CDC puts 2 Kentucky counties at medium COVID level as FDA expands booster recommendations

Aaron Mudd
·2 min read
23

Kentucky added nearly 1,400 COVID-19 cases over the course of the previous week, new data published Thursday by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show.

Meanwhile, two counties have elevated levels of COVID-19, according to the CDC’s latest report, which looks at virus activity in Kentucky between April 13 to 20.

In other news, the CDC is recommending another round of boosters for older Americans and people with weakened immune systems.

Here’s a look at where Kentucky stands with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, including where vulnerable populations should consider masking in public, per CDC guidance.

COVID-19 cases in Kentucky: What the latest CDC data tell us

According to the latest CDC data, Kentucky added 1,391 new cases over the course of the last week. That’s only a minor increase compared to the number of new cases Kentucky saw the previous week, between April 6 and 13.

The CDC is also reporting 51 new virus deaths in Kentucky, which amounts to a minor decrease compared to the previous week’s 55 deaths. Overall, Kentucky has a COVID-19 death toll of more than 18,400.

The latest COVID-19 community levels for Kentucky, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention April 21, 2023. The yellow counties are at medium, while the green are at low.
The latest COVID-19 community levels for Kentucky, as reported by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention April 21, 2023. The yellow counties are at medium, while the green are at low.

As of Thursday, Breathitt and Letcher counties were at medium COVID-19 community levels, a measure updated weekly.

For Letcher County, it’s an improvement from where the county stood April 13, when it was at a high community level. At that level, the CDC recommends reinstating mask-wearing in public indoors.

The community levels are based on weekly totals of new infections and hospital admissions, along with weekly averages of COVID-occupied hospital beds.

FDA OKs new round of vaccine boosters for vulnerable groups

Acting on a recommendation from the CDC, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized another round of the reformulated COVID-19 vaccines for adults aged 65 and older and individuals with weakened immune systems.

Eligible Americans can begin receiving the shots immediately, according to the New York Times.

Additionally, the original vaccine formulas created by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are being retired in the U.S. Instead of needing an initial two shots, going forward unvaccinated people will require just a single dose of the bivalent shot to be considered vaccinated.

To find a COVID-19 vaccine near you, visit vaccines.gov.

COVID-19 in Lexington

Fayette County is once again at a low COVID-19 community level as of Thursday. The case rate there is 21.66 cases per 100,000 people, and there were 70 active cases reported.

Between April 8 and 14, the most recent data available from the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, the area had 96 new COVID-19 cases. There were no new virus deaths reported that week in the county.

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