcel to wetlands, or create a park,” he added.

Planning commissioner Roberto Saez, who lives in Seven Oaks, also objected to the request.

He said the area is oversaturated with apartment complexes.

“I go to Publix. Every time, it’s getting busier,” he said, making it harder to find parking.

“As an owner, I believe it is increasing the value of my property. As a user, it can be a real nightmare. I don’t see any type of expansion of Bruce B. Downs. I don’t see any plan to cover the schools,” Saez said.

“I have a hard time with the project, to be honest with you,” the planning commissioner added.

Saez said he’s also concerned about overloading Seven Oaks Elementary School.

Chris Williams, who represents Pasco County Schools on the planning board, said the proposed development would generate 30 elementary school students.

Saez voiced skepticism about that projection.

But, Williams said the biggest impact on schools comes from single-family developments.

As the school district’s director of planning, Williams is in charge of the planning done to address future school needs.

He said he has no concerns about the impact on schools from the proposed development.

“We don’t object to this particular development,” Williams said.

Revised on Jan. 3, 2021

Pasco experiencing recent spike of overdoses

By

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office (PCSO) has reported a record-setting spike in drug overdoses.

A lethal dose of the painkilling opioid Fentanyl is 2 milligrams, almost imperceptible, but the PCSO Narcotics Unit removed 435,000 lethal doses of the drug from the county’s streets during a six-week period.

The story doesn’t stop there.

Even a 2-milligram dose of the painkilling opioid Fentanyl, although almost imperceptible, can be fatal. After a recent uptick in overdoses, the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office has emphasized rehabilitation solutions. (Courtesy of Pasco County Sheriff’s Office)

Aided by a federal grant, the PCSO has established a Behavioral Health Intervention Team, which helps citizens with mental-health issues or substance-abuse problems. Members of the 16-person team contact overdose survivors within 48 hours of the incident, then connect them with community rehabilitation partners such as BayCare.

According to Sheriff’s Office records, Pasco County overdoses reached an all-time monthly high of 167 (37 fatal) in May, then maintained a steady pace in June (146, 18 fatal); July (140, nine fatal); and August (147, 24 fatal).

From 2017-2019, the largest overdose total in any month was 89.

In 2020, there were startling overdose upticks in May (297% increase), June (239% increase), July (204% increase) and August (234% increase), compared to the average of those month’s totals in the previous three years.

But, to Pasco County Sheriff’s Capt. Toni Roach, the key number is 49. Those are the people who have been placed under the care of a substance-abuse program because of the intervention team’s work.

“I know that doesn’t seem like a large number, but we’re running at about a 25% commitment into a program (after intervention),’’ Roach said. “That’s (49) people I know who aren’t going to potentially overdose and die in our community. That’s because the detective has been able to engage them and help them get appointments with behavioral health providers.

“We’ve created a path, giving these overdose subjects a golden ticket, getting them to the head of the line for services. These overdose subjects, they overdose, they almost die and they want help. “The overall effects of withdrawal and addiction manifest themselves within the first 24 hours. That’s why it’s crucial to get to them before they use again. If we get them into services quickly and reduce the withdrawal effects, they’re going to be more successful in staying,” she said.

Sometimes, it’s difficult to follow through, though.

Roach said the intervention team has worked with approximately 1,000 overdose follow-up assignments in the last year. About one-third of the subjects couldn’t be located, potentially because they were homeless, transient or intentionally avoiding authorities.

For subjects who are located, about half of them are interested in services. Most of the time, Roach said, they don’t know where to start.

“We have that hard conversation and tell them, ‘This is your rock bottom, and we’re here to help you,’” Roach said. “We help take away all the excuses. We do all the legwork and take people to their first appointment. If the process is intimidating or they don’t have transportation, we get them that help.’’

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began, that help has been needed more than ever.

“We definitely saw an increase in the overdose numbers and there were multiple potential reasons,’’ Roach said. “Some of it was stimulus related. When the stimulus checks came out, some people partied like it was 1999. The substance abuse community relies heavily on peer support and interaction. So when we stopped meeting in person, churches closed and things went online, it wasn’t the same as having that human interaction.

