Kentucky coronavirus cases appearing to plateau

All right, good afternoon. It is 4:00 on Monday. Our update today is going to start with some good news and and then move into um concerns about where we are in covid and what we might see moving forward. But let's start with the fact that today is a pretty historic day as we speak, the president is speaking and then we'll be signing a bipartisan infrastructure bill, which is going to be transformational for this commonwealth. It will provide about $170 million dollars extra every year for the next five years in road and bridge construction and repair. It's gonna make the roadways that our kids travel on their way to school or church that we travel on the way to work safer and that's really important. It's gonna help us do major projects like the Brent Spence bridge and I hope it helps us speed up for lining the mountain parkway all the way to Preston's berg and getting that I 69 bridge built, it's gonna help us build the infrastructure for electric vehicles, another 600 plus million dollars in clean drinking water and sewer work. It's going to help us have the infrastructure that we need To ensure that an economy that is on fire doesn't just continue for three years. But the next 30 years. So an exciting day going on right now in Washington. Also exciting about how it happened, having people come together from both parties supporting something that isn't red or blue democrat or Republican safer roads and cleaner water are just good for every Kentucky and every american family and here in Kentucky, we continue to invest as well in important projects around the state. Today. We along with US Representative Hal Rogers announced $9.18 million in funds for economic development projects in 10 eastern Kentucky counties. When completed, these projects will help support local communities and spur economic growth in the counties of martin, Lecture, Floyd, Lesley Knox, not Owsley Boyd, pike and Perry Counties. The funding is through the abandoned mine land economic revitalization program. Congressman Rogers has championed this federal funding since 2016. We've seen over $140 million dollars flow into Kentucky. This cycle received more than 70 applications for funding. Uh and the projects selected include cold storage LLC, Receives $2.5 million Martin County, in which an underutilized existing spec building will be converted into a refrigerated commercial facility allowing apples to be stored up to a year after picking Cowan Community Action Group was awarded $1 million dollars to equip the farmer's market pavilion with cold storage commercial equipment and an office and stage and to expand the cow in food service kitchen as well as equip a food truck Appalachian regional healthcare was awarded $750,000 to equip the Highlands, a Rh medical center in Preston Zberg with a diagnostic ct scanner and mammogram equipment. We're gonna be able to provide better care to the people of that region. Leslie County fiscal Court awarded $1 million to expand the Leslie County recreational facility by constructing a camping complex. City of boonville was awarded $600,000 for constructions of cabins to allow overnight accommodations at Sag Hollow Golf Course, K. C. E. O. C. Community Action Partnership ordered $750,000 to purchase an existing building on 10 acres in Knox county for a diesel mechanic shop and a CDL test site. Both critically important types of workers in high demand. Now they're going to help us put people in that county and the surrounding areas to work. They're going to lease the facility to southern Kentucky Community and Technical College, which will operate it. The city of Ashland awarded $1 million dollars to engineer and design a parking garage and convention center in downtown Ashland, something that community has needed, pike County fiscal Court $700,000 to install 3000 ft of electric lines at the Wolfe Pit Industrial and Technology Park. We gotta get the infrastructure up and ready to be build ready at places like Glendale, which we invested in over decades. Same here, making sure that we're getting that site ready, Not county water district, $600,000 for the purchase of two backup generators for the system that produces water for three counties, servicing 7000 citizens. Uh finally, Hazard Community and Technical College. $280,000 for equipment purchases for the expansion of its successful linemen training program. Again, a high demand job uh that we are training folks for right now. These grants will help provide job growth and economic stimulus to these local communities. The grants are available for projects and 50 for Appalachian counties in Kentucky with historic coal mining sites that have the potential to create long-term economic benefits. Since the program's inception in 2016, projects in 23 counties have been selected for funding programs generated 143 jobs so far, including 83 positions at dash core aluminum extrusion project in Perry County and more than 258 workers trained in the east Kentucky Advanced Manufacturing Institute at the Hazzard Community and Technical College. So again, if we want the future that is in front of us with an economy on fire, we have to invest in our workforce, we have to invest in our sights and we have to invest in our communities in the upcoming budget. You will see significant investments in our infrastructure, in our people, in our education uh, in our health. We are ready to rise to be an economic leader and we