SALYERSVILLE – While Magoffin County has been topping the charts for COVID-19 cases, the numbers seem to be down so far this week.
The Magoffin County Health Department confirmed on Tuesday that there were 15 new COVID-19 cases from Magoffin County on Thursday, November 18, 28 on Friday, 7 on Saturday, 6 on Sunday, 6 on Monday, 9 as of 3 p.m. on Tuesday, November 23. To date, 2,457 COVID-19 cases have been reported from Magoffin County, up 68 cases since last week, with 108 active cases to date. Of the nine cases announced on Tuesday, one was a school-age child.
Currently, the Magoffin County School District is in the red, or Tier 4, meaning masks are required for all students and staff in all school facilities. The district reevaluates the numbers to see where they are within the tiered system the school board passed earlier this year every Friday, with any changes to the masking policy based on that announced prior to the next week.
At press time, Magoffin County has the second highest incidence rates, at 89.3 per 100,000 population, second only to Robertson County, at 128.8 per 100,000. The incidence rates average the daily cases per population based on the previous seven days, so if the local rates stay as they have since Saturday, that number will be exponentially lower by the end of this week.
With Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines are now approved for children ages 5 to 11 years, Frontier Medical and Big Sandy Healthcare taking appointments for children to get the vaccine. Big Sandy Health Care announced in a release earlier this month that they will be distributing the vaccine at their Eula Hall Health Center, Martin County Community Health Center, and Physicians for Families, with Hope Family Health Services not at this time. People are encouraged to contact a health center nearest them for information about scheduling a vaccine for their children.
As for more information about the COVID-19 vaccine for children, Big Sandy Health Care cited Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia as an excellent resource for information.
“We urge our patients to follow the science on the COVID-19 vaccine,” the BSHC press release stated.
The Magoffin County Health Department is still taking appointments for first and second doses of the vaccine, as well as for booster shots, with people encouraged to call 606-349-6212 to schedule an appointment or for more information.
Locally, Walgreens also distributes booster vaccines, which have been FDA-approved for people over the age of 65 or in jobs where they work with the public six months after they received the second dose.
Last week, Governor Andy Beshear authorized boosters for all Kentucky adults, signing an executive order that qualifies every person 18 years old or older and living or working in the commonwealth to get a COVID-19 vaccination booster six months after their second dose of the Moderna or Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines, or two months after a single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.
While the pandemic can make gathering for holidays a different experience, the SI wishes everyone a safe and happy Thanksgiving.
