OCT. 3, 2023: It’s officially flu season in Fayette County: Lexington has its first two lab-confirmed flu cases of 2023-24.

Lexington had 3,472 lab-confirmed flu cases and 16 flu-related deaths in the 2022-23 flu season. About 80% of the cases were in people who were not vaccinated.

Free Flu Shot Clinic

Free flu shots are available for anyone 6 months and older at the 2023 Free Flu Shot Clinic 3-6:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at Central Baptist Church, 110 Wilson Downing Road. Pre-registration is required, so sign up now at www.LFCHD.org/FluShots2023 (or www.lfchd.org/gripe2023espanol/ in Spanish)! The high-dose vaccine for ages 65 and older will also be available at this year’s event in limited quantities.

Be sure to check out the Facebook Event listing: 2023 Free Flu Shot Clinic Facebook Event.

Flu Shots in Public Health Clinic

Free flu shots are available for uninsured/underinsured people by same-day appointment only at LFCHD’s Public Health Clinic, 650 Newtown Pike. Please call 859-288-2483 Monday-Thursday to make an appointment; walk-ins will not be accepted in the Public Health Clinic.

Flu Shot Information

The seasonal flu shot is recommended for all people ages 6 months and older and is especially important for people at the highest risk of serious complications from the flu: infants and young children, pregnant women, anyone with underlying medical conditions and adults 50 and older.

In addition to helping prevent you from getting sick with flu, a flu shot can reduce the severity of your illness if you do get flu and reduce your risk of a flu-associated hospitalization.

Please remember that lab-confirmed cases only reflect a small percentage of flu cases actually in Lexington, so the actual case count is likely much higher. Many providers use rapid testing, which is not required to be reported to state/local health departments. We are aware of people in our community testing positive for the flu virus in their provider’s offices through rapid testing, and the flu will continue to spread throughout the winter.

SEPT. 28, 2023: Registration is now live for the 2023 Free Flu Shot Clinic being held 3-6:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at Central Baptist Church, 110 Wilson Downing Road. Additional details, including how to register online, are available at www.lfchd.org/flushots2023/. The high-dose vaccine for ages 65 and older will be available in limited quantities.

Be sure to check out the Facebook Event listing: 2023 Free Flu Shot Clinic Facebook Event.

Lexington had 3, 472 lab-confirmed flu cases and 16 flu-related deaths in the 2022-23 flu season. About 80% of the cases were in people who were not vaccinated.

“The annual flu shot remains the best way to fight flu to protect yourself, your family and everyone around you each fall and winter,” LFCHD spokesperson Kevin Hall said.

In addition to helping prevent you from getting sick with flu, a flu shot can reduce the severity of your illness if you do get flu and reduce your risk of a flu-associated hospitalization.

The seasonal flu shot is recommended for all people ages 6 months and older and is especially important for people at the highest risk of serious complications from the flu: infants and young children, pregnant women, anyone with underlying medical conditions and adults 50 and older.

Flu Shots

Free flu shots are available for uninsured/underinsured people by same-day appointment only at LFCHD’s Public Health Clinic, 650 Newtown Pike. Please call 859-288-2483 Monday-Thursday to make an appointment; walk-ins will not be accepted in the Public Health Clinic. Note: Please visit www.LFCHD.org/FluShots2023 for information on Oct. 12’s Free Flu Shot Clinic, which is open to anyone who wants a free flu shot!

The seasonal flu shot is recommended for all people ages 6 months and older and is especially important for people at the highest risk of serious complications from the flu: infants and young children, pregnant women, anyone with underlying medical conditions and adults 50 and older.

Lexington had 3,472 lab-confirmed flu cases and 16 flu-related deaths in the 2022-23 flu season. About 80% of the cases were in people who were not vaccinated.

“The annual flu shot remains the best way to fight flu to protect yourself, your family and everyone around you each fall and winter,” LFCHD spokesperson Kevin Hall said.

In addition to helping prevent you from getting sick with flu, a flu shot can reduce the severity of your illness if you do get flu and reduce your risk of a flu-associated hospitalization.

COVID-19 Shots

The new COVID-19 shot is now available in our Public Health Clinic by same-day appointment Monday-Thursday for ages 6 months and older. The health department will ONLY be providing the shot to those who qualify for the Kentucky Vaccine Program – those who are uninsured and children with Medicaid. The COVID-19 shot will be free for those in those groups.

Those who qualify for the Kentucky Vaccine Program can make same-day appointments by calling our Public Health Clinic, 650 Newtown Pike, at 859-288-2483.

We encourage others with insurance to get the COVID-19 shot at area pharmacies or medical providers.

