Lexington health commissioner resigning, hopes for COVID-19 progress before his exit
Dr. Kraig Humbaugh, commissioner of health for Lexington, will step down from his position in the summer of 2021 when he hopes the city will be in a “much better place” with COVID-19, he announced Friday.
Humbaugh has been with the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department since June 2016. The Lexington-Fayette County Board of Health will select a search firm to find qualified candidates to fill the position, according to the announcement. Humbaugh told the Herald-Leader Friday that he’s “hoping to move onto other adventures” once he leaves the position.
“I’m hopeful that by the summer of 2021, we as a community will be in a much better place in terms of the pandemic,” Humbaugh said in a statement. “Let’s all continue to work together to help make that a reality. The COVID-19 vaccines that are on the horizon have the potential to be a game-changer by bringing us protection against the virus.”
Humbaugh is hopeful that the COVID-19 vaccination will be widely available by the time he steps down.
“We’re not out of the woods yet,” he said. “We’re hopeful.”
Humbaugh also said he enjoyed working with the health department team.
“Every day, and not just in the response to the COVID-19 pandemic, these folks embody the standard for excellence in public health,” he said.
Mayor Linda Gorton said in a statement Friday that Humbaugh’s work “has saved hundreds of lives.”
“When the day comes to write down the history of the COVID-19 pandemic in Lexington, Dr. Kraig Humbaugh, our Commissioner of Health, will emerge as a community hero,” Gorton said. “Dr. Humbaugh has fought to protect Lexington citizens every day since the virus arrived here on March 6.”
Kentucky’s Cabinet for Health and Family Services said in a tweet that it wished Humbaugh well going forward.
“It has been an honor to have Dr. Kraig Humbaugh as a public health teammate,” the cabinet said.
This story was originally published December 11, 2020 at 8:54 AM.