Nearly Half A Million In Ohio Valley Lose Jobless Benefits
An analysis by the Ohio Valley ReSource showed that roughly 488,000 people in Ohio and West Virginia have lost supplemental unemployment payments after Republican governors there scrapped the federal unemployment benefit programs put in place during the pandemic. Another 65,000 people in Kentucky eligible for the payments await a decision by the Democratic governor there […]
Appalachian Community Uses Theater To Reckon With Racism, COVID, And The Trauma Of 2020
George Floyd was murdered by police officer Derek Chauvin in Minneapolis, a cold and faraway place from the vantage point of Harlan County, Kentucky. But the energy of that long, hot summer reached a group of Harlan high schoolers, and soon enough, this small, rural town was in the midst of a national movement. The […]
Beshear Lifts COVID Restrictions In Kentucky’s Final Regular Coronavirus Briefing
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear held his last regular COVID-19 briefing Friday as he signed an executive order ending COVID-19 restrictions. Beshear held what would be the first of 250 COVID-19 briefings in March, 2020, just as the threat of the pandemic was beginning. Fifteen months and more than 461,000 coronavirus cases later, on Friday, Beshear […]
Beshear Reports Additional COVID-19 Deaths Found In Kentucky Audit
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Tuesday that more coronavirus deaths were found in the commonwealth’s audit of fatalities during the pandemic. Beshear said an additional 260 people died due to COVID-19 between March and October of 2020 than earlier records indicated. “That’s 220 days. So it’s going back in the midst of this pandemic and […]
New Data Shows Ohio Valley’s Black Residents Lag In COVID Vaccination Rates
Black and Hispanic Americans in the Ohio Valley are getting vaccinated against COVID-19 at a lower rate than are white Americans, according to data obtained by Kaiser Health News, which offers a more detailed view of vaccination progress among different groups. The data shows that vaccination rates vary across races and ethnicities in the Ohio […]
Kentucky COVID Cases Continue To Drop
Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear says COVID-19 cases have declined for three weeks in a row. In his Monday briefing on coronavirus, Beshear said the state is on track to do away with its mask mandate by June 11, but there will be exceptions. Masks will still be required in health care settings and some businesses […]
The FDA Has Approved Pfizer’s COVID Vaccine For Kids Ages 12 – 15. Here’s Where To Find One In Kentucky.
The Food and Drug Administration announced Monday that the Pfizer vaccine against COVID-19 may be given to children ages 12 to 15. Kentucky is preparing to make the vaccine available for children. Shortly before the FDA announced expanded use of the vaccine, Kentucky’s top public health official, Dr. Steven Stack, said studies showed that the […]
Vaccinate U? Contrary To Health Advice, Most Area Schools Won’t Mandate COVID Vaccine
Roughly a million students attend college around the Ohio Valley, and the student-age population has an especially high rate of coronavirus infection. That’s why some public health advocates say schools should require that students be vaccinated. However, a review by the Ohio Valley ReSource found that of 400 colleges and universities in Kentucky, Ohio, and […]
Kentucky’s Mask Mandate Won’t Be Required At Outdoor Events With Fewer Than 1,000 People
Beginning Tuesday, Kentucky’s mask mandate will no longer apply to outdoor events with fewer than 1,000 people. Gov. Andy Beshear said masks will still be required indoors at restaurants, grocery stores and workplaces. New cases of COVID-19 have decreased since last week. Beshear reported 213 new cases on Monday and 11 deaths. The positivity rate […]
Vaccine Hesitancy Hovers Over Ohio Valley Efforts To Get To Herd Immunity
Phyllis Gibbs wasn’t sure until recently that she’d be here, just a few moments away from receiving a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. “Do you feel sick today?” “Nope,” Gibbs said to the receptionist. “And you give consent for Pfizer to give you a shot today, correct?” “Absolutely.” Gibbs then walked over to one of […]
