Coronavirus likely spreading person-to-person in Kentucky, Beshear says. He urges calm.
"We believe, and this seems to be the case nationally, that this is community spreading," the governor said. "Again, this has been expected. We are ready for it. It was what we always thought we would see with this novel coronavirus."
Community spreading of the viral respiratory infection, also known as COVID-19, means that good hygiene "is so critical," Beshear said, including washing one's hands "more than you normally do" and staying home if you're sick. The state's businesses should "make sure you have options for individuals who are sick," including working from home and offering unpaid sick leave, he said.
Late Monday, Beshear announced two more confirmed cases of coronavirus, raising the state's total of confirmed cases to six.
Beshear said during a
A second patient who tested presumptive positive for COVID-19 in
The only other information given about either of those cases came later in the day, when
A spokeswoman for
The governor urged residents in the affected communities to remain calm, especially those who have recently shopped at the Walmart in
"I know it's going to make you nervous," Beshear said. "Just because you've been there doesn't mean you have the coronavirus."
After announcing Sunday evening that the numbers of confirmed cases in the commonwealth had jumped from one to four, Beshear said Monday morning that he would be signing an executive order to remove any cost barrier for those seeking a COVID-19 test once they become widely available from commercial testing labs.
His order will "wave co-pays, deductible, cost-sharing and diagnostic testing fees for private insurance and state employees," as well as "removing any impediments" for any Kentuckian currently receiving Medicaid benefits from "getting tested or treated [for the virus]," Beshear said.
There are about 433,000 Kentuckians on private insurance, roughly 30,000 state employees, and more than 1.3 million residents receiving Medicaid benefits.
So far, roughly 200 people have been or are being actively monitored for symptoms of the virus. As of
Beshear also encouraged all
Some health care providers are already heeding this advice. Baptist Health Lexington said Monday it is restricting who can visit its palliative and hospice care patients, as well as those in its maternity and neonatal intensive care unit, out of "an abundance of caution."
Beshear said additional positive tests should be expected, adding that it's too early to project how many Kentuckians will get the virus.
"We are going to hear about more positive tests," Beshear said. "We ought to be prepared for that."
"For 80 percent or more of people who get infected, you're going to be just fine," Stack said. "You'll probably either have cold symptoms or no symptoms."
Children continue to appear to have "little or no infection by this condition," so "parents should take some measure of calm for the well-being of their families and children."
As for those who will contract an infection, "we can target efforts toward those populations."
Stack outlined which people should visit their health care provider and when, if they worry they might have COVID-19.
"If you are worried well, do not go to a hospital, an ER, or a doctor's office," said Stack, a trained emergency medicine physician, explaining that doing so "further overwhelms" an already stressed health care system.
For those who are sick with a fever, cough or infection, but were it not for the outbreak of coronavirus, would not have sought care, don't visit a health care provider in person. Call them for a consultation, instead, or call the state coronavirus hotline -- 1-800-722-5725 -- for advice "to minimize taking people with infection and exposing yourself to others," Stack said.
Only people with emergency illnesses should default to going to a hospital or a doctor in person, he said.
"If we can please self-triage, so the sickest people get care and the rest don't crowd the system, we will have better resource capacity to help everyone and minimize the spread of infection," he said.
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