FIFTY-SIX (56) NEW POSITIVE CASES IN LAST SEVEN DAYS
AS LATEST PAIR OF VARIANTS OF THE VIRUS ONSLAUGHT WORSENS, STATE HEALTH OFFICIALS ISSUE NEW RECOMMENDATIONS IN CONNECTION FROM U,S. GOVERNMENT HEALTH AGENCIES FOR ALL CITIZENS ON ISOLATION AND QUARANTINE PROTOCOLS IF THEY TEST POSITIVE
JANUARY 5, 2022 – written by WADE QUEEN
The COVID-19 global pandemic rules on both globally and locally as a toll continues in Lawrence County as with the latest weekly coronavirus count has lead to another death in Lawrence County resident from Covid and 56 new positive coronavirus cases in the most recent seven day period December 28, 2021, through to January 3, 2022.
This comes as Kentucky has hit the worst positivity rate since the start of the pandemic in the U.S. in February 2020; reaching nearly 21% percent (just over one out of five Kentucky residents who have been recently tested in the ongoing process, and state health officials fear it will worsen in the foreseeable next few weeks, due to both the super infectious Omicron variant, and the still ongoing spread of the dangerous Delta variant, that has led to a global record for the U.S., with just over One (1) million new positive COVID cases in one day on Monday, January 3. And the number of breakthrough cases of already vaccinated individuals getting tested positive infections, and passing away also, is steadily
The latest COVID death in Lawrence County brings the death toll to 54: and as we continue on with this debacle, no matter what everyone’s positions or views of what is happening, locally we are very close, and if we have already done so by now, we will very soon surpass a stunning statistic, with the likelihood that more Lawrence County residents will die from the COVID epidemic, than all of the Lawrence County residents who served in the military and died in combat in all foreign wars the United States has undertaken in the last 175+ years combined.
Here is how the statistical numbers stands currently of the COVID-19 coronavirus epidemic toll in Lawrence County:
*One new COVID-19 death.
There were fifty-six (56) new COVID-19 cases in Lawrence County for December 28, 2021 – January 3, 2022. Ten (10) had been fully vaccinated and were breakthrough cases. Three (3) are hospitalized.
Age range of new positive cases: 6, 8, 9(3), 11, 12, 16, 18, 21, 22(3), 23, 24, 25(3), 26(2), 30, 31(3), 34, 35, 37(2), 41, 42, 43, 45, 46, 47, 48(2), 53, 55(2), 56(3), 59, 60, 62(2), 64(2), 65, 66, 67(2), 72, 75, 76, 91
Confirmed Positive: 3,232
Active: 41
Recovered: 3,137
Deaths: 54
And it appears this epidemic will keep going on for the foreseeable future, as mutations of the virus internationally churns from its original beginning in the late fall 2019 in Wuhan, China; to the present time of January 2022; as already to new virus variants were discovered in France last month, the first in some mountain towns in the French Alps near the borders of Switzerland and Italy, and more recently, the second variant was found in the city of Marseille, in the south of France, where a dozen people have tested positive, with a new COVID variant that likely came from the African country of Cameroon, where all twelve individuals has recently traveled there in separate groups.
LAWRENCE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT UPDATES THE NEW STATE COVID ISOLATION & QUARANTINE GUIDELINES, VIA CHANGES FROM THE CDC
On Tuesday morning, January 4, the Lawrence County Health Department updated the new COVID guideline recommendations from the Kentucky Department of Health.
Our local health department stated that the KDPH has revised the guidance for isolation and quarantine for the general public in response to the changes presented by CDC last week allowing for shortened isolation and quarantine under certain circumstances. This guidance for shortened isolation or quarantine should not apply to high risk or congregate settings, K-12 schools, or childcare settings.
• Healthcare facilities (including long term care) should follow the healthcare personnel guidance for isolation and quarantine (updated 12/23/2021).
• Current KDPH guidance for K-12 Schools and Early Childhood Education remain unchanged and schools/childcare centers should continue to follow this guidance; KDPH is anticipating changes to the CDC school guidance so it is unlikely that revised statewide guidance will be released until those changes can be reviewed.
o Universal use of masks and physical distancing are still recommended
o 10 days of isolation for individuals who test positive is still recommended
o Test-to-stay remains an option for K-12 students who are exposed and asymptomatic
• Institutes of higher education may follow the guidance for the general public.
