Message from the Dean
To: WCM Community
Subject: May 20 Dean’s Weekly COVID-19 Update
In many ways, New York has turned a corner on the coronavirus pandemic, as positive trends in public health data continue and we ease into the unofficial start of summer. At Weill Cornell Medicine, the total number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients is half what it was at the peak, and there are one-third as many COVID-19 patients in intensive care. Three of our physician leaders have drawn on their experience at the epicenter and published a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine on the evaluation and management of severe COVID-19.
On a national level, the number of new cases around the country seems to be slowly declining. Yet as states reopen to varying degrees, we run the risk of worsening the situation, as Anthony Fauci, MD ’66, Director of the NIAID, and other public health experts testified.
In the midst of this ongoing uncertainty, the most important steps that we can take are the ones directly within our control: to maintain social distancing and avoid gathering in groups, to wear face coverings in public, and to wash our hands frequently. Studies provide ample evidence of the effectiveness of these public health recommendations, and it is crucial that we comply with them, especially now as we hope to resume our customary work and recreational activities.
At the end of last week, Governor Cuomo extended the executive order putting New York “on pause” until May 28, except for regions that are able to meet the state’s public health criteria for reopening. New York City and its downstate suburbs remain under the “stay-at-home” order. Cornell’s Ithaca campus and Cornell AgriTech are located in the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes regions, which are among the seven upstate areas eligible to begin restarting non-essential businesses in the first phase of the state’s four-part plan:
- Construction and manufacturing;
- Professional services, retail and real estate;
- Restaurants and hotels; and
- Arts, entertainment and education.
Weill Cornell Medicine is carefully planning its steps forward in accordance with the Governor’s plan and public health guidance. The latest developments in our plans to relaunch activities in patient care, research, and education can be found on the newly revamped WCM Central website. Please continue to visit it regularly in the coming months for information on guidelines, processes, and helpful resources.
Weill Cornell Medicine is moving forward, together. Last week we slowly began increasing essential patient care, including office-based visits in the Weill Greenberg Center and surgeries and procedures that have been delayed by the pandemic. Operating rooms in our medical center, including the David H. Koch Center, are reopening this week, although elective surgeries and procedures are not yet permitted to resume.
We’ve made a number of updates to the patient experience to maintain the safest environment possible. For example, patients in the Weill Greenberg Center take the escalator up to the second floor, where they are directed to an elevator queue that is monitored for appropriate social distancing. Surgical masks are provided to all people in our facilities, patient temperatures are checked before entering clinical practices, and there is rigorous cleaning of exam rooms between each appointment. We are continually evaluating the flow of patients and the impact on our operations, so that we can make adjustments as needed. I’m pleased to say that the ramp-up in essential care is going slowly but smoothly, thanks to many weeks of detailed planning and outstanding leadership from our clinical deans, department chairs, and Physician Organization administration.
In terms of research, we are allowing clinical studies to reopen, subject to specific guidelines, as patient care gradually expands. We are also preparing for a phased increase in on-site basic and translational research, with labs tentatively scheduled to open at 25% capacity at the beginning of June. Staggered work shifts and extended hours will be employed to maintain social distancing. Lab occupancy will increase to 50% later in the summer, possibly in July, and to near full capacity as social distancing policies are lifted. These plans will take some patience and creativity to implement, but I am confident that we can do it, considering how far we have already come as a community.
Our next steps for medical and graduate education are evolving. We are committed to delivering high-quality academic content for our students and maintaining standard graduation timelines as much as possible, while adhering to federal and state guidelines for institutions of higher education. We expect that elements of remote learning will remain part of the medical and graduate curricula for the foreseeable future and anticipate a phased re-entry of students into the clinical and research environments in the coming weeks. We are beginning discussions about what the learning experience for incoming students will look like in the fall. Additional information for students, faculty, and staff in the Weill Cornell Graduate School is available here.
The successful relaunching of activities across our mission depends on the health and safety of our community, which remains our top priority. To that end, we’ve developed guidelines to ensure that we are maintaining a safe working and learning environment as faculty, staff, students, and visitors return to WCM locations. This guidance encompasses social distancing, appropriate use of personal protective equipment (PPE), cleaning, and disinfection.
We’ve also created guidelines for symptom monitoring and testing in case you’re not feeling well or would like to access COVID-19 testing. Currently, WCM is offering the diagnostic PCR/nasopharyngeal swab test for COVID-19 to all members of the community with symptoms of COVID-19 or with a possible exposure to someone with COVID-19. We are also making the serologic test for antibodies available to all employees. We encourage individuals to access these tests as appropriate and anticipate that we will be able to expand them to additional members of our community in the future. For both the PCR and serologic tests, precautionary behaviors and recommended PPE will remain the same regardless of the test results.
Finally, as we look forward to Memorial Day, I wish you all a wonderful holiday weekend—with appropriate social distancing, of course. After the intense upheaval of the past two months, it’s important for everyone to relax, take some time off, and find ways to enjoy the positive things in life. The Department of Psychiatry, which has been incredibly innovative in developing mental health services for our community, has just launched a virtual support group for the partners of WCM and NYP healthcare workers. Please take advantage of the many resources on WCM Central, and again, have a great holiday weekend!
Sincerely,
Augustine M.K. Choi, M.D.
Stephen and Suzanne Weiss Dean
Weill Cornell Medicine
Provost for Medical Affairs
Cornell University