have to take the steps that we need to uh so that we are ready to not only lead but to continue to be a leader for decades to come As we move into the covid update it. It starts with the tough milestone that we memorialized yesterday. So yesterday afternoon in the capitol rotunda, the first lady Lieutenant Governor Coleman and I were joined by religious leaders and healthcare heroes As we held a memorial service to mark the heartbreaking milestone Of losing more than 10,000 Kentucky ins to COVID-19. During this somber. An appropriate service, we heard the personal stories of loss and of struggle also announced the artist and design of a new permanent team Kentucky, Covid 19 memorial that will soon stand on the capitol grounds as a tribute as a testament and as a memorial to everything that we have been through. It's just been a year and a half and the pain, the sorrow, the grief that this is inflicted upon us. It's hard to place. Historically. We've lost over five million people worldwide With over 10,000 of our fellow Kentucky ins having succumbed to such an evil virus. As we said yesterday, that means the loss of Kentucky and just to the pandemic in a year and a half is closing in on the total number of Kentucky and lost in World war two korean war and Vietnam combined. Now that 10,000 is more than so the population of so many of our Kentucky cities, imagine them places that you love and that I love completely wiped out and and the magnitude of this loss it has a tendency along with the period that we have been at war with this virus to, to make us numb. I had a big part both hearing from the families that have lost to the healthcare heroes to the rest is that we cannot grow numb as we'll talk about in a minute. This virus likely isn't finished with us as we're seeing rises in cases in europe and the family that we lose today is just as important as that very first family that we collectively mourn for and we turned hundreds of thousands of green lights on. Now when we look back on our fight against this virus, we're going to look at the whole time about what we were doing and how hard we were fighting, not just not at the beginning and that's why we need everybody collectively as a commonwealth to do the things now with more tools that we know can help protect us. Getting vaccinated protects you at a time when the virus is the most deadly. Getting vaccinated protects the family that are around you so that it's less likely that the virus is transmitted to them. Getting your booster keeps your level of immunity at a place where you are really well protected. But know that protection wanes over time and that booster is necessary. Getting your kids vaccinated is the way that we keep them in school. We get their life back to normal or as normal as we can during these times. And it's how we protect those around us. It's how we protect those kids, grandparents, the folks that come into their schools, The folks they interact with every single day. And yes, we'll talk about a little later them themselves. It's part of our obligation to ensuring we never forget those lost. And for those sacrificing right now, This COVID 19 memorial is going to be special. Amanda Matthews is a sculptor and a painter who was born in Louisville now based in Lexington. Amanda is also the Ceo of Prometheus Foundry, which focuses on public art monuments and conservation. Amanda's winning design for this team Kentucky Memorial project is titled United. We stand divided. We fall after our state motto. It is going to be a special place where people can bring their kids to remember those we've lost to remember the very best of us that we saw during this time. And maybe just to collectively thank those that have sacrificed so much during this pandemic. We haven't had a more deadly moment uh, in our lifetimes. This is the third leading cause of death last year and this year only cancer and heart disease are more deadly. And the sponsors that I want to thank of helping to put this on, I got choked up yesterday. The same groups that have been on the front lines the whole time that have been sacrificing themselves and have lost some of their own, there are hospital systems that even when we didn't have the right PPE still took care of us. So I wanna thank Norton Healthcare baptist health saying Elizabeth King's Daughter Medical Health Center U. Of L. Health UK Health and Pikeville Medical Center. You know, part of my faith is that pain, sorrow and loss. They are a part of life. But the life itself is such a blessing and a gift that we've got to take those moments that we are blessed to be here and hold them tight and appreciate them. But also no, during this pandemic that we can do things to lessen the loss and the grief and to make sure that there are more of those positive moments with families. A lot of families are going to have an empty chair or two for covid or other reasons this year for thanksgiving and for christmas, we'll have two of my extended family members that aren't with us for the very first time. Let's make sure we do everything we can To lessen the amount of families that are going to spend two or 3 holiday seasons without their loved ones. And let's also dig deep because this virus won't be done until it's done. And the answer to how long we gotta battle it is however long it takes. It's out there with one mission to kill as many of us as possible and so we cannot get tired and we have to push back. And right now what we're seeing in Europe is a new rise in cases and a significant rise in cases, what this should tell us is that until we have eradicated or until we can fully control, until we have everybody vaccinated. This virus isn't done with humanity. It will still look for parking pockets and places to inflict its pain on. Uh so let's have the humility to know the adversary we face is strong and to be just as strong in what our response is and how we protect each other. So with that, let me go over um, the weekend numbers. But You know, the top line here is it does look like we have plateau. Uh in fact, this week's, this last week's numbers are higher than the two previous weeks, as is the positivity rate. So from Saturday 1,561 new cases. 