By Nicholas Palazzo
Baltimore Watchdog Staff Writer
The director of the Baltimore County Department of Health and Human Services insists he is ready for a second wave of the deadly COVID-19 pandemic and optimistic that a vaccine will be quickly approved and injected in the area’s most vulnerable residents.
Dr. Gregory William Branch, who has headed the county’s DHHS since December 2006, has been overseeing the area’s battle to control the coronavirus since infections became public in the state in March. A few months back, COVID-19 cases were on the decline in Maryland but more recently positivity rate rose to push the state back into the red-zone.
“We want to educate the community on the severity of the virus and preach the basics of health safety,” Branch said in a phone interview with The Baltimore Watchdog.
Branch’s war with COVID-19 has been both professional as well as personal because he contracted the virus himself back in July. He described it as the flu with a loss of his voice and a high fever.
“While I do not know exactly how I contracted the virus, this is a stark reminder of how contagious COVID-19 can be,” he said shortly after his illness was made public.
In the interview, Branch stressed that everyone is at risk and can easily be affected by this virus.
Those sentiments were expressed in July by Baltimore City health commissioner Dr. Letitia Dzirasa: “Dr. Branch’s illness and the illnesses of so many Maryland residents are not just numbers on our dashboards. They are real people whose illnesses are affecting their lives and the lives of their loved ones.”
Today Branch has fully recovered and said he is more focused than ever on diminishing the virus in Baltimore County. He said he hopes his exposure will remind the public that the disease is not to be taken lightly by any means.
“I experienced first-hand the symptoms and what it can do,” Branch said.
Branch is a Brooklyn, New York native who graduated Magna Cum Laude from the State University of New York at Buffalo, School of Medicine and Biomedical Science . For his residency, he trained at The Johns Hopkins Hospital in the William Osler Internal Medicine Residency Program. From there, he earned a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Baltimore.
Branch has held multiple positions in Maryland. He is a Board-Certified Internist who is currently on the faculty at The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine and the University of Maryland School of Nursing. Also, he was the recipient of the Daily Record’s Health Care Hero Award in 2008.
A resident of Baltimore, Branch is the father of two sons and participates in multiple community activities, including a community gospel choir.
Branch stressed that communities of color have been hit hard by the virus. In response, the Health Department has delivered hand sanitizers, masks and other needed supplies to targeted areas to help defend against COVID-19, he said. The department also is able to test more than 4,000 citizens.
“Dr. Branch is a compassionate physician, a dedicated leader, and a valuable member of our team,” Baltimore County Executive Johnny Olszewski said. “His expertise and insight have been critical as Baltimore County continues to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. I’m grateful for his friendship and continued service to our communities.”
Maryland leaders have been gearing up for a quick approval of a vaccine. Branch said that with a vaccine in development, leaders have been hurriedly working on a distribution plan. He insisted that a plan is highly dependent on the manufacturers of the medicine. He explained that the number of vaccines received will alter the plan to how many can be given in the state and to whom.
For example, vaccine makers Novavax Inc. and Moderna require regular refrigeration. In fact, Moderna’s coronavirus vaccine is only shelf-stable at room temperature about 12 hours. However, the vaccine created by Pfizer needs extreme cold – 100 degrees below zero.
Right now, Branch said he is uncertain when the Health Department will receive a vaccine.
While distribution of the vaccine is uncertain, Branch said one contributing factor is the willingness of citizens to take the vaccine.
“At this particular time, it is not mandatory to take a vaccine,” Branch said. “If we are able to vaccinate at least 75% of the county, herd immunity will decrease the virus in speed.”
Branch stressed that the goal is to achieve herd immunity for the county. This is reached when a majority of citizens is cured of the virus, decreasing the possibility of infection to the smaller portion. He said herd immunity will allow his department to control the spread of the virus more than they could have in the past.
The biggest struggle for Branch during the COVID-19 battle has been the nature of coronavirus itself, he said. With many citizens letting their guard down by attending large events, refusing to wear masks and failing to keep proper distances, more cases have developed in the past few months.
“We have a virus that is unrelenting, a virus that does not stop,” Branch said.
The nature of the virus has caused a strain on small businesses and some business owners struggle to stay within the new guidelines, particularly those that limit the number of customers.
Branch’s Health Department often finds itself at odds with businesses forced to follow strict policies such as six feet between tables, masks on at all times and a limit of six customers per group.
“We are only limited to serve 50% of the possible revenue for the restaurant,” said Sean Gahagan, manager of Towson Tavern who stressed he is fully aware of the danger that coronavirus presents and knows it must be wiped out. “People are also apprehensive to walk in the door due to the virus.”
It is during these conflicts that Branch insisted, the Health Department works overtime to “preach the basics of health safety.”