“The whole aspect of social isolation has been a huge part of the pandemic and overall mental health. No doubt, isolation has played into it in a very big way,” she said.

Fentanyl also plays into it in a very big way. It’s the drug of concern for local officials.

“It’s extremely cheap and it’s extremely addictive because of its potency level,’’ Roach said. “It creates a bigger problem for us. The things that seemed more benign by comparison, such as marijuana, can now overdose and kill you because it’s now laced with something that is very fatal and highly toxic. It throws our entire community into a new playing field.’’

But, the intervention team continues to make headway.

“We’ve had a lot of great wins during this process,’’ Roach said. “As time goes on and we learn more and more, I think it will be even more effective.’’

By Joey Johnston

Published October 07, 2020

Leader shares his hospital’s COVID-19 experiences

By

AdventHealth Wesley Chapel Erik Wangsness CEO assumed the leadership role of the hospital on Sept. 1 — during the midst of a hospital expansion and months before COVID-19 became a global pandemic.

“Our world changed about three months ago,” the hospital executive told members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber, during the organization’s first Zoom breakfast meeting on June 2.

“We had heard since the beginning of the year about this virus coming out of Wuhan (China), and its spread.

Erik Wangsness, CEO of AdventHealth Wesley Chapel, recently talked via Zoom to members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber, about the experiences at his hospital amid COVID-19. (Courtesy of AdventHealth)

“And then, in March, it really started to get real for us — and for you,” Wangsness said.

In March, like other businesses, the hospital had “progressively more aggressive reactions to COVID,” he said.

“We started by screening questions at the front. Then, it was screening questions and limiting visitation, masking and then it was no visitors.

“It got very serious, very quickly,” he said.

“We did a lot of modeling around what to expect with COVID, starting back in February and March.

“We were expecting infection rates in Hillsborough and Pasco County — about 4(%) to 7% — of the community, we thought were going to be infected by COVID,” he said.

That modeling showed a need for rooms, ventilators and personal protective equipment that was much greater than the hospital had, he said.

“We scrambled. We set up triage tents and surge tents on our campuses. We brought in more equipment; huge orders for personal protective equipment.

“As time went on, the models dropped and dropped and dropped — and we found that less than 1% — thankfully, of the citizens of Pasco County and Hillsborough County — ended up being infected, that we know of.

“Of course, we haven’t had, as you know, the ability to perform widespread either testing or antibody testing to see what was the true infection level of the community,” he said.

Their testing, of both people who were symptomatic and some who were asymptomatic, showed less than a 1% infection rate, he said.

The hospital leader praised his staff’s response to the pandemic, and also the community’s support.

“There were many, many powerful moments during the last three months,” he said. ““Some were extremely sad, patients we lost, who were infected by the virus.”

At the same time, “there were also incredible highs,” he said, sharing a video of the hospital’s first COVID patient who came off a ventilator at the hospital, and was discharged.

“This was very real, and very difficult, heavy lift, for not only (AdventHealth) Wesley Chapel, certainly, but all hospitals, all health care across Tampa Bay,” he said.

“One of the things that has been for me, that has been incredibly comforting and heartwarming, was that we were absolutely embraced by our community.

“People delivered food. Businesses delivered food. Handmade masks. Letters. Posters from kids, from the community supporting us — and telling us, and our staff, that they were thankful for us.

“It made a huge difference. It was just incredibly powerful to the staff here at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel to know that the community, the business community, the faith community were behind us.

“We had several parades.

“Groups wanted to come and parade through the campus to show their support. Honk horns, fly balloons and banners, show support for the people,” he said.

He also praised the response of the region’s medical facilities.

“Another very powerful kind of component of this is that the hospital systems in Tampa Bay — Tampa General, BayCare, HCA, AdventHealth — all came together, to work together, to treat COVID patients, to test COVID patients, to support each other. It’s been a wonderful thing,” he said.

