New Spanish COVID-19 PSA

AUSTIN — The Office of the Governor and UT Southwestern Medical Center today released a new Spanish-language public service announcement (PSA) on how Texans can protect themselves and others from COVID-19. In the PSA, Amneris Luque, MD, Professor of Internal Medicine and Infectious Disease and Geographic Medicine, advises Texans to wear a mask in public, avoid touching their face, wash their hands frequently and effectively, and practice social distancing.

SPANISH-LANGUAGE TRANSCRIPT

"Estamos en medio de una pandemia y en nuestros hospitales hemos visto muchos hispanos afectados por esta condición, así que queremos hacer un llamado a nuestra comunidad a protegerse para disminuir la propagación del coronavirus. La manera de protegerse es usando mascarilla para estar fuera de la casa, que debe cubrir la nariz, la boca y por debajo del mentón, no tocarse la cara, lavarse las manos con agua y jabón por 20 segundos, repetidamente; y si no hay agua y jabón utilizar desinfectantes, y además mantener la distancia social de 6 pies o 2 metros. Evite congregarse, hágalo por usted y por sus seres queridos."

ENGLISH-LANGUAGE TRANSCRIPT

"We are in the middle of a pandemic, and in our hospitals, we’ve seen many Hispanics affected by this condition. So, we want to advise our community to protect yourselves in order to reduce the spread of the Coronavirus. The way to protect yourself is by using a face covering when you are out of your house, and be sure it covers your nose, mouth, and under your chin. Avoid touching your face. Wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds frequently. If there is no soap and water use hand sanitizer. In addition, be sure to maintain social distancing of 6 feet or 2 meters. Avoid congregating. Do it for yourself and for your loved ones."

ABOUT DR. LUQUE

A native of Venezuela, Dr. Amneris Luque received her M.D. degree from the Universidad de Carabobo in Valencia, Venezuela, and her Magister Scientiarum in Internal Medicine from the Universidad Central de Venezuela. Dr. Luque completed Infectious Diseases fellowships at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY, and the State University of New York at Stony Brook, NY. Over the past 22 years she served as the Director of the HIV program and faculty member at the University of Rochester Medical Center (URMC).

Dr. Luque brings to UTSW over 25 years of experience in infectious diseases with a strong focus on HIV infection and its complications, as well as expertise in HIV clinical research and education. She was the Clinical Research Site leader and principal investigator of the AIDS Clinical Trials Unit at the URMC, a recipient of an RO1 from NIDCD/NIH to study hearing function in HIV and co-investigator in other NIH grants.