City Of Louisville: Omicron Variant Cases ‘Seem To Be At A Plateau'  

Press release from the City of Louisville:

January 25, 2022

Mayor Greg Fischer was joined by Dr. Sarah Moyer, director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness (LMPHW), Dr. SarahBeth Hartlage, associate medical director of LMPHW, and Dr. Edward Miller, maternal fetal medicine physician and high-risk pregnancy obstetrician for UofL Health, to provide a COVID-19 update, discuss new childcare guidance and the impacts COVID-19 has had on expecting mothers.

Mayor Greg Fischer was joined by Dr. Sarah Moyer, director of the Louisville Metro Department of Public Health and Wellness (LMPHW), Dr. SarahBeth Hartlage, associate medical director of LMPHW, and Dr. Edward Miller, maternal fetal medicine physician and high-risk pregnancy obstetrician for UofL Health, to provide a COVID-19 update, discuss new childcare guidance and the impacts COVID-19 has had on expecting mothers.

“We’re continuing to see really shocking numbers that are out there right now,” Mayor Fischer said. “However, we are hopeful that this record surge that we’re seeing is going to start declining here pretty soon. We seem to be at a plateau.”

“We’re continuing to see really shocking numbers that are out there right now,” Mayor Fischer said. “However, we are hopeful that this record surge that we’re seeing is going to start declining here pretty soon. We seem to be at a plateau.”

The Mayor said global scientific data shows that vaccines and boosters are working.

The Mayor said global scientific data shows that vaccines and boosters are working.

“Late last week, the CDC reported that Moderna and Pfizer boosters were 90% effective at adverting hospitalizations. Some people say, ‘look people that have been boosted are in the hospital, why bother?’” he said. “Well, because your odds for going to the hospital go way down, and the folks that are boosted in the hospital typically have underlying medical conditions.”

“Late last week, the CDC reported that Moderna and Pfizer boosters were 90% effective at adverting hospitalizations. Some people say, ‘look people that have been boosted are in the hospital, why bother?’” he said. “Well, because your odds for going to the hospital go way down, and the folks that are boosted in the hospital typically have underlying medical conditions.”

Here are the key COVID-19 data metrics for Jan. 25, 2022:

Here are the key COVID-19 data metrics for Jan. 25, 2022: Here are the key COVID-19 data metrics for Jan. 25, 2022:

Hospitalization data:

Hospitalization data: Hospitalization data:

Vaccines:

Vaccines: Vaccines:

Dr. Hartlage said though it appears the case count with the omicron variant wave has crested, precautions are still necessary.

Dr. Hartlage said though it appears the case count with the omicron variant wave has crested, precautions are still necessary.

“We are still 10 times the red limit and it is that way across the entire county,” Dr. Hartlage said. “The nature of statistics shows that there are just as many cases on the backside of the curve as there were on the front side of the curve.”

“We are still 10 times the red limit and it is that way across the entire county,” Dr. Hartlage said. “The nature of statistics shows that there are just as many cases on the backside of the curve as there were on the front side of the curve.”

She encouraged people to utilize layered protections such as masks, vaccinations and booster shots.

“Boosters are available at over 100 places across the city. So, if you’ve not gotten yours yet please go out and get it and maybe we can weather the last of this omicron surge over the coming weeks,” Dr. Hartlage said.

New childcare and daycare guidance

New childcare and daycare guidance

Dr. Moyer, a mother of four, said she can relate to the strain that this latest COVID-19 surge has placed on parents of young children and childcare centers. She said although new childcare guidelines have been relaxed, they are still strict because children 0 to 4-years-old are not eligible to get vaccinated yet.

“A lot of quarantines are happening. A lot of isolation, and that’s causing issues especially for our parents of children 0 to 4. They’ve had to be out of work multiple times just within this last month with case counts increasing,” Dr. Moyer said.

Dr. Moyer introduced new childcare guidance, which is detailed here, that aims to help ease the strain on childcare facilities and parents, while also promoting safety.

Isolation changes

Isolation changes

Kids who are less than 2 years old will have to isolate for a full 10 days or anyone unable to wear a mask constantly indoors. Kids that are less than 2 should not be masked.

Those who test positive but remain without symptoms for a full five days can return on day six if they can wear a mask consistently indoors.

Those who test positive, but their symptoms are fully resolved after five days, can return on day six if they can wear a mask consistently indoors.

Quarantine changes

Do not need to quarantine:

Quarantine can be discontinued:

Quarantine can be discontinued:

Dr. Moyer applauded daycare staff and personnel who are working hard to protect children in their care. She said one way to help protect our youngest population is to make sure those around them are vaccinated.

“Anyone over the age of 5, other siblings, please make sure they are vaccinated as well as parents, grandparents,” Dr. Moyer said. “Just like during pre-COVID times when you had a newborn baby you made sure everyone who came to visit had their flu shot or their tetanus shot.”

Expecting mothers encouraged to get vaccinated

Expecting mothers encouraged to get vaccinated

Dr. Moyer said COVID-19 vaccinations offer protection for both mother and baby when it comes to those who are expecting.

Dr. Miller specializes in high-risk pregnancies and births for UofL Health. Throughout the pandemic, he has been caring for mothers who have fallen ill with COVID-19. He said his unvaccinated patients have had more severe issues than those who are vaccinated. Dr. Miller said severe COVID-19 infection has, at times, resulted in pre-term births.

“We have had women that are vaccinated that have come in sick and have been admitted, but we have not had a woman vaccinated that has been in the ICU or mechanically ventilated during pregnancy,” Dr. Miller said. “All of our patients that have been mechanically ventilated, that have been in the ICU because of a COVID infection that are pregnant have been unvaccinated.”

Dr. Miller said studies have shown that there are no fertility-related concerns when it comes to the vaccine.

“One of the studies found that the only fertility-related change was in men who had contracted a COVID-19 infection 60 days prior to a woman’s menstrual cycle,” Dr. Miller said. “We know that COVID can cause a really high fever and that can affect a male’s sperm count. So, it can decrease their chances of conception.”

Dr. Miller encouraged expecting mothers to speak with their health care provider about questions and concerns over COVID-19 and the vaccine.

A reminder

If you test positive for COVID-19, it’s recommended that you:

502-912-8598

View this week’s COVID-19 briefing with public health officials here.

This press release was produced by the City of Louisville. The views expressed here are the author’s own.