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NKU to hold in-person commencement ceremonies for May graduates


NKU to hold in-person commencement ceremonies for May graduates
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Updated: 5:18 PM EST Mar 8, 2021
WLWT Digital Staff
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Updated: 5:18 PM EST Mar 8, 2021
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Good evening, Team Kentucky. Good evening, Virginia. This is Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman here to give some good news items, and I'm going to kick it off with a very special economic development announcement. Uh, that really demonstrates the resiliency of Kentucky INS. On December 2nd, wholesale hardwood interiors was hit by a disaster when a fire broke out that resulted in a near total loss of its headquarters in Campbellsville. Only about 20,000 square feet of the 120,000 square foot operation was able to be partially salvaged. Now, only three months later, the company is not only back in operation, but it is also growing its presence in Taylor County and creating new job opportunities for Kentucky residents. Uh, W H I is moving forward with plans to construct a new facility at its existing location on the Campbellsville bypass, expected to be fully operational within 12 to 18 months. The company is investing a little over $7 million into this rebuilding and expansion effort and will create 100 full time jobs in the process. Clearly, this is tremendous for wh I, Taylor County and the Commonwealth. The company has operated in Campbellsville for 35 years, growing to include 12 warehouse locations throughout the state. Uh, wh I employees over 100 people in total, with warehouses in Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Lexington, Louisville, Richmond and Walton, as well as facilities in Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee. This is a company that has has an impact throughout our state and the surrounding region, and its recovery and continued success is important for so many Kentucky ends and so many Kentucky families. We've spoken a lot about our effort to build back stronger than ever in Kentucky, and we're building something special here in Kentucky, and we've been doing it with companies like W H I. So I want to thank everyone at wholesale hardwood interiors for their commitment to the Commonwealth, and I look forward to seeing the company reached new heights in the years ahead. Okay, My second piece of good news. I'm actually gonna call this excellent news. So we've got two good news items in one excellent news item. Um, the this has to do with the Kentucky Broadband Initiative. And as you know, our administration has been committed to providing broadband Internet connectivity to every single Kentucky and no matter where you live because we understand that closing the digital divide is critical for economic development, for education and for creating the jobs of the future right here in the Commonwealth. So in January, we announced the speed test Kentucky and online Internet speed test that helps us map broadband coverage and connectivity across the state. The speed test will remain active for one year, and Kentucky INS can continue to take the test. But we set a deadline for March 1st so that we maintain that sense of urgency, Uh, as this is a priority for our administration and we won't rest until we fulfill our promise. Um, so as of our self imposed deadline of march 1st, I'm happy to report that over 81,000 Kentuckians have taken the speed test. This is a great response, and I'm gonna give you some comparisons from other states in the country and then to let you know what our national partner has said. Uh, in one month, we have outpaced much larger states that began their speed tests. Six months ago, Geo Partners called Kentucky a shining light and said that we accomplished in six weeks what other States have accomplished in six months with over 81,000 completed tests, Kentucky has more than double the number of tests as the next highest state. This is another example of Kentucky leading the way, which means we now have enough data to put together a strategic plan to build out broadband service in Kentucky. Even still, we do need more responses from a few counties. So if you live in Christian County, Bullitt County, Boone County or Jefferson County, we really need you to go to speed test Ky. UH, speed test dot ky dot gov to help us to collect more data. But with the data we do have, what we do know is that there are 71 counties that are able to move forward with grant funding request. That's that's pretty remarkable, especially for a six week time span. We're doing this, of course, as quickly as we can, but it will be an ongoing project as we continue to collect data from across the state. So I want to give a huge thanks to our partners who made this such a great success and has really helped Kentucky emerged as a national leader in this work. Um, I also want to take everything every Kentucky and that took 30 seconds out of their day, uh, to make sure to help their neighbors in need. So remember that if you still haven't taken the speed test, we still need you to The more data we have, the better work we can do. Uh, and so you go to a speed test dot ky dot gov to take that test and to give us even more information to build an even stronger foundation here. We're really excited about getting to work laying the last mile, Um, for Kentucky ins across the commonwealth. So thank you. And our last piece of good news here, the sun has been shining. So I've got really good news about getting outside. Um, we have great news for 12 Kentucky communities today. I'm excited to announce more than $692,000 from the Recreational Trails program has been awarded to improve parks and recreational spaces across the Commonwealth. RTP is a competitive federal program aimed at improving communities and enhancing quality of life which aligns with our goals here in Kentucky. So safe green spaces provide a place for our families. Exercise and spend quality time together, allowing you to get out of the house, especially after a year of surviving a pandemic. So, um, as we work to build a better