July 23, 2021
A one-minute long update with leading daily news stories from Kentucky, airing before and after PBS NewsHour.
How the opioids settlement will impact communities affected by addiction
After more than two years of negotiations, a number of states agreed to a $26 billion settlement with three large drug distributors and Johnson & Johnson for their roles in the opioids epidemic. Half a million deaths over two decades are attributed to opioids and fatal overdoses. William Brangham discusses the settlement with Connecticut Attorney General William Tong, who worked on this agreement.
News of the Week: July 16, 2021
Bill Bryant and journalists discuss the week's news, including a continuing rise in COVID-19 cases in the state and the latest on Kentucky's economy and unemployment numbers. Guests: Alex Acquisto, Lexington Herald-Leader; Chris Otts, WDRB in Louisville; and Morgan Watkins, Louisville Courier Journal.
Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack
Renee Shaw talks with Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, about the increase in COVID-19 cases, vaccines, variants and if a change in mitigation recommendations is on the horizon.
Four COVID-era habits that people aren’t ready to lose
PBS NewsHour's Laura Santhanam discusses four habits Americans picked up during the COVID-19 pandemic that may become part of daily life once cases are finally under control: parents wearing masks until their children are vaccinated; daily exercise and cooking meals at home; telemedicine; and working remotely.
As U.S. states and cities hit vaccine goals, deep disparities persist
Isabella Isaacs-Thomas examines the variation in COVID-19 vaccine distribution rates in communities and regions across the U.S., as the nation inches toward the Biden Administration's goal of having 70 percent of adults receive at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.
Five charts that show where we are in the pandemic
After 18 months that left an estimated 600,000 Americans dead and sickened millions more, the coronavirus pandemic feels like it’s loosening its hold on the United States. Laura Santhanam of PBS NewsHour presents five different series of data that offer a snapshot about how the nation is recovering and what work is left to be done.
Psychologist Julie Cerel
Renee Shaw and psychologist Julie Cerel, Ph.D., a professor in the University of Kentucky College of Social Work, discuss grief and mental health challenges from the COVID-19 pandemic.
This chart shows how COVID cases have plummeted as more people get vaccinated
Isabella Isaacs-Thomas of PBS NewsHour examines the dramatic decline in COVID-19 cases in May and June, recently hitting their lowest numbers since March of 2020. As of June 3, cases were down 94 percent from their peak, in January of this year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Kentucky’s Rebound from COVID-19
Renee Shaw and guests discuss the impact of COVID-19 on Kentucky's public health and economy and reflect on lessons learned as the state prepares to fully re-open. Guests include: State Sen. Ralph Alvarado (R-Winchester); State Sen. Reginald Thomas (D-Lexington); Ashley Montgomery-Yates, MD, UK Healthcare; and William Paul McKinney, MD, UofL School of Public Health and Information Sciences.