FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contacts:
Bonnie J. Hackbarth
Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky
877-326-2583 (o), 502-552-3770 (m)
Emily Schott
Kentucky Medical Association
502-814-1388
COVID-19 Public Service Announcements Urge Kentuckians
to Prepare, Protect, Disinfect
(LOUISVILLE, KY – March 25, 2020) “Prepare, protect, disinfect” is the theme of a public service announcement campaign released today by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and the Kentucky Medical Association in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The three, 30-second PSAs are available free of charge, and are designed to reinforce critical public health messages that will help prevent the spread of the virus, which could overwhelm Kentucky’s health care system.
“The best way for us to get through this is to follow the advice of our professional public health experts,” said Ben Chandler, president and CEO, Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky (FHKy). “COVID-19 poses a serious health risk, and one of the greatest threats is overwhelming our health care system if too many people get sick at the same time. We can prevent many, many deaths if we just take the steps to prevent the spread, or ‘flatten the curve.’ That means everyone needs to stay home as much as they possibly can.”
“While your individual risk of serious complication from COVID-19 may be low, you could contract the disease without knowing it and contribute to the spread to individuals who are advanced in age or have a chronic disease,” said Dr. Brent Wright, president of the Kentucky Medical Association (KMA) and chair of FHKy’s board of directors.”So, if you have symptoms, please call your physician or other health care provider first, before coming in, and we’ll respond as quickly as possible. You’re not alone – we are ready to help.”
The theme of the PSAs focuses on three measures:
PREPARE: Prepare to stay at home as much as possible by purchasing only the essentials we need for a week at a time;
PROTECT: Protect others from the virus by keeping at least six feet of distance between ourselves and others outside our homes; and
DISINFECT: Use disinfectant often on the things we touch regularly, such as door knobs, cell phones, keyboards and counters.
The COVID-19 virus, and efforts to prevent the spread, may lead to extra anxiety for some Kentuckians, which is acknowledged in one of the PSAs, FHKy and KMA said. Each PSA lists the Kentucky government COVID-19 website and hotline, and encourages Kentuckians to rely first on these regularly-updated resources. Kentucky’s COVID-19 website is kycovid19.ky.gov, and the state hotline, is 1-800-722-5725.
The PSAs are available free of charge, and can be downloaded from the Foundation’s website here.
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About the Kentucky Medical Association
Established in 1851, the Kentucky Medical Association is a professional organization for physicians throughout the Commonwealth. The KMA works on behalf of physicians and the patients they serve to ensure the delivery of quality, affordable healthcare.
Members of the KMA share a mission of commitment to the profession and service to the citizens of this Commonwealth that extends across rural and urban areas. From solo practitioners to academicians to large, multi-specialty groups, KMA is the ONLY state association representing every specialty and type of medical practice in Kentucky.
About the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky
Funded by an endowment, the mission of the nonpartisan Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky is to address the unmet health needs of Kentuckians by developing and influencing policy, improving access to care, reducing health risks and disparities, and promoting health equity. Since the Foundation opened its doors in 2001, it has invested more than $29 million in health policy research, advocacy, and demonstration project grants across the Commonwealth. Follow the Foundation on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube, and visit our website at www.healthy-ky.org.
