What a COVID future holds for Clark County

The pandemic has tested our community in southern Nevada in ways very few people have ever experienced.

Mask wearing, and social distancing have become everyday routines.

Now, questions about our future.

Is COVID-19 here to stay and what can be done to make sure we’re prepared for the next pandemic?

Jeremy Chen reports.

HISTORIC.... PAST YEAR.THANK YOU.... FOR STAYINGWITH US.... FOR 13 ACTIONNEWS.... LIVE AT 6-30..THE PANDEMIC HAS TESTEDOUR COMMUNITY.... IN SOUTHERNNEVADA... IN WAYS.... VERY FEWPEOPLE HAVE EVER EXPERIENCEDMASK WEARING AND SOCIALDISTANCING.... HAVE BECOME....EVERY DAY ROUTINES.BUT TONIGHT---QUESTIONS ABOUT OURFUTURE---IS COVID HERE TO STAY?---AND... WHAT CAN BE DONE TOPREPARE FOR THE NEXT PANDEMIC?13 ACTION NEWS REPORTER...JEREMY CHEN IS LIVE AT SOUTHERNHILLS HOSPITAL DIGGING FOR THEANSWERS TONIGHT...COVID-19 HAS AFFECTEDBASICALLY EVERYONE IN OURCOMMUNITY-TO THE POINT IT’S INOUR EVERYDAY VOCABULARY.HEALTH LEADERS SAY IT’SPOSSIBLE WE MAY BE DEALING WITHTHE VIRUS TO SOME DEGREE IN THEFUTURE BUT WE CAN BE READY FORIT.THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC HAS BEENTHE FOCUS OF THE SOUTHERN NEVADAHEALTH DISTRICT FOR THE PASTYEARWORKING WITH LOCAL ANDSTATE OFFICIALS ON GUIDELINESAND CURBING THE SPREAD OF THEVIRUS."We have a very strong communityand a lot of local resources."DR. FERMIN LEGUENCHIEF HEALTHOFFICER FOR THE SOUTHERN NEVADAHEALTH DISTRICT--- SAYS COVID-19REMAINS A NEW VIRUS THATCONTINUES TO BE STUDIED.THERE IS SOME SUSPICION IN THESCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY-WE MAY BEDEALING WITH COVID-19 FOR AWHILE."it might be present for yearsin our community.

Of course, notto the degree we’re seeing rightnow, perhaps more similar to theflu."AS MORE IS KNOWN ABOUT THEVIRUS THE EFFORTS TO VACCINATENEVADANS WILL CONTINUE."Without it, we don’t go back tonormal.

If we can get enough ofour population vaccinated, wecan start to reopen our city andcountry go back to the events wehad before COVID."DR. BRIAN LABUS WITH U-N-L-VSAYS THIS WOULD MEAN GETTINGHERD IMMUNITY FROM THE VIRUS-WHICH WOULD BE ABOUT 70 PERCENTOF MORE AMERICANS GETTING THESHOT."It’s a bit of a challenge toreach considering kids make up22 percent of the population andthey’re not eligible to bevaccinated yet."DR. LEGUEN SAYS HE BELIEVESTHERE SHOULD BE A FOCUS ONADEQUATELY FUNDING PUBLICHEALTH- IN ORDER TO HAVEPROGRAMS IN PLACE TO RESPOND TO***FUTURE*** DISEASE OUTBREAKS.HE SAYS LOCAL HEALTH DISTRICTSACROSS THE COUNTRY- INCLUDINGS-N-H-D HAVE BEEN HISTORICALLYUNDERFUNDED AND UNDERSTAFFED.DURING THE PANDEMICS-N-H-DRECEIVED A SURGE IN FUNDING FROMTHE STATE AND FEDERALGOVERNMENTS-TO RESPOND TO THEPANDEMIC."What will happen after thepandemic and that’s really thequestion.

