Supply finally exceeds demand: Beshear lets any Kentuckian 16 and older get a coronavirus shot starting Monday, April 5

Gov. Andy Beshear displayed this slide listing vaccination sites with the most open appointments. To enlarge, click on it. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Kentucky will open up coronavirus vaccinations to residents 16 and older Monday, after thousands of appointments across the state have gone unused, showing...

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Vaccinations coming to Kentucky state prisons next week, after an increasing number of questions about why it took so long

By Bruce Maples and Al CrossKentucky Health News As the state's coronavirus vaccination program has gradually expanded, so have questions about the very limited vaccinations of inmates in the state's prisons. Questions have been raised recently by families of inmates, their advocates, the news media and state legislators. During...

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Kentucky pandemic numbers stay on a rough plateau or decline, contrary to national trend

By Bruce Maples Kentucky Health News As the rest of the country is seeing increasing numbers of new Covid-19 cases, Kentucky continues at a rough plateau or even a slight a decline in its numbers, such as its seven-day average of new cases. The Washington Post reports that new cases across the country have increased by 13%...

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Nurses shouldn't have to choose between integrity and compliance, one writes, calling for a standard national work system

The writer is a licensed practical nurse in Central City. She wrote this for The Leader-News. By Dara Bratcher Integrity is one of the most important qualities a nurse should possess. We must perform our duties completely and accurately. We should be talking to our residents with the intention of hearing what they have to say, treating the person, not just the wound or illness. We must take the time to ensure our residents have the sense of security...

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Kentucky's one-dose vaccination rate is above adjoining states', but its positive-test and new-case averages have hit plateaus

Kentucky Health News graph, based on initial, unadjusted daily reports of cases By Bruce Maples and Al Cross Kentucky Health News As the pandemic in Kentucky showed clear signs of ending its decline and hitting a plateau, Gov. Andy Beshear announced that 40 percent of adult Kentuckians had been vaccinated – but he...

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People gave up on influenza pandemic measures a century ago when they tired of prevention – and many of them paid a price

Armistice Day celebrations of the end of World War I on Nov. 11, 1918, worried public-health experts as people crowded together in cities across the United States. (Photo by The Associated Press) By J. Alexander Navarro, University of Michigan Picture the United States struggling to deal with a deadly...

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Pike, Woodford, Perry, Fayette and Floyd counties lead Kentucky in full vaccination, Washington Post reports, using CDC data

Screenshot of Washington Post interactive map; click it to enlarge. Click here for interactive version. By Al Cross Kentucky Health News Two pairs of very different Kentucky counties – Pike, Woodford, Perry and Fayette – have the highest percentages of their populations fully vaccinated against the novel coronavirus,...

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State records 11th consecutive week of fewer new cases, but its positive-test and new-case averages go up a little Sunday

By Al CrossKentucky Health News Two key measures of the pandemic took a turn upward Sunday, even as Gov. Andy Beshear pointed out that the Monday-to-Sunday reporting week was the 11th in a row with a smaller number of new cases. The percentage of Kentuckians testing positive for the novel coronavirus. It rose to 2.88% after staying at 2.8% for two days. The rate has been below 3% since last Sunday. The other major metric going up was new cases....

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Ky. missed over 700 Covid-19 deaths because one state worker stopped double-checking reports in an antiquated system

Kentucky missed more than 700 Covid-19 deaths from October to January for the same reason Ohio missed 4,000: One state employee stopped reconciling death certificates with reports from health departments using an antiquated system, reports Deborah Yetter of the Louisville Courier Journal. "Two separate streams of information about deaths — one from health departments and the other from death certificates — must be reviewed and reconciled. The task...

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New-case and positive-test averages stable as U.S. numbers rise

Kentucky Health News graph, based on initial, unadjusted case numbers announced daily By Al Cross Kentucky Health News As national numbers suggested the pandemic is expanding again, Kentucky's numbers of new coronavirus cases keep falling, but just barely. The state reported 637 new cases Saturday, making its seven-day...

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Special open enrollment period for government-subsidized health insurance extended to Aug. 15; new rules expand who qualifies

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The special open enrollment period for people to buy government-subsidized  health insurance on the federal marketplace has been extended by three months to Aug. 15.  Kaiser Family Foundation graph President Joe Biden made the announcement to extend the special enrollment...

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Positive-test rate falls to 2.8%, about half of what it was 4 weeks ago; other pandemic metrics decline; death toll surpasses 6,000

Kentucky Health News graph; click on it to enlarge. By Al Cross Kentucky Health News Every measure of the pandemic in Kentucky declined Friday, except death, and even that lagging indicator's averages kept declining, not counting deaths being found by an ongoing audit. The percentage of Kentuckians testing positive...

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Four Ky. health groups mount campaign for vaccinations

To overcome hesitancy or resistance to vaccination against the novel coronavirus, four Kentucky health groups have started a campaign of public-service announcements online and in print. "Take It From Me" is based on surveys that adults are more likely to get vaccinated if so advised by someone they know. The PSAs feature...

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Community health centers get $96 million for Covid-19 work

Kentucky's 25 federally qualified health centers, generally known as community health centers, will share more than $96 million in grants from the recent relief-and-stimulus bill, the American Rescue Plan Act. "The funding will be used to expand Covid-19 services and help ensure preventive and primary care for those at higher...

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Tax removed from e-cig hardware sold separately from liquid

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The General Assembly has passed legislation to remove the 15 percent wholesale tax on the hardware used in electronic smoking devices when it is sold separately from the e-cigarette liquid. The e-cigarette liquid will continue to be taxed at 15%.  Atlanta Journal-Constitution...

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