Hello Beaver Dam – People’s Bank

GRDHD reports 7 new COVID-19 cases, 1 COVID-19 related deaths in Ohio County

In Local, News by OC Monitor Staff

OWENSBORO, Ky. — Tuesday, May 4, 2021, the Green River District Health Department reported 54 additional confirmed COVID-19 cases with 22 in Daviess County, 24 in Henderson County, seven in Ohio County and one in Union County.

In addition, the GRDHD reported four deaths in the district, with three of those deaths being residents of Daviess County and one a resident of Ohio County. Of the four deaths, two are being reported from the state audit of death certificates.

  • There have been 21,685 reported COVID-19 cases in the district to date.
  • The district-wide total of recovered cases is now 19,416 (90%).
  • Eight reported confirmed cases are currently hospitalized.
  • 863 (4%) have required hospitalization.
  • There have been 391 COVID-19 related deaths in the district.
  • The state of Kentucky is currently reporting 445,449 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 6,525 statewide deaths.

With today’s report of seven new confirmed COVID-19 cases, Ohio County’s total confirmed COVID-19 cases is 2,491, with 2,246 patients having recovered. With today’s announced death, Ohio County has lost 55 residents to COVID-19 related complications.

Ohio County Schools hasn’t updated its COVID-19 Dashboard since the April 27 report.

GRDHD COVID-19 Vaccine Availability

Kentucky COVID-19 vaccination eligibility is expanded to include all phases. All persons age 16 or older are eligible for Pfizer and all persons age 18 and older are eligible for Moderna. Visit healthdepartment.org or call your local county health department to be placed on our scheduling list.

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. Additional COVID-19 vaccine information can be found at vaccinefinder.org. Retail pharmacies and health centers are also providing COVID-19 vaccinations. 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 – You can make a new COVID-19 vaccination appointment online at owensborohealth.org/vaccine or by calling central scheduling at 270-685-7100.

Deaconess in Henderson County and Union County – COVID-19 vaccine information can be found at https://www.deaconess.com/Coronavirus/COVID-19-Vaccine.

Ohio County Healthcare – To schedule a COVID-19 vaccination appointment visit https://ochcares.com/COVID or call 270-215-9082 Monday through Friday from 8:00 am – 4:30 pm.

Starting Monday, May 3, the Ohio County Healthcare COVID-19 Moderna Vaccination Clinic will move from the front lobby of the hospital to the Ohio County Family Care building in Hartford. If you received your initial dose at the hospital before May 3, you will go to the OCFC location for your booster dose. Online scheduling still available at OCHcares.com or call 270-215-9082.

COVID-19 Testing

Green River District Health Department is offering free COVID-19 testing. 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.

Choosing Safer Activities

  •  If you are fully vaccinated you can start doing many things that you had stopped doing because of the pandemic.
  • When choosing safer activities, consider how COVID-19 is spreading in your community, the number of people participating in the activity, and the location of the activity.
  • Outdoor visits and activities are safer than indoor activities, and fully vaccinated people can participate in some indoor events safely, without much risk.
  • If you haven’t been vaccinated yet, Kentucky residents can visit vaccine.ky.gov to find the most convenient vaccination location.

Demographics

The cases being reported from the Green River District Health Department are being investigated and confirmed locally. These cases are then reported to the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

Average Age: 43

Age Range: 1 month to 102 years old

Male: 46.8%

Female: 53.2%

COVID-19 Guidance

“It is encouraging to see the progress our community has made. Everyone’s efforts are paying off and we need to continue to do what is working” said Clay Horton, GRDHD Public Health Director. “We need to continue to use all of our tools — wear masks when in public, watch your distance between other people, wash your hands frequently, and if you have not already done so, get a COVID-19 vaccine.”

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 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.