COVID-19 Archives

Kentucky kept collecting UK medical debt after acknowledging due process violations

by Jared Bennett
March 19, 2022

UK HealthCare has powerful debt collection tools at its disposal thanks to its partnership with the Department of Revenue, which can garnish wages, levy bank accounts or intercept tax returns to get at money allegedly owed to the university — all without a court order.

COVID’s ‘silver lining’: Research breakthroughs for chronic disease, cancer, and the common flu

by Liz Szabo
March 17, 2022

Billions of dollars invested in mRNA vaccines and COVID research could yield health care dividends for decades to come.

Beshear vetoes bill to end state of emergency, reduce SNAP food benefit

by Test and Eric Umansky
March 17, 2022

If passed, the legislation would reduce the average monthly food assistance benefit by about $100 for 544,000 Kentuckians.

Vaccine bills elevating individual rights are moving in legislature

by Kentucky Health News
March 14, 2022

Bills moving through the General Assembly include legislation that would ban public entities from asking amployees and applicants about their vaccination status, as well as a proposal to give a religious exemption if an employer requires workers to be immunized against any disease.

Kentucky lawmakers advance bill banning school mask, vaccine and testing mandates

by Melissa Patrick
March 10, 2022

A bill prohibiting schools from enforcing masking, testing or vaccination requirements passed the state House on Tuesday.

Health department to close COVID-19 testing site, reduce vaccination hours

by Jennifer P. Brown
March 8, 2022

A department spokeswoman said there has been a drastic decrease in the demand for testing.

CDC: Residents of most Ky. counties should still wear masks indoors

by Kentucky Health News
March 5, 2022

Most Kentucky counties are still in the high-risk category that calls for the general public to wear masks in indoor public spaces.

Clarifying the CDC’s COVID-19 quarantine and isolation guidelines – an infectious disease doc looks at the latest research

by William Petri
March 5, 2022

An infectious diseases specialist reviews the data behind the CDC's latest recommendations for how long people should isolate following a COVID-19 infection or exposure.

State makes masking optional but urges Kentuckians and children to get vaccinated

by Corinne Boyer
February 28, 2022

Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday that masking in state offices will be optional beginning Tuesday, March 1. But some agencies will still be required to wear them.

Under new masking guidance, CDC says people in most Ky. counties should still wear masks indoors

by Kentucky Health News
February 26, 2022

The new CDC system ranks the risk to each county as high, medium or low, based on new coronavirus infections, new COVID-19 hospital admissions, and the share of staffed hospital beds occupied by patients with the disease.

Had COVID-19? You’re 60% more likely to have mental illness, study finds

by Kentucky Health News
February 21, 2022

“People need to know that if they have had COVID-19 and are struggling mentally, they’re not alone, and they should seek help immediately and without shame,” the study's lead author said.

Bill aims to ease Kentucky’s nursing shortage by relaxing licensing requirements, enrollment caps

by Melissa Patrick
February 19, 2022

The bill includes four key measures to address the shortage: licensing reciprocity between other states and countries, higher enrollment caps, looser nursing-instructor qualifications and restructuring the state Board of Nursing.