COVID-19 Updates
Update on COVID from our Governor’s Webpage: On May 11, 2023, the federal public health emergency for COVID-19 officially ended. The Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) has worked closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Kentucky local health departments to fold COVID-19 response activities into existing programs; therefore, some data metrics have been modified or discontinued. KDPH will continue to monitor COVID-19 data and communicate important updates necessary for protecting the health of Kentuckians.
From our Governor’s webpage: Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) has coordinated state guidance with the recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). As CDC transitions to the new “ COVID-19 Community Level” model that uses the number of new COVID-19 cases in each county, percent of hospital capacity devoted to COVID-19 patients and the number of new patients with COVID-19 admitted to the hospital in the past week, KDPH will be using this tool to help Kentuckians be informed of the COVID-19 impact in their communities. KDPH created the Community Level COVID-19 Guidance to align with the new community level model. This guidance provides Kentuckians with actions to take related to their local level of community burden. KDPH will continue to closely monitor COVID-19 data and provide weekly updates on the KDPH COVID-19 website. We appreciate the understanding and cooperation as we learn to live with COVID-19 and work to keep Kentuckians safe. For more information on the new tool provided by CDC, please visit the CDC website: COVID-19 by County.
What you need to know about variants
What do we need to know
What You Need to Know
New variants of the virus are expected to occur. Slowing the spread of the virus, by protecting yourself and others , can help slow the emergence of new variants. The Omicron variant causes more infections and spreads faster than the original SARS-CoV-2 strain of the virus that causes COVID-19. CDC is working with state and local public health officials to monitor the spread of all variants, including Omicron. Getting a vaccine reduces your risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. Staying up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines, which includes getting a booster when eligible, further improves your protection.
We have the tools to fight it
Vaccines reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19. People who are up to date on vaccine s, including booster doses when eligible are likely to have stronger protection against COVID-19 variants, including Omicron. CDC recommends everyone eligible get vaccinated and a booster shot.
Wear a mask with the best fit, protection, and comfort for you. If you are in an area with a high
COVID-19 Community Level and are ages 2 or older, wear a mask indoors in public. If you are sick and need to be around others, or are caring for someone who has COVID-19, wear a mask. If you are at increased risk for severe illness, or live with or spend time with someone at higher risk, speak to your healthcare provider about wearing a mask at medium COVID-19 Community Levels.
Tests for COVID-19 tell you if you have an infection at the time of the test. This type of test is called a “viral” test because it looks for viral infection. Antigen or Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) are viral tests. Additional tests would be needed to determine which variant caused your infection, but these typically are not authorized for public use. As new variants emerge, scientists will continue to evaluate how well tests detect current infection.
