FRANKFORT (Dec. 13, 2019) – Officials with the Department for Public Health, within the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, are reporting the first four flu-related deaths of the 2019-2020 flu season, with flu activity being raised to “widespread”, the highest flu activity level indicating increased flu cases or flu outbreaks in at least half of the Commonwealth’s regions.

In addition to the four flu-related deaths, DPH officials are reporting 1,622 laboratory-confirmed flu cases in regions across the state since Aug. 4.

“We extend our condolences to the families who have suffered losses during this flu season,” said Dr. Angela Dearinger, Commissioner of DPH. “These personal losses are a reminder for all of us that flu can be a serious illness, for young and old alike, and we strongly encourage people to protect themselves by getting a flu vaccination.  This is especially important for children and adults at high risk for complications related to the flu. Stay at home if you have the flu or flu-like symptoms and to avoid contact with others.”

Infection with the flu virus can cause fever, headache, cough, sore throat, runny nose, sneezing and body aches. Flu can be very contagious. It takes about two weeks for the vaccine to become fully effective, so it is very important to get the flu shot as soon as possible.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommends flu vaccine for all individuals six months of age and older. People who are strongly encouraged to receive the flu vaccine because they may be at higher risk for complications or negative consequences include:

• Children age six months through 59 months (less than 5 years); • 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 six 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 <five years, particularly contacts of children aged <six months) and adults aged ≥50 years;
• Household contacts and caregivers or people who live with a person at high-risk for complications from the flu; and
• 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.

The flu vaccine has been changed to better protect against the types of flu that were seen last season.  Both the CDC and manufacturers of the flu vaccine report that there are no shortages of vaccine. Vaccination can be given any time during the flu season, but providers are encouraged to administer the vaccine as soon as possible. Medicaid, Medicare and most private health insurance providers cover flu vaccination as a preventive service.

The flu vaccine is especially important in light of the longest flu season the nation experienced last year. The CDC reports that more than 647,000 flu-related hospitalizations occurred and more than 61,000 people died as a result of the flu. In Kentucky, there were 196 flu-related deaths, two of which were children.

It is especially important for pregnant women to be vaccinated before or during pregnancy. Antibodies cross the placenta and provide immunity to infants up to 6 months of age, when the infant is eligible to receive their first annual dose of flu vaccine. Last season in Kentucky, there were infants less than one month old that had the flu.

“Getting the flu can be debilitating and sometimes life-threatening,” added Dearinger. “Vaccination is the best tool we have to prevent the flu. It is also extremely important to take simple preventive steps to avoid the flu and other illnesses that tend to circulate at this time of year – wash your hands frequently, cover your mouth when you cough or sneeze and stay home when you are sick.”

DPH relies on sites such as doctors’ offices, hospitals and health departments to help track the level of influenza activity in the state and to identify which strains of the flu are circulating in Kentucky. These voluntary sites collect data and report influenza-like illness (ILI) cases according to age groups each week. This sampling represents only a small percentage of influenza cases for the state, but contributes to the ongoing assessment of flu activity in the commonwealth and helps determine the weekly level of flu activity.

DPH officials report weekly influenza activity to the CDC as part of statewide flu surveillance efforts. The weekly report is posted online at https://healthalerts.ky.gov/Pages/FluActivity.aspx and https://chfs.ky.gov/agencies/dph/dehp/idb/Pages/influenza.aspx. The report will be updated each Friday. The report consists of laboratory-confirmed cases of influenza that are defined by molecular virus testing and positive virus culture test results. Rapid positive influenza tests are not included in this report, but are used as an indicator of flu-like illness circulating across the state.

For more information on influenza or the availability of flu vaccine, Kentuckians should contact their primary care medical provider or local health department. Influenza information is also available online at https://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm.

The City of Columbia has been notified by United States Department of Agriculture State Director Hilda Legg that they have received a grant in the amount of $30,000 from USDA Rural Development to aid in the purchase of a truck and trailer to be used as a Drug Education Vehicle.

The vehicle and trailer will be utilized throughout the community, specifically within our school system, to promote awareness of the dangers of abuse and addiction.

“I would like to thank USDA for their support and involvement during this grant process,” stated Mayor Pamela Hoots in a press release. “The staff at USDA is always a pleasure to work with.”