The updated COVID-19 shot is recommend for everyone ages 6 months and older. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at the greatest risk for hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Healthy children and adults can still experience severe illness from COVID-19.

The updated shot should work well against currently circulating variants of COVID-19 and continue to be the best way to protect yourself against severe disease. The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination continue to outweigh any potential risks. Serious reactions after COVID-19 vaccination are rare. You can learn more here: www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/whats-new/covid-vaccine-recommendations-9-12-2023.html.

OCT. 2, 2023: The new COVID-19 shot is available in our Public Health Clinic by same-day appointment Monday-Thursday for ages 6 months and older. The health department will ONLY be providing the shot to those who qualify for the Kentucky Vaccine Program – those who are uninsured and children with Medicaid. The COVID-19 shot will be free for those in those groups.

Those who qualify for the Kentucky Vaccine Program can make same-day appointments by calling our Public Health Clinic, 650 Newtown Pike, at 859-288-2483.

We encourage others with insurance to get the COVID-19 shot at area pharmacies or medical providers.

The updated COVID-19 shot is recommend for everyone ages 6 months and older. Older adults and people with weakened immune systems are at the greatest risk for hospitalization and death from COVID-19. Healthy children and adults can still experience severe illness from COVID-19.

The updated shot should work well against currently circulating variants of COVID-19 and continue to be the best way to protect yourself against severe disease. The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination continue to outweigh any potential risks. Serious reactions after COVID-19 vaccination are rare. You can learn more here: www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/whats-new/covid-vaccine-recommendations-9-12-2023.html.

Save the date, Lexington! We’ll be giving free flu shots 3-6:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at Central Baptist Church, 110 Wilson Downing Road. Additional details, including how to register online, are available at www.lfchd.org/flushots2023/. The high-dose vaccine for ages 65 and older will be available in limited quantities.

Be sure to check out the Facebook Event listing: 2023 Free Flu Shot Clinic Facebook Event.

Lexington had 3, 472 lab-confirmed flu cases and 16 flu-related deaths in the 2022-23 flu season. About 80% of the cases were in people who were not vaccinated.

“The annual flu shot remains the best way to fight flu to protect yourself, your family and everyone around you each fall and winter,” LFCHD spokesperson Kevin Hall said.

In addition to helping prevent you from getting sick with flu, a flu shot can reduce the severity of your illness if you do get flu and reduce your risk of a flu-associated hospitalization.

The seasonal flu shot is recommended for all people ages 6 months and older and is especially important for people at the highest risk of serious complications from the flu: infants and young children, pregnant women, anyone with underlying medical conditions and adults 50 and older.

Lexington is seeing an increase of COVID-19 cases, with 264 lab-confirmed cases last week, compared to 38/week in early July and 106/week at the start of August. Note that home tests are not included in these case counts.

These number remain low compared to this time in 2022, when we reported 887 new COVID-19 cases per week.

Hospitalizations from COVID-19 remain low, with 9 new admissions reported this past week.

We await the new COVID-19 vaccine/booster for the fall. For anyone who has not yet been vaccinated, please don’t wait – get your first COVID-19 vaccine by same-day appointment every Monday-Thursday in our Public Health Clinic at 650 Newtown Pike. Call 859-288-2483 to schedule your COVID-19 vaccine!

It is also important to wear a well-fitted mask/face covering in public areas. Learn more about masks at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/about-face-coverings.html.

You can also help slow the spread of COVID-19 by:

• Avoiding close contact with people who are sick, especially those with COVID-19 symptoms (fever, cough, muscle/body aches, loss of taste/smell, nausea, etc.);
• Covering coughs and sneezes;
• Avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth;
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

Pertussis, or whooping cough, is a highly contagious respiratory illness spread by coughing and sneezing. It affects people of all ages but can be most serious in infants and those with chronic diseases.

The early symptoms are similar to a common cold: runny nose, sneezing, low-grade fever and coughing. After 1-2 weeks, the cough often gets worse, changing from a dry, hacking cough to bursts of uncontrollable, sometimes violent, coughing. During a coughing episode, it might be temporarily impossible to take a breath because of the intensity and repetition of the coughs. When finally able to breathe, the person might take a sudden gasp of air, which can cause a “whooping” sound. Vomiting and exhaustion can often follow a coughing spell. For more information about pertussis, call 859-899-5222.

The health department recommends preventive antibiotics for high-risk people who are exposed to pertussis. This includes people with a chronic illness or weakened immune system and those who live in households with the following: a family member with a chronic illness or weakened immune system, an infant or a pregnant woman.

Any children with symptoms of pertussis should stay home from school/daycare and visit their health care provider for evaluation, even if they have previously been vaccinated. If found to have probable or confirmed pertussis, they should remain out of school/daycare until completion of their antibiotics.

