Research finds declines in drug-overdose death rates in eight Eastern Kentucky counties and explores the many reasons for it

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News A study of data between 2008 and 2017 found that drug-overdose deaths in several Eastern Kentucky counties declined, and stakeholders said it was likely the result of policies and strategies that Kentucky had put in place to thwart the opioid epidemic.  “The findings of this study...

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Pandemic roundup: Kentucky ranks 29th in full coronavirus vaccination; U of L Health will require staff to get a shot

Kentucky ranks 29th among the states in percentage of population fully vaccinated for the coronavirus and 28th in the share of residents who have received at least one dose of vaccine, according to The Washington Post. Chart of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data by The Washington Post Post graph...

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Northern Kentucky jail offers treatment and care after release as part of drug treatment for inmates who want it

Photo: Liz Dufour/The Enquirer A jail in Northern Kentucky has embraced science-based research for inmates with addiction for inmates who want it since 2015, and now that program includes care after release, Terry DeMio reports for the Cincinnati Enquirer. DeMio walks through what the Kenton County Detention...

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Pandemic metrics, still on way down, pass more milestones

State Dept. for Public Health map, relabeled by Ky. Health News; click on it to enlarge. By Al Cross Kentucky Health News Measures of the pandemic passed more milestones in Kentucky Wednesday. The percentage of Kentuckians testing positive for the coronavirus fell to 2.4%, the lowest level since testing for the virus...

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Chamber, UK school starting public-policy series with discussion of health differences and disparities between rural and urban Ky.

The health disparities between rural and urban Kentucky, and differences in health-care access and delivery, will be discussed in the first of a new series of public-policy webinars sponsored by the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Martin School of Public Policy & Administration at the University of Kentucky. The event, scheduled from noon to 1:30 p.m. ET Tuesday, June 8, will be a panel discussion with: Mark Birdwhistell, UK Health Care chief...

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Beshear says Ky. data prove vaccines work; asks younger Kentuckians, who make up most new cases, to get vaccinated

Graphic by The Washington Post is updated daily. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News At his only announced pandemic press briefing of the week, Gov. Andy Beshear shared Kentucky data that shows how well coronavirus vaccines work, and again implored younger Kentuckians to go get one.  First, he showed how...

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Places with more uninsured had more Covid-19 cases, deaths; Ky. did well; its Medicaid rolls grew more than all but 2 states'

Chart by Dustin Pugel, Kentucky Center for Economic Policy, click on it to enlarge. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News People living in communities with high rates of uninsured people were much more likely to get the coronavirus and to die from it than people living in communities with fewer uninsured people.  That's...

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Kentucky's 7-day average of daily new coronavirus cases below 500 for first time in 10 months; positive-test rate keeps falling

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Kentucky's seven-day average of new coronavirus cases dropped below 500 Thursday, for the first time in 10 months, and its positive-test rate is among the lowest since testing became widely available.  The state reported 575 new cases, with 23% (133) in people 18 and under. The seven-day average for cases is 489. The last time it was under 500 was July 18, at 447; the next day, 979 new cases raised it...

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As Covid-19 metrics slowly trend down, we can talk about the end of the pandemic, but that's a somewhat fuzzy concept

WebMD image For more than a year, people have pondered when the coronavirus pandemic would be over.  A firm answer to that question depends on many factors, but several key metrics used to measure the pandemic suggest that it could be time to have that conversation, Joel Achenbach writes for The Washington...

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Coronavirus vaccines work even if you don't have any side effects

Even if you don't get any flu-like symptoms after getting the coronavirus vaccine, you are still protected from the virus, Peter Loftus reports for The Wall Street Journal. “I don’t think someone should correlate the extent of their reactions to the vaccine with protection from infection,” H. Cody Meissner, chief...

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KET show pays tribute to Kentucky's health-care workers, noting some who have died from the pandemic, including eight nurses

Nurses killed by Covid-19 and recognized on "Kentucky Health" were, from top left: Michael Rodriguez, Bonnie Hall, Michelle Wade, Debra Daniels, Connie Luscher, Dana Davis, Susan Whittymore and Sharon Combs. A Kentucky Educational Television show paid tribute to Kentucky's health-care workers and honored some...

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Approval of coronavirus vaccines for children under 12 could take months; no rush needed unless a bad variant arises, experts say

"Experts say it’s a no-brainer for adults and adolescents to get vaccinated against the coronavirus. But for younger kids, the case isn’t as clear-cut," reports Alexandra Ellerbeck of The Washington Post. When the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention authorized the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for children 12 to 15, the agency said it could take months to approve a vaccine for younger children. But "Children under 12 are rarely hospitalized...

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CDC urges health-care providers to open coronavirus vaccine vials even if doses will go to waste; it's a boon for rural areas

"Now that the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for adolescents, hundreds of thousands of parents likely are searching for a place to get their kids vaccinated. Many are expected to call their pediatricians only to find they don’t have vaccines in stock, partly because doctors have been worried about wasting doses," Christine Vestal reports for Stateline. "But new guidance from the federal Centers for Disease Control and...

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Ky. has three weeks of declining coronavirus cases and positive-test rates; Beshear implores people under 50 to get vaccinated

Ky. Dept. for Public Health chart, relabeled by Ky. Health News; for a larger version, click on it. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Gov. Andy Beshear says he is hopeful that three straight weeks of declining coronavirus cases and positive-test rates means the pandemic has moved out of a plateau to a downward...

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Positive-test rate for coronavirus in Kentucky declines again, to a level not seen since testing became widely available

Ky. Dept. for Public Health map, relabeled by Ky. Health News; for a larger version, click on it. By Al Cross Kentucky Health News The percentage of Kentuckians testing positive for the coronavirus in the last seven days is almost at low as it has been since testing became widely available last June. The seven-day...

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Nursing-home chief: How to know when it's time to look for one, post-pandemic, and some suggestions on what to look for

By Mary Haynes Nazareth Home President & CEO Most people wouldn’t expect social media, virtual tours, online support groups or VR training curriculum to be synonymous with modern skilled nursing practices. But the fact is, a lot has changed in specialized care as a result of the pandemic. Technology is now at the forefront of everything we’re doing. It’s part of a large-scale concerted effort to keep residents connected with loved ones in times...

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