(Note: This event took place Oct. 11, 2018.) The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department is once again giving you the chance to fight the flu for free.

The department’s annual free flu shot event will be held 12-6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018, at the health department’s main location, 650 Newtown Pike. There is no advance registration — just show up Oct. 11 for your shot!

“An annual flu shot is the best way to fight the flu each fall and winter,” LFCHD spokesman Kevin Hall said. “The special clinic lets us test our emergency preparedness skills by giving a large amount of shots in a short amount of time. By holding it on our main health department building, we can better determine what works and what needs improvement on our home turf in the event of a true emergency.”

The seasonal flu shot is recommended for all people ages 6 months and older. Last year, Lexington had 27 deaths from flu-related causes and 744 confirmed cases. The health department provided 2,275 flu shots throughout the season, including 1,015 at last year’s free flu shot clinic.

“Lexington had 744 confirmed flu cases last year, but that represents a small fraction since most flu cases aren’t lab-confirmed,” Hall said. “The CDC estimates 5-20 percent of the U.S. population gets the flu each year, costing an estimated $10.4 billion in medical expenses and $16.3 billion in lost earnings.”

The health department stresses the importance of patience from patients at the free flu shot event Oct. 11. “It’s important for the public to be mindful of the parking lot, which we expect will be busy throughout the afternoon,” Hall said. “Keep an eye out for our staff members to help guide you where to park and how to enter and exit the building.”

Be sure to watch (and share!) this Facebook video about how you can be a real superhero by getting the flu shot!

For community members not able to get their flu shots at the special free event, the health department will offer flu shots 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Thursday in the Public Health Clinic, 650 Newtown Pike, starting Oct. 1. No appointment is necessary, and the cost for a regular flu shot is $30. A high-dose vaccine is available for $49 for ages 65 and older. Medicaid/Medicare, cash, checks, credit cards and most insurance plans are accepted.

Healthy food options will soon be a bit easier thanks to the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department and the city’s two farmers’ markets.

Starting June 13, the health department will bring farmers from the Bluegrass Farmers’ Market and the Lexington Farmers’ Market together to give the community a chance to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. The LFCHD Community Farmers’ Market will begin with a grand-opening celebration 8 a.m.-2 p.m. June 13 at the health department’s two Lexington locations: 650 Newtown Pike (main location) and 2433 Regency Road (south location).

The remaining farmers’ markets will alternate locations throughout the summer and into September:

• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. June 20, 650 Newtown Pike
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. June 27, 2433 Regency Road
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. July 11, 650 Newtown Pike
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. July 18, 2433 Regency Road
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. July 25, 650 Newtown Pike
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 1, 2433 Regency Road
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 8, 650 Newtown Pike
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 15, 2433 Regency Road
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 22, 650 Newtown Pike
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Aug. 29, 2433 Regency Road
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 5, 650 Newtown Pike
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 12, 2433 Regency Road
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 19, 650 Newtown Pike
• 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Sept. 26, 2433 Regency Road

“Public Health is about the prevention of diseases and the promotion of good health,” LFCHD spokesman Kevin Hall said. “By bringing both farmers’ markets together for our staff, clients and neighborhoods, we are able to give better access to fresh fruits and vegetables and help educate customers on how to use them to improve their diet. Our Community Farmers’ Market will let us continue to help Lexington be well.”

The 650 Newtown Pike location will offer a variety of items from 4-6 farmers, and the 2433 Regency Road location will feature 2-4 farmers. “Both sites are open to everyone, and we encourage Lexington residents to take part,” Hall said. “If you’ve never visited your health department, this is a good chance to see Public Health in action.”

For additional information, like the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LFCHD, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/LFCHD and Instagram at @lexpublichealth.

Lexington pet owners can get a low-cost rabies shot at a new location this year.

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department’s annual Rabies Vaccination Clinic will be held 6-9 p.m. Thursday, May 10, at Castlewood Park, 201 Castlewood Drive. Vaccinations will cost just $3. All cats must be in a carrier, and all dogs must be on leashes. In the event of inclement weather, the clinic date is subject to change. The health department will provide updated information at www.lexingtonhealthdepartment.org and on its Twitter account at twitter.com/LFCHD.

Rabies, a viral disease of humans, pets and wild animals, is transmitted from animals to humans by the saliva of a rabid animal, usually from a bite. Rabies vaccinations typically cost about $20, making this clinic a great value to pet owners. “A rabies shot gives protection to the pet as well as its owner and the other people of Lexington, said Luke Mathis, LFCHD Environmental Health team leader and one of the event’s organizers. “We’re pleased to provide this useful public health service as we help Lexington be well.”

State law requires that all dogs, cats and ferrets maintain a current rabies vaccination. The health department gave 345 rabies shots during the May 2017 clinic. The LFCHD Rabies Control Program received 740 animal bite reports last year, with LFCHD staff making sure each animal was up to date on all rabies vaccination shots.

