Protect the vulnerable and do your part always. Does the flu vaccine affect my chances of getting COVID-19?
The flu vaccine protects you from seasonal influenza, not the coronavirus — but avoiding the flu is especially important this year. Health officials and medical groups are urging people to get either the flu shot or nasal spray, so that doctors and hospitals don’t face the extra strain of having to treat influenza in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic. Not to mention the confusion factor: The illnesses have such similar early symptoms that people who get the flu may mistakenly think they have COVID-19, said Dr. Gregory Poland, an infectious disease specialist at Mayo Clinic. Only a test can tell the two apart. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends the flu vaccine for everyone starting at 6 months of age, and suggests getting it by the end of October. The CDC says the vaccine will not cause you to fall ill with the flu, and that the protection it provides takes about two weeks to kick in. And the flu vaccine isn’t perfect but studies show if the vaccinated get sick, they don’t get as severely ill. A few flawed studies over the years have attempted to link the flu vaccine to increased risk of other respiratory infections, but experts say there is no evidence that’s true.
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Coronavirus restrictions are taking effect in the Netherlands, the U.K., the Czech Republic and other parts of Europe on Wednesday as nations try to reverse an alarming wave in new cases. The continent is now seeing more new coronavirus cases – an average of 100,000 daily — than at any other time during the pandemic.
Bars, restaurants and schools are being shut down or sharply limited, and officials are working to bolster hospital capacity, to accommodate an expected influx of new COVID-19 patients. Numbers that showed signs of taking off in late August and September are now skyrocketing. Europe reported more than 700,000 new coronavirus cases last week – a surge representing a 36% weekly increase, as NPR's Reese Oxner recently reported. Europe's infection rate "has been increasing for 77 days," the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control said in its most recent weekly report for the European Economic Area and the United Kingdom. Here, a sampling of the situation in Europe: In France, President Emmanuel Macron used a nationally televised interview Wednesday night to announce the start of nightly curfews in Paris and eight other densely populated areas in an effort to control the coronavirus in what are deemed "health emergency zones." The curfews will run from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. for the next four weeks, starting on Saturday. Anyone who violates the curfew would face a fine of 135 euros (nearly $160) for the first offense. A second offense would bring a far steeper fine of 1,500 euros — around $1,760. "I'm not talking about infantilizing people," Macron said, according to France24, "we're taking measures that are proportionate." Italy reported its largest one-day total of new cases Wednesday, with more than 7,300 – easily surpassing the terrible heights the country reached in March. The rise comes one day after Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte signed a decree putting new limits on gatherings, sports and school activities. Bars and restaurants are still allowed to operate until midnight, but only if they offer table service. In Spain, the regional government of Catalonia is ordering all bars and restaurants to close their on-premises operations, saying they can only sell to-go items for the next 15 days. Shopping areas, theaters and gyms will have to operate at reduced capacity. It's the only way to avert an even deeper shutdown, officials say. "We are facing difficult times; we must act today to avoid a lockdown in the coming weeks," Catalan Vice President Pere Aragonès said, adding that the region's health statistics "are very worrying." "It's the first time one of Spain's autonomous regions has taken such drastic measures to combat the pandemic since the state of emergency ended mid-June and control of the health care system went back to the regional governments," Lucia Benavides reported for NPR from Barcelona. "Under Spain's new health ministry rules, all municipalities with more than 100,000 residents that meet certain criteria must be confined. None of Catalonia's cities fall under that category – but they're not far off, and Catalan leaders say they want to prevent another lockdown." The Czech Republic, hard hit by the new coronavirus wave, has closed schools as of Wednesday. Restaurants and bars are closed for everything except takeout orders – and they can only operate until 8 p.m., according to Radio Prague International. "With Europe's highest number of infections per capita, the Czech Republic is also canceling nonessential medical procedures to maximize hospital capacity," Esme Nicholson reported for NPR from Berlin. "The Czech Republic was quick to impose its first lockdown in March and was an early adopter of the face mask, measures which previously helped to flatten the curve." Making matters worse, the coronavirus has infected nearly 5,000 health care workers – and in that vital sector, the number of ill staff is doubling every 10 days, Radio Prague International says. The Netherlands is enacting a partial lockdown because of a rise in new cases. The government declared on Tuesday, "The coronavirus has been given too much room to spread again." The restrictions close all food and drink establishments, except for carryout orders. No more than four people from different households can gather, indoors or outside. Schools and public transportation will continue to operate, but everyone over 13 must wear a face mask in indoor areas and on public transport. The U.K. instituted a three-tier alert system on Wednesday that will group different regions of England under restrictions in an effort to avoid repeating a national lockdown. So far, the only region under a "very high" alert is Liverpool – where people took advantage of the last few hours before the restrictions to party in the streets. "These pictures Shame our City," Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson said via Twitter, responding to photos of the large number of people gathering in the interim between the 10 p.m. closure of pubs and the midnight onset of the new restrictions. Noting that some people in the crowd had attacked a police car, Anderson called the violence "unacceptable." "There is a reason our city is in Tier 3 for #Covid19," Anderson said later Wednesday. "The level of infection is at very high levels and beginning to impact on our hospitals — both for the virus and other illnesses like Cancer." Shana Spence says she's an "eat-anything" dietitian: She encourages her clients to eat what they actually enjoy. When it comes to food, she says to focus on what nourishes your body, fills you up and doesn't break the bank.