45 new deaths, including a 44 year old man from Franklin County And a 44 year old woman from Jefferson County. Sunday 747 new cases. 11 new deaths. Yeah. today 726 new cases, 10 new deaths. And they include a 43 year old woman from Fayette County. Our positivity rate at the end of today, 5.73%. That's higher than what we'd like to to see. But as I think you'll see in a minute, it looks like we've plateaus on the positivity rate at about 5.5%. And then what we're also seeing is there is now a responsiveness maybe an elasticity in in how are testing goes, when are, when, when, when there is more disease spreading. We have lots more tests that they get done and then it contracts as as the the spread is may be receding. So as we move forward, um we may pivot a little bit from the positivity rate uh and be able to talk about maybe some different indicators now that we're seeing um how testing moves. That that may give us more information. So This last week, overall 9000 506 Cases. That compares to the week before 7919. It is in fact larger than uh the week before that at 8603. So let's look at our Stair Stepper chart. So as you can see um we had month over month, over month of significant, we had a week over week over week of significant decrease and then we saw that slowing. And now um we see an increase over the last couple of weeks. That's not a reason to think that there is another surge. This is always how um the plateaus have looked. If we look back at the fall and winter surge, you know, we went down and then we'd hop up for the first time after a couple weeks and then a little down a little up, that is what we expect to see in the coming weeks. Now remember this is still higher than many times outside of any major search in this pandemic. So it is still a very serious level that we are at. So some of the basic measures that we're taking to protect ourselves. That reduce community spread like universal masking in schools. We need to keep going positivity rate again as we look at at this. Remember it wasn't this last week, but the week before that we saw the first tick up in that um Now, you know, a slight additional uh tick up. But but our our positivity rate on a daily basis has been plateau going up half a quarter of a percentage point or down a quarter of a percentage point on most days. The plateau also appears and it may take a few more days to show up in our hospitalization iCU. And ventilator numbers. So, if we look at hospitalization. All right, this is we we've had some bumps before on our way down. Uh this one looks a little more steady than what we have seen in the past indications are we are plateau going there. This is still far too many people in the hospital. These are our friends and our neighbors. It should be a reminder that the delta variant which is about all we're seeing across the country right now um is still very deadly and makes you sick at a much higher rate than the original strain of this pandemic. Um And think about this. It's that level right now. Even with all the the monoclonal antibodies and the other treatments our treatments are much better then they used to be. But the virus is much stronger and much deadlier and makes you sicker than what we used to see. Uh The I. C. U. Chart shows the same thing again. A plateau is never you never hit a flat horizontal line. What you see is is you know smaller increases and decreases like we saw in the ICU numbers in between the fall surge and the delta variant. So that's really the alpha and the delta. Um But look this this plateau if that's where we are is higher than what it was in between Alpha and delta. Now put in a plug here I think those numbers can and we'll be lower if everybody gets boosted between the alpha and the delta variant surges. We were at the top of our game for those that got vaccinated in immunity and we believe that means less people spread it and you you have fewer negative outcomes Now as we showed you what about a week ago waning immunity is real and we have every month more vaccinated individuals as a percentage making up those that are hospitalized. That is a direct result of waning immunity that you can do something about. So get your booster shot and then finally uh the ventilator statistics not as uh significant as the rest that still appears generally to be going down which is what we want to see? Um it's certainly our hope as we get additional treatments and options and more kids and the rest vaccinated that this number will get down to the to the lower levels that it used to be a couple of other points uh to make monoclonal antibodies. The supply nationwide is down but the supply we have still exceeds the demand. So we are in an okay place with monoclonal antibodies but if