The clinic also provides pet owners with the opportunity to purchase an animal license for $8 if the animal has been spayed or neutered. A license costs $40 if the animal has not been fixed or the owner has no proof of alteration. Lexington-Fayette Animal Care and Control, the Lexington Humane Society, the Lexington-Fayette County Division of Parks and Recreation Department, Gainesway Small Animal Clinic and MedVet Medical and Cancer Center for Pets are also sponsoring the clinic.

For more information on the annual Rabies Clinic, call the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department’s Division of Environmental Health at (859) 231-9791. Be sure to like the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LFCHD, and follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/LFCHD and Instagram at @lexpublichealth.

Every five years, the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department (LFCHD) in partnership with the Lexington Community Health Improvement Partnership (LEX-CHIP) engages the community in a health assessment and planning process for the purpose of improving health in the Lexington-Fayette County community.

This document has been created to share the process and results of the Community Health Assessment (CHA) and to address the priority issues it identified. Goals, objectives, and strategies for each of the priority issues are outlined in this document. The purpose of the plan is to detail how community partners will collectively and collaboratively work together to improve the health and well-being of our community.

Through the development of the Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP), an overarching theme arose. The theme “Rise Up Lex” was born. It is the hope of LEXCHIP that this theme will become a motto for both LEXCHIP and the community of Lexington. From this theme, the action teams LexBeWell, LexWork, and LexBeSafe were formed. The groups strive to focus on the vision that Lexington will be a community that is safe and healthy for all.

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, in partnership with the Lexington Community Health Improvement Partnership (LEX-CHIP), is proud to share the document here: Community Health Assessment and Improvement Plan.

The document takes a look at current health trends through multiple sets of lenses. It uses the information to inform decision-making for community engagement and partnerships to improve the overall health of the community.

The community fought the flu this February with free flu shots.

The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department provided 185 free flu shots Feb. 13 at a special clinic at 650 Newtown Pike. “Flu season in Kentucky peaks in February and cases can extend into April and May,” LFCHD spokesperson Kevin Hall said. “It’s definitely not too late to get protection from the flu for your entire family.”

The seasonal flu shot is recommended for all people ages 6 months and older. There have been 565 confirmed flu cases in Lexington this season, including 13 deaths.

The health department previously provided 1,026 free flu shots in October at its annual clinic for the community.

Flu shots are regularly available 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Thursday at the health department without an appointment for $30 ($49 for a high-dose vaccine for ages 65 and older). Medicaid/Medicare, cash, checks, credit cards and some insurances are accepted.

For additional information, like the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LFCHD, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/LFCHD and Instagram at @lexpublichealth. For questions about the flu shot, call the Public Health Clinic at 859-288-2483 option 2.

It is time to nominate people for the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department’s Dr. Rice C. Leach Public Health Hero Award. The award, now in its 15th year, is for individuals who have demonstrated their dedication to improving the health of Lexington residents.

Criteria for the selection of the award include:

• Exemplary leadership and diligence in promoting public health;
• Remarkable contributions and support in fostering public health programs; and
• Work or actions that have impacted the community’s health in a positive way.

The Lexington-Fayette County Board of Health renamed the award in 2016 in honor of the late Dr. Rice C. Leach “so future generations will know what a true public health super hero is.” Leach, who served as Lexington’s Commissioner of Health for five years, died in April 2016 following a battle with cancer.

Past winners include Kentucky State Sen. Reginald Thomas (2017), Dr. Leach (2016), Dr. Susan Pollack and Marian F. Guinn (2015), the Rev. Willis Polk and Baby Health Service (2014), Anita Courtney and Teens Against Tobacco Use (2013); Vickie Blevins-Booth and Jay McChord (2012); Jill Chenault-Wilson and Dr. Malkanthie McCormick (2011); Dr. Jay Perman (2010); the Lexington Lions Club (2009); Dr. David Stevens and the late Dr. Doane Fischer (2008); Dr. Ellen Hahn, Mary Alice Pratt and Therese Moseley (2007); Dr. Andrew Moore and Rosa Martin (2006); Jan Brucato and Dragana Zaimovic (2005); and Dr. John Michael Moore, Ellen Parks and Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government (2004). Dr. Robert Lam received a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007.

If you know of someone, please provide the following information:

• Name, professional title and organization;
• Phone number and e-mail address of nominee; and
• Examples of why the person is worthy of the award. Descriptions should be no more than 200 words.
• Your name and contact information

Nominations can be submitted here: Dr. Rice C. Leach Public Health Hero nomination.

The deadline for submitting candidates is 4 p.m., Wednesday, Feb.28.

The Lexington-Fayette County Board of Health will make the final determination. The winner will receive special recognition from the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government. The awards are given each April as part of National Public Health Week.

During the cold weather, stay indoors whenever possible. However, if you must go outside, dress warmly in layered clothing, including a hat, scarf or knit mask to cover your face and mouth, sleeves that are snug at the wrist, mittens, a water-resistant coat and water-resistant boots. Avoid exertion, as cold weather puts an extra strain on the heart. People with heart disease or high blood pressure should follow their doctor’s advice about shoveling snow or performing other activities in the snow. When outside, avoid walking on ice, and keep your steps and walkways as free of ice as possible.

