Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear was back with his daily briefings Monday following the Thanksgiving holiday, and he reported 2,124 new cases of COVID-19.
That brings the overall total up to 179,041 in the Commonwealth, and the positivity rate increased once again to above nine percent at 9.42. Governor Beshear says this past week was on track to be the largest increase yet, but the holiday slowed down reporting—either way, the proof is evident that the latest escalation continues.
The White House is recommending that if you travelled for Thanksgiving to go get tested and until the results come in, acts as if you have been exposed to the virus. The governor says they are worried there could be a significant increase in cases in the coming weeks due to the holiday.
Twelve more Kentuckians have died, including 74-year old and 86-year old women from Caldwell County, bringing the overall total up to 1,908.
Two different vaccines are showing above 90 percent effectiveness in preventing COVID-19 in their trials, and the companies who created them are pushing to get them processed quickly and distributed. Governor Beshear says if the numbers hold true, these vaccines could totally turn the pandemic around, and it’s possible the vaccines could start heading out in mid-December.
He says the first shipment will hold 38,025 vaccines, and they will go towards long-term care residents and staff, and to frontline COVID-19 healthcare workers, and then eventually to citizens who are considered high risk. The state is also set to receive around 77,000 vaccines in a second shipment in late December.