‘While it’s been my honor to tell the stories of others, I want to share one of my own for this Thanksgiving edition. In my first personal memoir in the Adair County Community Voice, I will share what I’m truly thankful for this year.’

By Anna Buckman
Assistant Editor

My family has always had so much to be thankful for. We had jobs, food, homes, health, love, faith and much more.
It gets easy to forget how precious life is and how easily our blessings can be taken from us when things are going well in life.

But in February, we were quickly reminded of that when my father, Greg Murrell, nearly lost his life in a sudden illness.
The events that unfolded during his illness and after have left us with a new look on life and a deeper appreciation for each other.
On Tuesday, Feb. 5, Dad had what he thought was a cold for a week, but it was discovered in the ER that he had double pneumonia, the flu and was now septic.
He was sent to TriStar Greenview Regional Hospital in Bowling Green and suddenly on Feb. 7, he suffered a stress heart attack from a reaction to sedation. Just hours later, we were called in to the hospital by nurses at 3 a.m. because he was unresponsive to everything – we thought that was it.

Doctors were surprised when they discovered he had brain activity during a test, but revealed that he had three different blood infections, more organs were shutting down and felt that he was in the coma due to all of it.
Doctors didn’t think he would pull through, but he finally began healing and awoke from his coma. We couldn’t believe that after all his body went through, he was going to make it and leave without even needing oxygen assistance.
However, we soon learned that Dad had severe nerve damage caused by his illness and now suffered from Guillain-Barre Syndrome. Just when we thought he was getting better, there was now a good chance he may never use his extremities again.

He received some treatments for that at The Medical Center and Dad was determined to give therapy at SKY Rehab his all and for one reason in particular – he needed to walk me down the aisle on May 4.
“I told them my goal is to get out of here and be able to walk my daughter down the aisle and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to do that, if I have to do extra treatments or whatever,” said Dad.
He began to slowly progress to being able to feed himself, but his legs were still immobile – that is, until what he calls a “divine intervention.”

One day, a very passionate deacon from Living Hope Baptist Church came by to see Dad.
While the rest of our family was religious, Dad wasn’t. He would be polite and receptive to the deacons that he met, but never enough to change his heart.
After his discussions with Dad, he asked if there was anything specific he could pray over. Dad told him about his legs.

“I went along with it – I didn’t have any hopes of it working,” said Dad.
The next morning, Dad had a day off from therapy and while lying in his bed, he noticed he lifted his legs on his own. He lifted them again and they went even higher.
“I was freaking out, I thought to myself, ‘Was it God or was it just time for my legs to start working again? But he just prayed for my legs the day before, that’s got to be what it is.’ I mean, that hit me with a ton of bricks.”
Things only went up from there. On April 17, Dad walked out of SKY Rehab with a cane and attended church willingly for the first time in my life on April 22, Easter Sunday.

On May 4, he walked me down the aisle and even danced with me at my reception.
A few months later, he and mom returned to the hospital to surprise one of his occupational therapists who had seen him at his worst.

“He didn’t recognize me at first and said that I shouldn’t be here and that I was a miracle.”
Other nurses, doctors and therapists later told him that they too had never really thought he would ever get better. Dad says he will never forget the love, patience and sincerity he felt from all the health professionals he met during this experience.

Now months later, Dad is a different man and we are a different family because of all of this.
We don’t take any breath or step for granted because we realize how quickly it can be taken away.

We let go of the little things now, are more present with one another and try to never miss a Sunday at church – Dad included.
“Sometimes it takes serious situations to wake somebody up,” said Dad. “It was just a very humbling experience. It made me appreciate my existence. I’ve always loved my family, but I love you in a different way now.”

He also acknowledges that the prayers, love and visits that were made for him attributed to this change.
“I feel that they helped get me through this.”

Dad retired from Columbia-Adair Utilities District and he and my already retired Mom spend their days babysitting their three grandchildren, binge-watching TV and enjoying each other’s company.
This Thanksgiving, our family will be remembering how far Dad has come and the prayers God answered through this exhausting yet wonderfully life-changing journey. Thank you to all who have read my story to the end and I hope sharing it has brought a smile to your face and hope to your heart.

Happy Thanksgiving.