Parris to people: Wear your mask
Mayor shows frustration during press conference
LANCASTER — The message is clear: Wear. Your. Mask. “This is becoming incredibly frustrating,” an angry, mask-wearing Mayor R. Rex Parris said at a Monday morning outdoor press conference in the High Desert Medical Group parking lot. “We know exactly what needs to be done and how to do it and it’s not hard. We have to wear our f***ing mask. Could we make it any clearer to people?”
He said High Desert Medical Group has gone above and beyond during the COVID-19 pandemic with the availability of on-demand tests.
Parris joined Dr. Don Parazo and Dr. Eric Oak of High Desert Medical Group for a pre-holiday reminder to practice COVID-19 safety protocols for family gatherings.
“I think we have to recognize that if we’re going to come together for Thanksgiving and Christmas, do it outside,” Parris said.
According to the most recent information from the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, 70 people in Lancaster have died of COVID-19. The city has 5,656 positive cases of the virus.
“What we’re also seeing is that it’s now affecting younger people and we’re having younger deaths,” Parris said. “This is not something we’re allowed to get tired about. We’re almost there.”
He said vaccines to inoculate people are expected to be available in about two or three months.
“Stay the course, just stay the course,” Parris said.
Parazo, associate clinical director for High Desert Medical Group, who also serves as secretary for the Antelope Valley Healthcare District Board of Directors, praised the collaboration between the City of
Lancaster and High Desert Medical Group to help get the COVID-19 tests.
Parris, the City of Lancaster and Antelope Valley Hospital are pooling resources to get the sub-zero freezers that are needed for the COVID-19 vaccine, the doctor said.
“I want to thank the City of Lancaster and the mayor because he’s taken care of our whole community, Palmdale and Lancaster and we appreciate that,” Parazo said.
AV Hospital is being prepared for the vaccines.
“This time is when we need to be ever vigilant,” Parazo said. “Now we have a solution to help us and now we need you not to get sick. It’s about social distancing, it’s about wearing your mask, it’s about where you go and keeping your risk to a minimum. This would be the worst time to catch the COVID when we’re on the verge of having a solution in the next few months.”
Dr. Oak, senior vice president of clinical operations at High Desert Medical pur-Group, urged people to follow the three Ws, including grocer-wash your hands and watch your distance.
“We want to stay approximately six feet away from others during social gatherings and also wearing our masks,” he said.
High Desert Medical Group has been open and treating patients during the pandemic. They are focusing on tele-health and virtual visits for patients to help minimize interactions and the potential for spreading the virus. They can also deploy mobile units to patients’ homes for treatment or provide an iPad to communicate, evaluate and treat them.
Oak also shared how a virtual or tele-health visit works.
The provider sees the patient virtually or telephonically. The patient is evaluated. Once it is determined what the ailment is, the provider can send a prescription to a local pharmacy. The pharmacy can then deliver prescriptions to the patient’s home.
“This eliminates the need for any of the patients to have to come into the facility, interact with any other patients or any other people,” Oak said. “This will help the community in regards to preventing the spread of COVID.”
High Desert Medical
Group is looking at how to help distribute the new vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca.
“We are looking into our medical suppliers to procure cold storage facilities to be able to store the new vaccines that are coming out so that we can get everybody vaccinated here in the Antelope Valley,” Oak said.
He said it is important to wash your hands, watch your distance and wear your mask over the next few weeks to help prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In closing remarks, Parris said there are some good things to come out of the pandemic.
“I’ve never seen this Valley come together the way it has now and I think that unity is probably going to continue on after we get past this and we are going to get past this,” he said. “We are so close. I wish everybody a great Thanksgiving and a merry Christmas. And it will be a happier new year, I’m confident of that and you should be confident too. This is coming to an end and we will be better for it. Have a great holiday.”