City Of Louisville: Mayor Fischer, Experts Discuss COVID-19 Pandemic Impact Mental Health

Louisville KY

18 January, 2022

5:22 PM

Description

Press release from the City of Louisville: January 18, 2022 Call the LOU HEALTH helpline 502-912-8598.  Look for this logo in the lower right corner on every page and click it. Mayor Greg Fischer was joined by Dr. SarahBeth Hartlage, associate medical director of the Louisville Department of Public Health and Wellness (LMPHW), Dr. Stephen Taylor, psychiatrist and chief medical officer at UofL Health – Peace Hospital and Lauren Muir, a certified clinical trauma specialist with Martin and Muir Counseling, to provide an update on COVID-19 and discuss its mental toll on the community after nearly two years of living in a pandemic. Mayor Greg Fischer was joined by Dr. SarahBeth Hartlage, associate medical director of the Louisville Department of Public Health and Wellness (LMPHW), Dr. Stephen Taylor, psychiatrist and chief medical officer at UofL Health – Peace Hospital and Lauren Muir, a certified clinical trauma specialist with Martin and Muir Counseling, to provide an update on COVID-19 and discuss its mental toll on the community after nearly two years of living in a pandemic. "It's difficult to say, but by the metrics, this is the most challenging time we've seen in these two years in terms of infections that we have going on in the community and hospitalizations," Mayor Fischer said. "Struggling with mental health in times like this, especially in a two-year pandemic, is totally normal. So, we want to make sure people understand how to get help." "It's difficult to say, but by the metrics, this is the most challenging time we've seen in these two years in terms of infections that we have going on in the community and hospitalizations," Mayor Fischer said. "Struggling with mental health in times like this, especially in a two-year pandemic, is totally normal. So, we want to make sure people understand how to get help." However, the Mayor emphasized that we are not helpless against the virus and there is hope. However, the Mayor emphasized that we are not helpless against the virus and there is hope. "We've got powerful tools and they're the same ones we've been talking about now for over a year, one of which is vaccines. We are still seeing some new people get the vaccine and booster shot," he said. "The science is telling us that the vaccines and boosters are providing really strong protection against the virus." "We've got powerful tools and they're the same ones we've been talking about now for over a year, one of which is vaccines. We are still seeing some new people get the vaccine and booster shot," he said. "The science is telling us that the vaccines and boosters are providing really strong protection against the virus." Here are the key COVID-19 data metrics for Jan. 18, 2022: Here are the key COVID-19 data metrics for Jan. 18, 2022: Hospitalization data: Hospitalization data: Vaccines: Vaccines: Dr. Hartlage said in the first two weeks of this year, Jefferson County logged 28,698 cases, which represents 16% of the all-time number of COVID-19 cases that the county has seen since the beginning of the pandemic (179,723 cases to date). Dr. Hartlage said in the first two weeks of this year, Jefferson County logged 28,698 cases, which represents 16% of the all-time number of COVID-19 cases that the county has seen since the beginning of the pandemic (179,723 cases to date). "I'm asked often if I think that we are at our plateau, and I hope that is the case. We have seen a little bit of leveling off. We will need to see that over a few more days, or a week or so to be really confident that we've hit that plateau," she said. "The nature of the curve means that even if this is the plateau we are not out of the woods. We will have just as many cases on our way down the backside of the curve as we did on the way up the front side." "I'm asked often if I think that we are at our plateau, and I hope that is the case. We have seen a little bit of leveling off. We will need to see that over a few more days, or a week or so to be really confident that we've hit that plateau," she said. "The nature of the curve means that even if this is the plateau we are not out of the woods. We will have just as many cases on our way down the backside of the curve as we did on the way up the front side." Dr. Hartlage said if there is a silver lining in the increase in cases, it is that more people are getting vaccinated. She pointed out that data worldwide continues to prove that vaccines are effective in preventing serious illness and death. "There's a new study this week out of Switzerland that compares the rates of death for folks who die from COVID by vaccination status. So, compared with the unvaccinated population, those who've completed the two-dose primary series are nine times less likely to die from COVID and those who have received a booster are 48 times less likely to die from COVID." You're not alone: Stress of the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our mental health Dr. Taylor and Muir said they have both been seeing an increase in patients — adults and children — dealing with depression, anxiety and other mental health issues during the pandemic. "The pandemic has definitely been a trauma, and trauma can be as something as big or small as anything that interrupts your day-to-day life. So, we definitely have seen — on a wide array of different circumstances — how the pandemic has affected [us], especially our youth and our teens," Muir said. "At the end of the day, as families, as kids, we need structure, and this has caused us to change a lot and take away the structure of [our] day-to-day lives." Dr. Taylor said trauma has a deep impact on how we feel and how we function in the world around us. He adds a lot of those impacts happen without our conscious awareness. "What's happening to us is normal. What we are experiencing is normal in a situation like this, and the depression and anxiety are understandable and part of this experience," Dr. Taylor said. "We certainly know that in trauma if people are able to talk about the trauma in their own way, at their own pace, at their own time that the long-term prognosis is much better than if we're not talking about it at all." Mental health experts advise you to reach out to family and friends if you are struggling and to seek professional help if how you are feeling is impacting your day-to-day functions, like not being able to eat or sleep. "If you're not able to interact with others in relationships. When you're not able maybe to go to work," Muir said as she provided other examples. Listed below are several ways you can reach out for mental help. Other COVID-19 updates/recommendations Bluewater Dx Lab, the company operating the new testing site at Churchill Downs, said since opening more than 6,100 tests have been administered at the location. The site is open from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. Pre-registration is required. Louisville health leaders continue to encourage people to get vaccinated, boosted and wear a high-quality mask around others, regardless of vaccination status. "I think it is a very simple thing to do that can really help protect you," Dr. Hartlage said. "With omicron as contagious and widespread as it is, I think we can safely say that everyone is going to be exposed to this virus, but I don't think that we have to say that everyone is going to be infected by this virus. So, I think if you wear a mask that can help stem transmission." Mayor Fischer asked for patience and understanding as recommendations evolve and change. "Yes, guidelines change, guidance changes. That's the nature of a novel virus where you don't know exactly what it's going to do, or when it's going to do what it's going to do and science has always been about learning as more and more data comes in," he said. If you test positive for COVID-19, it's recommended that you: View this week's COVID-19 briefing with public health officials here. # # #   The city's COVID-19 data dashboard, a complete list of COVID-19 testing sites, vaccine information, prevention and more can be found at www.louisville.gov/covid19. The LOU HEALTH COVID19 Helpline is also available: 502-912-8598. Enter required fields How do you want to be reminded? (Street Sweeping requires at least an email) Reminders are sent on the Sunday before and the Friday of your Junk Set Out date. * is required. By subscribing to this reminder service you agree to the Terms of Use. To unsubscribe go to Gov Delivery. Enter your address and MyLouisville will find nearby city services in the following categories: Find your garbage, recycling, yard waste and large-item set-out dates. Sign up for large-item set out and street sweeping reminders by email and text! No form has been selected. Popular Pages Popular Tools This press release was produced by the City of Louisville. The views expressed here are the author's own.