LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — With more Kentuckians at least partially vaccinated for COVID-19, fewer people are being hospitalized. Monday we tried to find out some statewide numbers; how many active COVID patients in the hospital were vaccinated versus unvaccinated.
A spokesperson with the Cabinet for Health and Family Services said that information is not being tracked.
We checked with Dr. Mark Dougherty, a Lexington infectious disease specialist, to get an idea of what he's seeing at three Lexington hospitals. He told us almost all of his active COVID patients were unvaccinated. He said he has seen very few vaccinated ones get the virus.
"I'd say maybe one percent of the patients we've seen fully vaccinated or less than one percent," said Dougherty who is an epidemiologist at Baptist Health Lexington. "We're seeing a dramatic decline."
In December of 2020 at its peak, Dougherty says Baptist Health Lexington had 97 active covid patients. As of today, there are six in the hospital.
"Very few patients are the elderly now the average age is 40s and 50s," said Dougherty..
It's a downward trend he hopes will continue if more people get fully vaccinated.
"The thing that's sad to me now is the vast majority of patients ill the past couple of months are unvaccinated they're what I consider preventable illnesses."
