Epidemiology, Dads and the UCSF NYC Team
This week you get a 3 for 1, because hey, these are extraordinary times.
This week,
Dr. George Rutherford, Professor of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, showed the stark contrast between what was predicted before our timely shelter in place and what we are actually experiencing in the Bay Area in deaths from COVID19. 44,484 deaths were expected by summer vs 170 we have seen to date, an impressive impact of several public health and local leaders who made hard decisions when many were wondering if we were overreacting. #PublicHealthHeroes
A couple weeks ago,
Dr. Reza Vagefi, one of our Ophthalmologists and Drs.
Matt and
Marika Russell, a married couple of our OHNS surgeons, were connecting on plans and concerns for their specialties, seeing how they could collaborate. Slit lamp eye exams were one place in clinic where Ophthalmology patients and providers were face to face, increasing risk to both. When Reza shared a prototype of a shield that could create a barrier over the slit lamp microscope, Matt realized his father in law, Marika's dad, a lawyer by profession, had the skills to produce these in his home workshop.
Mr. Lorne Dubin, sheltering in place himself, hand-fabricated plexiglass safety shields (pictured above) to outfit all slit lamp microscopes for the Department’s clinical locations to better protect patients and clinicians. #DadHeroes #FriendsAtWork
Last weekend, 20 of our friends and colleagues flew to NYC to help at New York Presbyterian where they are providing help and relief to those in hospitals experiencing COVID patient surges. They were chosen of hundreds who volunteered to go. Dr. Tomas Diaz, an Emergency Medicine Fellow, speaks about the experience in the beginning of this week's
Dept of Medicine Grand Rounds. #UCSFHeroes
If you ever wonder about your (or one person's) impact on the world, keep these stories in mind, and these words from Hellen Keller:
"I am only one; but I am still one.
I cannot do everything; but still I can do something.
I will not refuse to do something I can do."
Thanks to these heroes and all of you who are doing your part in so many different ways.
