The recently approved Moderna coronavirus vaccine has arrived in Kentucky as the escalation of new cases in the commonwealth continues to slow.
Governor Andy Beshear says the Moderna vaccine could be administered to Kentucky frontline healthcare workers as soon as Monday.
The governor announced 1,765 new cases Sunday, fewer than the amounts from the last two Sundays. About 1,607 Kentuckians are in a hospital with the virus, 403 are in the ICU, 226 are on a ventilator and the state’s positivity rate is up slightly to 8.73 percent.
Governor Beshear again urged caution this Christmas week, asking Kentuckians to not have large gatherings for the holiday.
The state also announced 26 more deaths Sunday, including a 96-year old Calloway County woman, a 94-year old woman and a 92-year old man from Hopkins County and a 95-year old woman from Muhlenberg County. Kentucky’s pandemic death toll now stands at 2,397.
Meanwhile, Tennessee announced 6,347 new cases from Saturday and 9,689 from Sunday, in addition to 111 total deaths from the two days. Approximately 2,789 Tennesseans are in a hospital and the Volunteer State has a positivity rate of 17 percent.