Lincoln Trail: Two new cases in Marion; resources available to help unemployed
NC GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
STAFF REPORT
Saturday, March 4, 2020 — Two new Coronavirus cases were reported Saturday in neighboring Marion County, bringing that counties total number of cases to five.
No new cases have been reported in Nelson County since a fourth case was reported last Wednesday, April 1st.
A total of 25 cases have been reported in the Lincoln Trail District Health Department, according to press release issued Saturday — with 10 cases in Hardin County, five in Marion, four in Nelson, and two in LaRue, Meade and Washington counties.
COMMUNITY IMPACT AND UNEMPLOYMENT. If you are no longer working because of the Coronavirus, you are urged to apply for state unemployment benefits — even if you were denied benefits in the past because some restrictions have been removed because of the emergency nature of the pandemic.
Visit kcc.ky.gov for more information.
WIC BENEFITS. WIC services operate out of each Lincoln Trail District Health Department health center. You are not required to enroll in person. All services are provided over the phone. Contact your local health center for more information.
SNAP & KTAP. SNAP and KTAP reporting requirements have been suspended for the duration, and all benefits have been automatically extended for 90 days. Those seeking to apply for SNAP should visit https://benefind.ky.gov or call the DCBS Family Support Call Center at 1-855-306-8959.
MEDICAID. The Medicaid and Health Benefit Exchange online application is located at https://benefind.ky.gov. If you need assistance completing your application, a local Application Assister can be reached at https://kyhbe.ky.gov/General/AgentOrAssister or call the DCBS Hotline at 1-855-306-8959.
FREE MEALS FOR KIDS. Local school districts are offering free meal services. Visit your local school’s website for details on times and locations.
FEEDING AMERICA. For questions concerning Feeding America, call the main office number at 270-769-6997. The office is staffed weekdays from 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. You may have to leave a message.
RENT, UTILITY HELP. Community Action will assist with rent and utilities until funds are depleted. Call (502) 348-9596 for more information.
CONTINUE SOCIAL DISTANCING. In his 5 p.m. press conference Saturday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear emphasized the importance of continuing the practice of social distancing to limit the spread of the Coronavirus.
CDC RECOMMENDS FACE MASKS. On Friday the Centers for Disease Control changed its guidance on member of the public wearing face mask in public.
The CDC now recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other social distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies) especially in areas of significant community-based transmission.
It is critical to emphasize that maintaining 6-feet social distancing remains important to slowing the spread of the virus. CDC is additionally advising the use of simple cloth face coverings to slow the spread of the virus and help people who may have the virus and do not know it from transmitting it to others.
Masks fashioned from household items or made at home from common materials at low cost can be used as an additional, voluntary public health measure.
The CDC emphasized that they are not recommending the public wear surgical-type face masks or N-95 respirators; it is vitally important that those masks continue to be reserved for healthcare workers and first-responders.
A wide variety of do-it-yourself mask templates and guides are available online and on YouTube.com
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