Kentucky, those quality outdoor spaces will help us to continue to build world class tourist destinations here in Kentucky. Uh, these improvements will attract tourism dollars. They will strengthen our economies as we work to reinforce our post pandemic economy and build the better Kentucky we've always imagined. So let me read off a few places here that are going to receive some funding. Carroll County will receive $35,750. Franklin County 20,000. Dollars Garrett County, $44,804 Harlan County, $200,000. Hart County will receive 100,000. Henderson County will receive 37,184. Martin County will receive 14,829. Perry County will receive 34,746. Shelby County will receive 125,000. Uh, Madisonville will receive 20,000 Morganfield, $21,274 and last but not least, Corbyn will receive $38,471. So these selected applicants must still undergo an environmental review and receive clearance from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and approval by the federal Highway Administration before receiving the funds. So congratulations to all of the selected communities. Because of your work, families in all corners of Kentucky will have access to better parks and recreational spaces, and we all know we need them at this point. Um, so I'm very excited that the vast majority of these projects are in rural Kentucky as a rural Kentucky. I know how beautiful our entire state is, and I want us to make sure that we are invested in every area of Kentucky and as, um, grateful to have the governor's support in that. So we look forward to the completion of these projects and the prosperity that they will provide across the Commonwealth. And that wraps up our good news today. So, Governor, I'll turn over to you. Okay, Thank you to our lieutenant governor. And before we get into the covid report, just a quick update for all of our Kentucky INS who have suffered, uh, due to the recent flash flooding, Uh, and or the ice and snowstorm. FEMA is on the ground. Um, evaluating both events right now in its first set of counties. Um, I have spoken today with our contact in the Biden administration stressing how critical this is in the importance of individual assistance. And we are going to continue to push that to anybody out there who lost their home had it damaged, or the rest please document each and every one of those losses. It's going to be critically important, because if we can get individual assistance, it will provide 30 plus $1000 up to that that can that can help individuals. We're gonna push just as hard as we can. For that. I want to thank those out there that are providing goods and or are holding the telethons that we are seeing. There have been multiple of them, uh, to help those in need. You are not alone. You're not alone. Our National Guard continues to be on the ground. Help is there, and we are going to help you rebuild. Remember, it's about 30 days from the event. Tell when we can get a presidential declaration. Uh, it takes a documentation. It takes a full submission. We're working towards that right now. All right, Um, let's recap the last week, uh, in covid, we had our eighth consecutive week, week of of covid declines. Remember, we had never had four consecutive weeks before this current set of declines, and we are now down to pretty much where we were in September as the numbers had just started taking off. This is the exact type of trajectory we want to see as we are vaccinating people. This is, uh, in many ways, a race against time against the variance. If we can continue that that downward trajectory while increasing the number of people vaccinated, then we can hopefully get to the end of this thing. Uh, sooner rather than later, the President has made a promise that all adults that want to be vaccinated we'll have an opportunity to get at least their first shot by the end of May. And so that means we gotta keep hustling to make sure we continue to see these numbers drop just as positively. Um, are is the positivity rate. Uh, it continues to decline. Last week um, being being just at about 4.12% Which again is the lowest sense at least periods in October, if not before. Remember, this is a leading indicator. Uh, so it is positive news of what we're gonna see moving forward. Some states have plateau. Um, we don't want to see that. We want to see continued declines. And as we do, it'll give us more opportunity, uh, to either increase capacity for certain things, reduce restrictions. We got to do that right. We gotta do it incrementally because we're so close to the end. We don't want to sacrifice Kentucky inns along the way. Good news. Our our hospital capacity is in good shape. The inpatient census. Well, that's That's the hospital capacity across the state to areas in the red zone. Neither of them are concerning for us right now. They're both about ICU. Bed space one just barely, uh, hits the red mark about plenty of capacity around. Let's look at the inpatient census graph. Uh, as you can see, the number of Kentucky and in the hospital for covid is has plummeted, and we want to see it continue on a fall. Uh, in the I. C. U as well. This means not only are less people getting sick enough to be in the hospital, less people are getting sick enough to need the ICU bed when they're in the hospital, Kentucky and on a ventilator. Also decreasing. It says good news, and and we want to see it continue. In that vein, Today's report is one of the better ones we've had Today. We're reporting just 331 new cases of Covid 19. That is the lowest since September 14th. Um, everything's down. Kentucky is currently hospitalized due to COVID. 