The first Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines were administered Monday morning in Kentucky at University of Louisville Hospital and the governor and medical officials say it’s the beginning of the end of this pandemic.
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Jason Smith was the first Kentuckian to receive the vaccination and says he’s fully confident it’s safe.
For anyone who has reservations about taking the vaccine as it becomes available to a wider population, Dr. Smith urges them to think about their role to protect those they love.
Three Kentucky hospitals, UofL Hospital, Baptist Health Lexington and the Medical Center at Bowling Green, each received 975 doses Monday morning and began their vaccination plans. A total of 11 hospitals, including Baptist Health in Madisonville, were set to receive doses in the first shipment.
Governor Andy Beshear called it a historic day that will pave the way to the end of the pandemic.
An additional 23,350 are being delivered to CVS and Walgreens, destined for long-term care facilities in the commonwealth. The governor says the data continues to show a decrease in the COVID-19 escalation, saying the last week was the first time in several months they saw a decline in overall new cases. He reported 1,802 new cases Monday, the positivity rate is at 8.58 percent and 17 more Kentuckians have died due to COVID-19.
Governor Beshear announced that starting January 4, counties listed as ‘red’ on the state incidence rate map will be able to have in-person learning in schools, with new recommendations saying an ‘aggressive hybrid model’ should be implemented.
The Department of Public Health is recommending schools delay bringing students back in-person until January 11, but that is not a mandate. It also calls on schools to provide healthy virtual learning options for families and teachers who want or need that choice.