WQXE News

A second confirmed case of measles has state and local health officials reminding Kentuckians of the importance of vaccination.

The Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services says the second confirmed case of measles in the commonwealth this year occurred in March. The patient was a child who was traveling through Kentucky when they sought treatment. The child is not a resident of the United States, but because they were diagnosed at a health care facility in Kentucky it is counted as a state incident. There are no other cases or risks of exposure associated with this case.

The CHFS says immunization coverage for Kentucky kindergartners has dropped to its lowest in seven years. The national coverage average for the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, which is legally required for school attendance in Kentucky, is 93 percent. Kentucky’s coverage average is 86.9 percent this school year, down from 90 percent last school year. This comes as the United States experiences the largest outbreak of measles since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000.

The first dose of MMR is routinely administered between ages 12 and 15 months, then a second dose is administered between ages 4 and 6 years. The CDC says two doses of MMR is 97 percent effective against measles.

The Lincoln Trail District Health Department provides measles vaccinations at all of its health centers. Contact the health department or your primary care provider for more information.

The White House on Friday approved Governor Andy Beshear’s April 11th request for a Major Disaster Declaration, which included individual assistance for Kentuckians in 13 counties including Hardin County.

According to a release from the governor’s office, Hardin County residents and business owners who sustained losses in the flooding may now begin applying for assistance at disasterassistance.gov, by calling FEMA at 1-800-621-3362, or by using the FEMA app. 

When applying for assistance make sure you upload documents via disasterassistance.gov or the FEMA app. Your damaged home should be your primary residence, you should not have received assistance for the same losses from another source such as insurance, and FEMA should be able to reach you at your provided contact information.

Appeals to FEMA decisions may be made at disasterassistance.gov, by mail or fax, or in person at a disaster recovery center. According to a post on the Hardin County Government Facebook page, the county is working with FEMA on the details for the local center’s opening.

Additional counties will be added to the disaster declaration by amendment following the completion of additional assessments. The governor’s request for public assistance for 33 counties, including Hardin and LaRue, and hazard mitigation for the entire state are still pending.

More information on the disaster declaration is available on the governor’s website.

The Drug Enforcement Administration will team up with more than 4,400 law enforcement partners for their 28th National Prescription Drug Take Back Day this weekend. 

The DEA will host Take Back Day from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, April 26, offering communities across the country a safe, convenient, and anonymous way to dispose of unneeded prescription medications.

The DEA says take back day aims to reduce the risk of prescription drug misuse by helping to safely remove expired, unwanted, or unused medications. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, opioids such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, codeine, and morphine are among the most frequently misused prescription pain medications, and they often come from home medicine cabinets.

Tablets, capsules, patches, and other solid forms of prescription drugs will be accepted. Liquids such as cough syrups must remain tightly sealed in their original containers. Take Back Day locations will accept vaping devices and cartridges if the lithium batteries are removed. Syringes, sharps, and illicit substances will not be collected.

Among the participating law enforcement agencies is the Radcliff Police Department, which will be collecting items at the Radcliff Walmart located at 1165 Walmart Way. You can search for more participating locations and find more information at www.deatakeback.com.