539 currently in the I. C U 161 currently on a ventilator due to Covid 82 r positivity rate today down to 4.6%. We want to see that continue to decrease as well. We're reporting 10 new deaths today. A 76 year old man from Boone County, two men from county, ages 74 93 a 66 year old man from Franklin County, an 80 year old woman from Harrison County, 62 year old man from Henderson, two men from Jefferson ages 83 84 um, a woman from Logan, age 63 a 73 year old man from Muilenburg. Some of the best news that we see is in long term care. Just three of those 10 individuals, 30% or long term care residents again, that's plummeted from two thirds to a third or less. Just three new, um, resident cases. Eight new staff cases, two new deaths attributable to to long term care given, um, the vaccinations that are that are out there, um, and and a few other updates. We have Dr Stack today to talk about the new CDC guidance for those that have been vaccinated. It should be a very good incentive to get vaccinated on what it does, but also what it does not allow, as well as an update on a couple of new cases of the variants that we are seeing here in Kentucky. So over the doctor stat. Good afternoon, everyone. And hello, Governor. So I'd like to give you these few updates that the governor mentioned. So today the CDC released new guidance. The guidance is to give information to people who are fully vaccinated and What restrictions may be able to be removed for those people who are fully vaccinated is that there's a lot for giving there's noise here in my neighborhood. Sorry. So there's a lot of information in these, um, in this document, and it's going to take us some time to kind of think through it and what the implications are. But I'll break it down if I can into a few big buckets, first of all, for people who are fully vaccinated. So this would be for adults who are fully vaccinated. The CDC is now saying that those individuals within their own households can gather in small groups with other fully vaccinated adults. Of course, people under 16 are not yet eligible for the vaccination. It's not authorized for them, but for the households where all the adults are fully immunized, uh, completely through the series in two weeks past the second dose for a two dose series, you can gather in small settings. They don't specify the numbers, but in small settings in your private household. If though vaccinated and unvaccinated people mixed together in a gathering in those instances, generally you should still practice social distancing and where your masks with a few limited exceptions and they pretty much make an exception. That sounds like our current guidance in Kentucky that two households, or a maximum of eight people, could get together. Um, if you had a mixture of vaccinated and unvaccinated. So maybe use that in Kentucky for a placeholder until we get more information on this. Uh, the other guidance and this is really important is when you are out in public when you are out in public settings, whether you are vaccinated or not, the CDC is still asking everyone and urging everyone to please wear your mask socially distanced. Practice your hand hygiene and cough hygiene. Cough into your sleeve, not into the open air. And please continue to do those behaviors until we get everybody vaccinated, particularly the most vulnerable in society. Um, additionally, there is no change to the travel guidance, so there has been no relaxation of travel guidance by the CDC yet in relation to vaccination status. Um, so please, this is this is good news. This is a big development, but we have to be careful. A real concern I think most public health professionals have is if people misinterpret this as we don't have to pay attention to the virus and we don't have to do our masking and social distancing. That would be a mistake. If we do that, we run the risk of supercharging the pandemic when hopefully we should be getting near the end of the pandemic. And along those lines we found some more cases of the B 117 variants of covid 19. That's the strain of the virus, the mutation that was first found in the United Kingdom. At this point, uh, it is inevitable that it will continue to multiply and expand in its presence in the state of Kentucky unless we take all of the important public health measures of masking social distancing. And we all get vaccinated as soon as we are able to and have access to it. So, please, when it's your opportunity to get vaccinated, I sure hope you'll accept the vaccine. It'll help keep you safe, your loved ones safe in our community safe and then the final point related to the vaccines. We still have not yet received guidance for long term care facilities and assisted living facilities that are regulated by the federal government through Medicare, Medicaid, we are as eager as family members, and residents of those facilities are to give new guidance and allow enhanced visitation. We have already done that in sittings are situations or settings where we have the ability or the authority in Kentucky to do so. But the federally regulated facilities are going to have to have guidance from the federal government that permits that visitation as soon as we have that we will look forward releasing it, uh, and making sure you have access to that so we can safely get back to seeing our loved ones and enjoy each other's company. So good news on the vaccine front, and we're gonna keep working as hard as we can to expand our network and get everyone the chance to get vaccinated as soon as supplies make it possible for everyone to have that opportunity. So thank you very much for all you've done Kentucky and back to you, Governor. Well, thank you to Dr Stack, I I think that last point. We still hear some that are confused. It's mainly the skilled nursing facilities that are, uh, covered by the federal government through Medicaid and Medicare. We we are waiting their guidance. Um, those other facilities that are not we've allowed enhanced visitation. Where where everybody is vaccinated. I know a lot of people are getting to see their loved ones. If, uh if your loved one is in a facility, though, that is governed by the federal government, we understand you're anxious. We hope that they will come out with their guidance very, very soon. All right, let's move to, um, vaccines. Um, let's start with table, too. Remember, uh, the week of February 23rd had been the most vaccines we had ever. Uh, putting people's arms in a single week with one day to go This week, we have already surpassed it. So this week, And remember our vaccine weeks run through Tuesday's, um, Tuesday through the following Monday because that's when we get the vaccines. Each week we've already vaccinated 113,811 individuals, and we have one more day to to go. We are catching up from that large amount of supply we got after weather