Mpox is a rare disease caused by infection with the Mpox virus. Mpox virus is part of the same family of viruses as variola virus, the virus that causes smallpox. Mpox symptoms are similar to smallpox symptoms, but milder, and Mpox is rarely fatal. Mpox is not related to chickenpox.

To help update the community during a current outbreak in the United States, the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department has created a page with general information about Mpox, including updates on vaccine clinics. It can be found here: Mpox General Information.

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.

The Lexington-Fayette County Board of Health elected Dr. Rodney A. Jackson as chair for the 2022-23 fiscal year, which began July 1.

Dr. Jackson is a board-certified, practicing pediatric dentist in Lexington. He started his practice, Pediatric Dentistry of Hamburg, 19 years ago, and currently has locations in Lexington, Georgetown and Frankfort. A native of Wheelwright, Ky., he obtained a bachelor’s degree from the University of Louisville, a Doctorate of Dental Medicine from the University of Kentucky College of Dentistry and completed his pediatric dental residency at UK. He and his wife have two sons. 

Dr. Jackson joined the Board of Health in 2017 and has served as the chair of the Nominating Committee for the last three years. 

Dr. Jackson replaces Michael Friesen, who will continue to serve on the Board of Health.

Leah Mason, JD, will serve as vice-chair for 2022-23. Other Board of Health members include: Jack Cornett, Dr. Lee Dossett, Dr. Hartley Feld, Dr. Maria de Lourdes Gomez, Mayor Linda Gorton, Dr. Gregory Hood, Majd Jabbour, Councilmember Jennifer Reynolds, Dr. Elizabeth Riley and Dr. Jason Zimmerman. Commissioner of Social Services Kacy Allen-Bryant is an official representative of the mayor but is a non-voting member.

The Board of Health meets the second Monday of every month at 5:45 p.m. at the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, 650 Newtown Pike.

(En español) Starting Wednesday, June 29, the Moderna vaccine for ages 6 months-5 years will be available for free by same-day appointment in our Public Health Clinic at 650 Newtown Pike. Call 859-288-2483 to schedule your same-day appointment every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday! A legal guardian MUST be present at the time of the shot. To complete the series, a second dose will be given after four weeks; you must call to schedule at that time.

Vaccination against COVID-19 is the best way to reduce the negative impact of this pandemic in all age groups. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), more than 13.5 million children in the U.S. have been infected with COVID-19 since the onset of the pandemic, and although most children experience mild symptoms, more than 42,000 have been hospitalized in the U.S. and at least 1,240 children aged 18 and younger have died.

The AAP and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for children in this age group. Parents are strongly encouraged to have their infants and young children vaccinated with either vaccine. The Pfizer vaccine is widely available throughout Lexington and can be found at www.vaccines.gov/search.

The AAP shares this about side effects: “The same side effects that we see with routine childhood vaccines have been seen in the studies of these vaccines. They are things like soreness and redness where the shot goes in. Some babies and children don’t feel well later in the day of the shot or on the next day. A small number of vaccinated children get fever—and very few get high fever. Usually, it lasts only a day or two. Thousands of children were in the studies, and there were no children with serious allergic reactions, heart inflammation or other serious problems related to the vaccines that may worry (caregivers).”

Learn more about the vaccine in this FAQ from the American Academy of Pediatrics: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/health-issues/conditions/COVID-19/Pages/covid-vaccines-for-kids-6-months-and-older-faqs-for-families.aspx.

COVID-19 vaccines for ages 5 and older are also free by same-day appointment Monday, Wednesday and Thursday by calling 859-288-2483.

This summer, the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department plans to control mosquito populations in the community by bringing increased focus to eliminating standing water and preventing mosquito larvae from hatching. This includes free mosquito larvicide, available by visiting the Environmental Health office on the second floor of the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, 650 Newtown Pike, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday. Supplies are limited. Educational materials will be provided.

The department will also use mosquito trapping to identify areas where spraying for adult mosquitos would be most useful. The health department has surveyed Lexington neighborhoods to identify and treat large areas of standing water that can serve as prime locations for mosquitoes to lay their eggs. Elimination of standing water is the ultimate goal, but in places where puddles exist, the water can be treated to kill mosquito larvae with a chemical called a larvicide.

