As COVID cases rise, Fayette, 18 other KY counties at ‘high level.’ Where to mask up
Lexington health officials reported 151 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday alone, warning that cases continue to increase in Fayette County as summer closes in.
The seven-day rolling average for new cases in the county is 153, compared to 124 a week ago, the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department said in a Thursday Facebook post.
Cases are creeping up across Kentucky. Monday, the state reported a positivity rate of 12.42%, up from 11.21% May 30. To date, the state has reported 16,004 COVID deaths.
In its Thursday night update, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention rated Fayette and 18 other counties in the commonwealth at high COVID-19 community levels.
With the high designation comes a federal recommendation to wear a mask in public, indoor spaces.
The counties rated at high COVID-19 community levels Thursday were:
- Fayette
- Woodford
- Crittenden
- Lyon
- Livingston
- McCracken
- Ballard
- Clark
- Greenup
- Carter
- Boyd
- Lawrence
- Martin
- Pike
- Knott
- Perry
- Leslie
- Breathitt
- Wolfe
Another 28 counties were rated at medium.
In addition, 90 of Kentucky’s 120 counties were rated as at high community transmission levels, a separate metric from the COVID-19 community level. None of the counties were scored at a low transmission level as of Thursday night.
The CDC’s COVID-19 community level is calculated on new cases per 100,000, new hospital admissions per 100,000 (both seven-day totals) and percent of allotted hospital beds occupied (a seven-day average). The community transmission level, meanwhile, is calculated on new cases per 100,000 and percentage of positive NAATs (nucleic acid amplification tests), both during the last seven days.
In the Thursday Facebook post, the LFCHD said residents and visitors can help slow the spread by wearing a well-fitted mask in public, avoiding contact with those who have symptoms, covering coughs and sneezes, proper handwashing and avoiding touching your nose, eyes and mouth.
The department offers the COVID-19 vaccines and boosters free three days a week (Monday, Wednesday and Thursday) at the public health clinic. The Pfizer vaccine is available to those age 5 and older, while Moderna is an option for those 18 or older.
To make an appointment, call 859-288-1483.
The federal government has opened a third round of free at-home COVID tests. Every household in the U.S. can request at-home test kits to be mailed to your door at covid.gov/tests. You can also call 1-800-232-0233.
If you need additional tests, your insurance should cover up to eight tests per month. You can learn more about the reimbursement process for at-home tests online.
Do you have a question about COVID-19 in Kentucky for our service journalism team? We’d like to hear from you. Fill out our Know Your Kentucky form or email ask@herald-leader.com.
This story was originally published June 10, 2022 at 12:33 PM.