delayed it for a week, and we are excited about how many Kentuckians right now are getting vaccinated. If we look at table one, uh, currently in Kentucky, we now know 834,130 individuals have been vaccinated. And that's through the various programs. Uh, state and federal. That means certainly for, uh, population over 18. You can only get, um, two of the three vaccines. If you're over 18, we have vaccinated 25% more than a quarter of the eligible population in Kentucky. So a year and two days after the very first case of covid and Kentucky and we have three highly effective vaccines and we vaccinated a quarter of our adult population, we want to move forward even faster. But I think that that that's something we should all be very thankful and grateful for, while at the same time working to make sure each and every one of you get that shot of hope as soon as possible. Uh, going through the demographics, which we do on Monday of the vaccines. Let's start with age. So as we look at age, um, about 36.4% of all our vaccinations have been age 70 and up 70% of all of our vaccinations have been age 50 And, uh, that's a good sign. Let's move to gender. We're 60. 40 again. We think that this is going to balance out a little bit more. But we are, um, trying to see if there is more hesitancy. Some of the national polling has suggested that amongst men, um, ethnicity, 98.87% non Hispanic, 1.13% Hispanic and then on race, we've picked up just a little bit, but still a long way to go. Um uh, White, 86.21%. You see Asian, about 1% black or African American, now up a little to 4.77%. We still need to do better. Uh, we are being intentional. We have a number of community clinics that are currently operating and will be in the coming weeks. In the coming months, I want to thank all the leadership out there that's helping to make that happen. That came from community conversations where leaders in those communities proposed what they believe would work best to get the most people vaccinated and to address historical hesitancy. That certainly is justified. Um, those are the demographics that that we have today again, we will continue to work on an equitable distribution of this vaccine. That's not just a value. It's a requirement of this program. With that, we will open it up to questions. We'll start with Joe Ragusa from Spectrum. Hi, Governor. So I have a couple questions, really about some legislative stuff. Um, I wanted to ask first, uh, what your thoughts are if you've if you've seen Senate Bill 1 69 which is a bill enhancing benefits permanent disability benefits for retirement benefits, rather for those who have to medically retire first responders who are injured in the line of duty. Um, and also kind of in a more general sense. You know, lawmakers sent a slew of bills over to your desk on on Friday, including a few bills. I know that you were in favour of Senate Bill seven. The unemployment overpayment benefits, uh, Bill and Senate Bill 67 to alcohol to go, bill. So what? Your thoughts with the bills that they passed on Friday. So I have I've not had an opportunity to fully read Senate Bill 1 69. certainly we want to be there for our first responders who are harmed on the on the job. I want to read through all of that. Um, a lot of the bills passed on Friday weren't enrolled. Meaning they couldn't get to my desk because one of the chambers had adjourned. We expect to get whole lot of them when they come back in session. Certainly there are a number of those bills that I will sign, Um, that I am in favour of, um actually, there are a couple that reached my desk that are critically important. Uh, taking federal health care reform and putting the mental health parody into state law is something that I've been pushing for a number of years. So that's really exciting. Cap on insulin. Uh, incredibly exciting to alcohol to go, which is another one of those that's come out. So I think you're gonna see that while, um, I vetoed a number of the early bills, which I think everybody expected. Uh, there's a lot of them that are coming to my desk that that I will sign and I'll be I'll be proud to sign. That will help move us forward. Now it's it seems like the Legislature, Um is definitely focused on a number of important areas now, healthcare being a big one. And and that's good to say. Now I know that a lot of their attention has turned to the budget, which is critically important. We have the dollars to invest. We have the dollars. Now is the time that we're going to determine our post covid future our our role in the new economy. And we've got to be bold. And, you know, no one's ever ever been at the point where we are where you don't have to borrow to stimulate your economy in the midst of a recession. So of course, we should do it. Mike Valenti from W L A X. Yeah, thanks, Governor. You've talked a lot about the importance of passing another COVID relief package. It looks like that will happen. The House is slated to vote on that tomorrow, but I want to ask you about a provision that is not in the package, which is the minimum wage hike to $15. Obviously, we know the Senate parliamentarian ruled that it couldn't be included in budget reconciliation, and the Senate removed it after it was passed through the House version. Would you have liked to see the minimum wage provisions included in that bill? Do you support the minimum wage increase to $15? So first, let me say the the American Recovery Act is critical to get past. It's going to provide more than $2 billion in state aid to help us do really important things in Kentucky that can generate jobs now. Water and sewer projects. Just think about it. We could use these dollars to ensure that every Kentucky and has access to clean drinking water. How long have we wanted to make that a reality that's possible? There you can use those dollars on broadband. Uh, the house has certainly pushed a bill that has a substantial broadband investment in it. Uh, this can can just add more. You can provide significant relief to households to businesses, uh, to to industries. We pay off the U I loans, so it's going to be incredibly important for us. And that's just on the state level. There's about another $2 billion that will go to cities and