Here’s what it will take for Kentucky to start to reopen. Beshear gives 7 benchmarks.
Gov. Andy Beshear Friday unveiled seven benchmarks Kentucky officials are using to determine when and how to reopen again, indicating it will be some time before some of the heaviest restrictions are lifted.
“I hope it does give you what we’re looking at, where we need to be,” Beshear said. “I hope we see the ability to start reopening in some very small ways leading up to May.”
Even when restrictions start to lift, Beshear said people will have to be prepared to quarantine for 14 days if they come into contact with someone who tested positive and to potentially shelter at home again if we see another surge in cases.
“Part of the new normal will be isolating for 14 days,” Beshear said.
All of the benchmarks would not have to be hit before some restrictions are loosened, but they would all have to be hit for things to start returning to normal.
The seven benchmarks are:
- The number and rate of new cases
- Increased testing capacity
- More personal protective equipment
- Ability to protect an at-risk population
- Ability to social distance
- Preparedness to deal with a possible future spike
- Status of vaccine and treatment
The most tangible of the benchmarks is the number of new cases. Based on advice from the White House, Beshear said we will have to see a decrease of new COVID-19 patients for 14 consecutive days before restrictions can start to let up.
If we see a decrease in cases for 14 days, have a decrease in patients being cared for outside of the normal healthcare system (right now there are none in Kentucky) and have robust testing for healthcare workers, the state would be able to start reopening in small ways, called “Phase one.”
That first phase of opening would still be seriously restricted, based on guidelines from the White House. Schools would remain closed, people still wouldn’t be able to gather in groups larger than 10, bars would not be able to open, gyms would only be able to open if there’s social distancing, large venues would only be open if there is social distancing and there would be no outside visits to senior living.
Businesses that are allowed to reopen would still face significant restrictions and would have to be able to check people’s temperature when they come in.
The other large factors standing in the way of Kentucky reopening are personal protective equipment and testing capacity. Kentucky still does not have the testing capacity of other states and in order for things to start reopening, there has to be “robust” testing for healthcare workers.
Kentucky has tested around 30,000 people so far, which is about 0.6 percent of the population.
“We’re at a major disadvantage, we don’t have a major national lab in our backyard,” Beshear said before talking about how Gravity Diagnostics, the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky have ramped up their ability to test.
Increased personal protective equipment is needed in order to allow the reopening of elective healthcare procedures. The state, just like states across the country, has had to compete for a limited supply of personal protective equipment.
“We have to keep the healthcare workers that are treating people safe,” said Dr. Steven Stack, the public health commissioner.
For businesses, the ability to social distance will be the biggest factor in their ability to reopen. Beshear said he will work with industries to figure out ways that they can reopen in a safe way. He said businesses will be able to reopen faster if they can comply with CDC guidelines.
There also needs to be the healthcare capacity to deal with a potential future spike.
The biggest key for things returning to normal would be a vaccine or a treatment for the virus. Stack said a vaccine likely won’t be available until 2021.
“I think that if there is not a vaccine this time next year, first of all, the world will be very different,” Beshear said.
This story was originally published April 17, 2020 at 6:37 PM.
