As COVID-19 cases plateau, Beshear seeks to quicken the pace of vaccinations

As the rate of new COVID-19 cases in Kentucky continues to plateau, Gov. Andy Beshear announced 270 new cases of the virus on Monday and seven more virus-related deaths from February and December.

“We have to accelerate our pace of vaccinations,” the governor said in a late afternoon press conference.

Last week brought the highest statewide positivity rate in more than a month, Beshear said. On Monday, it was 3.16 percent — the highest since March 19.

Likewise, the number of coronavirus hospitalizations is at a plateau. On Monday, there were 380 people hospitalized with COVID-19, 104 in intensive care and 54 people on a ventilator.

Though coronavirus metrics are no longer declining across the board, vaccination capacity continues to grow week over week. Earlier on Monday, at the opening of the state’s largest vaccination site inside Louisville’s Cardinal Stadium, Beshear provided Kentucky businesses with a road map that leads to a true return to normalcy: once 2.5 million Kentuckians get their first dose of a vaccine, Beshear will rescind capacity restrictions for “nearly all venues, events and businesses that cater to 1,000 or fewer patrons.”

Additionally, this threshold will mean an end to physical distancing restrictions and curfews on bars and restaurants currently in place to prevent further spread of coronavirus. Masks will still be required.

“This ought to be exciting,” he said, encouraging all business owners to “make sure your entire staff has been vaccinated. We have to try everything to reach this point as quickly as possible.”

So far, at least 1,558,463 million people have gotten their first shot, leaving close to 900,000 people left to be immunized in order to reach that 2.5 million mark, which accounts for 56 percent of the statewide population. Until vaccines are approved for kids and teenagers under age 16, “we can’t hit a much higher number.”

Even though it won’t carry the state to herd immunity, inoculating 56 percent of the population, “as long as we continue to wear masks, is a good number where we can relax,” the governor said.

It’s an objective that’s achievable by the end of May, Beshear said, but it’ll depend on how many people sign up. Unlike earlier this year, when demand for a vaccine far outpaced supply, supply now outpaces demand.

The pace of vaccinations waned somewhat last week — the state received about 214,000 new doses and only vaccinated 125,510 — and supply will continue to grow. This week, Kentucky is slated to get 278,810 doses from the federal government. Combining leftover doses from last week with the new doses arriving this week, the commonwealth will have more than 500,000 available doses on hand.

Beshear said this lag is more the result of those who are generally vaccine indifferent, not averse. “I don’t think we’re to the hesitant or those that are going to say, ‘No,’ he said. “I think we’re to the indifferent stage.”

Beshear singled out low vaccination rates among younger adults, pleading with them to sign up this week. Fewer than 45 percent of people ages 50 to 59 in Kentucky and just 35 percent of people between the ages of 40 to 49 have gotten a vaccine.

“Come on. It’s time, if you’re in those age groups, to sign up.”

Already this week, there are close to 18,000 openings for doses in Lexington, Louisville, Corbin, Bowling Green and La Grange. For more information visit vaccine.ky.gov.

People housed in Kentucky’s jails and prisons have not seen their loved ones in person for more than a year. That will soon end, Executive Cabinet Secretary J. Michael Brown said. Once more than 80 percent of inmates have gotten a vaccine, in-person visits can resume, but visitors must be fully immunized.

The state began vaccinating inmates a week ago, and by Monday, more than 68 percent of the total population had received a single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Upwards of 50 percent of correctional staff have elected to get a vaccine. There are 11 active inmate cases across all facilities, down from 628 on March 16.