Jennie Stuart Medical Center is treating nine patients who have COVID-19 symptoms, including three who have already tested positive and six who have a test result pending, a hospital spokeswoman said Tuesday.
In addition to those patients, another seven people previously hospitalized have been discharged, said Beth McCraw, vice president for nursing and clinical services.
Since the start of the coronavirus outbreak, 88 people in Christian County have tested positive for the respiratory disease, according to the Christian County Health Department.
Jennie Stuart is beginning to resume procedures allowed under the first phase of Gov. Andy Beshear’s plan to reopen certain areas of health care. McCraw said imagining procedures, such as mammograms, ultrasounds and MRIs, are included in the first phase. Patients should expect different scheduling arrangements. In some cases, waiting rooms will be closed and patients will wait in vehicles until they are called inside.
Friday, May 1, will be the last day for the drive-thru COVID-19 test site at Jennie Stuart’s Express Lab on Eagle Way.
However, the health department will continue its drive-thru site at Tie Breaker Park. It is now open to anyone, regardless of their work status or whether they have coronavirus symptoms, from 9 to 11 a.m. Monday through Friday.
In addition, special hours are set for 8:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday, May 2, to help accommodate anyone who hasn’t been able to make a weekday test, the health department announced.
Since testing began locally in late March, the Express Lab and the health department combined have tested approximately 1,400 people. Local physicians have also tested patients, but the number is not known.
As of Tuesday, there were 30 active cases and 55 recovered cases in Christian County, said health department spokeswoman Amanda Sweeney during a media teleconference Tuesday. (Three deaths, all reported on April 8, have occurred in Christian County.)
The number of confirmed cases by age group are:
- Pediatric (0-21): 1
- Young Adult-Middle Age (22-59): 19
- Older Adult (60-84): 10
- Elderly (85+): 0
Concerning the state’s restrictions on gatherings and business operations, Sweeney said the health department is hearing from members of the public who don’t understand how Kentucky plans to phase in reopenings.
“There are some misconceptions,” she said.
The initial four phases are all related to medical procedures.
Nonessential businesses, including retail shops and restaurants, will come later.
For now, only essential businesses — groceries, pharmacies, liquor stores, gas stations, home improvement and hardware stores — are open and allowed to have customers inside the business. Nonessential businesses may only serve customers for carryout, at the curb or by home delivery or shipment.
Tuesday during his daily briefing, Beshear described numerous steps businesses will need to take before they can reopen.
The 10 rules to reopening a business under the state’s Healthy at Work plan are:
- Continue telework where possible
- Phased return to work
- Onsite temperature/health checks
- Universal masks and other necessary PPE
- Close common areas
- Enforce social distancing
- Limit face-to-face meetings
- Sanitizer/hand wash stations
- Special accommodations
- Testing plan
Beginning May 11, employees will be required to wear a face mask and the general public will be strongly encouraged, but not required, to wear a face mask when they go out, the governor said.
(Jennifer P. Brown is the editor and founder of Hoptown Chronicle. Reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org.)
Jennifer P. Brown is co-founder, publisher and editor of Hoptown Chronicle. You can reach her at editor@hoptownchronicle.org. Brown was a reporter and editor at the Kentucky New Era, where she worked for 30 years. She is a co-chair of the national advisory board to the Institute for Rural Journalism and Community Issues, governing board past president for the Kentucky Historical Society, and co-founder of the Kentucky Open Government Coalition. She serves on the Hopkinsville History Foundation's board.
