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 Control and Prevention map, which looks at both cases and hospital data to determine risk, shows seven Kentucky counties at high risk, shown in orange; 56 at medium risk, shown in yellow; and 57 counties at low risk, shown in green.

Most of the shifts from the prior week's map were among counties that moved from low risk to medium risk, with 37 fewer green counties on the latest map and 30 more yellow ones. The number of red counties increased by three on the latest map.  

Counties at high risk are Mercer, Greenup, Carter, Boyd,  Letcher and Pike. Letcher is the only red county on the latest map that was also red on the last two reports. 

In high-risk counties, the CDC continues to recommend 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 those who are at high risk of getting very sick to wear 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.

The CDC also has a transmission-level map that shows the level of virus spread in each county, at one of four levels. Carlisle and Hickman counties have a moderate level of transmission. The map shows McCracken, Lyon, Christian, Owen, Pendleton, Nicholas and Elliott have substantial levels of transmission and the rest of the counties have a high level of transmission. This data is largely used by researchers and health-care facilities. 

State health officials have encouraged Kentuckians to use the other CDC map to guide their preventive measures. 

The New York Times ranks Kentucky's infection rate 17th among states, with a 52% drop in cases in the last two weeks. 

At his weekly news conference Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear said it will be important to watch Covid-19 over the next few weeks, noting that while the most recent surveillance continues to be encouraging, cases went up last week, and the prior week's risk map had a few more red counties than the week before. The good news, he said, is that hospital numbers remain low. 

"I think we've got to wait 'til future weeks to determine what that means, if anything," he said. 

Beshear also encouraged Kentuckians to get vaccinated and boosted if they want these numbers to stay low, cautioning that cold weather and the holidays are coming, a time when people will gather indoors where it is easier for the virus to spread. 

"First, if you haven't gotten vaccinated, I know you've waited a long time. Just please consider doing it. . . . Here's the other thing. We need a lot more people to get the new booster, the Omicron booster. It protects you not only from the current strains that are out there, but the strains that we're hearing about in Europe and elsewhere. This booster appears to be effective for it," he said. " Right now, if you are vaccinated and boosted your chances of ending up hospitalized or worse, losing your life, are negligible."