The vaccine against pertussis is part of the routine childhood vaccination series and is required for school entry. A booster dose, called Tdap, is required for children entering middle school. Anyone 11 years of age and older who has not received the Tdap vaccine should call their primary care provider or the health department at 859-288-2483 for information about vaccine availability. At the health department, these will be same-day appointments (no walk-ins), depending on eligibility.

The vaccine is effective, however immunity may decrease over time, making the booster important for older children and adults.

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department is seeing an increase in cases of Legionnaire’s disease, a serious type of pneumonia caused by Legionella bacteria. 

The increase of use of outdoor pools and hot tubs during the summer, combined with recent rainfall and the potential for stagnant water, creates a need for reminders about Legionnaires’ disease.

If you operate or visit a public pool, spa or hot tub, please be mindful of this information:

General Disease Info:

• Legionella can cause Legionnaires’ disease and Pontiac fever, collectively known as legionellosis.
• Scientists named the bacteria after an outbreak in Philadelphia in 1976. During that outbreak, many people who went to an American Legion convention got sick with pneumonia (lung infection).
• Health departments reported nearly 10,000 cases of Legionnaires’ disease in the United States in 2018. However, because Legionnaires’ disease is likely underdiagnosed, this number may underestimate the true incidence. A recent study estimated that the true number of Legionnaires’ disease cases may be 1.8–2.7 times higher than what is reported.
• About one in 10 people who gets sick from Legionnaires’ disease will die.
• People can get Legionnaires’ disease or Pontiac fever when they breathe in small droplets of water in the air that contain Legionella.
• In general, people do not spread Legionnaires’ disease to other people. However, this may be possible under rare circumstances.
• Legionella occurs naturally in freshwater environments, like lakes and streams. It can become a health concern when it grows and spreads in human-made building water systems.

People at risk

Certain groups of people are more likely to get Legionnaires’ disease:

• People 50 years of age or older
• Current or former smokers
• People with chronic lung disease
• People who have health problems or take medicines that lower their body’s ability to fight germs and sickness—such as people whose immune systems are weakened because of cancer, an organ transplant, or HIV

Places legionella can grow

• Showerheads are only one possible source of potable water exposure. Spending time near sink faucets and aspiration of drinking water or ice chips are possible routes of transmission, particularly among immunocompromised patients.
• Being in or near a hot tub or hydrotherapy tub while it is turned on is a possible exposure risk because of the ability to aerosolize water containing Legionella.
• Legionella  are unlikely to grow in typical swimming pools because water temperatures are usually too cold. However, you should sample pools if they are associated with a possible exposure or temperatures are within the permissive range (i.e., 77–113°F).
• Decorative fountains are a possible exposure source for Legionella, particularly in enclosed spaces.
• Submerged lighting and warm ambient temperatures in fountains can contribute to Legionella growth.

General Legionella Information

https://www.cdc.gov/legionella/downloads/fs-legionnaires.pdf

Legionella and Hot Tubs/Spas

https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/pdf/swimming/resources/legionella-factsheet.pdf

As Fayette County students prepare to head back to school, the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department is making sure they have plenty of opportunities to get their required vaccinations.

To beat the back-to-school rush, the health department will be offering immunizations by same-day appointment at the Public Health Clinic at 650 Newtown Pike. To schedule an appointment or for more information about the immunizations, please call (859) 288-2483.

Participants must be 18 years or younger and be uninsured or underinsured. Medicaid is accepted. Immunization records must be brought to the appointment, and physicals will not be provided. A legal guardian must be present.

When children are not vaccinated, they are at increased risk and can spread diseases to others in their classrooms and community – including babies who are too young to be fully vaccinated, and people with weakened immune systems due to cancer or other health conditions.

Fayette County students who are new to the school district or are entering kindergarten are required to bring a Kentucky immunization certificate in order to enroll. Sixth-grade students and 16-year-olds are also required to have certain boosters and must bring an up-to-date immunization certificate. Please call the health department’s school health division at (859) 288-2314 for more information.

Happy Pride Month, Lexington! We are celebrating daily by putting our values on display for everyone: Caring, Accountability, Respect, Equity and Service!

Pride is more than a month at the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department.

Our Community Health Equity and Education team is helping Lexington be well by working daily to achieve health equity in our areas of diabetes prevention and management, nutrition, HIV testing, wellness, child care health and safety, and tobacco, regardless their race, ethnicity, national origin, faith, age, sex, ability, class, sexual orientation, gender identity or gender presentation.

Learn more by calling 859-288-2446 or visiting www.lfchd.org/health-education.

Be sure to come see us a the 2023 Lexington Pride Festival! We’ll be providing information and some great giveaways, shown below!