Life Kit consulted Spence for advice on how to cut back costs on food while still eating nutritious meals. Foods labeled "organic" and "non-GMO" are often viewed as the "top shelf" or "name brand" healthy food – and they're priced that way, too. But, there are lots of affordable and wholesome alternatives (hello frozen veggies). Minding your budget while eating the foods that nourish you takes a little planning — but it's possible. Here are some of Spence's tips to help you shop and keep your fridge stocked: Embrace frugality. From personal experience and working with clients, Spence says many people are self-conscious about not being able to afford fancy brands of healthy food. There's no shame in knowing your budget and living within your means. Spence encourages budget-conscious diners to say goodbye to that embarrassment — because healthy eating exists at every price point. "It's fine if you can't afford it or just don't feel the need to shell out big bucks," she says. "It doesn't mean that you're not healthy." Beware buzzwords Buzzwords such as organic, non-genetically modified organism, low sugar and low fat adorn a lot of healthy food products. These descriptions may be useful to some customers, but they're also marketing terms that can paint an inaccurate picture that some foods are substantially healthier than others. "Organic is fine if that's what you want to buy, but for someone who is [budget-conscious], that's not necessary," Spence says. Eating greens is still good for you, for example, whether you buy them organic at a local farmer's market or frozen at a convenience shop around the block. If you shop based on labels alone, it's easier to wind up paying more and not necessarily eating any healthier. Assess products for what's inside them, not by words and phrases that have recently become trendy. Figure out what nutrients you need and look for them in your food. Don't forget coupons If you want to go old school, take a flyer from the front of a store's door and check out its weekly sales. If you're regularly shopping at the same store, become a part of its member program to get further discounts. You can even do your homework ahead of time and come with store and manufacturer coupons you've clipped from a newspaper, magazine or some other resource. If cutting coupons isn't your thing, it might be worthwhile to download the store's app to check for discounts before you head there or at least before you check out. Some apps are easier to use than others, but you can regularly save a couple of dollars each shopping trip if you pay attention to existing discounts. Add, don't subtract. Spence's philosophy of dieting is simple: Diets don't work! She says food should not be an awards system where you either "win" or "lose" the right to eat certain dishes. And you shouldn't have to spend money on a pricey cleanse or meal prep system. This perspective is so counter to diet culture that Spence says her clients are often shocked she doesn't ask them to eliminate their favorite foods, even if it's instant ramen, boxed mac and cheese or pizza. Instead, Spence looks for ways to make favorite foods more fulfilling and nutrient dense. She calls this "bulking up." Including protein or fiber-rich add-ons to your favorite foods can help make these dishes more nourishing and filling. For protein, beans, tofu and chicken are tasty, healthy additions. For fiber, carrots or peppers are easy toppings to a lot of dishes. That way, you don't have to cut something out of your life completely. "It's the best of both worlds," Spence says. Don't snub canned or frozen foods. Depending on where you get your health tips, you may think that vegetables are only good if they come in a bottle of cold-pressed juice. Of course, different variations may matter to people who want to support certain businesses or have different tastes. But vegetables are vegetables, no matter what. Anyone who tries to tell you something different is probably selling something. So, if you're hoping to stock up your pantry or fridge with usable vegetables that you can easily add to your meal, don't overlook fruits and vegetables in the canned or frozen section. "I'm the freezer's biggest cheerleader," Spence says. Canned and frozen vegetables last longer than fresh produce so you don't have to worry about them going bad. "You can just freeze it, and then you will have it for next time." Be sure to check the ingredients list for any unwelcome additives, but they're great if you need a cheap healthy boost in your meal. Plan ahead and make a list. Most dietitians will tell you not to go to the grocery store while you're hungry. But you also shouldn't go without a list. When you shop without a plan, it's really easy to buy more food than you need, or purchase ingredients you already have, leading to waste. Plus, you'll inevitably forget things you do need. Developing a routine to eat healthy and maintain a budget will be easier if you come to the store with an idea of what you're getting and generally how much it will cost. Spence says that "once you start writing things down, especially the foods that you're rebuying constantly...you can kind of see what your tally is going to be at the supermarket." So a list doesn't just help you plan, but it lets you keep track of what you're really eating and how much you're spending. Graph showing the escalation of positive COVID-19 cases in Kentucky The White House report of counties in Kentucky in the red zone The White House report on counties in Kentucky in the yellow zone In today's COVID-19 report, Governor Andy Beshear discussed the need for tighter restrictions on businesses that don't comply with the mask mandate. As Kentucky continues to see escalations in positive COVID-19 cases, Beshear said that we're getting too relaxed on wearing masks and social distancing.
