Christian Fiscal Court gave unanimous approval Tuesday morning to a health department initiative that includes a needle exchange and magistrates heard an update on COVID-19 locally.
Public Health Director Kayla Bebout noted testing at the Tie Breaker Park site has been up drastically in recent weeks and the positivity rate is also on the rise.
She says they are beginning to see more positive cases who have stomach-related symptoms and asymptomatic individuals coming home from vacation.
Magistrates ratified the HARM reduction program recently approved by the Board of Health. A needle exchange is part of the initiative and would allow a drug user to take used needles to a predetermined location to exchange them for clean replacements. The objective is to prevent the reuse of needles and to slow the spread of infectious disease.
Squire Philip Peterson said he was initially against the measure, fearing it would enable addicts, but says he learned about the counseling participants will have to undergo and that the program can be used for prescribed medications if an individual is having to reuse needles.
The HARM program now must be approved by Hopkinsville City Council to become a reality in Christian County.
Magistrate Darrell Gustafson announced the new Holiday Inn in front of the Bruce Convention Center will have its soft opening Wednesday and there will be an official ribbon-cutting on a future date.