In bipartisan show of support, Beshear and KY Republican leaders get COVID-19 vaccine
Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear and the top two leaders of the state legislature — both Republicans —publicly got their initial COVID-19 vaccines Tuesday morning in an effort to show bipartisan support for the shots.
Beshear’s Facebook page showed live his inoculation of the Moderna vaccine along with those for Senate President Robert Stivers of Manchester and David Osborne of Prospect.
Also getting their shots were First Lady Britainy Beshear, Kentucky Supreme Court Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr., Beshear cabinet secretary J. Michael Brown and Dr. Steven Stack, state public health commissioner. Beshear said Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman and some other state officials will get their shots Wednesday.
Tuesday’s shots in the Capitol Rotunda were administered by registered nurse Michelle Searcy, school health supervisor with the Franklin County Health Department. Amy Cubellis, a registered nurse and school health nurse in the county health department, administered the vaccine to Searcy.
The vaccinations follow the first in Kentucky on Dec. 14, when the first round of hospitals began receiving and administering 38,000 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine to front-line health care workers.
On Monday, long-term care facility residents and staff began receiving the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine through drugstore chains Walgreens and CVS, which have an agreement with the federal government.
This week, about 80 regional hospitals and more than 90 local health departments are receiving more than 70,000 doses of the Moderna vaccine to inoculate more health care workers.
Beshear said he was “grateful” for the vaccine and the willingness of the other leaders to support it. He said his children, Will, 11, and Lila, 10, will be vaccinated when it is approved for children.
“I would not risk my life or the life of my family, which I love more than life itself, if I didn’t believe this vaccine was safe and highly effective,” Beshear said. “These vaccines are a gift and our best vehicle to end this evil pandemic, allow our children and educators to safely return to school and reignite our economy.”
Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, recommended during a call Monday with governors that all governors be vaccinated in public as soon as possible.
“The arrival of the COVID-19 vaccine signals an optimistic turning point in our fight against the virus,” said Stivers. “This bipartisan group of leaders chose to take the vaccine together to send a message that the vaccine is safe and it is crucial for the health and welfare of the commonwealth. The importance of taking the vaccine cannot be overstated, because you are protecting yourself and your fellow Kentuckians. I encourage everyone who is able to get vaccinated when the opportunity arises.
Osborne said, ”This vaccine is a turning point in efforts to stop the spread of this virus as well as an example of what can be done when nations identify a common enemy and work to defeat it.
“As health care workers and medical providers line up to receive theirs, Kentuckians should begin talking to their physicians about their plans to take the vaccine. We are here today because as leaders of all three branches of state government, we know there are those who question whether or not the vaccine is right for them. While it is a personal choice, we have full faith in its safety and supportive of the state’s work to make it available.”
The House speaker credited the vaccine to President Trump’s investment in Operation Warp Speed and more than two decades of scientific study.
“The President’s investment in Operation Warp Speed made today possible, as did more than two decades of scientific study.
Minton said he appreciated Beshear’s request for the heads of the three branches of government to be vaccinate
“I recognize this is a privilege most Americans don’t yet have, but Dr. Steven Stack and the Centers for Disease Control recommended that we get the vaccine to ensure the continuity of state government. I’ve already begun advocating for our judges, circuit clerks and deputy clerks to get the vaccine as soon as they’re eligible based on the federal distribution schedule.”
Beshear emphasized that it is critical to get a booster for the vaccine in about three weeks.
He said getting the shot was easier than getting tested for the virus that has been related to more than 2,400 deaths in the state.
The governor encouraged other community leaders, including those in elected office, business executives and faith leaders, to take the vaccine when it is their turn.
Until more people are vaccinated, he said, Kentuckians must continue to take precautions to slow the spread of the virus by practicing social distancing, wearing masks, washing hands, limiting travel and staying in small groups.
This story was originally published December 22, 2020 at 12:53 PM.