we were to have another surge like we did before, there would be close to enough nation wide. So again, it's a good reminder that right now we have enough to treat anybody who needs it and that is a blessing. But we got to play a little offense in other words, getting people vaccinated to make sure that remains the case. We also cannot at the moment um put our faith and some of the other therapeutics that are out there were reading about them, we're excited about them whether that's uh a C. D. Whether that's the new fighter pill version, they're all going to be incredibly scarce for a long period of time, the only way you're gonna be able to get them is actually seeing a doctor. And while there is a hope that at some point there'd even be medication if you are exposed to somebody that you could take, that we get somewhere to that Tamiflu level. We are a long way off from that. So as we approach and I'll talk about it in a minute, thanksgiving and christmas. Remember how deadly that period was last year. K through 12. We've now performed over 220,000 tests in that program that we set up with schools and over 1300 schools are participating in some way. Uh Final smaller point, we're working to close the books on cases deaths in 2020. Working with the C. D. C. On that, I know that seems like it was a while ago but that's the way that that the CDC works and that they continue to have you work the data. Two things are going to uh is what we're seeing. Uh Number one, we are seeing some death certificates where covid was not listed as an original cause um that it's come back and for all the right reasons added. We're working on how to pick that up because we just get the initial death certificate. Um as it is filed, the second piece that we are working on is some death certificates just used a numerical code that would indicate covid as opposed to the text, which makes the search is challenging. We don't think as an overall amount or percentage. Um that That there will be a significant number of additional deaths for 2020 but every death is is significant. And we're going to make sure that as we close that maybe uh this thursday or next thursday that we're able to provide those exact numbers and at that point those numbers are permanent. Um, for purposes of history moving forward. So we've been through, when we look at the delta variant and we look at where hospitals were overrun and how many people have died. We've been through hell and thank God we've come out of it, we've come out on, most of us have come out on the other side, but we now know we're approaching the time that the delta variant hit us so hard and folks, we're entering a time where we really like to get together and be close inside and that's thanksgiving and christmas or if you're, my family thanksgiving birthday falls in their mom's birthday falls after that and christmas, I really want everybody to be safe during this period of time. You know, with my family having for non covid reasons to empty chairs that have been at both of those tables almost my entire life, I don't want anybody else to suffer that additional loss thankfully there are so many tools that can make it now safer to get together when, you know, last year we were having to say have it as small as you can. So number one thing that can make your thanksgiving or christmas safe is get everybody vaccinated right. I mean it's a tool where you can be together, uh not be worried about it, that we're gonna recommend a couple of other things and be safe. So if if if you have not been vaccinated, go out and get that shot as quickly as you can. I think you can be fully vaccinated by christmas for that and and that's going to protect those people uh that you love. If you've been vaccinated, get your booster, get it before thanksgiving, that'll make it safer for you at thanksgiving and beyond. I know we had all prayed that it would be available last year before that it turned out to be in january and there was a lot of loss from families that had gotten together. So boost your eligibility. If you receive J and J at least two months ago, go get a booster. No matter what. If you're 65 or older, go get a booster. If you are 18 and older living in a long term care setting, go get a booster. If you're 18 years or older and have underlying medical conditions, go get a booster. If you are 18 years or older and work uh, in a public facing setting, go get a booster. But I'll tell you what, there are a number of other states, Just 45 I think that just recently issued executive orders saying everybody could go get a booster, I'm gonna look at it, we're going to analyze it because everybody should be able to get a booster six months after their second shot as quickly as we can. I believe that that's the way that we fight off the next wave. And I believe the federal government will come back around to it and to that decision at some point. You know, they take into account so many factors, the number of unvaccinated individuals that are still out there, hard to get them vaccinated. They are slowly getting vaccinated, but we have enough right now to do both. So we need to, I believe as a country open it up to everybody Start protecting Children five through 11 by getting them their first dose of vaccine and remember get them the second dose three weeks later because this is fire. So remember they're not fully vaccinated until two weeks after that. So, um, I'd also recommend before the holidays getting