I think the source is we just still haven’t achieved lower community transmission, so that regardless of the space you’re walking into—the schools or a business—there’s still increased risk that you’re bringing COVID-19 into that space. We were proactive, but we still got smacked and hit really hard with that. A native of Chase City, Virginia, Gayles graduated with a dual bachelor’s degree in public policy studies and African American studies from Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, before receiving his Ph.D. in health policy and community health from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2006. That’s usually what I read late at night after answering emails, to make sure we’re up to speed on what’s happening and what’s going on. People are like, ‘How is that possible?’ There are areas where the technology needs to be updated and modernized where everything is electronic. But the reality is, if we increase points of transmission and points of contact, we’re never going to achieve the numbers where we lower the burden of the virus in the community. Because any time you’ve got a virus living in your community at higher transmission levels, you’re asking for trouble. Probably the times where we received the most negative feedback were when we chose not to move forward in reopening with the state originally, and around the decision around nonpublic schools. I think something they instilled growing up was that there may be people who are more talented than you, or maybe even smarter than you, but there should never be an instance where people outwork you. “Travis, congratulations,” she said. That night, Maryland Gov. Have you received threats from the public? Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services. I and our team have been empathetic to the economic realities that exist. Briana Adhikusuma covers the county government for Bethesda Beat. There are sites such as Johns Hopkins; Harvard has a COVID-tracker site as well that allows for comparisons. Over 97,000 residents (9.2 %) have received their second dose. As a county health officer, you’ve taken this strong stance even if it is in direct opposition with the governor. But no, I stand by that trajectory and that guidance. October 3, 2017 | Based on the science, the CDC says fully vaccinated ... During a council briefing Monday, Montgomery County’s “Vaccine Hunters” reported several incidents of racial discrimination at retail pharmacy and hospital COVID-19 vaccination sites in the ... Hogan Lifts State Capacity Limits for Dining; Montgomery County Leaders Express Opposition, Stoddard: State Interested in Montgomery College Germantown as Potential Mass Vaccination Site, Montgomery County Reports Fewest Daily COVID-19 Cases Since October, CDC Releases Guidance for Fully Vaccinated People, Vaccine Hunters Say Some Maryland Residents Faced Discrimination at Vaccine Sites. The appointment was approved by the County Council and Dr. Gayles began his new position in mid-September. I would wager to say that approach has helped us drive [the] numbers down. Gayles, who is single and does not have children, has been praised and criticized for the decisions he’s made on how fast the county would reopen, whether schools would be allowed to hold in-person instruction, and what mandates would be put in place to keep students and staff safe. Montgomery County, FY2018 Travis A. Gayles, MD, PhD Health Officer. When you’re operating from that perspective and many others aren’t, and they twist everything in that way, it’s exhausting to kind of have to fight that. Dr. Travis Gayles, Montgomery County's health director. I remember a lot of people used to say they were strict. We’ve received concerning emails where I’d had to have some conversations with the police department to talk about potential security. As announced by a Montgomery County press release: “I am pleased that Dr. Gayles has […] "We don’t have any evidence of community transmission of COVID-19," Dr. Travis Gayles, who is Montgomery County Health Officer and Chief of Public Health Services said. We know that any of the decisions or guidance that we put out there may not be popular, but it’s not about being popular, it’s about sticking to the facts and sticking to the data and executing as much as we can from that. I don’t always see other people who look like me at the table or [who] come with my own personal experiences in terms of [the] demographic group I belong in. Why? I think it’s important for folks to understand that. Do you do anything else to recharge at the end of the day? The Maryland Department of Health reported 85 new COVID-19 cases in Montgomery County Tuesday morning. Montgomery County has ordered private schools to remain closed for in-person instruction through Oct. 1. Hogan’s updated executive ... State officials are “definitely interested” in the COVID-19 mass vaccination site proposed for Montgomery College’s Germantown campus, Montgomery County Emergency Management and Homeland Security Director ... Montgomery County COVID-19 Statistics for March 9 The first one—and I still struggle with this one because we were hit hard and it was just trying to figure out how to avoid it—was the nursing home situation and the lives that were lost. Montgomery County Council members took turns bashing the state COVID-19 vaccine ... County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles stressed that county … Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles announced that the new order would be effective 5 p.m., Tuesday, Nov. 24. But we’re also very empathetic to the health realities that exist in terms of keeping people safe. A lot of derogatory language [has] been put out there by people. Gayles has been the county’s health officer and chief of public health services since September 2017. I had to work to get here, but recognizing I come from generations of folks who worked really, really insanely hard doing jobs that they probably didn’t necessarily enjoy but they did it to support their families and to create a space for me, my siblings and my generation to be able to do the stuff that we’re doing. It was not called for and it led to distractions from being able to stay focused on the work that we’ve been committed to doing in keeping people safe. In many instances, they didn’t have the opportunities that we had because they grew up in a segregated society. During his time at Northwestern, he also served as a pediatrician and director of HIV testing services at the Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago. Now the challenge we have is we’ve got to go even further, and that’s what we’re trying to figure out: How do we break the plateau, if you will, and the slight uptick in cases to get us back down on that downward trajectory? How many emails like this would you say you get a day? I’m like, ‘Oh no, what’s going on?’ She stopped me. You seem very unmoved by it.’ He went on to say, ‘That’s the reality of my demographic. You go to a gym, you go to a restaurant, you go to other places—you’re there for a shorter period of time as opposed to being in an enclosed shared space for six to eight hours at a given time. As long as they think I’m doing OK and moving in the right direction, that’s what’s most important. Not only did we wait, we did ultimately move forward but we also kept some precautions. Any decision or guidance that comes from the health officer has been carefully discussed. So that kind of stuff, where it has no basis and it is what it is. "I didn't grow six inches, my body didn't change. Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles rescinded a health order that prohibited all private and parochial schools from opening for in-person instruction until Oct. 1. Have you felt, or do you feel, pressured by the governor’s positions on reopening, schools and other issues? Stephen W. Gammarino - Managed Care Representative. Gayles then issued another order on Aug. 5, citing a Maryland law that allows county health officers to “act properly” to avoid the spread of a disease that endangers public health. After talking to Phillips, he set up a call that included County Executive Marc Elrich, county council President Sidney Katz, then-Chief Administrative Officer Andrew Kleine and others to tell them the news. The Bethesda Interview is edited for length and clarity. He earned his medical degree at the University of Illinois College of Medicine in 2009—he’s the first physician in his family—and in 2012 became a research fellow at the National Institute of Mental Health, focusing on the intersection of victimization, violence and high-risk behaviors of adolescents. Sign up for our Daily Update. So that’s how I ended up doing an M.D. One time I was post-call trying to get out of the [children’s] hospital and a mother was running behind me, trying to catch my attention. I think the heart of the matter is higher levels of community transmission. Do you feel you made the right choices? Early on, I would say probably every day you get up [for a] first call, 7:30 a.m., and you’re emailing up until 11:30 p.m. at night. As Montgomery County continues Phase 2 reopening, health officials remind all residents that face coverings must be worn to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. I go [to the gym at] off-peak times where there’s not a large crowd of folks, and make sure to adhere to the policies and practices we’ve put forward in terms of cleaning surfaces, face covering on, trying to physically distance as much as possible during those times. My true biggest vice is travel, but I can’t really do that right now. It does because when you go home, you’re tired and you carry that with you. County Health Officer and Chief of DHHS Public Health Services, Dr. Travis Gayles also stressed the importance of increasing preregistration across the county. Dr. Travis Gayles, the chief public health officer for Montgomery County, MD, says he’s “extremely frustrated” that in a county with 72,000+ people over the age of 75, the local health department has been receiving only 4,500 doses a week. Gayles discouraged local residents from acquiring and wearing the most reliable protection, such as surgical masks or N95 masks, which the county said “ should be reserved for health care workers.” I want to see them go down. Montgomery County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles said at the current pace, it would take nearly two years to vaccinate the entire county. Because that’s not what we’re here to do. Then the contact tracing began. I’m a competitive tennis player and I play in a few leagues. Bethesda Magazine met with Gayles in mid-September at the county’s Dennis Avenue Health Center in Silver Spring. Website by Web Publisher PRO, A physical therapist talks about how to avoid an achy neck, back pain and stiffness when you’re working from home, These scenic spots offer stargazers ample views of the night sky, away from the urban glare, Percentage of county hospital beds used by COVID-19 patients decreasing, Silver Spring senior living community vaccinates 96% of residents, Sold in Bethesda, Chevy Chase and Potomac: March 2-9, Park police investigating sexual assault of girl in Kensington, Taco restaurant coming to downtown Bethesda. Montgomery County's health officer, Dr. Travis Gayles, shown speaking in March, has abandoned his effort to prevent private schools from holding in-person classes through Oct. 1. What motivated you to choose this career? How has that affected you? What role did you play in the decision to not reopen Montgomery County Public Schools for in-person learning? Gayles, 41, knew it was only a matter of time before he’d receive that kind of call. It wears on you when you see some of the stuff that people send in. Dr. Travis Gayles - Ex-Officio, Chief, Public Health Services, DHHS I think I made the decision to go into medicine back in early high school—probably freshman year. — Leaders in Montgomery County are leaping to the defense of the county’s chief public health official. After having spent a large amount of time over the last two to three years with them in that nursing home setting, that probably added to that heaviness from that. Gov. I think unfortunately we’re going to see some more bad days before we completely clear things. We’ve got three cases in Montgomery County.”