Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear announced new measures to slow the spread of COVID-19 in the state while reporting 2,753 new cases Wednesday.
The governor says the number of hospitalizations have spiked, resulting in serious taxing of hospital capacity and overwhelming of healthcare providers and first responders. He says that the information coming out about the effectiveness of vaccines is excellent, but it’s everyone’s job to do what they can until everyone can get one.
The total of cases in the state is up to 144,753 and the positivity rate increased once again to 9.13 percent—a number the governor says is alarming. The governor says he’s not admitting defeat to the virus and set down new restrictions, including limiting private gatherings down to eight people or less, limiting venue event capacity down to 25 people, and bars and restaurants will be closing to indoor seating starting at 5 p.m. Friday.
The governor issued restrictions for schools, calling on all schools to cease in-person instruction starting November 23, with middle and high schools to remain virtual until January 4, and elementary schools able to resume in-person on December 7, as long as their county is not ‘red’.
He urges that this is not a shutdown of the economy, and the steps are designed to last from three to six weeks. Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack says these are hard steps to take, but the time to do so is now.
Chief of Staff La Tasha Buckner says they will be rolling out the Food and Beverage Relief Fund, approximately $40 million, to help those bars and restaurants across the state that will impacted by these restrictions.
Gyms and fitness centers will be limited to 33 percent capacity and masks will now be required at all times inside, and group classes are prohibited. He’s also urging for office spaces and similar businesses to close to the public if possible, and let employees work from home if they can.
Fifteen more Kentuckians have died, including a 15-year old from Ballard County and a 75-year old man from Caldwell County, and puts the overall death toll up to 1,712.