counties, opportunity to do some really special things that help us sprint out of Covid, uh, into a bright future. And if we do it in a smart way, reduce future expenditures by by attending to our infrastructure needs the ones that we can water sewer broadband under the bill. Now I do think the minimum wage needs to be raised. I think that it's a more complicated conversation, though, than just picking a number and saying it should. It should hit that mark because I believe that your total compensation is wages plus benefits. And if we raise the minimum wage to a certain level. But people aren't getting health benefits, for instance, then their total compensation, uh, in in what they need to to to survive. Whereas, you know, if you were talking about $15 an hour and and and no health care versus $13 an hour and health care, they're just they're different. It's it's it's not apples to apples. So I certainly believe the minimum wage needs to be increased. But I think we have to have the conversation in with the benefits that are offered so that we truly can reach that that point where everybody can get by on on the salary or the wage that they're paid Chad Hedrick from W K Y t. Hi there. Governor. I wanted to ask you, uh, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has said that state state health leaders there say that for two weeks they need to see 50 cases or less per 100,000 before they're able to start lifting health restrictions and orders. Are you looking at having some similar threshold in Kentucky to say Okay, once we hit this amount of cases per 100,000 or however long we can start lifting more orders? Well, we we certainly, um, at least adjusted and order recently to allow more capacity in just about every part of our economy, provided that you can have the distancing. So we started, um, that what we look at is we want to see declining cases. We want to see declining positivity rates. We want to see increasing pace in vaccinations, but we're going to do this step by step with the variants out there. We know there's the threat for it to pick back up, so, you know, as cases step down, um, we'll step down on the restriction side as well, So we will do this thoughtfully. and we will do it, um, in in steps again. I don't think you just rip off the Band Aid, which you've seen, um, in Texas and Mississippi were just too close to the end. And I want people to to realize that's got to be part of how we think, too. We are so close what, two months and two weeks, Three weeks until every single adult who wants a vaccine can get one. Think about how short of a time period that that is. So while we will loosen restrictions provided that we continue to see, uh, the good direction that things are going in, we will do it in mind with being so close to the finish line. We don't want to leave people behind. Sarah lad from The Courier Journal. Yes, thank you. Are there any more details available on those new variant cases that Dr Stack mentioned? For instance, where are they? In the state? How many? And was there any travel involved with the patients? Let's go to Dr Stack. I think he at least has the counties. Hey, Governor. Yes. So the most to recent ones we got today were won in Jefferson County one in Fayette County. This harkens back in my memory to when we were doing press conferences in March of 2020 when we said, We know the diseases here, we just don't know where it is yet, and it will take more time and testing to find it. Now that that be 11 b 117 variants is here. It will spread naturally. What they saw happen in other areas because this is more transmissible than the original covid virus is. This is likely to become the predominant form the virus that's in circulation. I think by springtime mid spring, they were saying this would be the predominant form across much of the nation. So as far as travel history, I don't have that specifically what they do is take positive samples and then sequence them. And then they look back and they do further looking in for some of those. But when it becomes more common, the travel history won't be quite as important. It will be predominantly that we all have to take the measures necessary vaccination masking social distancing to keep it from spreading and propagating. But the two newest cases we found in the last 24 hours or so. I think we're one in Jefferson County and one in Fayette County. Governor Tom, late check from Kentucky today. Thank you. And good afternoon, Governor. Uh, Mike, Two questions as usual. Uh, one is Is there anything new on expansion of our vaccine allocation to the state and more sites? Are they in the future? And also, what is the status of contact tracing? Haven't heard anything about that for quite a while. Um, let's see. New vaccine centres. You snuck a third one in there. Uh, so, um, on expansion of vaccines, we get that news on Tuesday, I'll be on a call with the White House. I think it's around, uh, 10 or 11 on Tuesdays, and that's when they've announced it each time this week. One thing that's different is we don't get any. Johnson and Johnson, we already know that. So they shipped out all of it that they had pre manufactured last week, which is about 36,500 doses this week. There won't be any, Uh, So while we expect at least a little bit of an uptick on Moderna and Pfizer, it might not make up for for no Johnson and Johnson this week. Now, as we move into the future, I think it'll it'll. It'll trickle in next week. But certainly with Merck now manufacturing the Johnson and Johnson vaccine again, those numbers will start picking up really seriously and significantly. The Pfizer numbers, because I was on a call with their CEO last week are gonna pick up very significantly as well through March as we go. But we will have a better, um, uh, idea that after tomorrow's call and we'll give that information tomorrow night, vaccine centres will announce on Thursday. We are in advanced talks on opening, um, a Shawnee vaccination location. We now believe that we can do that with current supply as it increases, uh, scheduling out a start of that location contact tracing continues, but at the at the level of virus even that we're at now is more of a challenge. We do have a lot of partners