Arp ISD School Board President urges understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccines

Published 5:45 am Wednesday, September 22, 2021

It was a fulfilling afternoon for William and Shari Friday, of Tyler, as they attended an open Q&A session for COVID-19 and the vaccine with a trusted community member.

Dr. Earnest Stroupe, Arp ISD board president and emergency medicine and trauma care physician at Christus Mother Frances Hospital, is the one the general public and the Arp community in attendance at Tuesday’s event trusts enough to get information from.

William Friday, a retired pharmacist, said he and his wife don’t live in Arp and don’t have any relation to Arp ISD.

“We came because we wanted to hear someone that was knowledgeable about the subject that was not going to use political means. We wanted the facts and we don’t want something political, which is all you hear on the TV,” he said.

Though the couple has no relation to Arp ISD, the two attend a church in Arp, where members of the school district attend. When they heard of the event, they made sure to be in attendance.

“He did not address any kind of (politics). He just put the facts out there, it’s what he gave us, just the facts and what he’s seen, what he’s experienced,” Shari Friday said.

Stroupe said he took time out of his day to make himself available and answer questions because it was the right thing to do and because the community is filled with good people.

With about 30 people in attendance, Stroupe talked about what he’s seen with COVID-19.

“It’s like nothing that I’ve ever seen before,” he said.

Stroupe also cited previous pandemics, such as SARS and a Mers outbreaks, which he said were related to coronaviruses. He also reminded the crowd vaccines have provided herd immunity to viruses as well, such as the flu.

“Nineteen-year-olds have died from this, recently. There are 19-year-olds on ventilators,” he said, adding he’s seen newborns also get COVID-19. He urges parents he wouldn’t let anyone near his newborn if they aren’t vaccinated.

The school board president also recommended vaccines, explained how breakthrough cases work and what COVID-19 guidelines to follow.

Some questions asked ranged from the time span recommended in between vaccines to long-term side effects of the vaccine.

Stroupe also warned about the after-effects of COVID-19.

“The key to this is getting vaccinated,” he said.