Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear gave an update on COVID-19 in the state Monday, reporting 331 new cases and another week of declining numbers.
The positivity rate dropped once again, now at 4.06 percent, the lowest it has been in many months, and Governor Beshear says that Kentucky has seen lower case numbers for eight weeks in a row, exactly what they were wanting to see while they continue to distribute vaccines.
He says if things continue to decline, they can look at lifting even more of the remaining restrictions in the near future, though they want to be careful to not cause a spike by opening too quickly.
Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack says the CDC has issued new guidance for those who have been fully vaccinated, including that they can gather with others who have also been fully vaccinated without social distancing in place. Most importantly, he says the CDC is still asking everyone, vaccinated or otherwise, to continue to wear face masks in public places until everyone gets the shots.
Ten more Kentuckians have died due to COVID-19, including a woman from Logan County and a man from Muhlenberg County, putting that total at … since the pandemic began. Kentucky is rapidly approaching a million people being vaccinated, now at 834,130 people having received the first dose.
The Tennessee Department of Health reported 420 new cases there, along with nine new deaths—the positivity rate in the Volunteer State is now at 8.03 percent.