Kentucky’s COVID-19 vaccine program to get a supply boost of more than 20% next week
Gov. Andy Beshear announced 1,255 new cases of COVID-19 on Tuesday in Kentucky and 27 additional virus-related deaths, raising the state’s total number of confirmed cases to 390,762 and the death toll to 4,318.
The daily increase of new cases is the lowest on a Tuesday in more than a month, the governor said in a live update, reminding people, “we need to keep doing the right things even with vaccines out there.”
The statewide positivity rate is at 6.58 percent. Beshear said it was “fairly stable but still decreasing a little bit at a time.”
Around the state, coronavirus metrics are improving, which Beshear directly attributed to the state’s “urgency” in rollout of the vaccine, and people’s decision to continue wearing masks. Still, as the tide of spread is slowly stemmed, cases of more contagious coronavirus variants are popping up. Beshear said the state has confirmed at least five cases of the variant originally circulating in the United Kingdom: one in Jefferson County and five in northern Kentucky.
There are 63 “red zone” counties, meaning spread of the virus is considered accelerated in only about half of the state. While that may seem high, Beshear said it’s a clear sign of progress, since for months in the fall and winter, the majority of the state was in the red, “week after week.”
Coronavirus-related hospitalizations also continue to steadily decline: 935 people are hospitalized with the virus (34 fewer than Monday), and of those, 272 are in intensive care (four more) and 133 are on a ventilator (one more). In long-term care facilities, there are seven new cases among residents and 13 among staff.
If these positive trends continue as the state forges ahead with immunizing more people each week, Beshear said he will permit the gradual relaxing of some restrictions, such as allowing more capacity inside businesses. He didn’t immediately offer specifics.
“We want to make sure that when we’re doing a good job, that people continue those practices but that we also recognize the good job that’s being done,” he said.
Vaccine supply increasing
At least 542,394 people across the state have received their first dose of either the Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, Beshear said. Last week, the state administered more doses than it got new, 68,475 received to 70,627 vaccinated. The state has received 71,675 doses for this week.
On a call with members of the White House’s coronavirus task force earlier on Tuesday, Beshear said the federal government vowed to increase the state’s weekly allocation of new doses by more than 20 percent next week. That means the state expects to get at least 87,860 doses every seven days.
“That is good news,” Beshear said. In addition, the federal pharmacy program that will funnel doses directly to select Walgreens and independent pharmacy locations, will soon add another 26,000 to the amount the state receives each week.
As of late Tuesday afternoon, the regional Kroger vaccination site in Frankfort is set to be open on Wednesday, and those regional sites in Lexington, Covington and Bowling Green will reopen on Thursday after being closed by a winter storm, Beshear said, adding, “we’re going to do everything in our power to keep our regional sites open these next few days.”
‘1C is coming, and it’s coming soon’
The state is still working to finish immunizing people in priority group 1B: those age 70 and older, first responders and K-12 personnel. On Monday, Beshear also announced that childcare workers now qualify for a vaccine dose in 1B.
State officials have still not yet set a date for when more vaccination centers will shift to inoculating those in priority group 1C, which includes essential workers, anyone age 60 and older, and people over age 16 with certain health conditions. On Tuesday, Beshear said only that “1C is coming, and it’s coming soon.”
State offices were closed on Tuesday as Kentuckians dig out from what one winter storm left behind this week and prepare for a second one forecast for Wednesday, which will bring more snow and single-digit temperatures. Hazardous driving conditions are expected to continue, and state officials have warned people to avoid traveling unless absolutely necessary.
As a result, the state legislature won’t meet for the rest of the week. It plans to make up those days on Feb. 22, March 1 and March 12. The last day of the session remains March 30.
This story was originally published February 16, 2021 at 4:32 PM.
