Beshear sets goal of 2.5 million vaccinated to lift capacity restrictions on bars, restaurants

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday he plans to remove capacity restrictions on nearly all venues, events and businesses that cater to 1,000 or fewer patrons once 2.5 million Kentuckians get their first vaccines against COVID-19.

Once that goal is reached, Beshear said, “We will remove the physical distancing restrictions and the curfew we have on bars and restaurants.”

Beshear announced his “Team Kentucky Vaccination Challenge” while opening the state’s largest vaccine site at University of Louisville’s Cardinal Stadium. The drive-through site is equipped to administer up to 4,000 shots a day and hopes to vaccinate 200,000 people over the next seven weeks.

In what he called “a pretty big announcement,” Beshear said all Kentuckians should be motivated to get the vaccine.

“If you are a restaurant, a bar, a store, a public pool, a country club, a grocery, a funeral home, a wedding venue, a concert hall, a museum, if you put on festivals, if you are a distillery, this is what you have been waiting for —a clear number and a clear goal to hit,” said Beshear.

He encouraged the businesses to make sure all their staff get the shots.

Even with the easing of the restrictions, Beshear said, Kentuckians still will have to wear masks until there is more control of the virus. He also said he will address larger venues later.

As of today, Kentucky is about 900,000 short of reaching the goal of 2.5 million vaccinated. More than 1.55 million Kentuckians have received their “first shot of hope,” said the governor.

With the current supply of the vaccine, Beshear said Kentucky could reach the 2.5 million goal in 3 1/2 weeks, but said it most likely will be between four and six weeks.

Debbie Long, owner of Dudley’s on Short restaurant in downtown Lexington, said, “If they lift everything, then we can go about our business, and if customers are not comfortable with that they don’t have to go out. We’ve shown we can be very responsible and respectful of the regulations.

“Now it’s time for us to move forward. ... Let’s get everybody vaccinated.”

Stacy Roof, president and CEO of the Kentucky Restaurant Association, said Beshear’s announcement is “a good start” but what really is needed is better communication.

“We’ve been asking for metrics for a long time for when we are going to reopen. We’ve never really had a timeline, or know what data they are using internally,” Roof said. “There’s still a big need to collaborate between restaurants and the governor’s office to ensure we have the right labor force in place. A few weeks either way can make a big difference.”

Restaurants need to be able to tell new hires exactly when they can start and that they won’t be lose their jobs again, she said.

Steve McClain, a spokesman for the Kentucky Retail Federation, said,”We are glad to see a metric at this time to aim for. When the state reaches that goal, we want to be sure guidelines are clear so we can open safely so we don’t have to do this again.”

“We are very, very excited with this news,” said Sidney Fogle, executive director of the Frankfort-based Funeral Directors Association of Kentucky. It represents more than 500 firms in the state.

Fogle, who gets his second COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday, said most funeral homes in the state now operate at 65 percent capacity with 6-foot social distancing and masks.

“Easing of the restrictions will definitely help us,” he said. “We certainly urge all to get their shots.”

Beshear praised the opening of the large Louisville vaccination site, calling it “a pivotal moment in our battle against COVID-19. U of L Health is a partner in the site.

“We are so happy, grateful and honored to work with the state, the city and this community to open the largest vaccination site in the commonwealth,” said University of Louisville President Neeli Bendapudi. “I’d like to thank Gov. Beshear for his leadership that has been steadfast, rational and effective and has set up Kentucky as a national standard in addressing the pandemic.”

The vaccinations are key to winning the fight against COVID-19, which has already taken the lives of more than 6,200 Kentuckians, said Bendapudi.

The Cardinal Stadium site, off I-64 and I-264 at 3134 S. Floyd St., has about 100 health care workers, volunteers and Kentucky National Guard members. It was chosen because of its proximity to under-served areas of the community. It has 28 lanes and accepts people who walk or drive up without an appointment.

State guidelines now allow COVID-19 vaccination of everyone ages 16 or older.

“Our goal is to not turn anyone away. While appointments are encouraged because they’ll make the process quicker for the patient, we will accommodate anyone 16 or older who shows up and wants to receive the vaccine. The vaccines have proven to be safe and effective and the more people who are vaccinated, the better,” said Dr. Jason Smith, chief medical officer at UofL Health.

Appointments are available online at www.uoflhealth.org or by calling 502-681-1435. The site will be closed Thursday, April 29, through Saturday, May 1, because of Kentucky Derby events and will be closed Saturday, May 8, for University of Louisville graduation ceremonies.

This is the latest partnership between UofL Health and the Beshear administration for vacciantions. Other partnerships include pop-up vaccination events with dozens of local churches, such as the vaccination of about 2,500 Kentuckians March 27 at the Kentucky Center for African American Heritage.

To see all vaccination sites in the state and free transportation options to and from vaccination appointments, visit vaccine.ky.gov. To see a list of vaccination sites that have openings this week, visit vaccinemap.ky.gov. If Kentuckians have questions, they should call the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline, 855-598-2246 or TTY 855-326-4654 (for deaf or hard-of-hearing Kentuckians).