tested close to it. It's really easy. You can go in and then, you know, right, you never want to go to a family gathering if you were positive and then folks that when we gather in large numbers indoors and we have to recommend masking. But certainly those members that are not vaccinated or fully vaccinated really should, um, consider masking. So listen, these are holidays that I love. We're putting up the christmas decorations right now. Some would argue it's too early, but you know what, after all we've been through, we're doing it right now. Um, and it's really fun, right? It's really fun. I'm feeling, uh, this christmas, um, maybe in different and special ways. Uh, so let's make sure that there are only positive memories coming out of it. And if you share my faith, remember christmas is about a lot more than just getting to do what we want to do. It's it's about celebrating the birth of of the individual who taught us sacrifice and love and set the example about doing the right thing. So let's make sure we honor that and the way that we go about that holiday. All right, some good news after all that. I mean, we we see what's going on in europe, We see the plateau. But over the weekend, 24,138 new vaccinations, new individuals being vaccinated in the commonwealth of Kentucky, 425,401 Kentucky and have now been boosted, I've gotten their booster that's 4-5401. And then the first full week of five through 11 year olds being eligible, 15 0 163 individuals vaccinated. We actually think this might double next week. If you look at, typically it takes about three days for us to get some of the numbers and there are some school systems out there and some other groups that are doing an incredible job. So let's break down the demographics of Um are vaccinated population were still 58 of all Kentucky ins, but of those now eligible five years and older picked up a percent to 62 And the total 18 years and older. Remember I always say these people that get to make their own decision now up to 71%,, 75 and up hanging at 89%. We really do. I mean It seems like a great number, but it's the most vulnerable. We really do need to get that rest of that population vaccinated 65-74 continues uh to be the demographic that is getting vaccinated at the fastest rate, 93%. Uh 50- 64 and 40 stayed the same. Um 40-49 up a .67%. This should go up because for the first time in the pandemic, this group is dying at a significant or a real rate prior. It was very rare now. It's on just about every line list that I review at the end of each day, 25-39 up a percentage and then the percentages stay the same all the way down to five through 11, which is right now at 4%. But for the very first week rolling it out, um, I think that this is a good sign. And I think we're gonna see that increase now. There is a sentiment that's out there and in the news, it's probably out there in society that there's a group of parents that want to wait and see. And I get that. I mean I'm I'm a parent and I love my child, my Children more than life itself. And and my child has gone ahead and gotten vaccinated. I trust this vaccine uh, that much. But the other thing that I'd encourage people to do if you're in that group is just also think about the holidays and the collective safety of that group and try to factor that in and um in your decision and reach out and get information. Uh remember when my first was born? Um we didn't know my second was coming a year and three days later. But starting that conversation even over all vaccines and and and at that point with us having almost no knowledge of the process and the science and the rest. And there were some books out at the time that we're suggesting untrue correlations, vaccines and and and different outcomes. Just talk. Talk to the people that talk to your pediatrician's. I mean we it's a lifeline when your kids are are small talk to people that you trust hospitalizations. So we saw the concern about the plateau going through our hospital report. Hospitalizations have decreased 4% over the last seven rolling days. That's the smallest decrease of a percentage. But we do have our least number of hospitals with critical staffing shortages In months, with only 36 of 96. And as we talked about monoclonal. Um again less supply, but also less demand. Alright, finally we're going to talk about why that 5-11 year old needs to get vaccinated. Let's put up first our line chart, 5 to 11 is the dark blue line. And remember in the beginning of covid, we didn't see a whole lot of cases because in the beginning of covid we looked at every case and the ages and and we worried about everybody that got it. And so what it always was was the lowest or the second to lowest demographic. In cases how many kids are actually getting covid and could spread covid or could get really sick from covid. And you saw it stayed proportional all the way through the alpha surge, which is the first big one. But look at the delta search all of a sudden it went to the second highest age group for who is getting covid as a direct result of the lack of vaccine availability to them because it didn't start that way. But you see where where we started seeing the blunt in many ways of of of the vaccines themselves. And even even as the delta variant kicked up after that great period of vaccination. Now, the other age groups didn't go as high because more people are vaccinated. So right now, compared to the rest of the population, if you have a 5 to 11 