Lexington still reporting weekly increases in COVID cases

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Health leaders say we have not seen an expected post-holiday surge in COVID-19 cases, but the city of Lexington is still reporting weekly increases in cases.

The city recorded 380 cases last week, 25 more than the week before.

One person reportedly died from COVID-related complications.

Kentucky’s Commissioner for the Department of Public Health, Dr. Steven Stack, is relieved to see some of the latest flu numbers after a troubling start.

“Right now, things are looking like they’re improving, but we did have the largest and most rapid escalation, the earliest in the season that I think we may have ever had that certainly we’ve had in the last ten years,” said Dr. Stack.

However, he admits, it’s no time to take our foot off the gas, and everyone must remain vigilant and up-to-date on vaccinations.

“It happened so early in the season, and we have another cold snap, and people go back indoors a lot and are close together for extended periods of time that flu could spike right again and we could have a second spike, and then this overall flu season could be even worse,” said Dr. Stack.

While the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department is closely monitoring a rise in COVID-19 infections, they never want to forget those who didn’t survive the virus.

“Those are not just numbers; those are Lexington people,” said Christina King of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department. “Our friends, our neighbors, our relatives, that’s 715 Lexingtonians that we have lost in the last three years.”

Pharmacists say the vaccines for both illnesses are now more readily available than ever before. in Lexington, Project Ricochet offers free rides to shot appointments.

While COVID-19 isn’t a seasonal virus like the flu, it still requires the same level of diligence to take care of overall community health.

“There’s doctors’ offices, there’s local independent pharmacies, there’s smaller companies, offices pharmacies that might’ve had some entry-level barriers to obtaining vaccine initially, but now they’re everywhere,” said Pharmacist manager Ryan Babb.

While COVID-19 isn’t a seasonal virus like the flu, it still requires the same level of diligence to take care of overall community health.

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