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Monday, November 30, 2020
Sunday, November 29, 2020
Federal appeals panel says Beshear's ban on in-person schooling can apply to religious schools; positive-test rate jumps to 9.24%
Part of a slide published by Gov. Andy Beshear in response to federal appeals court's ruling
By Al Cross
Kentucky Health News
Gov. Andy Beshear's ban on in-person schooling will remain in effect at all Kentucky schools while federal judges consider whether it can apply to religious schools that follow social-distancing...
Saturday, November 28, 2020
Kentucky doubled its number of covid-19 patients on ventilators in the past month; total cases in intensive care resume uptick
Graph by Kentucky Health News
By Al CrossKentucky Health News
More covid-19 patients than ever are on ventilators in Kentucky hospitals, the number having doubled in the last month, from 110 to 220.
But that was the only new record in the state's daily report Saturday, as the Thanksgiving holiday weekend continued,...
Covid-19 hospitalizations in Kentucky are predicted to keep increasing; much depends on how people handled Thanksgiving
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention graph, relabeled by Kentucky Health News, shows predictions of various forecasters for new covid-19 hospitalizations in Kentucky for the next four weeks, in ranges at a statistical confidence level of 95 percent. The numbers can be downloaded.
Kentucky is expected...
Friday, November 27, 2020
Thanksgiving had highest number of new coronavirus cases in one day, second highest number of confirmed covid-19 deaths
State Dept. for Public Health map, relabeled by Ky. Health News; for a larger version, click on it.
By Al CrossKentucky Health News
Thanksgiving saw the highest number yet of new cases of the novel coronavirus and the second highest number of newly confirmed deaths from its covid-19 disease.
Reporting a day...
Thursday, November 26, 2020
Citing his near-death experience, Pope Francis asks you to be touched by others' pain, so we can all gain from the pandemic
By Pope Francis
In this past year of change, my mind and heart have overflowed with people. People I think of and pray for, and sometimes cry with, people with names and faces, people who died without saying goodbye to those they loved, families in difficulty, even going hungry, because there’s no work.
Sometimes, when you...
Kentucky newspapers offer editorial comment on acceleration of the pandemic and the governor's response to it
Kentucky's recent surge in coronavirus cases and covid-19 hospitalizations, and the governor's latest emergency orders in response, has prompted editorial commentary from several newspapers.
"November feels eerily similar to April and May, when covid-19 cases weren’t as numerous but the virus was just as furious," said The Daily Independent of Ashland. "Whether or not you agree with him, Gov. Andy Beshear has proven he’s not simply out to collect...
Wednesday, November 25, 2020
Judge blocks Beshear ban on in-person religious schools
A federal judge issued an injunction Wednesday night that allows religious schools in Kentucky to continue in-person instruction, contrary to Gov. Andy Beshear's order last week that in-person schooling in the state stop in order to to prevent spread of the novel coronavirus.
“The governor has every right to impose some restrictions on all schools, religious and secular alike,” District Judge Greg Van Tatenhove wrote. “Social distancing, face masks,...
Hospitalization figures again set new records, but poll suggests Kentuckians less likely to give thanks outside their households
Polling for The New York Times showed Kentuckians are generally less likely than their neighbors to have Thanksgiving dinner outside their household.
By Al Cross
Kentucky Health News
The covid-19 burden on Kentucky hospitals got heavier Wednesday, as the state began a long holiday weekend that officials and health-care...
Tuesday, November 24, 2020
Kentucky remains in most dangerous zone for virus cases and positive tests; White House calls for 'significant behavior change'
White House Coronavirus Task Force table; for a larger version, click on it.
By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
For the second week in a row, Kentucky is in the worst danger zone for both coronavirus cases and the share of Kentuckians who tested positive for the virus in the past seven days, according to this...
Hospitalizations up 5% in one day; health-department workers afraid to enforce orders because of threats, abuse, Beshear says
Beshear showed a video of Katie Rogers, an advanced-practice registered nurse, asking Kentuckians to keep from spreading the virus at Thanksgiving in order to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed.
By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
Gov. Andy Beshear announced a 5.4 percent jump in Kentucky's covid-19 hospitalizations Tuesday, making for another record high, while making a final plea for Kentuckians to keep their Thanksgiving gatherings small...
Sales pitches for Medicare Advantage don't tell the whole story
Joe Namath is perhaps the most familiar spokesperson for Medicare Advantage plans.
By Trudy Lieberman
Community Health News Service
It seems nothing ever changes when it comes to hawking insurance to fill gaps in Medicare coverage. The fervent sales pitches, the misinformation, and the incomplete and deceptive information...
Monday, November 23, 2020
Studies forecast new restrictions could save lives, reduce hospitalizations; Beshear warns hospitals at 'tipping point'
University of Louisville graph, relabeled by Ky. Health News; for a larger version, click on it.
By Melissa Patrick
Kentucky Health News
A new study shows that compliance with Kentucky's new emergency orders to thwart the coronavirus could save up to 1,000 lives in the Louisville region, and presumably have similar...