that are helping us out in between schools and work and and the rest. But we're definitely now, um, certainly some of the folks that were doing contact tracing are now doing vaccinations and and rightfully So Steve Johnson from W E K U. Good afternoon, governor. And thank you. I think this may be a question for Dr Stack. Um, still on the variant issue coming, following up on what Sarah had asked about the variants. And I saw a report over the weekend where a health professional was saying nationally. He turned it as kind of being in the eye of the storm. And so I guess the question I have is with proper masking and social distancing along with vaccinations. Can we stay ahead of the variance in the months ahead? Let's go to Dr Stack. We can't. The answer is yes, we can stay ahead of the variance if people follow the measures and so one. As soon as you have a chance to get vaccinated, please get vaccinated. That's that's absolutely imperative, because the evidence continues to increase. That's why the CDC gave these new guidance Today. It continues to show the vaccine is incredibly effective at preventing you from getting deathly ill and sick, but also hopefully from preventing you from spreading infection to others, or maybe even from getting infected at all. And so if we get everyone vaccinated as quickly as we can. And if people wear their masks and socially distanced whenever they're out in public? Uh, yeah, I think we can stay ahead of this. And I think that this is not imperiling our ability to get to the end of the journey. It just means that people have got to recommit and and not give up before we cross the finish line. We just got to hang in there for a few more months, and I think that yes, we do have a chance to prevent this from becoming a major problem, but only if we continue to rally and see this through the end. That's no different than a runner crossing the finish line. You don't You can't give up before you've crossed the finish line. And we're so close. But we're not yet passed it, so just hang in a little bit longer, Governor. Next we have our cross from Kentucky Health News. At least I think we do. Okay, we'll come back. Um, next we have Piper Hart Smith, Blackburn from The Associated Press. I'm here now, Governor. Okay. Go ahead, Al. Sorry. Technical problems. I don't do this enough. I have a long winter short one, Uh, the Shortland is Who's your contact in the Biden administration that you referred to? And the long one is our lead story on the rural blog today says that there may be a problem in some states and rural areas because of resistance by Republicans to getting vaccinated. About one third of Republicans say that they will definitely not get vaccinated, and there's already a Republican pollster working on strategies for that. So is this a particular worry in this state? And if so, what are you doing about it? So, first, Julie Rodriguez is the contact for all governors in the Biden administration. I think she's in the same position that Jerry Abramson was was in under the Obama administration. I think we we do see, uh, hesitancy, uh, you know, in in in different areas. But but I have seen the polling that suggests, uh that there is some significant hesitancy among some Republicans. So we we tried to start early on addressing some of that, having the Senate president here in Kentucky, the speaker of the House vaccinated when we step forward to to do it. Uh, since then, we have had other leaders or we've offered, uh, to other leaders there. We like you want to look at the data and figure out the best ways to communicate? Uh, certainly in other areas, that's through community leaders inside that community, so we will have more asks, moving forward of those that are trusted by. I think it's just this portion, um, of of Republicans and and it's critical to get them vaccinated There, there, there aren't any Democrats or Republicans when it comes to to who the Corona virus will infect. And I want everybody, everybody to get vaccinated. Even if you stood outside the window here and and and screamed in the midst of one of these press conferences, I want you to get the vaccine. We all want to move beyond this, and and, um, I want to listen. If there are leaders, um, in or outside of the Republican Party that have ideas about better ways, uh, to convince it in the right word, I think it's it's educate. It's it's to provide the information. But I do think, um, and now you see a lot of data to, So I'm sure you have opinions on this I do think that hesitancy will wane a little bit. The more and more and more people get vaccinated, we look at a quarter of the population. Now, um, once we reach a half or two thirds today's, um, CDC announcement where you can you need to wear your mask in public everywhere, you need to wear your mask at work. But at home, in private gatherings with other people that have been vaccinated under the right conditions, you don't. That's a pretty good incentive to that. Hopefully reaches beyond politics. Uh, okay. Now, Piper Hudspeth, Blackburn from the Associated Press. Piper, you get to ask us the last question of the day. Alright, Piper, if you want to send us, the question will get you a response in writing. All right, everybody. Good job. Good job at fighting Covid. What we're seeing in the numbers means you are doing the right things to protect people around you. It means we're trying to carry everybody to the finish line to defeat this virus. Remember, May 31st is just around the corner. Uh, and that's when we believe every adult who wants to be vaccinated can be, uh, don't get confused about the CDC guidance from today in public, on the job. Wear the mask. If you have been fully vaccinated and others, everyone else has been fully vaccinated. It's small private gatherings now. You don't have to wear one and and don't have to engage in social distancing. It's a good incentive for all of us to get vaccinated. But again, in public and large groups and the rest please continue to wear this. We are so close. We don't want to lose people that we can, uh, bring to the end with us and and we're gonna defeat covid 19. We're gonna do it this year. We're gonna do it together. We'll see you tomorrow at four. Mm Mhm.

