Kentucky, lone state to close chiropractic, will conditionally reopen offices on Monday

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear released information on a Phase I health care services reopening plan this week that includes chiropractic offices reopening on Monday, April 27, 2020, following closure at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in the U.S.

“Personally, I have never been to a chiropractor but constituents in my district (GE workers, cops, firefighters, nurses) are all pleading to have them open for emergency treatment,” wrote Rep. Kevin D. Bratcher, R-Louisville, who has pushed for chiropractic offices to reopen.

Kentucky was the lone state to close chiropractic offices after the U.S. government named them an essential service. Upwards of 1,000 chiropractors in Kentucky were impacted.

Dr. Nick Payne, executive director of Kentucky Association of Chiropractors with a part-time practice in Florence, said the closings of the offices are “unfortunate” speaking to Kentucky.com. “We have thorough education, training, licenses, experience and expertise to do our job in a safe manner with our patients.”

The phased, gradual reopening of Kentucky services for non-urgent health care services, according to kentucky.com, includes:

• health care clinics & medical offices
• physical therapy settings & chiropractic offices
• optometrists
• dental offices (with enhanced aerosol protections)

The governor’s reopening plan emphasizes telehealth over in-person care in all cases except for vulnerable populations when essential.

Traditional waiting room facilities will be eliminated and non-tradition alternatives followed:

• Six feet of social distance must be maintained at all times.
• All health care workers and patients must be screened for high temperature and COVID-19 symptoms upon arrival to the premises.
• A plan must be put into place for extra cleaning and sanitizing.
• A plan for enhanced hand washing & sanitizing.
• Each health care service must be able to supply proper amounts of PPE through normal supply methods.
• All health care workers and patients must wear surgical or procedural masks while in all health care settings.

To read more go to wcpo.com/news/coronavirus/ky-gov-andy-beshear-to-give-daily-covid-19-news-conference-for-thursday.

For the latest COVID-9 info for doctors of chiropractic, including upcoming webinars, updates, resources and articles from Chiropractic Economics, go to chiroeco.com/coronavirus-covid-19.