Governor Beshear and State Public Health Commissioner Steven Stack are offering additional guidance for health care providers who are moving back into operation. It’s part of the gradual phased-in approach for re-opening Kentucky’s economy.
During last night’s coronavirus briefing, Dr. Stack said a dentist office is a location where oral secretions present a challenge. “We look forward to your further input, but because I’ve qualified this, you would be misunderstanding if you thought it was safe and correct to open your dentist office for normal business on Monday with the normal procedures you were using before we shut everything down,” said Stack.
Stack said other new sanitizing procedures will be needed in physical therapy and chiropractic offices.
Kentucky’s long term care facilities continue to be a major focus when it comes to stopping the spread of coronavirus. Cabinet for Health and Family Services Acting Secretary Eric Friedlander said the recent guidance about re-opening certain health care businesses doesn’t apply to nursing homes. “We talked about opening. This is not an area we’re talking about opening. This is an area that we’re talking about giving greater scrutiny,” explained Friedlander.
Friedlander noted the early decision to shut down visitation at nursing homes was correct. The state health official added there is a ramping up of COVID-19 testing in all long term care facilities. Governor Beshear reported last night 161 new coronavirus cases and six more deaths.?
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