Citing research showing virus is as contagious as chickenpox, Beshear again asks all schools to enforce universal masking

State Dept. for Public Health map, adapted by Ky. Health News; to enlarge, click on it. By Melissa Patrick and Al CrossKentucky Health News Before announcing the new winners of the state's second vaccine-incentive lottery, Gov. Any Beshear went over the findings of an internal federal health document that says the...

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Beshear calls for universal masking in schools, following CDC; Stack calls Kentucky 'horribly inflamed' with coronavirus

State Department for Public Health map; for a larger version, click on it. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Gov. Andy Beshear and Health Commissioner Steven Stack updated the state's mask guidance Thursday to call for universal masking in schools, regardless of vaccination status, following new federal guidance. Beshear...

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UK, Ashland hospital celebrate partnership that's been in effect since April 1; joint venture now holds hospital's assets

King's Daughters Medical Center in Ashland has 465 beds. (2011 photo) The University of Kentucky's health-care system and King’s Daughters Health System in Ashland are now partners, they announced Wednesday in Ashland, with Gov. Andy Beshear and his top health official on hand. The partnership, which was...

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Vaccination rate of Kentucky Medicaid members is about half the overall rate; even $100 incentives seem to have little effect

One of the biggest obstacles to protecting Kentucky from the coronavirus is Kentuckians on Medicaid, who make up about a third of the state's population. "Of the 1.6 million people in Kentucky covered by the government health plan, only 27% of those eligible have received at least one dose of the vaccine, compared to about 51% of Kentuckians overall," based on state data, reports Deborah Yetter of the Louisville Courier Journal. "That means more...

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UK HealthCare again best Ky. hospital in U.S. News & World Report rankings; Baptist Health has two of top six in the state

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Six Kentucky hospitals have been named among the nation's "Best Regional Hospitals" in the annual ranking by U.S. News & World Report magazine. They are, in order: the University of Kentucky hospital; hospitals in Covington and Edgewood; Baptist Health Lexington; Baptist Health Louisville;...

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With state nearing 'critical' level of virus spread, and some places much higher, Beshear requires all in state buildings to mask up

Gov. Andy Beshear is requiring all state employees and visitors to state buildings to wear face coverings, even if they are fully vaccinated against the coronavirus, which continues to surge in Kentucky. Beshear said in a two-minute video that he took the action to protect state workers "and those they interact with."...

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McConnell will use campaign funds to run pro-vaccine ads

McConnell (Reuters photo by Joshua Roberts) U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell will use funds from his campaign to run 60-second advertisements on more than 100 radio stations in Kentucky to promote vaccination for the coronavirus, Reuters reports. McConnell, the leader of Senate Republicans, has blamed misinformation for...

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Citing research, CDC recommends universal masking in schools, and in high-transmission areas indoors when away from home

State Dept. for Public Health map, relabeled by Ky. Health News; to enlarge, click on it. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Federal officials offered new guidance Tuesday recommending that everyone in schools wear masks, even those who have been vaccinated; and that people living in areas with widespread transmission...

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Appalachian Food for Health, a diabetes prevention virtual program, is scheduled for from 10 a.m. to noon Friday

The second annual "Appalachian Food for Health" virtual event, focusing on diabetes prevention, is scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon Friday, July 30. Click here to register. The event is hosted by Shaping Our Appalachian Region, the Foundation for A Healthy Kentucky, and the Community Farm Alliance.  The virtual...

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Beshear strongly recommends in-school masking; coronavirus infections and Covid-19 cases in ICUs have doubled in 10 days

Kentucky Health News graph from initial, unadjusted daily reports; to enlarge, click on it. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Gov. Andy Beshear issued what he called "strong recommendations" Monday for all students and teachers not vaccinated against the coronavirus to wear masks during the upcoming school year,...

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Somerset doctor says spread, strength of Delta variant mean it's too late to 'vax it or mask it'; both needed in high-spread areas

By Kevin Kavanagh Republished from Infection Control Today Dr. Jerome Adams, surgeon general in the Trump administration, said this month that the guidelines the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued in May on removing of masks were “premature” and “wrong.” Two years ago, most would not believe such a statement,...

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Here are answers to frequently asked questions about the coronavirus, the Covid-19 disease and the vaccines

MedPage Today illustration By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News One of the many challenges facing Kentuckians who remain unvaccinated against the coronavirus is that they still have unanswered questions about vaccines, some based on facts and others based on myths. This story is an attempt to sort through some of...

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Beshear honors health-care workers at Morehead

A screenshot of the crowd showed at least one masked person, at far left. (WKYT; click to enlarge) Hundreds of front-line health-care workers gathered at St. Claire Regional Medical Center in Morehead Wednesday night to get thanks from Gov. Andy Beshear and others for their work during the pandemic. “You all engaged...

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130 rural health clinics in Kentucky will get federal money to increase confidence in safety of the coronavirus vaccines

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is sending $100 million to more than 1,980 rural health clinics for outreach efforts meant to increase locals' confidence in the safety of coronavirus vaccines, according to a press release. The list has 130 clinics in Kentucky. David Bolt Through...

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FactCheck: Origin of the novel coronavirus remains unclear, but U.S. Sen. Rand Paul overstates the case for the Chinese lab

By Lori Robertson and Jessica McDonald FactCheck.org At a July 20 U,S. Senate hearing, Republican Sen. Rand Paul and Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, once again had a testy exchange over whether the U.S. funded gain-of-function research in China, with each man accusing...

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