FEBRUARY 2021

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COVID and the Community BY PAUL NATINSKY Along with the ravages of the disease and loss of life, COVID-19 brings with it a host of non-physical side effects, among them conflicting views about the virus’s seriousness, resistance to precautions that prevent its spreading, and resistance to the newly available vaccine. In some cases, the idea that the disease is a hoax prevails. Even among those who accept pandemic realities, “COVID fatigue,” often sets in—people are just worn out from restrictive prevention measures and social isolation and begin to drift away from taking zealous precautions. For the Chaldean community, the long-term separation from friends, family and colleagues is especially painful and wearing. The family oriented, closely-knit nature of the community tempts many to violate restrictions and rationalize away the facts associated with COVID. ‘It’s not sinking in’ “What disturbs me the most is that I have patients’ families that will call me and say, ‘Please check on my mom, the hospital is not letting me come in.’ They’re experiencing it even firsthand, but then they are on social media saying it’s a hoax. And then they bring politics into it. It’s like it’s not sinking in, even though it hits close to home for some people,” said Dr. Rena Daiza, a family medicine physician who works in Bloomfield Township. Dr. Ghazwan Atto has been caring for COVID patients since the onset of the pandemic early last spring. He practices family medicine in a fivephysician group in Wyandotte, where he has lost hundreds of patients to COVID during the past year. For Atto, the pandemic also has touched close to home. He lost his aunt to the disease, as well as his wife’s grandmother. “To me it was probably the worst professional experience of my career, with the problems we had with (protective equipment shortages) and things like that,” he said. “The impact of the disease on people and the death rate I saw was unimaginable.” One of many misnomers about COVID is that the virus only affects the old or those with other health Rena Daiza, MD problems, such as obesity or weakened immune systems. In fact, said Atto, COVID is also killing young and healthy people. It is a very unpredictable virus. Atto said he has lost patients in their thirties who were otherwise healthy. There is resistance Ghazwan Atto, MD One of many misnomers about COVID is that the virus only affects the old or those with other health problems, such as obesity or weakened immune systems. In fact, COVID is also killing young and healthy people. It is a very unpredictable virus. to restrictions Despite these realities, a substantial segment of the Chaldean population continues to skirt restrictions on large gatherings, social distancing and mask wearing. After the onset of the pandemic, “A lot of people were still congregating,” said Daiza. “We’re a very family oriented community, which is a beautiful thing, but it’s harmed us a little bit because it’s so hard to follow rules and not gather—the holidays is one example. “I know a lot of people who said, ‘Look, we’re not going to keep our kids away from their grandparents and we’re going to get together on the holidays. I think that caused a lot of trouble, because it’s a beautiful thing that our community is so family oriented, but one of the things we need to do fight the pandemic was to physically distance and they didn’t adhere to that. Similarly, masks were not embraced as much in the community. “On a personal note,” she added, “I haven’t seen my grandma. I used to see her every Sunday and I haven’t seen her in months.” Politics are in play In addition to going against the grain of Chaldean family and social norms, some attitudes dismissive of precautions stem from external influences. “I’m definitely seeing it more in the Chaldean community and I think for them it’s because it’s become politicized,” said Daiza. “I haven’t really seen it much in other communities. Definitely, a huge number of people in the Chaldean community are not coming to grips with the virus, with the pandemic as a whole, and I think it’s really harmed our community. There was a point that probably 90 percent of our COVID beds were Middle Eastern, either Chaldean or Arab, but a lot of Chaldean people.” Sometimes language is a barrier Along with cultural and political resistance, something as simple as not speaking English insulates some of Diana Zebari, RN, BSN the population from communicating with health care professionals or accessing information on the virus and how to prevent its spread. Diana Zebari is a registered nurse at Beaumont Hospital in Royal Oak. Fluent in Chaldean, she is often called upon to act as a translator for patients or a liaison to non-English speaking relatives. “We will get a few Chaldean patients or Arabic patients who can’t speak any English,” said Zebari. “From that perspective I think it has been harder for them because there is no family there that they can communicate with or can communicate with us. So it’s just been harder having visitors for them along with the restrictions.” Despite challenges maintaining precautions and COVID’s relentless persistence, the percentage of those infected who die is decreasing—a fact partly masked by the continued high infection rate. Better treatments are available Atto said treatment with steroids, antibiotics and monoclonal antibodies (a treatment used on former President Donald Trump) has help reduced death rates, particularly for those with 24 CHALDEAN NEWS FEBRUARY 2021
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