 Friday, October 9, 2020
Top COVID-19 Takeaways from the Week
Louisville cases creeping towards the red
 COVID-19 positive cases continue to sharply increase. Louisville is about to move back into the “red” alert level. You can see all Louisville COVID-19 data and information here.
Dr. Sarah Moyer, Louisville Metro Public Health and Wellness Chief Health Strategist, acknowledged COVID-19 fatigue as a potential contributing factor in community members letting their guard down with regard to mask wearing and social distancing.
“I see many of you are practicing the precautions. Thank you! Please keep it up. Let’s continue to work together to break the chain of transmission of COVID-19.”
Watch Dr. Moyer’s weekly update on COVID-19 here. For the latest information on the city's response to COVID-19, including information on testing, click here.
The LOU HEALTH HELPLINE is a great resource to call for any questions on guidance and safe practices related to COVID-19.
Don't hesitate to call the helpline! 502.912.8598
New Research from UofL Finds Twice as Many People have had COVID-19
 MAP: Prevalence of anitbody positivity for SARS-CoV-2 in Jefferson County, Sept. 2020 Courtesy of UofL
On Tuesday, Dr. Aruni Bhatnagar, Director of The Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute at the University of Louisville presented the latest research on its Phase II community study of COVID-19.
Researchers estimated roughly 34,000 people in Louisville, may have been infected with COVID-19 since the beginning of the pandemic. That’s twice as many than those that have been officially reported. They also stated that only 4.4 percent of those in the study have antibodies.
Learn more about the University of Louisville’s Co-Immunity Project and their research efforts to understand how COVID-19 infection travels in Louisville here.
Local physician treating COVID-19 patients says people misunderstand how to protect themselves
 At this week’s Louisville Board of Health meeting, Dr. Valerie Briones-Pryor, a primary care physician practicing at University of Louisville Jewish Hospital, said the most common reason patients end up seeing her is because people are bringing the virus home and spreading it to family members.
“Last week I had to admit a husband, wife and cousin to the hospital,” Dr. Pryor said. “They all couldn’t believe they got COVID-19 because they said they all wear their masks. But wearing a mask isn’t enough. We can’t let our guards down at home and invite others over or have large family gatherings.”
Dr. Briones-Pryor emphasized that we must be consistent.
“It has to go together, and I think that’s what people forget,” she said. “Wear your mask, but also be socially distant. Having it hang around your neck doesn’t count. If we do want to get back to some semblance of our normal life, and what that looks like, we still have to be vigilant.”
You can see this week’s Board of Health meeting and hear Dr. Briones-Pryor sharing her experiences and recommendations here.
This is not the year to risk it…Get a flu shot
"I got my flu shot to protect myself and my community. With so much uncertainty, it's nice to do something that I know will make a difference!" - Rebecca Hollenbach, Executive Administrator in the Center for Health Equity
Getting a flu vaccination is important especially as we combat the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the flu and COVID-19 are upper respiratory illnesses that share similar symptoms and can spread from person-to-person.
Dr. Lori Caloia, Medical Director for the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness said that getting a flu vaccine reduces the risk of complications from the flu like bacterial pneumonia and more serious health problems. She said it will also help reduce overloading our healthcare system during COVID.
“As we continue to learn more about COVID-19 and how to fight this virus, it’s crucial that we avoid overwhelming our hospitals, treatment centers and doctor’s offices by getting vaccinated,” Dr. Caloia said.”
As a community we must work together to protect our family, friends and those we hold dearly. Don’t hesitate to get a flu shot!
Click here to find out where you can get a flu shot.
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