Latest Covid-19 risk map shows the number of Kentucky counties at high or medium risk dropped 24% in the past week

CDC map, adapted by Kentucky Health News

By Melissa Patrick

Kentucky Health News

The weekly pandemic risk map for Kentucky improved again Thursday, as the number of counties at elevated risk of Covid-19 dropped 24 percent. 

Only a few Kentucky counties moved into higher risk categories on the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention risk map, which is based on new coronavirus cases, hospital admissions and hospital capacity. 

Robertson County rose to the high risk category, shown in orange, from a medium risk, shown in yellow. Neighboring Bracken, Mason, Harrison and Montgomery counties rose to medium risk.  

And while all high-risk counties on this week's map were still in Appalachian Kentucky, many counties in the region dropped to medium risk this week. 

The CDC rated 52 counties at low risk, shown in green, up 21 counties from the prior week. It rated 46 counties at medium risk, an increase of one, and 22 at high risk, down 23, more than half. 

In high-risk counties, the CDC recommends that you wear a well-fitting mask in public indoor spaces, and if you are at high risk of getting very sick, consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where you could be exposed.

If you live in a medium or high-risk county, the CDC advises wearing a well-fitting mask when indoors and in public and to consider getting tested before having social contact with someone at high risk for getting very sick and consider wearing a mask when indoors when you are with them.

CDC map, adapted by Kentucky Health News

The CDC also publishes a Transmission Levels map that describes the Covid-19 spread in each county. The map has four levels, from low to high; none are rated at low community transmission. It shows Carlisle and Todd counties with moderate transmission, 13 counties with substantial transmission and the rest with high transmission.

Pointing to last week's CDC maps and the latest state report, Gov. Andy Beshear said it looks like Covid-19 cases are on the decline in Kentucky. 

"We are at the very least in a plateau, if not in that decline," he said, later adding, "We are probably a week away from being able to say that we are seeing less spread of Covid throughout the commonwealth." 

Asked if he agrees with President Biden who has said that the pandemic is over, Beshear said, "Obviously, if you look at the charts, Covid is still here." He also pointed to comments made last week by the World Health Organization, referring to its statement that the end of the pandemic is "in sight".  

"I hope the pandemic is ending. . . I hope they've got some scientific research that backs that up. I certainly hope that they are right," he said. 

U.S. News & World Report reported today that WHO contradicted the president and said the pandemic is not over. 

“We have spent 2 1/2 years in a long, dark tunnel, and we are just beginning to glimpse the light at the end of that tunnel,” WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said at a press briefing. “But it is still a long way off, and the tunnel is still dark with many obstacles that could trip us up if we don’t take care. We all need hope that we can – and we will – get to the end of the tunnel and put the pandemic behind us. But we’re not there yet.”