November 16, 2020 – The Joint Crisis Communication Team held a virtual press conference to address a critical surge of COVID-19 in the community. The Crisis Communication Team has gone from urging the community to pleading with residents to wear a mask and properly social distance.
Mayor Julie Moore Wolfe said the surge they expected in the spring did not come to pass. . but now it is here. “This is starting to tax our resources. Everyone is tired of COVID-19. But we need you to hang in there with us for a couple of months. Wear your mask and avoid gathering”, Wolfe said.
Healthcare leaders in the community also sounded the alarm and spelled out a dire situation in our health system.
“Injury and illness do not stop because of COVID. We can’t overwhelm our system. DMH Memorial Medical has 43 inpatients with COVID, a 1/3 of our inpatient capacity. The stress this is putting on our health systems and our frontline healthcare workers is tremendous. This is a heavy lift and it is up to the public to help us manage this”, said Drew Early, CEO of DMH.
Michael Hicks, CEO of HSHS St. Mary’s recommended that the public consider triaging themselves to help lighten the load on local hospitals. “If you have even the mildest symptoms, contact your primary care physician and ask for the next steps. If you are having more severe symptoms, then come to the ER and do not delay your care. We can’t stop this, but we can slow it down and not overwhelm our resources.”
Brandi Binkley of the Macon County Health Department described frightening numbers within Macon County. “Our positivity rate stands at 16.1%. The last time the Joint Crisis Communication Team addressed the community (on October 23rd), the positivity rate was 11.7%. Our target is 8%”.
In addition, Binkley announced 158 new cases in Macon County, bringing the total of cases to 5346 cases total. “Again, this is a significant increase over the last time the Crisis Communication Team addressed the public.” Indeed, cases less than a month ago were 2,864.
Binkley added that the Macon County Health Department has also reached out to superintendents in Macon County to urge them to go to all remote learning until January 15th. The Health Department is also urging faith groups and churches to go to virtual service until at least January 15th.
The Joint Crisis Communication Team is also urging bars and restaurants to follow mitigation guidelines by closing indoor dining.
In addition, healthcare leaders are pleading with the community to avoid gathering with others from outside of your household for the holidays. Don’t gather with those outside your household during the holidays.
***The press conference was held via Microsoft Teams. The photo included in this story is a stock photo.***