year old they are significantly more likely to get covid than at any previous time during the pandemic. And it's happened. Right? So the next set of numbers is since the beginning of the pandemic for this demographic 5 to 11 year olds, 1.9 million cases. That's 1.9 million kids. That age group that have gotten Covid, 80 300 of them have been hospitalized. If you have a 5-11 year old Picture them, 80 300 kids that age hospitalized 2316. Um with that um very concerning um reaction to covid and what it does to your system. We've lost 94 kids in that age group Vaccines protect against COVID 19. That is 94 too many. And I believe that if we would get this age group vaccinated That number would be zero or incredibly close to zero. And every responsible adult I think should want it to be zero. It's also safe. The numbers are just as good as they were for adults, 90.7% effective. And remember that's with a smaller amount that kids get that separately packaged and separately provided. Virtually every medical group here in Kentucky has looked at the science and encourages vaccinations. That's the K. M. A. The KJ. Any any any medical organization. And their acronym is saying to get it. So it's available now you're going to see some of our advertisements that will be out there again um with all of these professional organizations because it's safe and we need to protect our Children with that. We'll open it up to questions. Looks like we have seven total journalists two here and two on the line. So we'll start with tom latex. Yeah, yeah. Oh yeah. Where do we stand with? The american Medical Association has today? One of the panels came out, but they're going to combat misinformation that's being given out by medical professionals. Um what can they really do question is the american Medical Association has said they're going to combat misinformation by their uh bye bye practitioners. What can they do? You know? I think that's a question for for them. Um obviously there are licensing agencies, there are rules and standards of conduct. There's, you know, before this was a practicing lawyer and there is a group for that as as well. But you know, they can also be unified And speak in one voice. Uh the truth but also very quickly denounced those that would spread what is what is false and what we have seen is sometimes it takes 10 people telling the truth to combat one person that's telling a lie. And this misinformation um is a set of lies. It kills people. Um there's probably different motivations for why people do it in many ways. I think if you look at what's going on across the country of the world, it feels like the stages of grief, right? Anger denial. Um but we can't let it continue because you'll have conversations and people have believed the lies that people have told them and it hurts, it hurts those people. Mike valente should Kentucky ins expect this virus. Thanks something that learn to live with and while we have effective scenes of therapeutics, it's something free almost. So the question is, should we expect that this virus becomes endemic like the flu or others? The answer is nobody knows. You know, some of these 100 year pandemics, um, have turned into that and, and some of them have ultimately gone away. I think we get to success either way through the same steps, right? It's ensuring that people get vaccinated and if we need to get boosted from time to time and it, it tamps down the disease. Uh, let's do it certainly. Um, as as more vaccines get out to the rest of the world, our opportunity to get rid of it once and for all will be greater than ever before. I mean, when else in history did we have the opportunity over? And they always said it take a period of years to get it to the whole world to get everybody in that period of time immunized. We also will have better treatment for it than at any time eventually throughout our, our history. Uh, so I, I still believe that we, we don't know and we will not know now there's a lot of people who will provide commentary, but my goal is for us to beat it for us to be able to get back to a full normal or even a better normal whichever route we have to go. Karen's are W. Ky. Good afternoon Governor. Thank you. Thank you, Rachel. You touched on booster shots And we ask you that a few weeks ago and you said the same thing that you'd like everyone to get them, How close are you to falling in line with the few states who are just gonna go ahead and allow them now. And a second question several months ago there earlier this year there was an issue with the debt death toll being off because of reporting with the health department. Do you first see that as potentially being another problem or has that issue been taken care of permanently? Thank you. That issue has been taken care of permanently. Um Now we are seeing death certificates roll in from the last three or so months which is a normal part of the process with hospitals and doctors being so overwhelmed. Um how they were treating. They were trying to keep people alive before um they finished the certificates. Which is fully understandable. I am analyzing very closely what those few other states have done on setting everybody up to get the booster. I want to know the legal effect Because you know, we have different companies that get different instructions uh and how to provide it. But I I want to be clear. I believe that everybody over 18 that spends six months uh since since they got their second shot can and