COVID concerns keep people away from hospitals
While AdventHealth Wesley Chapel was gearing up for the COVID-19 challenge, fewer people were coming to the hospital with other conditions.

“Our surveys and focus groups show a very high level of concern remains in our communities about the danger of COVID at hospitals.

“We saw, over the last three months, a significant decrease in our census — in people coming to the hospital to receive care,” he said. He estimates that the hospital’s census declined by about 50%.

“So, one of the ironies was that we were going full speed trying to prepare for this pandemic that we thought was going to overwhelm us, but at the same time the business that we had in the hospital was artificially low.

“We know that ambulance calls for very significant conditions — stroke and heart attack fell significantly across Florida and across the United States compared to the same time prior year.

“Think about that, stroke and heart attack victims would rather stay home than call an ambulance to seek care because of the fear of being infected at the hospital,” he said.

As a result, care has been delayed and when people arrive at the hospital they are sicker because of that delay, he said.

The hospital’s messaging has been focused on explaining what it is doing to keep patients and others safe, Wangsness said.

Staff members at AdventHealth Wesley Chapel hold cards of appreciation dropped off by The Learning Experience, a local day care. Besides the cards made by the kids, the day care delivered pizzas.

“So, what will you see, at our facility and virtually every hospital you go to?

“You’ll see universal masking. All of our staff. All of the physicians in the hospital, will be wearing masks. Visitors, patients who come, are masked as well.

“Everyone, every day, temperature is checked upon arrival. That’s our staff, our physicians, any contractors and vendors, any patients and visitors. We’re checking and screening everyone upon arrival.

“There’s limited visitation. For a couple of months there were no visitors in the hospital. Now, each patient can have one visitor. Someone coming in for surgery can have one visitor. But again, all visitors are masked and screened upon entry,” he said.

The hospital’s social distancing strategies include appliques on the ground to remind people to stay 6 feet apart, and the hospital also has removed some furniture from its lobbies, waiting areas and cafeteria, to help keep people farther apart.

Additionally, the hospital has stepped up its sanitizing, especially in public areas, in addition to private areas within the hospital.

Wangsness asked members of the North Tampa Bay Chamber to help spread the word.

“My request of you, of the business community, is let people know that hospitals are working diligently — not just ours, but all hospitals — and physician offices, and imaging clinics, to make sure that we’re keeping them (patients) safe.

“They really shouldn’t delay their care because of the COVID, really, at this point, they’re doing themselves a disservice,” the hospital executive said.

Published June 10, 2020

A closer look at coronavirus statistics in Pasco County

By

Pasco County’s percentage of positive coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) cases compares favorably to the state’s percentage of positive cases, according to Mike Napier, health officer for the Florida Department of Health in Pasco County.

Napier’s comments came on April 24, during a town hall virtual meeting hosted by Pasco County Commissioner Kathryn Starkey.

Napier said the health department’s epidemiologists work with hospitals, long-term health facilities, urgent care centers, and other medical and testing facilities to identify, monitor and track all positive COVID-19 cases.

Once a positive case is identified, the health department’s epidemiology team contacts the individual and asks about their activities and the people they’ve come in contact with.

“Based on that information, follow-up calls are made to those possible contacts. Information is gathered and recommendations are provided to those individuals, as well.

“A tracking system is used to compile this information and determine trends in our community.

“Normally, this is a 24/7 operation, manned by four staff in the health department.

“However, in the last few weeks, we’ve ramped up and have a total of 25 people working on contact tracing.

“As we know, contact tracing is a huge component in resolving our COVID-19 cases,” Napier said.

“Before we had the self-isolation, you  may have been to a neighborhood barbecue. You may have been to your children’s school event. I may have 40 to 50 people.

“Contact tracing is important.

“We contact our positives within the first 24 to 48 hours of the lab getting back to us. Many times, we’re contacting them before the doctors call them.”

“The amount of work is reduced because of the isolation, and the spread is reduced because of the isolation.”