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Beshear: 25% of Kentucky adults have gotten at least 1 dose


Beshear: 25% of Kentucky adults have gotten at least 1 dose
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Updated: 6:58 PM EST Mar 8, 2021
Associated Press
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Updated: 6:58 PM EST Mar 8, 2021
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Good evening, Team Kentucky. Good evening, Virginia. This is Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman here to give some good news items, and I'm going to kick it off with a very special economic development announcement. Uh, that really demonstrates the resiliency of Kentucky INS. On December 2nd, wholesale hardwood interiors was hit by a disaster when a fire broke out that resulted in a near total loss of its headquarters in Campbellsville. Only about 20,000 square feet of the 120,000 square foot operation was able to be partially salvaged. Now, only three months later, the company is not only back in operation, but it is also growing its presence in Taylor County and creating new job opportunities for Kentucky residents. Uh, W H I is moving forward with plans to construct a new facility at its existing location on the Campbellsville bypass, expected to be fully operational within 12 to 18 months. The company is investing a little over $7 million into this rebuilding and expansion effort and will create 100 full time jobs in the process. Clearly, this is tremendous for wh I, Taylor County and the Commonwealth. The company has operated in Campbellsville for 35 years, growing to include 12 warehouse locations throughout the state. Uh, wh I employees over 100 people in total, with warehouses in Bowling Green, Elizabethtown, Lexington, Louisville, Richmond and Walton, as well as facilities in Indiana, Ohio and Tennessee. This is a company that has has an impact throughout our state and the surrounding region, and its recovery and continued success is important for so many Kentucky ends and so many Kentucky families. We've spoken a lot about our effort to build back stronger than ever in Kentucky, and we're building something special here in Kentucky, and we've been doing it with companies like W H I. So I want to thank everyone at wholesale hardwood interiors for their commitment to the Commonwealth, and I look forward to seeing the company reached new heights in the years ahead. Okay, My second piece of good news. I'm actually gonna call this excellent news. So we've got two good news items in one excellent news item. Um, the this has to do with the Kentucky Broadband Initiative. And as you know, our administration has been committed to providing broadband Internet connectivity to every single Kentucky and no matter where you live because we understand that closing the digital divide is critical for economic development, for education and for creating the jobs of the future right here in the Commonwealth. So in January, we announced the speed test Kentucky and online Internet speed test that helps us map broadband coverage and connectivity across the state. The speed test will remain active for one year, and Kentucky INS can continue to take the test. But we set a deadline for March 1st so that we maintain that sense of urgency, Uh, as this is a priority for our administration and we won't rest until we fulfill our promise. Um, so as of our self imposed deadline of march 1st, I'm happy to report that over 81,000 Kentuckians have taken the speed test. This is a great response, and I'm gonna give you some comparisons from other states in the country and then to let you know what our national partner has said. Uh, in one month, we have outpaced much larger states that began their speed tests. Six months ago, Geo Partners called Kentucky a shining light and said that we accomplished in six weeks what other States have accomplished in six months with over 81,000 completed tests, Kentucky has more than double the number of tests as the next highest state. This is another example of Kentucky leading the way, which means we now have enough data to put together a strategic plan to build out broadband service in Kentucky. Even still, we do need more responses from a few counties. So if you live in Christian County, Bullitt County, Boone County or Jefferson County, we really need you to go to speed test Ky. UH, speed test dot ky dot gov to help us to collect more data. But with the data we do have, what we do know is that there are 71 counties that are able to move forward with grant funding request. That's that's pretty remarkable, especially for a six week time span. We're doing this, of course, as quickly as we can, but it will be an ongoing project as we continue to collect data from across the state. So I want to give a huge thanks to our partners who made this such a great success and has really helped Kentucky emerged as a national leader in this work. Um, I also want to take everything every Kentucky and that took 30 seconds out of their day, uh, to make sure to help their neighbors in need. So remember that if you still haven't taken the speed test, we still need you to The more data we have, the better work we can do. Uh, and so you go to a speed test dot ky dot gov to take that test and to give us even more information to build an even stronger foundation here. We're really excited about getting to work laying the last mile, Um, for Kentucky ins across the commonwealth. So thank you. And our last piece of good news here, the sun has been shining. So I've got really good news about getting outside. Um, we have great news for 12 Kentucky communities today. I'm excited to announce more than $692,000 from the Recreational Trails program has been awarded to improve parks and recreational spaces across the Commonwealth. RTP is a competitive federal program aimed at improving communities and enhancing quality of life which aligns with our goals here in Kentucky. So safe green spaces provide a place for our families. Exercise