should be able to get a booster. Debby Yetter courier journal. Yeah. Hi Governor. I want to ask about the booster shots to if you decide to go that route, what would it take for you to effect a ruling like that that everyone should go ahead and get the booster shot in our Kentucky's regulations already pretty lenient in that regard. So first they are I believe lenient. I mean I believe nationwide 80% of people Over 18 that have gotten a vaccine are eligible for a booster. Uh and we're still looking over the law what it would take to a effectuate and opening for for everybody. Um So that's something that we're looking at in in real time. And and hopefully I'll have some more information by by thursday on that steve johnson W. E. K. U. Thanks governor. Good afternoon. Um you talked earlier about the last couple of weeks now how it seems activity has platt toad. I guess the question there is why is it, you know waning immunity is that the non vaccine breakthrough cases is one more than another. Well, I think it's I think it's the natural movement of the virus, you know, each time that we have had a surge we have then had declining cases. I think we were able to cut the last fall and winter surge short because of vaccines. I think that's saved a lot of lives. But then, you know, it's based on now our level of vaccination and our behaviors and vaccination includes uh boosters and levels of immunity. How many people have been vaccinated and what their level of immunity is or or what it wanes too along with our we out doing more and and what's our, what's, what's the community stands on on masking and businesses and masking in schools and and masking in government buildings. So where the plateau occurs I think depends on those things. Plus the strength of the virus. I mean we we we can't not include that the delta variant spreads more aggressively. If it was the original version, who knows we might already be close to herd immunity, but that's not the enemy we're dealing with. Now Melissa Patrick, Kentucky health news. Hi Governor. Is the uptick in weekly Kentucky cases. A warning of what's become, especially as colder states see increases in cases already and the holidays in front of us. Well, I think the uptick in cases is in the very least of plateau going. That should be um, maybe not a a warning, but a pretty clear statement that this is not done with us yet. I don't think that it means that we are set for another increase. Um, but the holiday season and in many ways we shouldn't have to look at where we are in the last couple of weeks. We should look at where we were last year and all the families that lost somebody in december or january for for that that it could have been avoided. So in the very least the fact that we are no longer in a decrease. And what happened last holiday season should have people running out to get vaccinated before the holidays this season. You can protect yourself, you can protect your family if you haven't wanted to do it for whatever reason. Just knowing you're getting together with them, don't do it for them. And last I think is a real or april a record. W. F. P. L. Thank you, governor. It's april um Do you expect challenges with vaccination? Do you expect challenges with vaccination 5-11 year olds, if their parents are more likely to be in the less vaccinated age group of 20 to 40 year olds. Yeah. Uh That it's a really good question. I believe that vaccinated parents are probably more likely to vaccinate their kids, but we haven't seen it just happened. I guess we no one's done the research and that would be interesting for the somewhat older kids whose parents would fall and it was somewhat older age group. Uh But I don't want to say necessarily, you know, um I just say as a parent, yeah with with this virus going around and the way that it is, I might think that that I'm invulnerable. Uh but your kid is just so precious, right? And yeah. Mhm. To me, even if I hadn't been vaccinated, it would be what is everything I can do to protect this child, provided that I believe that it is uh safe Now. I think your question also says that this is a chance in some instances to maybe have a new conversation With that person in that age group that that maybe 20-39 age group that hasn't been vaccinated and to talk about both them uh and their child because the child safer if if they're vaccinated too. So uh the psychology of all this is so complex, all of it. And it's even changed over time. Um and and sometimes you become inverted in the way that people think about it. So we continue to try every strategy provided that it is transparent and honest and communicating with people, but we are always open for any suggestion. Okay, so folks, I don't think we have to be alarmed, but we have to be knowledgeable and we have to be clear on the fact that Covid is still here. But the great news is that we have so many different tools to beat it. Remember we've lost 10,000 Kentucky ins, we don't have to lose more. We have an economy is on fire that I think everybody wants to be a part of we are so close to realizing our collective dreams as Kentucky in a state that others have sometimes looked down on, we have a chance to change that and for us to be the leader, we have waited so long for this moment. Let's make sure we protect one another and do what it takes to beat the pandemic and then to run forward into a pretty incredible future. We'll be back on thursday. Thank you all very much, Okay.

