A sad landmark was passed today (Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021) when Logan County’s confirmed COVID 19 cases passed the 2,000 mark. That’s why getting as many people vaccinated as soon as possible is a top priority.
According to information supplied by the Barren River Health Department, Logan now has 2,006 confirmed cases. People have recovered in 1,701 of those cases and 42 have died. That leaves 263 cases.
Numbers are growing rapidly. In the last month, the number of confirmed cases here as grown by 660, an increase of 41 percent. It’s 95 percent higher than this date two months ago and 1,243 cases more than Oct. 19, exactly three months ago. That’s an increase of 181 percent, almost double in a quarter of a year.
Although the deaths from COVID aren’t rising as quickly (from 30 to 42 for 40 percent), the number of active cases (total cases minus recoveries minus deaths) is growing dramatically. Today Logan County has 263 active cases, up from 161 a month ago and 163 percent higher than the 100 active cases on Oct. 19.
Getting vaccine to Americans and to people all over the world is obviously very important. Getting it in people’s arms has not gone as fast as had been hoped or predicted.
Healthcare and emergency services workers in the area have been getting vaccinated. So have some of our oldest residents.
April Triplett, director of marketing for Logan Memorial Hospital, said last week, “We can confirm that we have received an initial allocation of COVID-19 vaccines and are in the process of distributing them in accordance with prioritization guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the federal government and the Kentucky Department of Public Health. Vaccine administration has begun with our frontline healthcare workers and healthcare workers in our community and we have already administered 270 doses to date. Once the vaccine becomes more broadly available, we strongly encourage our community to get vaccinated.
“Logan Memorial Hospital is pleased to be taking this next exciting step toward ending the pandemic and advancing our mission of Making Communities Healthier.”
This week, those ages 70 and over are being scheduled for vaccinations at the health department. It’s also hoped that school personnel working with the high school and younger grades also can get the shots.
Kathy Thweatt of the Logan County branch of the Barren River Health Department wrote the next day:
“I just wanted to let everyone know that all of our health departments are doing the best we can right now navigating through this ever-changing vaccination phase. While we are doing this we continue to work active cases of Covid-19 as well as the regular programs like WIC and Environmental.
“Please don't call the HD right now to get on the waiting list for a vaccination. We have hundreds on the list for each location.
“As soon as the ones on the current waiting list have been served AND we receive more vaccine we will open up appointments.
“We hope to be able to offer one to two days each week at our local health departments but, of course, that is dependent upon how much vaccine we receive and direction from the State.
“I am very impressed with how many people want the vaccine. We are all so ready to get back to a more normal day-to-day life. Everyone I have spoken with or seen in a vaccination clinic has been very grateful for the opportunity to get vaccinated.
“Working this Pandemic has been the most exhausting, all-consuming thing I have ever done. I have "virtually" met so many wonderful people during this time from school systems I serve to the disease investigators, elected officials and Emergency Management. I'm sure I left a lot of people out, but I appreciate the effort of everyone who has had to change what they do to better serve our community during these last 10 months.”