THE FIGHT AGAINST COVID-19 Health Care Heroes, First Responders, Grocery Store Workers & More Detail Experiences During Outbreak wanted to ensure we nurtured their spirits and helped with the stress and grief they were enduring. It’s our job to remember that the work they do can easily take its toll. We It wasn’t the empty grocery shelves or provided resources so they could continue the vacant restaurants and bars that made to do their jobs.” “After Gov. Andy Beshear directed that living through the COVID-19 lockdown elective medical procedures be postponed, so difficult. It wasn’t even the cancellation Norton offered daily meal stipends, medical facilities changed drastically of the Kentucky Derby Festival. What respite areas for employees on 12-hour overnight,” says Lynnie Meyer, Senior made self-isolation so hard was the way the shifts, chaplains available 24-hours a day Vice-President and Chief Development community was forced to stop business as and uplifting daily texts of encouragement. Officer of Norton Hospital Louisville. usual overnight and adapt to a new normal. “Our patient volume was down because elective procedures and outpatient care were “The pandemic truly brought out the best in After the “Healthy at Home” initiative everyone,” Meyer says. “There’s been such postponed. However, leadership continued was announced in March, all nonessential to pay staff during the periods of low volume.” an enormous outreach of support from the retail businesses, restaurants and bars were community. It confirms that we are truly in required to close to in-person traffic. Some Meyer says that some of Norton’s staff were this together.” police services were curtailed. Schools, parks asked to stay at home but ready to return to and churches closed their doors, and medical work if needed while continuing to be paid. The LMPD had to make some revisions as facilities ceased elective procedures, all in an well. attempt to prevent the spread of COVID-19. “We wanted to ensure they were healthy and “Gov. Beshear’s emergency order required ready in case we reached surge capacity,” Our city shutdown and uncertainty, fear and Meyer adds. “Other health care systems had Louisville Metro Police to change the way frustration hovered over in the air for weeks. our officers respond to calls,” says Sgt. to lay off a segment of their workforce due Yet, in spite of the undercurrent of anxiety, Lamont Washington, LMPD Media and to lower patient numbers.” first responders and essential workers Public Relations Office. showed up to work to ensure essential While some medical facilities had to close businesses remained open. their doors entirely, hospitals like Norton To minimize the risk of face-to-face Hospital in Louisville remained operational. exposure, LMPD increased the capacity The truth is, frontline and essential of its telephone reporting unit for nonworkers weren’t expecting to work during “In addition to caring for our patients emergency crime reporting. More calls for the pandemic. Yet, in spite of the limited infected with COVID-19, we began taking service were sent to the reporting unit for resources and social distancing mandates, special care of our staff,” Meyer says. “We situations where a report could be taken by Writer / Glad Doggett Photography provided by Norton Healthcare, Kroger, LMPD and Independence Bank
they bravely showed up on the frontlines day after day. Also, there was an immediate quest to find creative ways to keep the community safely running during a time of crisis.
10 / JUNE 2020