Beshear: Kentucky coronavirus cases appearing to plateau

Updated: 7:41 PM EST Nov 15, 2021

After declining for seven weeks in a row, the number of new COVID-19 cases in Kentucky appear to be hitting a plateau, Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday. The state reported roughly 3,034 new coronavirus cases in the past three days. Though the total of new cases last week was higher than the previous two weeks, Beshear said there is not yet "a reason to think that there is another surge" coming. “Folks, I don’t think we have to be alarmed but we have to be knowledgeable. And we have to be clear on the fact that COVID is still here,” Beshear said at a virtual news briefing. “But, the great news is that we have so many different tools to beat it.”He urged parents and caregivers to speak to their children's pediatricians about COVID-19 vaccinations, as Kentucky's youngsters made up 25% to 30% of new COVID-19 cases. The pediatric vaccine, Beshear added, is safe and effective. “The numbers are just as good as they were for adults: 90.7% effective," he said. “And, remember, that’s with a smaller amount the kids get that's separately packaged and separately provided."In the first week the COVID-19 vaccine was available for those ages 5-11, some 15,163 children received their first dose, and that number is expected to double, he added. The Democratic governor also announced that the state is looking into opening up eligibility for booster shots. California, Colorado and New Mexico have opened up booster shots to all adults despite federal recommendations that state's limiting doses to those considered most at risk.In Kentucky, current guidance recommends that people 65 and older should get a booster. People living in long-term group settings, those with underlying health conditions and those exposed to other people through work are also eligible. Boosters are also recommended to recipients of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months after vaccination.Over 425,000 Kentuckians have received a booster shot, Beshear said. According to state data, 58% of the total state population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, below the national average.

FRANKFORT, Ky. —

After declining for seven weeks in a row, the number of new COVID-19 cases in Kentucky appear to be hitting a plateau, Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday.

The state reported roughly 3,034 new coronavirus cases in the past three days.

Though the total of new cases last week was higher than the previous two weeks, Beshear said there is not yet "a reason to think that there is another surge" coming.

“Folks, I don’t think we have to be alarmed but we have to be knowledgeable. And we have to be clear on the fact that COVID is still here,” Beshear said at a virtual news briefing. “But, the great news is that we have so many different tools to beat it.”

He urged parents and caregivers to speak to their children's pediatricians about COVID-19 vaccinations, as Kentucky's youngsters made up 25% to 30% of new COVID-19 cases. The pediatric vaccine, Beshear added, is safe and effective.

“The numbers are just as good as they were for adults: 90.7% effective," he said. “And, remember, that’s with a smaller amount the kids get that's separately packaged and separately provided."

In the first week the COVID-19 vaccine was available for those ages 5-11, some 15,163 children received their first dose, and that number is expected to double, he added.

The Democratic governor also announced that the state is looking into opening up eligibility for booster shots. California, Colorado and New Mexico have opened up booster shots to all adults despite federal recommendations that state's limiting doses to those considered most at risk.

In Kentucky, current guidance recommends that people 65 and older should get a booster. People living in long-term group settings, those with underlying health conditions and those exposed to other people through work are also eligible. Boosters are also recommended to recipients of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine at least two months after vaccination.

Over 425,000 Kentuckians have received a booster shot, Beshear said.

According to state data, 58% of the total state population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, below the national average.