Coronavirus is taking mental toll, infected Wahiawa doctor says

Nearly eight months after his bout with a severe case of COVID-19, Dr. Lucio “Leo” Pascua said he has physically fully recovered, though the disease is still taking a toll on him mentally as society faces an uncertain future.

“Even though I’m better, the question is, ‘Are we?’ I feel stronger than I was before, but I’m looking at society and feeling we’re in worse shape than we were before,” Pascua said. “As a society we were hoping that this was behind us and … economically we could recover. Now we’re expecting a third wave. Logically what that means is we’re going to have to lock down. This is not the Hollywood ending we were looking for.”

The 60-year-old Wahiawa Health pediatrician was on a ventilator for 10 days and had developed sepsis — poisoning of the blood — after contracting COVID-19 while on a trip to New Jersey in March for his daughter’s engagement party.

Pascua started feeling ill while flying back home and was admitted into The Queen’s Medical Center on March 28. By the time he entered the hospital, his oxygen levels had fallen to 84%, prompting doctors to immediately place him in the ICU and intubate him.

After his life-threatening ordeal he is warning the public to prepare for the long haul as cases surge on the mainland with seemingly no end in sight. With the holidays around the corner and flu season underway, he added, “We’re not done with this, not by a long shot. Through this stressful time we really … have to put our own personal preference aside and say, ‘OK, I have to think outside myself.’”

Hawaii health officials Friday reported 122 new coronavirus infections statewide, bringing the total since the start of the pandemic to 15,691 cases. No additional deaths were reported. The official state death toll remains at 219.

Oahu moved to the less restrictive Tier 2 of Honolulu Mayor Kirk Caldwell’s four-tier economic recovery plan on Oct. 22, and must stay in that tier for four weeks. To move to Tier 3, Oahu must maintain a seven-day average case count of 49 or fewer cases and a seven-day average positivity rate of 2.49% or lower for 14 consecutive days. The seven-day average case count is 73 and the positivity rate is 3% for Oahu.

“Six months ago … we were thinking if we just wait and not do anything, then it will fade away on its own. Now we’re seeing it mirrors our actions. We lead the dance. This is a test of our self-control and our ability to decide for ourselves how we want this to go,” Pascua said. “If we’re still doing this … 36 months from now, we will have every right to be frustrated and angry, but surprised … no. We decide right now what the ending of the story’s going to be and how long this story is going to last. The scientists will tell us how to end this story sooner, but in the end the actions are all going to have to be us.”