Christian County Health Director Kayla Bebout is calling on local residents and public officials to take the threat of coronavirus more seriously and to follow mandates and guidance intended to protect the public’s health.
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“The fact of the matter is Christian County is in a critical state that not only affects the health of our county, but affects our businesses, our schools, and can very easily overwhelm our healthcare system,” Bebout said in a news release Wednesday. “It is going to take a community-wide effort to improve our numbers and protect the health of our citizens …”
She outlined several requests to discontinue social gatherings, sporting events and community activities through Oct. 2. Those are:
- If possible, only have one family member per household enter a business.
- Places of worship find alternative means of worship to promote social distancing and prevent
- congregate gatherings.
- Discontinue any extracurricular activity and sports for all ages (including community and school).
- Discontinue social and community events for all ages.
- Limit visitors to hospitals and long-term care facilities, unless end of life care.
- Refrain from social get-togethers, sports parties, block parties, backyard gathering, bingo parlors, pool halls, etc.
Bebout’s release was issued as officials announced the county’s 20th death related to COVID-19 — an 86-year-old woman.
A spokesman for Christian County Public Schools said the school system will not follow the health department’s request to halt extracurricular and sporting activities for the next 10 days.
“We are staying the course with both extracurricular school activities and in-school instruction per CCPS board decisions and what our data reflects,” school district spokesman John Rittenhouse said in response to a question from Hoptown Chronicle.
Superintendent Chris Bentzel acknowledged Tuesday that Bebout had recommended the district follow the state’s guidance, which would mean going to remote instruction based on the county’s high coronavirus incidence rate. He has declined to follow the health director’s advice and said the district can best protect students if they are in school. The school board voted 4-to-1 to return to in-person instruction the day after Labor Day.
Meanwhile, Bebout has stressed that the state Department of Education backs the recommendation to halt in-person instruction when a county goes into the “critical” level of coronavirus spread with an incidence rate of 25 or greater.
In the Wednesday release, she said, “We are here to present the facts, provide guidance, and collaborate with those in the community on ways our citizens can prevent the spread of COVID-19. We ask that as we move forward as a community, you consider, not ‘me’ but ‘we.’ Our actions affect, not just us, but those around us. Please be a part of the solution and help us reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community.”
Bebout noted 260 new COVID-19 cases have been confirmed in the last two weeks, and Christian County has been categorized at the most serious level for coronavirus spread in two reports, one from the state and one from the federal government.
The county is listed as “critical” in Kentucky’s incidence rate chart and in the “red zone” on the White House Coronavirus Task Force Report.
The Kentucky chart, updated daily, was developed by the Kentucky Department of Education and the Department of Pubic Health to provide guidance to school districts about whether they should have in-person instruction. It is based on incidence rates (the seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases, adjusted for a population of 100,000). The White House report, updated weekly, is based on incidence and test positivity rates.
The health department predicted Friday that Christian County was about to move into the state’s critical zone.
“The prediction was based on real-time incident rates which, according to the state incident rating criteria, already categorized Christian County as critical, however, the data on positive cases had not yet made its way to the state level,” Bebout said.
In addition to the health department’s request to limit interactions through Oct. 2, Bebout said residents should also continue guidance from the governor’s office and state agencies, which includes:
- All places of work need to revisit and ensure that they adhere to the Healthy at Work guidance. Ensure policies and procedures are following guidelines.
- All retail/workplaces/facilities/restaurants need to have signs posted stating that masks are required before entering the facility, per Healthy at Work guidance.
- If you own a business open to the public, have someone at the door ensuring patrons are masked before entering the place of business.
- Fitness facilities ensure equipment is spaced 6 feet apart, to promote social distancing, and increase cleaning and disinfecting procedures.
- Restaurants ensure patrons are seated at 50% capacity.
- Healthcare facilities put procedures in place to ensure patients are socially distanced in waiting room areas.
- Ensure all healthcare workers are wearing proper Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
- Facilities housing any events or venues keep attendance at no more than 50% capacity and ensure all attendees are wearing a mask.
- If you are considered in the “high risk” population (65 years or older or those immunocompromised), consider staying at home as much as possible and social distancing from others.
- Schools please review and continue to follow matrix, guidance, and expectations given by Governor Beshear, Kentucky Department of Public Health, and Kentucky Department of Education. https://govstatus.egov.com/kycovid19
- Long-term care facilities follow guidance, and expectations given by Governor Beshear, Kentucky Department of Public Health, and Cabinet of Health and Family Services.
- Remember that masks are still a state mandate when in public places.
- If you are in quarantine, stay in quarantine until released by the Christian County Health Department. A negative test result within the 14-day quarantine period does not release individuals from quarantine. Actions can be taken against those who do not follow the orders directed by the Health Department to quarantine.
The public can report concerns about non-compliance by calling 1-833-KYSAFER or visit https://govstatus.egov.com/kysafer.
The health department can address issues in facilities it has the authority to regulate, including restaurants, hotels and tattoo parlors.
“All other places of business will be reported to the Department of Labor for failure to adhere to COVID-19 guidelines,” Bebout said.
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. She spent 30 years as a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition.
