161 new Kentucky coronavirus cases and 6 more deaths. Medical re-opening explained.
Kentucky has 161 new cases of the novel coronavirus, for a total of at least 3,481, though Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday the state’s infection rate appears to be relatively steady.
Though there are still more confirmed cases and new deaths announced each day, “today’s numbers are better news than we had yesterday,” Beshear said.
Six more Kentuckians, ages 62 to 93, have died from virus-related complications, Beshear said. They included residents from Muhlenberg, Jefferson, Henderson, Adair and Kenton counties. The death toll is now 191.
Of Thursday’s new cases, five were in Fayette County, 75 were in Jefferson County, and in long-term care facilities, which continue to be devastated by the virus, there are 32 new cases among residents and 27 among staff, Beshear said. Nine more residents have died, increasing total COVID-19 deaths at nursing homes to 86.
There are 302 Kentuckians currently hospitalized with the virus, 163 in intensive care, and 1,335 have recovered.
As the state’s number of new cases continues to plateau, Beshear is moving forward with his plans to reopen the economy, bit by bit. Beginning on Monday, April 27, non-urgent and emergent health care services will start up again, Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack said. That includes health care clinics and medical offices, physical therapy and chiropractic offices, optometrists and potentially dental offices.
Enhanced safety and social distancing measures will be baked into each of these facility’s re-openings. For example, all health care providers, staff and patients “must” wear surgical masks while in a facility or office, Stack said. In settings where providers have direct physical contact with patients, such as dentists, physical therapists and chiropractors, those workers must wear gloves.
Some medical workers are at a higher risk of breathing in germs from patients, including dentists, oral surgeons, anesthesiologists, and those in pulmonary services. Stack asked for their input on other safety precautions the state should require, such as wearing N95 masks.
“None of us wants to reopen our economy in a way that sets us back,” the governor said. “Your business cannot look the same when you are able to gradually restart, than it did before.”
Stack reaffirmed that point: “This is intended to be a phased, gradual reopening,” so it can be done “thoughtfully and safely,” he said. And even though in-person services will be reopening, throughout all phases of this process, “we want ... telehealth maximized,” Stack said.
Number of Kentuckians tested up by 6,769
The state continues to make piecemeal progress in its testing capacity with help from commercial labs and retailers like Kroger and Walgreens. Over the last few days, calling it a “significant increase,” nearly 7,000 tests have been administered, Beshear said, for a total of 42,844 tests. Almost 1 percent of the state’s population has now been tested.
On Wednesday, Beshear said anyone wanting a test can get one at any of the temporary drive-up testing sites operated by Kroger. More than 2,600 tests have been administered over the last three days at sites operated by Kroger in Pikeville, Madisonville, Somerset and Paducah, Beshear said.
On Monday, Kroger will open drive-up testing sites where anyone can get tested in Lexington and Louisville. Sites in Owensboro and Bowling Green will open Tuesday. Anyone can register for free at krogerhealth.com/covidtesting. In Lexington, the site where anyone can get tested will be at Bluegrass Community and Technical College on Newtown Pike for two weeks, starting Monday, from 8:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Starting this Friday at the Walgreens at 2296 Executive Drive in Lexington, anyone with COVID-19 symptoms, or any health care worker or first responder can also get tested for free. The tests will be offered for the next 14 consecutive days, or until the testing kits run out, Mayor Linda Gorton said. Registration begins Friday morning at walgreens.com/coronavirus.
Beshear responds to McConnell bankruptcy comment
Responding to a reporter’s question, Beshear was critical of U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s suggestion earlier this week that some states should consider filing for bankruptcy instead of depending on federal aid to bail them out of deep revenue shortfalls caused by the COVID-19 shutdown.
“I would certainly be in favor of allowing states to use the bankruptcy route. It saves some cities,” McConnell told radio host Hugh Hewitt. “And there’s no good reason for it not to be available. My guess is their first choice would be for the federal government to borrow money from future generations to send it down to them now so they don’t have to do that. That’s not something I’m going to be in favor of.”
The governor on Thursday said he talked last week to McConnell and urged a financial relief package for cities and states, warning that not having that support would make a recession far worse.
“It will cripple our efforts to rebuild if we don’t see a relief package, not just for states, but for cities and counties,” Beshear said.
Visit Kentucky’s coronavirus website, kycovid19.ky.gov, for more guidance about the disease.
This story was originally published April 23, 2020 at 6:10 PM.