The Governor discussed possible consequences to businesses that didn't mandate wearing masks in restaurants/bars and all other businesses. He said Inspectors of Labor and the ABC will issue fines, shutdown businesses or simply have a heart-to-heart conversation with business owners that disobey the mask mandate. The Governor said, "It may make you mad, but you can blame it on me and the state of Kentucky." Beshear said that the White House along with federal officials are all in favor of wearing masks when inside any building and limiting the number of people at social gatherings. "We need this to happen because of the positive case trajectory," said Beshear. "If we don't mask up, there won't be customers." Other discussions during today's briefing included the White House release of counties in Kentucky that are in the red or yellow zone. Marshall and Calloway Counties are in the red zone. McCracken County is currently in the yellow zone. Red zone means there are too many positive cases and the yellow zone means cases are on the rise. A member of the Kentucky's Unemployment Insurance branch of government spoke regarding unpaid claims, the backlog of disputed claims, and the possibility of opening a few of the local unemployment offices. If you've tried to get an appointment with the UI office in Frankfort, that won't happen until 2021. All appointments are booked through the end of the year. Dr. Stack presented some statistics. The main emphasis was on the rise in cases and how Kentucky needs to do better. October 6 reports 764 confirmed cases, 13 deaths, and 306 recovered. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear gave an update two days ago on the state’s continuing efforts to fight the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19). Two days ago, he reported the highest-ever daily total and the highest-ever weekly total of new COVID-19 cases in the commonwealth.
“I know it’s been a tough couple of days, seeing the President, the First Lady, U.S. Senators, Cam Newton and others test positive for COVID-19. But right here in the commonwealth, we now have 1,275 new cases announced on Saturday, meaning 1,275 Kentuckians have just tested positive,” said Gov. Beshear. “This is our highest number of cases ever. This is the highest number of cases per week ever and we have one more day that will add to the count, and it shows that we have to do better.” The Purchase District Health Department in Paducah is expanding testing for COVID-19 today, October 5. The health department is one of four sites chosen across the state to pilot this program and will be conducting pop up testing sites at PDHD clinics and at community events and locations. Testing will be available at the Purchase District Health Department from today through October 9 from 9 am to 4 pm. Testing will take places in the parking lot behind the building located at 916 Kentucky Avenue. Testing is free and the results will be available within a few days and you will be contacted with your results by phone or text. If you have events, PDHD is looking to coordinate testing with pop up testing. KCTCS is following the guidelines for 'Healthy at Work' instituted by Governor Andy Beshear by creating a dashboard reflecting positive cases reported to the 'Healthy at Work' officers. Employees and students either self-report or KCTCS receives notification from local health departments.
Through guidance form the Kentucky Council on Postsecondary Education, KCTCS has implemented safety measures to help slow the spread of COVID-19. 'Healthy at Work has 16 colleges and a system's office. There are no residential halls and campus communities vary daily. There are students from bordering states along with Kentucky students. This report contains KCTCS colleges in western Kentucky only. West Kentucky Community & Technical College: September 9 and 10: zero on-campus employees: 2 on-campus students August 17 through September 8: zero on-campus employees: 3 on-campus students Madisonville Community College September 9 and 10: zero on-campus employees: 3 on-campus students August 19 through September 8: zero on-campus employees: 2 on-campus students Hopkinsville Community College September 9 and 10: zero on-campus employees: zero on-campus students August 19 through September 8: 1 on-campus employee: 3 on-campus students Owensboro Community & Technical College September 9 and 10: zero on-campus employees: 1 on-campus students August 19 through September 8: 3 on-campus employees: 1 on-campus student Governor Andy Beshear announced today that Kentucky is ready for COVID-19. The new PPE stockpile represents 120 days of supplies, if needed, for another potential spike in COVID-19 cases. As winter nears, Kentucky is now prepared.
