With new cases of COVID-19 surging in Christian and surrounding counties, the healthcare infrastructure in the community is becoming more strained and local leaders participated in a conference call with media Thursday morning to plead with the community to do their part to slow the spread.
Hopkinsville Fire and EMS Chief Steve Futrell says the number of ambulance calls for patients who have tested positive or who are suspected to have COVID continues to surge and it’s taxing the EMS system—as those calls are very different from others.
Beth McCraw from Jennie Stuart Medical Center says there are currently 21 COVID positive patients hospitalized and that number was recently as high as 29. She says the emergency room continues to be very busy with COVID patients and patients who have perhaps neglected other needs out of fear of the pandemic.
Public Health Director Kayla Bebout says contact tracers have been able to keep up with their caseload of contacting positive cases and their direct contacts with the assistance of other health department employees—but they may soon be overwhelmed if the surge doesn’t slow.
Amanda Sweeney says they’re asking for businesses to help enforce the mask mandate by asking patrons to wear a mask when they enter.
Bebout says some businesses have been cited for not complying with the mask order, but they don’t have enough staff to get to every business in the county to check on compliance every day.
Christian County Judge-Executive Steve Tribble says most county offices will be closing to foot traffic Monday and he made a direct plea to the people to do their part to slow the spread.
Hopkinsville Mayor Wendell Lynch and Oak Grove Mayor Theresa Jarvis made similar pleas, with Lynch noting city offices will close to in-person business Monday.
Christian County School System Superintendent Chris Bentzel reiterated the district will comply with the governor’s mandate to go to virtual learning Monday and he’s hopeful the community can do what it takes to bring elementary schools back to in-person instruction as soon as the governor allows for non-red counties on December 14.
Listen to the entire call below:
https://soundcloud.com/user-350001776/cchd-conference-call-11192020