You really needfunding to keep your staff readyto respond to anything."DOCTORS CONTINUE TO ASK PEOPLETO WEAR MASKS AND SOCIALDISTANCE IF YOU’RE OUT IN PUBLICEVEN IF YOU’VE BEEN FULLYVACCINATED.TOMORROWWE’LL CONTINUE OUR"LIGHTS OUT" SERIES OF STORIES--FOCUSING ON EDUCATION AND C-C-S-D.JEREMY CHEN 13 ACTION NEWSAND COVID-19 IS CHANGINGSURGERY...THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OFANESTHESIOLOGISTS OR "A-S-A"...SAYS... IT IS LIKELY YOU WILL BEREQUIRED TO HAVE A NEGATIVE TESTBEFORE SURGERY FOR THEFORESEEABLE FUTURE.- THERE IS ALSO NOEVIDENCE... COVID OR THEVACCINES INTERFERE WITHANESTHESIA.- IT RECOMMENDS WAITING"FOUR TO 12" WEEKS TO HAVESURGERY IF YOU RECENTLYRECOVERED FROM COVID-19.- AND YOU SHOULD TALK TOYOUR SURGEON OR DR. ABOUT IF YOUSHOULD WAIT TO GET VACCINATED...BEFORE GETTING SURGERY.THE MEDICAL SYSTEM.... INNEVADA.... CAME CLOSE TOFRACTURING..... AT THE BEGINNINGOF THIS PANDEMIC...OFFICIALS RACED.... TOINCREASE HOSPITAL CAPACITY ANDAVOID..... HAVING TO RATIONCARE.RESEARCHERS ALSO.....JUMPED INTO ACTION..... HELPINGKEEP HOSPITALIZATIONS DOWN.ONE HUGE ADVANCEMENT....WAS THE DEVELOPMENT....AND...USE OF "MULTIPLE COVIDANTI-BODY COCKTAILS".MONO-COLONALTHERAPIES..... LIKE"REGENERON"...OR...I-V INFUSIONS..... HELPINGINFECTED PATIENTS’ IMMUNESYSTEMS.... RAMP UP.NURSES AND DOCTORSREMEMBER..... CHARGING INTO THEPANDEMIC..... NEARLY BLIND."We were cautious and nervousbut we knew we had a job to do.""That was at a time when wedidn’t really have any knowntreatments available."THE MOST MONUMENTALACHIEVEMENT TO DATE IS.....THE DEVELOPMENT OFMULTIPLE HIGHLY EFFECTIVEVACCINES.... FROM"PFIZER" AND "MODERNA".... TO"JOHNSON AND JOHNSON".OUR LIGHTS OUTCOVERAGE.... WILL CONTINUE....ALL WEEK.WE HAVE MORE STORIES....TOMORROW.... ABOUT THE PAST...PRESENT.... AND FUTURE.....REGARDING "COVID-19".... HERE INLAS VEGAS.NEW AT 6-30 -- C-C-S-DHELD A FORUM DISCUSSION ONMENTAL HEALTH THIS EVENING.IT WAS CALLED "TOGETHER WETRIUMPH" -- AND THE GOAL WASSUICIDE PREVENTION.THE ONLINE FORUM STARTEDAT 4 P-M AND WRAPPED UP AT THETOP OF THE HOUR.HOPE MEANS NEVADA... WASONE OF THE GROUPS THAT TOOKPART."The goal is to start having theconversation earlier because ourgoal is not any solutionsprovider.

We’re not there toanswer the calls on the suicideline, but we’re there -- I justbecame more involved as theybecame more involved because Isaw how passionate they wereabout it -- is to really shine alight on the struggles of youthand teen mental health issues."ANGELA EDGEWORTH ALSO SAYSMANY BOYS AND MEN DON’T WANT TOHAVE THE CONVERSATION -- SO THEYWANT TO END THAT STIGMA OFOPENING UP.20 STUDENTS HAVE TAKENTHEIR OWN LIVES SINCE REMOTELEARNING BEGAN LAST MARCH.IF YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOWIS STRUGGLING WITH SUICIDALTHOUGHTS CALL THE NATIONALSUICIDE PREVENTION LIFELINE.THE NUMBER IS ON YOURSCREEN..

1- 800 - 273 - TALK.SOUTHERN HILLSHOSPITAL..... HOLDING A MOMENTOF SILENCE.... THISAFTERNOON.... TO HONOR THOSEIMPACTED..... BY "COVID-19".THE HOSPITAL.... HELD THEMOMENT OF SILENCE.... OUTSIDE OFTHE HOSPITAL.... JUST AFTER -3-P-M.DOCTORS AND NURSES SAY....THEY WILL ALWAYSREMEMBER.... THIS PAST YEAR...THE STRUGGLES.... THAT THEPANDEMIC BROUGHT."We won’t forget this year andwe will alway remember what wewent through, what people wentthrough, what families wentthrough at a time where visitorsweren’t allowed at the hospitalsand nurses stepped up and becamefamily members for thosepatients.

Those are bonds thatwill never be forgotten andnever be broken."DOCTOR AHMAD SAYS...THAT DOCTORS... NURSESAND HOSPITAL STAFF.... BECAME ANEXTENSION.... TO THE FAMILIES OFPATIENTS.COMING UP ON 13 ACTIONNEWS LIVE AT 6-30 -- ISSUESCONTINUE WITH IMMIGRATION...WHAT NEW VIDEO IS SHOWINGREGARDING MIGRANT CHILDREN ATTHE BORDER.PLUS....THERE WAS A LOT..... THATWAS LOST DURING THISPANDEMIC....BUT ONE...... THAT WEOVERLOOK IS SLEEP.WHY THAT HAS BEENINCREDIBLY TAXING.... AS WE TRY<<<BREAK