Be on the lookout for signs of hypothermia and frostbite, two common cold weather-related health problems. Warning signs of hypothermia, which is abnormally low body temperature, include shivering, exhaustion, confusion, fumbling hands, memory loss, slurred speech and drowsiness. If you detect symptoms of hypothermia, seek medical care immediately. Get the victim into a warm room and remove any wet clothing. Warm the center of the body first with an electric blanket, if available. Otherwise, use skin-to-skin contact under loose, dry layers of blankets, clothes, towels or sheets. Warm beverages can help increase the body temperature, but do not use alcoholic beverages.

Warning signs for frostbite, or an injury to the body caused by freezing, include redness or pain in any skin area, white or grayish-yellow skin, skin that feels unusually firm or waxy and numbness. If you detect symptoms of frostbite, seek medical care immediately. Get the victim into a warm room, and immerse the affected area in warm – not hot – water. Do not rub the frostbitten area with snow or massage it, as this can cause more damage. Do not use a heating pad, heat lamp or the heat of a stove, fireplace or radiator for warming, as the frostbitten areas are numb and can be easily burned.

These procedures are not substitutes for medical care, and all emergencies should be reported to a physician or health care provider. To learn more about winter weather tips, visit the CDC’s website.

It’s officially flu season in Lexington: the first lab-confirmed case of the flu has been reported.

The health department will offer flu shots 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday through Thursday at its Public Health Clinic at 650 Newtown Pike. No appointment is necessary, and the cost for a flu shot is $30. Medicaid/Medicare, cash, checks, credit cards and some insurances are accepted.

“A seasonal flu shot is recommended to all people ages 6 months and older and is the best way to avoid getting the flu,” LFCHD spokesman Kevin Hall said.

Last year, Lexington had 503 confirmed cases of the flu and seven flu-related deaths.

For additional information about the 2017-18 flu season, like the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/LFCHD, or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/LFCHD and Instagram at @lexpublichealth. Flu information can also be found by calling the Public Health Clinic at 859-288-2483.

Free naloxone kits to help reverse opioid overdoses will soon be available to the community through a partnership between the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department and the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center, part of the University of Kentucky College of Public Health.

The kits will be distributed 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Fridays in the Dr. Rice C. Leach Community Room at the health department’s main location at 650 Newtown Pike. The kits will be provided as part of the health department’s needle-exchange program and will be available to participants, family and friends.

“Our clients at the needle-exchange are some of the people at the highest risk for potential overdoses,” said Commissioner of Health Dr. Kraig Humbaugh. Since opening Sept. 5, 2015, the health department’s needle-exchange has provided clean needles to 1,849 individuals, with 106 using the on-site referral program to enter rehabilitative programs.

Naloxone, also known by the brand name Narcan®, blocks opiate receptors in the brain, works in 1-3 minute and lasts 30-90 minutes. It can cause withdrawal symptoms such as nausea and disorientation, but there is no risk for abuse or addiction.

“The Lexington Fayette-County Health Department and the University of Kentucky College of Public Health have a shared goal in the fight against drug overdose: to save lives in our community,” said Dr. Svetla Slavova, principal investigator for the grant and associate professor in the UK College of Public Health Department of Biostatistics. She is also a faculty member with the Kentucky Injury Prevention and Research Center, bona fide agent for the Kentucky Department for Public Health.

“We are thankful that the Bureau of Justice Assistance allowed the redirect of savings on our grant for the purchase of 1,236 Narcan® kits,” Slavova said. “This partnership between government agencies, the university, and KIPRC, bona fide agent of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, is one way we hope to turn the tide of overdose fatalities in Kentucky.’

The purchase of Narcan® was supported by a grant 2014-PM-BX-0010 (Data-Driven Multidisciplinary Approaches to Reducing Prescription Abuse in Kentucky) awarded by the Bureau of Justice Assistance, U.S. Department of Justice.

Two changes by the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department will make it easier for the public to view restaurant inspection scores.

The most noticeable change is the use of new inspection placards that are required to be placed in areas visible by the public. The new placards feature the restaurant’s inspection score in a green box for a passing grade and red for a failing grade, along with a check box for areas of concern and violations.

“These new placards allow customers to immediately determine if a restaurant passed or failed and provide information about violations,” LFCHD Communications Officer Kevin Hall said. “Also, they’re designed to be easier to read and look better on the walls or in the windows of Lexington’s restaurants.”

The health department is also modernizing the way its employees record their inspections. Starting this week, inspectors will use an electronic system that allows inspections to be uploaded into an online database in real time, which will eliminate administrative staff time for data entry. The system also allows staff easy access to past inspection records to help identify repeated violations.

“Any steps we can take to improving our inspection process is beneficial to the people of Lexington,” Hall said. “Our restaurant inspections help protect every person who dines out in Lexington, and this gives us another way to help Lexington be well.”

People who say they’ve never used the health department have benefited from our restaurant inspections, and this gives us another way to help Lexington be well.”

The health department regulates about 1,550 restaurants, which are inspected at least twice per year.

Additional information about restaurant inspections, including a database of previous scores, can be found here.