A resolute Judge-Executive Kevin Henderson hosted a coronavirus (COVID-19) briefing Monday afternoon at the Grayson County Government Building Annex to update residents on coronavirus numbers in the county and to emphatically squash rumors and gossip regarding the county’s 52-year-old male who has tested positive for the virus.
Henderson said so far in Grayson County, 126 people have been tested for COVID-19, with five people diagnosed positive for the virus (two people have recovered). One-hundred-five tests came back negative and 16 test results are pending.
Josh Embry, Executive Director of the Grayson County Health Department, informed citizens of the procedures regarding testing after the health department and county government received “probably 200 to 300 complaints over the Easter weekend over these positive cases.”
Embry said the health department conducts testing, but not all the testing in the county, as some tests are performed at Twin Lakes Regional Medical Center, urgent care facilities and testing centers.
When a test is initiated by a personal care physician or another healthcare entity, Embry said the health department is supposed to be informed that a test has been done. But he said he could not guarantee that was being done 100 percent of the time.
Embry said people who undergo a COVID-19 test are strongly encouraged to self-quarantine (stay home) until the test result is returned. But, at this time, there has been no executive order issued from Gov. Andy Beshear mandating someone waiting on a test result to stay home.
If someone tests positive, they are given an isolation order, signed by Embry (who represents the state on the matter), saying that person cannot leave their home. If there are accusations that someone who tested positive is not staying home and self-quarantining, the health department, in cooperation with law enforcement, investigates the claims to determine whether the accusations are accurate.
Embry stressed that if someone calls the health department to report someone not in compliance, investigators are interested in what the caller witnessed, not something someone told the caller occurred.
Needlessly busy weekend squashing rumors
“The Leitchfield Police Department, the sheriff’s office and health department … Just about every law enforcement agency in the county was busy squashing rumors (over the weekend) that were brought to our attention,” Henderson said.
“The 52-year-old male … there’s been so many rumors going on, particularly on Facebook … and the calls we received … quite honestly folks, we have been receiving calls; people saying they had seen this patient inside Walmart and inside retail businesses all over the county, quite frankly,” Henderson said.
Local law enforcement and County Attorney Jeremy Logsdon reviewed surveillance videos Saturday night and Sunday of every complaint they received and “all were false,” Henderson strongly noted. The patient was diagnosed COVID-19 positive Saturday morning, and has not been to any businesses since then.
Henderson pleaded with the keyboard warriors who are bashing the county’s leadership on social media based on unfounded rumor mongering to “please don’t beat up on our health department, please don’t beat up on our hospital, these folks are doing all they can possibly do. It’s not their fault. They are following the exact same guidelines that are sent down to us from Frankfort from the governor, and we’re trying to do the best we can. You can throw the arrows at me, I’ll take it, I’m the one who decided to run for judge-executive … Quite honestly, we’ve never, ever been in a place like this before.
“And I’ll be honest with you” the judge continued, “I think we’re doing a very good job here in the county. I salute the health department and the healthcare providers and every other essential worker who has to be out in this thing. We have followed up on every call. We’ve had people who said they saw the person out but it’s turned out to be a false report.”
“Witnesses” have even refused to sign the required affidavit swearing that they saw the person out and about “because it’s third person information,” Henderson said.
“We have talked to the 52-year-old male patient,” Henderson stated. “We have his car keys in our possession (which he gave up willingly). We are doing everything we can possibly do. That patient has cooperated with us 100 percent. Quite honestly, I feel sorry for him, because they’ve received a lot of threats … just a lot of bad things happening to them right now. If you want to do something for him, pray for him. Reach out to him and make sure he’s doing well. Some of your statements are pretty harsh … we’re better than that.”
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
