The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends COVID-19 vaccination for all people aged 12 years and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. Pregnant and recently pregnant people are more likely to get severely ill with COVID-19 compared with non-pregnant people. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine can protect you from severe illness from COVID-19. Learn more at CDC.gov.
Booster shot for immunocompromised persons
The CDC has recently released recommendations regarding a booster shot for moderately-to-severe immunocompromised persons. Talk to your doctor to see if a booster is appropriate for you. More information is available at CDC.gov.
Mask Recommendations in Kentucky
The “Delta Variant” is now estimated to be the most common variant of COVID-19 in Kentucky. Because this variant is highly contagious and potentially more dangerous, the governor’s office has issued the following recommendations for wearing masks:
- All unvaccinated Kentuckians should wear masks indoors when not in their home
- Kentuckians at higher risk due to pre-existing conditions should wear masks indoors when not in their home
- Vaccinated Kentuckians in jobs with significant public exposure should consider wearing a mask at work.
- All unvaccinated Kentuckians, when eligible, should be vaccinated immediately
Learn more at kycovid19.ky.gov. For tips on how to improve how your mask protects you, visit cdc.gov.
Kentucky COVID-19 Hotline (800) 722-5725
The COVID-19 hotline is a service operated by the healthcare professionals at the KY Poison Control Center who can provide advice and answer questions. Please be patient as they are handling a high volume of calls and want to give everyone the time they deserve. For general information, please review this web page or the kycovid19.ky.gov website prior to calling the hotline.
Tips for Back-to-School
The CDC has created a checklist to help parents with planning for in-person classes.
Local Research Study Confirms COVID-19 Vaccine Safety
Results of the survey were:
A collaborative research project between Med Center Health, Western Kentucky University and the UK College of Medicine – Bowling Green Campus was conducted through the Western Kentucky Heart and Lung/Med Center Health Research Foundation. The hypothesis of the research centered around responses to the COVID-19 vaccine – specifically, whether or not responses seen in an ambulatory vaccine clinic setting were different than what was seen in the clinical trials. The results from 4,825 patients who took the survey mirror the results in the COVID-19 clinical trials.
Results of the survey were:
A collaborative research project between Med Center Health, Western Kentucky University and the UK College of Medicine – Bowling Green Campus was conducted through the Western Kentucky Heart and Lung/Med Center Health Research Foundation. The hypothesis of the research centered around responses to the COVID-19 vaccine – specifically, whether or not responses seen in an ambulatory vaccine clinic setting were different than what was seen in the clinical trials. The results from 4,825 patients who took the survey mirror the results in the COVID-19 clinical trials.
Results of the survey were:See More
FDA Approves Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), including for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.
See MoreEleven Hospital Systems in Kentucky to Require Vaccinations for Health Care Workforce
Below is today’s Office of the Governor press release announcing eleven Kentucky hospital systems, including Med Center Health, who have committed to the health and safety of our patients and employees by requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for the health care workforce.
Yesterday, Gov. Beshear announced 2,583 COVID-19 cases, 10.08% test positivity rateSee More
Med Center Health Will Require Employees to Receive COVID-19 Vaccine
Med Center Health announced today that it will require employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. This requirement will also include medical staff, students, residents, fellows and vendors across the Med Center Health system. Those in leadership positions will have through August 9th to receive their first dose while all others will have through September 1st….
See MoreLocal COVID News
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services – Combat COVID
- World Health Organization
- Kentucky Department of Health/Cabinet for Health and Family Services
- Barren River District Health Department
- Barren River District Health Department COVID-19 Hotline – 270-781-8039.
- Office of Governor Andy Beshear COVID-19 Updates
- Patient Education Institute – free educational information about COVID-19 in multiple languages.
Follow us on social media for Updates on COVID-19
Connie Smith, Med Center Health President and CEO, on Twitter
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