Purchase District Health Department COVID-19 Vaccination Update 8/24/21

All Purchase District Health Department Health Centers are administering COVID-19 vaccine boosters. You must be 18 or older for both Moderna and J&J vaccines. We are administering Moderna COVID-19 boosters. Your second dose must be at least 28 days prior to your booster.

Below is a listing of PDHD health center (Ballard, Carlisle, Fulton, Hickman, and McCracken) hours and instructions to receive a Moderna booster or Moderna and J&J vaccines.

• Ballard: Please call in advance at (270) 665-5432, they will do their best to get you in the same day.
• Carlisle: Please call in advance at (270) 628-5431, they will do their best to get you in the same day.
• Fulton: Walk-in, no appointment needed. Hickman City: Tues and Thurs 7:30a-4:30p, Fulton City: Mon and Wed 7:30a-4:30p, Friday 7:30-11a
• Hickman: Walk-in, no appointment needed. Mon-Wed 8a-12p then 12:30p-4p.
• McCracken: Drive-Up, no appointment needed. Please drive up to the tent in the parking lot behind the health department at 916 Kentucky Ave, Paducah KY 42003. Mon-Th 8a-3p and Fridays 8a-10a.

To be eligible for a booster at this time you must be immunocompromised. Please see the list below: 

• Receiving active cancer treatment for tumors or cancers of the blood;
• Received an organ transplant and am taking medicine to suppress my immune system;
• Received a stem cell transplant within the last 2 years or am taking medicine to suppress the immune system;
• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency (such as DiGeorge syndrome, WiskottAldrich syndrome);
• Advanced or untreated HIV infection;
• Active treatment with high-dose corticosteroids or other drugs that suppress my immune response.

FREE COVID-19 Testing is still available at the Purchase District Health Department location at 916 Kentucky Ave, Paducah KY 42003 in the back parking lot at the tent. Testing is drive-up, no appointment needed. Mon-Th 8a-3p and Fridays 8a-10a. Please do not enter the health center if you are in need of a COVID-19 test. Go directly to the Drive-Up tent.  If you are tested you will receive a call with your results. Please do not call or come into the clinic for test results. We will call you once we receive your test results.

Please be patient as call volumes will be high.

To find other Vaccine Providers please visit: https://govstatus.egov.com/ky-covid-vaccine

Current Counts of COVID-19 in Kentucky and the Purchase District:

As of 5:30 pm, September 22nd, 2021.

Positive Tests:

McCracken County

Ballard County

Carlisle County

Fulton County

Hickman County

Recovered:

Testing Site Information:

Purchase District Health Department: FREE COVID-19 Testing is still available at the Purchase District Health Department location at 916 Kentucky Ave, Paducah KY 42003 in the back parking lot at the tent. Testing is drive-up, no appointment needed. Mon-Th 8a-3p and Fridays 8a-10a. Please do not enter the health center if you are in need of a COVID-19 test. Go directly to the Drive-Up tent.  If you are tested you will receive a call with your results. Please do not call or come into the clinic for test results. We will call you once we receive your test results. You must be 12 years or older

Other Testing Locations (please follow specific website directions):

CVS Locations: https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19-testing

Kroger Locations: https://www.krogerhealth.com/

Walgreens Locations: https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/covid19/testing?ban=covid_vanity_testing

Walmart/Quest: Only location is 5130 HINKLEVILLE RD, Paducah KY 42001

https://patient.questdiagnostics.com/no-cost-covid-test?elqTrack=true

Wild Health: Located at Kentucky Oaks Mall https://wildhealth.com/covid

Baptist Health Urgent Care-Paducah- https://www.baptisthealth.com/paducah/services/urgent-care-clinics/ 

Background

The CDC is closely monitoring an outbreak of respiratory illness caused by a novel (new) coronavirus (named COVID-19) that was first detected in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China and which continues to expand.

Updated Information & Resources

• CDC Novel Cornovirus (COVID-19) Site
• Kentucky Novel Cornovirus (COVID-19) Site
• COVID-19 Hotline toll-free (800) 722-5725
• PDHD Facebook
• Governor Beshear’s Facebook
• Cabinet for Health and Family Services Resource site
• Purchase Area Health Connections Resource Guide
• TITK Non Traditional Instruction Resources
• Medicaid Assisters: KY Benefits
• Dental Emergency Information for the Purchase Area
• CDC what you need to know fact sheet: English and Spanish
• BH MH testing sites
• testing site Kentucky Care

Medicaid Assisters are still available: In the Purchase District? Contact Brenda Cooper at 270-331-6123

In need of resources? Please go to www.purchasehealthconnections.com/community-resource-guide/ for resources in the Purchase Area. Please call resources prior to going in person. 

How COVID-19 Spreads

Much is unknown about how COVID-19, a new coronavirus, spreads. Current knowledge is largely based on what is known about similar coronaviruses. Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that are common in many different species of animals, including camels, cattle, cats, and bats. Rarely, animal coronaviruses can infect people and then spread between people such as with MERS, SARS, and now with COVID-19.

Most often, spread from person-to-person happens among close contacts (about 6 feet). Person-to-person spread is thought to occur mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how influenza and other respiratory pathogens spread. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. It’s currently unclear if a person can get COVID-19 by touching a surface or object that has the virus on it and then touching their own mouth, nose, or possibly their eyes.

Typically, with most respiratory viruses, people are thought to be most contagious when they are most symptomatic (the sickest).

Symptoms

For confirmed COVID-19 infections, reported illnesses have ranged from people with little to no symptoms to people being severely ill and dying. Symptoms can include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath

CDC believes at this time that symptoms of COVID-19 may appear in as few as 2 days or as long as 14 after exposure.

Prevention & Treatment

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19 infection. The best way to prevent infection is to avoid being exposed to this virus. However, as a reminder, CDC always recommends everyday preventive actions to help prevent the spread of respiratory viruses, including:

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Follow CDC’s recommendations for using facemask.
  • CDC recommends that people wear masks in public and when around people who don’t live in your household.
  • Masks should NOT be worn by children under age 2 or anyone who has trouble breathing, is unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise unable to remove the mask without assistance.
  • Do NOT use a mask meant for a healthcare worker. Currently, surgical masks and N95 respirators are critical supplies that should be reserved for healthcare workers and other first responders.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• If soap and water are not readily available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Always wash hands with soap and water if hands are visibly dirty.

There is no specific antiviral treatment recommended for COVID-19 infection. People infected with COVID-19 should receive supportive care to help relieve symptoms.

People who think they may have been exposed to COVID-19 should contact your healthcare provider immediately.