“We are increasing activities to kill mosquito larvae in areas where standing water cannot be drained,” said Luke Mathis, Environmental Health and Preparedness team leader at LFCHD.  “Targeting immature mosquitoes is a more effective control strategy as it stops mosquitoes from developing into adults that can feed on humans and transmit mosquito-borne diseases like Zika and West Nile.”

The health department will no longer conduct routine mosquito spraying for adult mosquitoes throughout the city on a regular cycle. Instead, mosquito traps will be placed in potential problem areas. If a certain threshold of mosquito activity is reached, the department will conduct targeted spraying in the appropriate areas. Those areas will be announced via the health department’s website, www.lfchd.org, and social media pages.

For spraying, the health department uses Duet, an EPA-approved agent that features a component that stimulates resting mosquitoes in trees and foliage, causing them to fly into the air and come into contact with the spray’s mosquito-killing agent, sumithrin. Duet has been rigorously tested for human and animal safety and is registered for outdoor residential and recreational areas.

Lexington residents can also take steps at home to fight mosquitoes:

● Mosquito-proof your home and yard. Fix or install window and door screens. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing water. Cover or eliminate empty containers with standing water. Limit the number of places around your home for mosquitoes to breed by getting rid of items such as tires, buckets, barrels and cans. Refresh the water in your pet’s water dishes and birdbaths at least every five to seven days.

● Be aware of peak mosquito activity times. The twilight hours around dusk and dawn are times of peak mosquito activity. Use insect repellent when outdoors especially during peak activity times, including early morning hours. Look for EPA-labeled repellents containing active ingredients, such as DEET, Picaridin (KBR3023) or oil of lemon eucalyptus (p-menthane 3,8-diol). Apply repellent according to label instructions. When weather permits, wear long sleeves, long pants and socks outdoors. Mosquitoes can bite through thin clothing, so spraying clothes with repellent containing permethrin or another EPA-registered repellent helps prevent bites.

“The battle against mosquitoes starts at every residence in Fayette County,” Mathis said. “By eliminating standing water, even something as small a capful of rain in your yard, you can remove areas for mosquitoes to lay eggs. It’s important for people to walk around their homes to see what they can do to help curb the mosquito population.”

To report a standing water problem in your neighborhood, please call the health department’s Environmental Health section at (859) 231-9791.

Booster doses of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine are now available for everyone ages 5-11 years! The CDC recommends that ages 5-11 receive a booster shot 5 months after their initial vaccination series. Since the pandemic began, more than 4.8 million children ages 5-11 have been diagnosed with COVID-19 across the U.S., 15,000 have been hospitalized and, tragically, over 180 have died. As cases increase across the country, a booster dose will safely help restore and enhance protection against severe disease.

The CDC is also strengthening its recommendation that those 12 and older who are immunocompromised and those 50 and older should receive a second booster dose at least 4 months after their first. Over the past month, the U.S. has seen steady increases in cases, with a steep and substantial increase in hospitalizations for older Americans. While older Americans have the highest coverage of any age group of first booster doses, most older Americans received their last dose (either their primary series or their first booster dose) many months ago, leaving many who are vulnerable without the protection they may need to prevent severe disease, hospitalization and death.

Whether it’s your first dose in the series, or one of the recommended boosters, now is the time to get one! COVID-19 vaccines, including first and second doses and all appropriate boosters, are available for FREE by same-day appointment every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday in our Public Health Clinic by calling 859-288-2483.

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

• Wearing a well-fitted mask/face-covering in crowded public areas.
• 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;
• Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.

A national formula shortage continues to affect families across the country. Our Women, Infants and Children (WIC) program has been working through this issue daily since a major formula recall in February and continues to provide services for about 1,400 infants in our program. The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services has this fact sheet, including resources, for helping families find formula during this shortage: https://www.hhs.gov/formula/index.html.

For families not part of our WIC program, the USDA Food and Nutrition Service program advises that only medical professionals are qualified to provide advice on acceptable alternatives to formulas that may currently be difficult to find. Please be sure to talk to your child’s pediatrician about safe and appropriate feeding alternatives for your child, if needed. The American Academy of Pediatrics offers these tips: https://healthychildren.org/English/tips-tools/ask-the-pediatrician/Pages/Are-there-shortages-of-infant-formula-due-to-COVID-19.aspx.

