Simon Elfrink
Staff Writer
Gov. Andy Beshear appeared before the press on Monday, July 27 with new state restrictions and guidelines to combat the rising number of cases of COVID-19 in the state of Kentucky.
“At a time when Kentucky is dealing with a surge in the coronavirus, knowing where other states have gone and knowing what it takes to stop it from happening here, let’s remember that we’re going to get through this,” Beshear said. “We’re going to get through this together, but it’s going to require us to do what’s necessary,”
The Governor assured those gathered that the state government has been working closely with federal administration to remedy the situation, promising Kentucky residents that the state will not fall so far into ruin in the wake of the virus as many of the coastal states have.
Beshear and his administration released some additional restrictions across the state that will without question impact the socio-economic status of the state.
The most immediate change is a temporary closure of bars across the state. The Governor admitted this would be difficult for residents, but insisted on a two-week closure effective Tuesday, July 28.
“Let me say, there are a lot of really responsible bar owners out there, and I hate requiring this for them,” Beshear said. “They are paying for the actions of others, and it’s not fair, but this virus isn’t fair either.”
An additional restriction falls on restaurants, which will only be allowed 25% indoor capacity, with outdoor seating limited to accommodate social distancing standards.
“On restaurants, they can do unlimited outdoor seating as long as they can sufficiently spread guests out under social distancing guidelines,” Beshear said. “We are going to work with our cities and localities to do what we need to do administratively to allow that outside seating to expand.”
The last large change in the agenda details a request to public and private schools to avoid in-person instruction until the third week of August.
Joining Beshear at the press conference was Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health. Stack made it clear that the way things progress regarding COVID-19 in Kentucky will depend on the residents.
“This is not outside of our control,” Stack said. “Our actions can have a positive impact. One point I want to emphasize is that it’s not politics if you have President Trump and Governor Beshear making the same recommendations. It’s not politics. This is science. If we work together through this, we can succeed,”
The number of positive cases of COVID-19 in Kentucky totals 27,601, with 522 of those cases being added on Monday, July 27. 709 Kentucky residents have died from the virus, with nine new deaths tallied on Monday.
“I don’t want to be a state where casket-makers are running out of their caskets, that they’re loaded into 18-wheelers to come to us” Beshear said. “I don’t want to be a state that has to order one of these freezer trucks because their morgues run out of space. I don’t want to be a state that runs out of ICU beds and one of your loved ones doesn’t have space. I don’t want to be a state where a doctor has to look at 10 young people, knowing they have three ventilators, and possibly make a decision on who lives and who dies. By taking action right now, we can keep all of that from happening.”
Beshear and his administration hope citizens can take solitude in the positive and recovering rates of COVID-19. The current positive testing rate in Kentucky is a manageable 5.58%, and a minimum of 7,466 Kentuckians have recovered from COVID-19.