Napier put Pasco County’s percentage of positive cases at 5% of those tested, compared to the state average of 10%.

“Today (April 24), we’ve had nine positive cases; in the past, we’ve been doing pretty well, with four or five cases,” he said.

Of 229 cases, 174 people have been removed from isolation, he said.

As of April 24, Pasco had its highest daily positive count on the first three days of April. The counts on those days were 15, 12 and 16, respectively.

“For this past week, we’ve averaged five cases, so we’re making progress,” he said.

Early on, most of the county’s cases were related to travel from known hot spots.

Then, the positive cases were from exposure to known cases, with a large percentage being from household contact, such as spouses, children and siblings, he said.

He said the health department provides priority testing, based on first responders and health care workers.

He said BayCare also has stepped up with drive-thru testing at its Gulf Harbor location and now at Gulf High School in New Port Richey.

“BayCare has tested more than 2,000 residents that met the screening criteria. I can’t emphasize the importance of the screening criteria — fever, cough, shortness of breath,” Napier said.

The focus has been on testing people who are symptomatic, he said.

The testing will be provided through the first week of May at Gulf High School, said Napier, who also gave a shout-out to the principal, for accommodating the testing.

“These efforts have allowed us to identify and slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” Napier said, adding that social distancing is working to reduce the spread of the potentially deadly virus.

When employers can find ways for employees to work at home, that helps to limit the spread, he said.

“Pasco County, in general terms, has done very well with the COVID response and has seen less cases and less deaths, compared to similar counties,” Napier said.

He attributes some of that to the health department’s efforts to fight back the Hepatitis A problem that has plagued the county for the past year.

He explained: “COVID-19 messaging is similar to Hep A, in that good hygiene is the No. 1 best way to avoid infection.

“Our hospitals, long-term care facilities, community partners and you, our residents of Pasco County, are making a difference and the data shows. Continue to follow CDC guidance, watch for updates for the governor and when Pasco County begins to get back to business, following their guidance,” he said.

“The Department of Health is working with Pasco County to provide data on case counts and other related information, so that they can make informed decisions on opening the county for business,” Napier added.

He also offered these simple reminders: “The basics of infection control continue to be good hand hygiene.

“Remember,” he added, “the best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to the virus.”

Published May 06, 2020

Pasco Sheriff’s Office unveils app to help stress

By

Pasco Sgt. Matt Rosenbloom has handled countless distressing calls throughout his 12 years in law enforcement.

“I’ve seen things that people shouldn’t see out there,” he said.

Sometimes it takes several days for him to get past a particular incident. Witnessing the death of a child, for instance, takes a heavy toll.

Pasco County Sheriff Chris Nocco said post-traumatic stress is a ‘hidden secret’ in the law enforcement community. Along with the app, the Sheriff’s Office is working on several different projects to address the issue from both the member and the family side, which includes available training regarding emotional survival and coping techniques.
(Kevin Weiss)

It’s something many deputies aren’t mentally prepared for emotionally, the sergeant said.

“We’re trained to deal with the physical dangers and to anticipate knowing that there’s those physical dangers,” Rosenbloom said. “What we are not often aware of are the long-term emotional health dangers that come along with the job.”

To help its members cope with those psychological scars, the law enforcement agency has developed a new smartphone app called Pasco Sheriff’s Office PTS (Post-Traumatic Stress).

The app offers resources, including mental health tools and videos for those who may be suffering from post-traumatic stress.

The app features a stress assessment questionnaire and also provides contact information to those who can provide help, including community partners such as BayCare and the University of South Florida. Other crisis resources include the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline and the National Law Enforcement Officers Hotline.

The tool was developed in-house with help from some outside contractors, as part of a $150,000 pilot program related to post traumatic stress in law enforcement and ways to address the issue.

The funding was included in last year’s state budget that was signed into law by Gov. Rick Scott, after Rep. Danny Burgess and Sen. Wilton Simpson submitted a budget request on behalf of the Pasco County Sheriff’s Office.