The USDA also offers some steps you can take to ensure the safety of your infant’s formula:

• Learn more about choosing an infant formula that’s safe for your baby.
• Do not feed your baby cow’s milk or other non-dairy milks until 1 year old, unless you’ve talked to your child’s pediatrician.
• Don’t make homemade infant formula or water down formula; there are serious health and safety concerns.
• Do not buy formula online that comes from outside the U.S., which could be counterfeit, have a fake label or a wrong use-by date.
• Prepare and store infant formula according to the manufacturer’s instructions; do not water down formula.
• Properly clean, sanitize and store infant feeding items.
• Always wash your hands when handling formula and feeding items.
• Talk to your pediatrician about introducing complementary foods by 6 months (no earlier than 4 months). 

(En español) As of March 21, 2022, Lexington-Fayette County Health Department (LFCHD) will no longer be contacting each individual person who receives a positive test result for the COVID-19 infection. 

This change in our practice was made after careful analysis of data and public health guidance. Public health experts agree that intensive universal case investigation and contact tracing are no longer optimal at this phase of the pandemic. LFCHD will focus on targeting investigations in high-risk settings, congregate settings and those serving vulnerable populations. 

As part of our adjustments, we are encouraging businesses to seek alternatives to requiring an isolation or quarantine order from LFCHD as part of an employee’s sick leave documentation regarding COVID-19. Adjustments may include accepting a copy of a positive test result for an employee and restricting those exhibiting COVID-19 symptoms from working on site. LFCHD continues to encourage those who are exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19 to isolate and wear a mask.

This change in our practice will mean the following for you:

• LFCHD will no longer issue isolation and quarantine orders or releases for return to work and or school. If you need proof of your positive test result as a requirement for your employer or school setting, you may obtain a copy of your test result from the provider that ordered the test or from the laboratory that performed the test. You may be asked to complete a medical record request in order to receive a copy of your results. 
• If you have tested positive for COVID-19 or have been in contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, please follow the guidance provided by the Kentucky Department for Public Health (KDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Please notify your close contacts so they may begin to quarantine if indicated. Please refer to guidance provided by the CDC as to what is classified as a close contact. 
• If you have provided an email address to the provider that ordered the COVID-19 test or to the laboratory itself, and that email address is provided to the health department, you will receive an email survey.
• If you would like to complete a survey, please email covidinterview@lfchd.org. Please provide a copy of your positive COVID-19 test result. If you obtained a positive COVID-19 test result from a home-performed test, LFCHD cannot accept that test result.
• For questions or specific concerns about COVID-19, you may still call our COVID-19 call center at 859-899-2222 or visit our website for additional resources and guidance at www.lfchd.org.
• LFCHD continues to offer same-day appointments for free COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters (Moderna or Pfizer) in our Public Health Clinic on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Please call our Public Health Clinic at 859-288-2483 to schedule a same-day appointment.
• If you are an employer experiencing a COVID-19 outbreak at your business and need assistance, please email us at covidexposure@lfchd.org.

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Today marks the second anniversary of Lexington’s first COVID-19 case.

Through the end of the first two years, the city has had 91,474 COVID-19 cases and 564 deaths:

·       March 8, 2020-March 7, 2021: 32,600 cases, 297 deaths

·       March 8, 2021-March 7, 2022: 58,874 cases, 267 deaths

The CDC has a new tool to measure community levels of COVID-19 (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html), and Fayette County is currently listed as high. This means the CDC recommends:

• Wearing a mask indoors in public
• Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
• Getting tested if you have symptoms

Additional precautions may be needed for people at high risk for severe illness.

If you are not yet vaccinated, or haven’t completed the series including the booster dose, we have the COVID-19 vaccines available by same-day appointment every Monday, Wednesday and Thursday by calling 859-288-2483.

Thank you, Lexington, for doing your part during this worldwide pandemic!

#LexingtonKy #TeamKentucky #TogetherKy #PublicHealth #GetVaxxedYall