Apocalypse Not: South Texas Lockdown

The Rio Grande Valley consists of four counties: Cameron, Hidalgo, Starr, and Willacy. The population is almost 90% Hispanic, and most people born and raised here, including whites, speak fluent Spanish. Despite the prevalence of Spanish speakers, it’s still an unmistakably American place. The infrastructure is new as the population has grown significantly over the last twenty years. The VA system here is excellent, as military service has long been popular among South Texans.

The migration pressure on the border comes from Central Americans who muster at collection points on this side of the border for speedy processing. Once processed and released, they are taken to the Catholic Relief shelter, where they receive food and a bus ticket to the interior, and then dropped off at the Greyhound station. Mexican citizens can cross the border and stay in the valley as long as they wish, but they must obtain a visa to travel inland. Many local economies in cities like McAllen rely heavily on Mexican tourism, particularly during Christmas and Easter.

The McAllen/Edinburg area has a serious public health problem; we are (according to a recent Grubhub ranking) the fattest metro area in the United States.  Morbid obesity leads to type II diabetes and hypertension, and all three are the principal comorbidity factors contributing to fatal outcomes from COVID-19.

The counties have all issued shelter-in-place orders, and masks must be worn in public except when exercising. Cameron County has issued the most stringent mandates, including a prohibition on more than two people in a vehicle, which will pose a challenge for lawn maintenance crews. Children under age 14 have been confined to quarters. These measures are the wrong ones to take if we are concerned about the health and welfare of our fellow citizens.

One of the known characteristics of COVID-19 is that hypertension, diabetes, and being overweight dramatically increase hospitalization and fatality rates. It seems to me the perfect vehicle for public health officials to attack the epidemic of obesity in the population. If there was ever a time to start messaging about the necessity of a balanced diet combined with regular outdoor exercise, that time is now.

Instead, local officials have done the exact opposite. The regional parks and playgrounds remained open when schools and non-essential businesses closed. They were not crowded, and there were no issues with social distancing. Still, you could see groups of six to eight cross-fit enthusiasts working out together, families using the picnic benches, and others running or using the exercise stations.

I would think the city leader would be encouraging people to get out of the house and into the many city parks to let their kids burn up some energy. Instead, the city placed barricades around all jungle gyms, removed every picnic bench, closed all the park parking lots, and made it clear it doesn’t want people exercising in the parks.

Remember, the purpose of flattening the curve was not to shelter in place until the bug was gone; the assumption that we will all eventually be exposed remains in place. If we will all eventually get the bug, shouldn’t we strengthen our immune systems now that we have all this time on our hands? Getting people, especially children, outside and active helps boost their immune systems. Being immobile and sedentary indoors, passively watching television while consuming highly processed food, can decrease the immune system.

The local hospitals are empty, indicating that the curve has flattened, which was the purpose of social distancing and mask-wearing. Now that we have accomplished the goal of the shutdown, why are we continuing the shutdown?

The reason to open the economy is that it will save more lives than it will cost. There is little question that the lives lost to the economic catastrophe following an extended shutdown and collapse of the economy would dwarf the number of lives lost from  COVID-19.

The alternative to relaxing the quarantine and allowing the virus to run its course is to remain locked down until a vaccine or cure is found. This is why prominent health policy experts like Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel are discussing an 18-month lockdown. That is flat out insane. How can Americans look themselves in the mirror and call themselves the land of the free without NCAA football this fall? The question answers itself.