Along with the app, funding has been spent on several different projects to address the issue from both the member and the family side, including offering training for its members and their families regarding emotional survival and coping techniques.

At a March 15 media conference, Pasco Sheriff Chris Nocco said post-traumatic stress is a “hidden secret” and “never really been spoken about” among law enforcement circles.

He said the disorder has led to broken families, alcoholism and other problems among deputies, because the issue wasn’t addressed head-on.

The current, sometimes volatile climate for law enforcement doesn’t help matters, Nocco said. This year, so far, more than 30 officers nationwide have been killed in the line of duty.

The sheriff elaborated: “For a law enforcement deputy…you’re going from one person’s worst moment of their life, continuous all day long and then you go home. “We’re called upon during people’s worst times, and then what’s going on more and more in society is — no matter what we do, it is never good enough.

“I can tell you that is overwhelmingly stressing our members now that they know no matter what decisions they make, it’s going to be second-guessed the following day,” he said.

Pasco Sheriff PTS is now available through the Google Play store and soon will be in the Apple store.

Rosenbloom said he has already utilized the tool on a few occasions and has found it helpful.

An app that’s easily accessible
“The quick access is great because I would say for some deputies that immediately after the incident that adrenaline dumps, and now all of a sudden they’re experiencing these feelings.

“They could go on the app right then and there, or it may come days later, where they may start reliving that experience and saying, ‘Is this normal?’ and go back on the app,” Rosenbloom said.

Meanwhile, it provides “a good foundation” for deputies unfamiliar with post-traumatic stress and its effects, Rosenbloom added.

“There may be newer officers…who are not sure whether they’re feeling the right thing or whether they should still be feeling what they’re feeling after a critical incident.

“This app breaks it down, asks questions and, in the end, it gives you an assessment of whether what you’re feeling is correct or not,” Rosenbloom explained.

The app is also meant for deputies’ families. Rosenbloom’s wife, Lena, has utilized the app to access support for herself and her children.

“You need just a couple of taps to get you help,” Lena said, noting its user-friendly capabilities.

“When you’re in a crisis, the last thing you want to do is try and find a phone number, pull out a card and (find) the EAP (Employee Assistance Program) number,” she said.

While mainly geared toward law enforcement and their families, the sheriff encourages anyone to use the tool, if he or she needs guidance or help.

The sheriff specifically mentioned the tool’s usefulness for other first responders, such as firefighters, as well as teenagers, parents and teachers.

“We want everybody to go on here and use this,” Nocco said. “We want to make sure they see it’s available, because the intent when we asked this of the Legislature was to say, ‘Look, we’re going to build it, we’ll develop it, but at the same time, it’s not solely for the Pasco Sheriff’s Office. It’s going to be used for everybody.’”

The Sheriff’s Office will not use the app to collect data or information on users, Nocco said.

The app also will be updated continuously as new strategies come along in dealing with post-traumatic stress.

The goal is to provide assistance in time of need, Nocco said.

“Everybody feels like they’re swimming out at sea, and there’s nobody to help them; here’s another life preserver that we’re throwing out there, to help them get help, to make them feel better and to realize that they’re not alone,” Nocco said.

What is Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder?
Post-traumatic stress disorder, also known as PTSD, is a mental health problem that some people develop after experiencing or witnessing a life-threatening event, like combat, a natural disaster, a car accident, or sexual assault.

Symptoms of PTSD:

  • Reliving the event, or having flashbacks in bad memories or nightmares
  • Avoiding situations that remind you of the traumatic event
  • Having contant negative beliefs and feelings, such as guilt and shame, or feeling the world is dangerous and can’t trust anyone
  • Feeling overly jittery and alert, and always on the lookout for danger

People with PTSD may also experience other problems. These include:

  • Feelings of hopelessness, shame, or despair
  • Depression or anxiety
  • Drinking or drug problems
  • Physical symptoms or chronic pain
  • Employment problems
  • Relationship problems, including divorce

–Information from the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs’ National Center for PTSD

Published March 21, 2018