. We were the first in the state to do so for our employees and first line of responders. When it came time to [put] in a mandate, we were the first [jurisdiction] in the state to do so, back in June—about a month and a half before the governor put one in for the state. People will send emails from their work accounts where you’re like, really? But when it was clear that the CDC said, ‘Actually, yes,’ we put one in place. If you faced another pandemic in the future, what would you do differently? “For the millions watching at home, we need you to also preregister in the system particularly if you are over the age of 65 as well as if you’re part of those essential employee groups designated in groups 1B tier 2 and tier 3.” How has the reopening of some private schools impacted the rest of the county, and COVID-19 conditions? Thursday, March 5. I would say I tend to, in the evenings, probably do a couple of hours dependent on what needs to get done. My parents’ emphasis growing up was not profession specific. I have a goal—I’d really like to have traveled to 50 countries by the time I turn 50. I think in terms of best practices, really locking down on our congregant situations, so nursing homes, assisted living facilities. It was 5:45 p.m. when Dr. Travis Gayles, Montgomery County’s top health officer, saw his cellphone light up with an incoming call. That tends to be the most common one. I was going to go that route, and then about a year and a half into it, the curriculum at Duke was heavily engineering-based, which I was not a fan of, and I had a conversation with my advisers. At every step of the way, they were and continue to be extremely supportive in terms of encouraging me to pursue those particular dreams and passions. I think the response has brought out a big gap [in] the modernization of the public health infrastructure for service delivery. It was probably the moment of greatest frustration in terms of how a decision that was made based upon science and data was manipulated and characterized in a way that was not accurate and not fair. This story was updated at 10:25 p.m. on March 9, 2021, to include additional comments from Dr. Travis Gayles. Larry Hogan announced that all three Montgomery County residents had contracted the virus while on a Nile River cruise in Egypt. We’ve tried to be as transparent and up-front as possible. We’re not done with this one. We get a surveillance report on a daily basis. Our purpose is to engage, educate and empower individuals and the community to express diverse viewpoints. They created the culture that whatever you chose or selected to do, do it well. What have been the greatest challenges for you personally in leading the response to this health crisis? Has this health response revealed any holes that need to be addressed by the county as far as health services? Copyright 2021 Bethesda Magazine. The call was from Fran Phillips, Maryland’s deputy secretary for public health services at the time. The Montgomery County Council is saluting Black History Month and focusing on changemakers in the county. Because it’s guided by science and evidence and data. We utilize data that we get from the Maryland Department of Health. I think there was a popular theme of me being a diversity hire, not being really qualified for my job. Before COVID, his primary focus in the county was promoting campaigns on subjects such as vaccines, flu shots, anti-vaping, HIV clinical care and other programs. It’s amazing the stuff people put out with their names associated with it. Citing the need to protect the health and safety of Montgomery County residents as well as parents, students, teachers and staff from the spread of COVID-19, County Health Officer Dr. Travis Gayles today directed nonpublic schools in Montgomery County to remain closed for in-person instruction through Oct. 1, 2020. They don’t know you at all. Author: Jess Arnold Published: 6:22 PM MST January 24, 2021 It’s been a lot of that. Like this post? It’s to provide guidance to everybody. When you have to worry about your safety or staff members’ safety, does that distract from the focus on the public health response? I think the language said something to the effect of, ‘Your parents should be embarrassed by you’ and, ‘Your father would be embarrassed but you know, let’s not be getting it twisted, you don’t even know who your father is.’ It’s just that kind of crazy. Unfortunately, we do recognize that that is going to keep certain businesses and industries not being able to function. “You all are the first ones. Dr. Betsey Ballard - Member of the Montgomery County Medical Society. I think MCPS left it open to say they would reevaluate at the end of the fall quarter to see where they stand in terms of being able to move forward. All Rights Reserved. His position is dually appointed by the state secretary of health and the county executive. I’m trying to be very careful about sketching out boundaries for self-care and personal health and well-being and getting to the gym. It becomes a personal subjective thing when really we’re operating on an objective, nonpartisan, apolitical perspective. What is different is we do have some institutional experience now with having dealt with this for a number of months that will hopefully help us respond to those potential bad days better than when we first got hit. One of the most brazen examples recently occurred in super-lefty Montgomery County (MoCo), Maryland, where local health czar Travis Gayles announced last Friday that he would impose a $5,000 fine and up to a year in prison on private school teachers that teach students in person between now and October 1. As health officer, Dr. Gayles will oversee all federal, state and locally funded public health services within/, Montgomery County Executive Ike Leggett Health and Human Services health officer Dr. Travis Gayles Chief of Public Health Services e. © 2021 Montgomery Community Media. End of discussion.”.