A community health worker from Eastern Kentucky says her agency has offered a wide range of services during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Samantha Bowman with Homeplace said that included assisting with food stamps, telehealth, vaccination appointments, and personal protective equipment. “So we would have elderly people contact us and say I have a doctor’s appointment I have no mask or I need to go into the store and have no mask. So, we would give them one,” said Bowman.
Appalachian Regional Healthcare Chief Medical Officer Dr. Maria Braman said more than 86 hundred positive COVID tests have been seen in the 11 Eastern Kentucky communities served by ARH. She noted at one point in the pandemic the positivity rate was 18%.
Braman said it’s not unusual to see 10 to 12 family members make a hospital visit. She added that’s part of the Appalachian culture. Braman says visitation limits tied to COVID-19 have been lessened. “As we start to relax visitation, I don’t think we’ll get back to that size. It’s just no safe from an infection control standpoint,” explained Braman.
Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky sponsored the webinar Friday.
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