OWENSBORO, Ky. — Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, the Green River District Health Department reported 76 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases with 46 in Daviess County, 15 in Henderson County, four in McLean County, four in Ohio County, four in Union County and three in Webster County. Last week, Green River District saw an additional 359 reported COVID-19 cases. The past week also saw 6 COVID-19 related deaths in the seven-county region with one of the deaths being an Ohio County resident.
- There have been 19,792 reported COVID-19 cases in the district to date.
- The district-wide total of recovered cases is now 17,292 (87%).
- 20 reported confirmed cases are currently hospitalized.
- 832 (4%) have required hospitalization.
- There have been 325 COVID-19 related deaths in the district.
- The state of Kentucky is currently reporting 396,997 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 4,447 statewide deaths.
Ohio County added four new confirmed COVID-19 cases today bringing the county’s total confirmed cases up to 2,312. Of those total cases, 2,042 patients have recovered or died.
Currently, Ohio County has a total of 312 active confirmed COVID-19 cases. Of those active cases, three patients are hospitalized. Since the start of the pandemic, 116 Ohio Countians have been hospitalized due to COVID-19 related complications and 47 Ohio Countians have died due to COVID-19 related complications.
Ohio County Schools has added no new cases since Saturday’s report, however, there have been one recovery. One Ohio County High School student has recovered, leaving one district staff member and one OCHS student as the only confirmed COVID-19 patients in OC Schools.
OC Schools has had a total of 191 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 189 recoveries and two active confirmed COVID-19 cases.
GRDHD COVID-19 Vaccine Availability
Green River District Health Department is continuing to vaccinate in tiers 1A and 1B, which includes health care workers, first responders, daycare workers, and those 70 years of age or older. As vaccine quantities and available appointment times allow, persons in Phase 1C with an emphasis on those aged 60 and older may also be scheduled to ensure our vaccination sites are administering 90% or more of all vaccine doses within 7 days of arrival. Visit healthdepartment.org or call your local county health department to be placed on our waiting list.
“The vaccine will save lives. It is important for us to get as many people vaccinated as soon as we can,” said Clay Horton, GRDHD Public Health Director.
“As we move into the next phase of our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, it is important for us to continue to practice the three “W’s: wear a mask, wash your hands, and watch your distance. It is important to protect yourself and those around you,” said Horton. “This is crucial when interacting with anyone outside of your household, including friends, extended family, coworkers, and in public settings. Do not host or attend gatherings of any kind. Leaders of organizations like churches, team coaches, and workplace supervisors are encouraged to lead by example and make wise decisions to protect those for whom you are responsible.”
Additional COVID-19 Vaccine Information
Kentucky residents can visit vaccine.ky.gov to determine which phase they are in, find a vaccine location, and sign-up for update notifications.
Kentucky COVID-19 vaccine dashboard and information: https://govstatus.egov.com/ky-covid-vaccine.
Kentucky COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline: 800-722-5725 can answer general COVID-19 vaccine questions.
Owensboro Health has vaccines available to healthcare workers in the region, first responders, and the general population over the age of 70. You can make a new appointment online at owensborohealth.org/vaccine or by calling central scheduling at 270-685-7100.
Information on COVID-19 vaccine at Deaconess in Henderson County and Union County can be found here, https://www.deaconess.com/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Vaccine.
Ohio County Healthcare is registering patients 70 and older to receive the COVID-19 vaccine when supplies are available. To sign up, individuals age 70+ can call 270-215-9082 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. or visit https://ochcares.com/COVID.
COVID-19 Testing & Flu Shots
The health department is offering free COVID-19 testing. We encourage anyone who has been in crowds, had close contact with people in public, or traveled recently to get tested. To schedule an appointment visit the GRDHD website, https://healthdepartment.org, and follow the COVID-19 Test prompts. You must be pre-registered to be tested.
Flu shots, including the high dose vaccine for those 65 years of age and older, can also be scheduled on our website or by calling your county health department for an appointment.
Demographics
Average Age: 44
Age Range: 1 month to 102 years old
Male: 46.6%
Female: 53.4%
COVID-19 Guidance
“We want to remind people to protect themselves and those around them. Continue to practice the three “W’s:” wear a mask, wash your hands and watch your distance,” said Clay Horton, GRDHD Public Health Director. “This is crucial when interacting with anyone outside of your household, including friends, extended family, coworkers and in public settings. Do not host or attend gatherings of any kind. Leaders of organizations like churches, team coaches and workplace supervisors are encouraged to lead by example and make wise decisions to protect those for whom you are responsible.”
The health department wants to reinforce this guidance with the community:
- Stay home, avoid crowds and social distance.
- Avoid close contact with people who are sick (fever, cough, sneeze, and difficulty breathing).
- To avoid close contact, stay at least 6 feet away from others.
- Wear a cloth face cover when you have to go out in public.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Stay home when you are sick.
- Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
- To avoid coughing into your hands, you can cough into your elbow.
- Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
- Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
- If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60 percent alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.
If you are sick, experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, including but not limited to a fever, cough, and shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, or feel you have a medical emergency, call your healthcare provider. Adults over 60 and people who have severe chronic medical conditions like heart, lung or kidney disease seem to be at higher risk for more serious COVID-19 illness. Those people should be extra vigilant and stay home. To help answer the community’s questions about COVID-19, the Kentucky Department for Public health has set up a website with the latest guidance and information for Kentucky residents – www.kycovid19.ky.gov. The public can also call the Kentucky COVID-19 hotline at 800-722- 5725.