After visiting the warehouse, Beshear said, "Being there truly gave me so much hope." He said, "We're ready for potential spikes that we'll more than likely see." The warehouse is floor-to-ceiling in PPE like masks, gloves, and gowns. There are plenty of supplies to meet the needs of hospitals and those caring for COVID-19 patients. Beshear said the state has filled a warehouse in Frankfort with purchased and donated supplies to avoid the chaos Kentucky hospitals, nursing homes and other health providers faced in March trying to obtain PPE. The Governor said he never thought this would be possible after experiencing shortages only months earlier. Beshear said "We are much better equipped." "Today's COVID-19 numbers were lower coming off the weekend," said Beshear. There were 342 positive cases (54 where children under 18). To date, 57,281 have tested positive for the virus. Today's death total was five. The positivity rate is 4.17%. Beshear discussed absentee ballots. If you're wanting to avoid lines when voting, the last day to request an absentee ballot is October 6, 2020. Go to govoteky.com. Beshear said, "Never has it been this easy to vote. Let's set a record." In remembrance, Beshear took a moment to honor the infectious disease physician from Bowling Green, Dr. Rebecca Shadowen age 62 who lost her battle with COVID-19 after fighting the disease for four months. Also discussed were new reporting procedures being implemented for K-12. AP NEWS
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — A Kentucky state representative announced that she has tested positive for the coronavirus. The Courier-Journal reported that State Rep. Attica Scott, a Louisville Democrat, said in a video posted to social media that she took the test last week and got the results back on Sunday. Scott’s announcement came on the same day Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear announced a record number of positive coronavirus cases for the second straight week in Kentucky. Beshear said the 4,742 confirmed cases for the week ending Sunday topped the record 4,503 cases from the previous week. Health officials say there were 313 new cases recorded on Sunday, pushing the state total to at least 52,774. The three new deaths reported, brought the state’s total to at least 996. Kentucky Department of Public Health Commissioner Steven Stack, M.D., said “We’re not here to experiment on you.” Stack was referring to administering healthy Kentuckians a COVID-19 vaccine that hasn’t been through all the standards of approval.
During today’s COVID-19 briefing, Stack wanted to address questions from reporters both in-house and online. Several of those questions were about the COVID-19 vaccine and the planned ‘roll-out’ by the end of October. Stack said a vaccine that hasn’t completed clinical trials could take a “healthy person and hurt them.” There are ‘no shortcuts’, said Stack. His comments were in response to the latest statements from the CDC and the federal government about a vaccine going to market before November 1. Stack said that Kentucky will have a coordinated effort with the Federal Government and distribution centers. There will be a very specific timeline. This coordinated effort between local, state and federal governments will “deploy vaccines in a timely manner.”Stack said, “There will be no vaccine for everybody this year.” The nature of the disease and the vaccine are still unknown. “When it’s time to get a vaccine, we’ll let all Kentuckians know.” said Stack. In regards to testing, Stack said rapid tests are becoming more easily available. He said some tests are ready and have been through the approval process. Many of the laboratory service providers and the hospitals in Kentucky do a great job, said Stack. He discussed the saliva test that’s being offered by some providers. Stack said ‘it’s not a miracle test. The ‘no swab’ test isn’t rapid. “You have to drool a lot of spit into a tube. It’s pretty gross and not easy.” Then, it’s shipped to a lab where the process is much more complex. Stack said, “spits sticky and it clogs up the machines. It’s not a panacea but it could be a useful tool.” Stack briefly shared efforts on school reporting of positive COVID-19 tests and said that as it stands, public health departments are the ones communicating with individuals and the schools. He said the Kentucky Department of Public Health and the Kentucky Department of Education are working together on improving the process of school reporting. He said there's a time delay in reporting cases and they’re working as a team to more ‘closely report in real time.’ Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear gave his report on COVID-19 cases. The numbers are available in this article. It was reported that today’s positive cases are the third highest since mid-March. ,Director Susan Baier said Wednesday that an employee informed library management that they had tested positive for CoV-2. The employee was in the library on Monday and left before the doors opened to the public.
The Purchase Area Health Department said there was low risk of transmission from the infected employee to other staff members and customers. The library made the decision to close today in order to deep clean and disinfect. Library drops will be open as normal. The library is expected to be opened to the public tomorrow, Friday, September 4 at 10 a.m. The McCracken County Public Library is located on Kentucky Avenue in downtown Paducah. If there are further questions, you may contact the library at 270-442-2510. ‘Give a man a fish and they eat for a day. Teach him how to fish and you feed him for the rest of his life.’ It’s an Italian proverb that rings true today.
