On Friday, December 20, 2019 the Dept. for Public Health reported that flu was widespread in Kentucky. Widespread is the highest level of flu activity and means there are increased flu cases or flu outbreaks in at least half of the Commonwealth’s regions. Six deaths in Kentucky have been linked to the flu this season.
People with the following conditions may be at higher risk for complications and are urged to get the flu vaccine:
- Children age 6 months through 59 months
- Women who are or will be pregnant during the influenza season
- Persons 50 years of age or older
- Persons with extreme obesity (Body Mass Index of 40 or greater)
- Persons aged 6 months and older with chronic health problems
- Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
- Household contacts (including children) and caregivers of children aged ≤59 months (i.e., aged
- Household contacts and caregivers or people who live with a person at high-risk for complications from the flu
- Health care workers, including physicians, nurses, and other workers in inpatient and outpatient-care settings, medical emergency-response workers (e.g., paramedics and emergency medical technicians), employees of nursing home and long-term care facilities who have contact with patients or residents, and students in these professions who will have contact with patients.
Plenty of vaccines are available this year, according to health officials.
