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| State version of CDC map, with additional label by Kentucky Health News |
Kentucky as a whole is at lower risk from the coronavirus than it was a week ago, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But about the same number of counties are rated at low risk, and the risk ratings increased in a few counties.
On Thursday the CDC listed 10 counties as high-risk. In those places, it still advises masks to be worn in indoor public spaces. The number is fewer than half the 24 listed last week, but two counties, Casey and Powell, moved from medium risk to high risk.
The 52 counties rated at medium risk included Ballard, McCracken, Carlisle and Hickman, in far Western Kentucky, which moved up from low risk.
The CDC says residents in medium-risk counties who are immuno-compromised or at high risk for severe illness should talk to a health-care provider about "additional precautions, such as wearing masks or respirators indoors in public. If you live with or have social contact with someone at high risk for severe illness, consider testing yourself for infection before you get together and wearing a mask when indoors with them."
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| CDC map, adapted by Kentucky Health News |
The number of counties rated at low risk declined from 59 to 58. The ratings are based on new coronavirus cases, Covid-19 hospitalizations and the percentage of staffed inpatient beds occupied by Covid patients.
Kentucky remains one of the higher-risk states, according to the CDC's national map.
Previous to the new CDC COVID-19 Community Level Map, we all were accustomed to using the Incidence Rate Map. The data used to calculate the Incidence Rate was available to verify the rates, but now the data to calculate the Community Level is not available to verify the Level. The CDC says for us to just trust them. This article singles out four of five counties in the Purchase District Health Department, stating that they have moved up from Low Risk to Medium Risk. I challenge the CDC to verify the increase because the number of cases in those counties have continued to fall over the past few weeks and it is very confusing how this could occur. One of the data elements used in their Community Level equation is the number of ICU beds available and the level of utilization. Three of the four counties in our Health Department District that showed an increase in the Community Level do not even have hospitals. The CDC is using hospital data from TN which is an adjoining state to use in the Community Level calculation. I find it difficult to agree with the CDC's methodology in determining the Community Levels. The most current Incidence Rate Map shows that 2 of the District's counties are in the green and 3 are in the yellow.
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