Lone Oak Middle School and Reidland Middle School were awarded $15,000 from the Bayer Fund for green house improvements and outdoor learning spaces through it’s Farmers Grow Rural Education Program. Having opportunities to teach students the importance of sustainability is a golden opportunity in today’s climate. COVID-19 has severely affected distribution and production of food across the globe. The State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World estimated that 690 million people went hungry in 2019. They are estimating that 130 million more people will go hungry due to the coronavirus pandemic. The hungry are numerous in Asia but spreading quickly throughout Africa. In the United States, a reported 38 million Americans went hungry including 11 million children in 2018. The coronavirus pandemic has left millions of families without stable employment and the expectation for 2020 is to see numbers climb by 40%. That translates into 54 million people without enough food, including 18 million children. The Farmer is considered an essential worker and The Bayer Fund recognizes their contribution. The Fund acknowledges the importance of passing the torch to future farmers and other related fields. In early 2020, the Bayer Fund called on local farmers to nominate rural public school districts to compete for grants to enhance their science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education programs. Thanks to nominations from local farmers, McCracken County Public Schools was able to compete for and win a $15,000 grant. The winners were chosen by a panel of math and science teachers and about 30 farmers from across the country. The America’s Farmers Grow Rural Education program has awarded more than $57 million to rural schools across the country, including a $10,000 grant to Heath Middle last school year, and now $15,000 to LOMS and RMS this school year. LOMS and RMS will split their $15,000 prize to make updates to their existing greenhouses and create outdoor learning spaces, which will be especially useful this school year. More information about The Bayer Fund can be found on their website: americasfarmers.com "It's a beautiful day to save lives" is a phrase often repeated by Grey’s Anatomy fictional character Derek Shepherd prior to beginning surgery for good luck. Shepherd was a renowned neurosurgeon, former head of Neurosurgery and board of director at Grey Sloan Memorial Hospital in Seattle, Washington. Unlike Grey’s Anatomy, Western Kentucky has a ‘real-life’ hospital with a vested interest in ‘saving lives’ and is introducing a new scanner and admitting protocols to improve patient outcomes for stroke victims.
Baptist Health in Paducah is streamlining the process of treating stroke victims. There’s a new CT scanner designed to provide more advanced answers to questions concerning how to treat stroke patients. The CT perfusion scanner will be the first stop for patients experiencing a stroke upon arrival to the hospital. Every minute someone waits while having a stroke, two million brain cells die. “Time saved is brain saved” is a message that resonates in the minds of most after realizing a person could be experiencing a stroke. FAST (Facial drooping, Arm weakness, Speech difficulties, and Time) is an acronym used by the American Heart Association, the National Stroke Association and others to educate the public on recognizing signs associated with a stroke. There are multiple treatments available to stroke victims to break up clots obstructing blood flow including medications, catheter technologies using wires, and others depending on the type of stroke. The new CT perfusion scanner will provide the kinds of answers needed to more accurately diagnosis and treat patients. Prior to adding the new scanner, patients experiencing symptoms of a stroke would go to the emergency room, be seen by a physician, head to the CT room, and go back to patient rooms for treatment. Now, Baptist Health’s ‘first stop’ destination for stroke patients is the PT perfusion scanner. The scanner is located in a room equipped to examine patients, check vital signs, scan, and administer potential medications such as the clot-busting drug, tPA. Perfusion imaging can show the attending physician the parts of the brain that have died from lack of blood flow or parts of the brain that can be saved. Essentially, the scan will show who will benefit from treatment and who will not. The new scanner is less about time and more about salvageable brain tissue where blood flow can be restored. If a patient will benefit from catheter-based intervention, the patient can have a more invasive imaging procedure performed in a larger city. If there’s nothing that can be done, the patient can stay in town surrounded by their loved ones. Baptist Health has received a few accolades within the last several months recognizing the stroke program overseen by Dr. Joseph Ashburn, neurologist and stroke service coordinator. This month Baptist Health was recognized for meeting national guidelines for stroke care with The Get with the Guidelines Gold Plus Quality Achievement Award. In addition, the hospital received an award for the Target: Stroke Honor Roll Elite that measures stroke quality for treatment with tPA. It’s an amazing piece of equipment that can provide quicker more precise medical diagnosis and care for patients experiencing a stroke. Everyday is ‘a beautiful day to save lives.’ Shout out to western Kentucky's Owensboro Health for having its healthiest bottom line in years for June and July 2020 in spite of the pandemic.
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