Health officials in counties with high and low Covid-19 death rates point to vaccination rates, residents' underlying health status

Kentucky Health News map via Datawrapper, highlighting high-death-rate counties of Metcalfe, Monroe, Harlan, Perry, Lee and Robertson, and low-death-rate counties of Jefferson, Fayette, Scott and Woodford. For an earlier story with an interactive map with all counties' rates and data, click here. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky...

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The risk of Covid-19 infection in Kentucky is increasing, with a big jump in counties moving from low to medium risk last week

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The risk of Covid-19 transmission increased across the state last week, with the latest federal risk map showing 63 Kentucky counties at either high or medium risk, up from 30 on the prior week's map.  The Centers for Disease...

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Don't forget to turn your clock back one hour Nov. 5-6; sleep experts say standard time is the better one for health and safety

Cincinnati Enquirer photo By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News It's almost time to "fall back" one hour into standard time, which sleep specialists say is better for our health because it more closely matches our body's internal clock. Standard time officially begins on Sunday, Nov. 6.  “Daylight saving time...

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Exposure to electronic-cigarette aerosols cause irregular heartbeats in mice, University of Louisville researchers report

 Mathew Nystoriak, associate professor of medicine, watches assistant professor Alex Carll. (UofL photo) By Melissa PatrickKentucky Health News Exposure to electronic-cigarette aerosols can cause heart arrhythmias in mice — in both premature and skipped beats, according to a University of Louisville...

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What to know about RSV, the virus that can cause serious illness in infants and the elderly: for one thing, keep them hydrated

By Hilary Brown University of Kentucky Respiratory syncytial virus is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. Most people recover in a week or two, but RSV can be serious, especially for infants and older adults. Pediatricians across the country are seeing a significant increase in RSV in children. Lindsay...

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For the first time, hospitals are dealing with three virus outbreaks: Covid-19, the flu and RSV, which can be rough on young children

Louisville-area hospitals "are dealing with a trio of viruses this fall," reports Dakota Sherek of WDRB. "While fall typically marks the start of flu season, health officials are also dealing with Covid-19 and Respiratory syncytial virus, which can put young children into intensive care. "Norton Children's Hospital reported more than 200 RSV cases in early October, and two weeks later another 312 RSV cases were reported across the entire...

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After more than two months of pretty steady decline, new Covid-19 cases in Kentucky increased more than 50% last week

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News After declining for nine of the last 10 weeks, new coronavirus cases in Kentucky increased by more than half last week. The state Department for Public Health's weekly report for the latest Monday-to-Sunday reporting period said there were 5,044 new cases last week, or 720 per day. That was nearly 56% higher than the previous week, when the state reported 462 per day.  New cases in Kentuckians 18...

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New group says its online survey finds 2/3 of Kentucky adults favor a national health plan, citing costs as their main reason

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Enrollment for subsidized health insurance begins Nov. 1 on Kynect; 'family glitch' fix makes plans available to many more

Kynect illustration By Melissa PatrickKentucky Health News Open enrollment for federally subsidized health insurance plans starts Nov. 1 and runs through Jan. 15, for coverage that begins Jan. 1.  Kentuckians can sign up for a qualified health plan on the state-based marketplace, Kynect, at Kynect.ky.gov. On...

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Most of Kentucky has a low risk of Covid-19 infection, but the number of counties at high and medium risk increased last week

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map shows Covid-19 risk. By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The risk of Covid-19 transmission increased just a bit in Kentucky last week, with the latest federal risk map showing 30 counties at either high or medium risk, up from 17 on the prior week's map.  The...

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Beshear announces initiative that will expand Medicaid dental, vision and hearing benefits for more than 900,000 Ky. adults

Dept. for Medicaid Services graphic By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News Pitching it as a way to expand the state's workforce, Gov. Andy Beshear announced Thursday the expansion of dental, vision and hearing benefits for 900,000 Kentucky adults on Medicaid.   "One of the major obstacles in getting some...

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Half of Kentuckians on Medicare now have Advantage plans, but such plans have smaller networks and marketing issues

Image from Investopedia.com By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News With open enrollment for Medicare plans up and running, it's important that seniors pay close attention to what each type of Medicare plan offers and to make sure to choose a plan that meets their needs.  \ Increasingly, seniors are choosing privatized...

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Denise Hall awarded Gil Friedell Health Policy Award for her substance-use prevention efforts with youth in Trimble County

Left to right: Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky Board Chair Dr. Clifford Maesaka, Denise Hall, Foundation President and CEO Ben Chandler, and Council President Tim Marcum. Denise Hall of Trimble County is this year's winner of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky's Gil Friedell Health Policy Award for her  substance-use...

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Analysis: First TV commercial from anti-abortion group has misleading and inaccurate wording, Herald-Leader writer says

Image from TV ad, provided by Yes for Life The first television spot from the main group supporting the anti-abortion proposal on Kentucky's Nov. 8 ballot "relies on conservative buzzwords and phrases that are aimed at grabbing viewer attention but are ultimately misleading and inaccurate," writes Alex Acquisto of...

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New cases of Covid-19 in Kentucky dropped 4% last week, but the state still has the highest infection rate in the nation

New York Times map, adapted by Kentucky Health News (Click to enlarge; interactive version is here.) By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News New coronavirus cases in Kentucky dropped a bit last week, even as the share of Kentuckians who were tested for the virus increased and the state's rate of new cases remained...

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Is Covid-19 about to spike again? Six tips to help you stay safe

By Céline Gounder Kaiser Health News Last year, the emergence of the highly transmissible Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus caught many people by surprise and led to a surge in cases that overwhelmed hospitals and drove up fatalities. Now we’re learning that omicron is mutating to better evade the immune system. Omicron-specific vaccines were authorized by the FDA in August and are recommended by U.S. health officials for anyone 5 or older....

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FDA chief, at UK, says 'It's fair to be critical' of failure to control e-cigarettes; voices concern about life expectancy, misinformation

By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News U.S. Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Robert Califf said Friday at the University of Kentucky, "It's fair to be critical of the FDA" regarding the agency's struggle to regulate electronic cigarettes. Asked in a news-media interview what the FDA is doing to crack down on e-cigarette...

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