and spend quality time together, allowing you to get out of the house, especially after a year of surviving a pandemic. So, um, as we work to build a better Kentucky, those quality outdoor spaces will help us to continue to build world class tourist destinations here in Kentucky. Uh, these improvements will attract tourism dollars. They will strengthen our economies as we work to reinforce our post pandemic economy and build the better Kentucky we've always imagined. So let me read off a few places here that are going to receive some funding. Carroll County will receive $35,750. Franklin County 20,000. Dollars Garrett County, $44,804 Harlan County, $200,000. Hart County will receive 100,000. Henderson County will receive 37,184. Martin County will receive 14,829. Perry County will receive 34,746. Shelby County will receive 125,000. Uh, Madisonville will receive 20,000 Morganfield, $21,274 and last but not least, Corbyn will receive $38,471. So these selected applicants must still undergo an environmental review and receive clearance from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and approval by the federal Highway Administration before receiving the funds. So congratulations to all of the selected communities. Because of your work, families in all corners of Kentucky will have access to better parks and recreational spaces, and we all know we need them at this point. Um, so I'm very excited that the vast majority of these projects are in rural Kentucky as a rural Kentucky. I know how beautiful our entire state is, and I want us to make sure that we are invested in every area of Kentucky and as, um, grateful to have the governor's support in that. So we look forward to the completion of these projects and the prosperity that they will provide across the Commonwealth. And that wraps up our good news today. So, Governor, I'll turn over to you. Okay, Thank you to our lieutenant governor. And before we get into the covid report, just a quick update for all of our Kentucky INS who have suffered, uh, due to the recent flash flooding, Uh, and or the ice and snowstorm. FEMA is on the ground. Um, evaluating both events right now in its first set of counties. Um, I have spoken today with our contact in the Biden administration stressing how critical this is in the importance of individual assistance. And we are going to continue to push that to anybody out there who lost their home had it damaged, or the rest please document each and every one of those losses. It's going to be critically important, because if we can get individual assistance, it will provide 30 plus $1000 up to that that can that can help individuals. We're gonna push just as hard as we can. For that. I want to thank those out there that are providing goods and or are holding the telethons that we are seeing. There have been multiple of them, uh, to help those in need. You are not alone. You're not alone. Our National Guard continues to be on the ground. Help is there, and we are going to help you rebuild. Remember, it's about 30 days from the event. Tell when we can get a presidential declaration. Uh, it takes a documentation. It takes a full submission. We're working towards that right now. All right, Um, let's recap the last week, uh, in covid, we had our eighth consecutive week, week of of covid declines. Remember, we had never had four consecutive weeks before this current set of declines, and we are now down to pretty much where we were in September as the numbers had just started taking off. This is the exact type of trajectory we want to see as we are vaccinating people. This is, uh, in many ways, a race against time against the variance. If we can continue that that downward trajectory while increasing the number of people vaccinated, then we can hopefully get to the end of this thing. Uh, sooner rather than later, the President has made a promise that all adults that want to be vaccinated we'll have an opportunity to get at least their first shot by the end of May. And so that means we gotta keep hustling to make sure we continue to see these numbers drop just as positively. Um, are is the positivity rate. Uh, it continues to decline. Last week um, being being just at about 4.12% Which again is the lowest sense at least periods in October, if not before. Remember, this is a leading indicator. Uh, so it is positive news of what we're gonna see moving forward. Some states have plateau. Um, we don't want to see that. We want to see continued declines. And as we do, it'll give us more opportunity, uh, to either increase capacity for certain things, reduce restrictions. We got to do that right. We gotta do it incrementally because we're so close to the end. We don't want to sacrifice Kentucky inns along the way. Good news. Our our hospital capacity is in good shape. The inpatient census. Well, that's That's the hospital capacity across the state to areas in the red zone. Neither of them are concerning for us right now. They're both about ICU. Bed space one just barely, uh, hits the red mark about plenty of capacity around. Let's look at the inpatient census graph. Uh, as you can see, the number of Kentucky and in the hospital for covid is has plummeted, and we want to see it continue on a fall. Uh, in the I. C. U as well. This means not only are less people getting sick enough to be in the hospital, less people are getting sick enough to need the ICU bed when they're in the hospital, Kentucky and on a ventilator. Also decreasing. It says good news, and and we want to see it continue. In that vein, Today's report is one of the better ones we've had Today. We're reporting just 331 new cases of Covid 19. That is the lowest since September 14th. Um, everything's down. Kentucky is currently hospitalized due to COVID. 539 currently in the I. C U 161 currently on a ventilator due to Covid 82 r positivity rate today down to 4.6%. We want to see that continue to decrease as well. We're reporting 10 new deaths today. A 76 year old man from Boone County, two men from county, ages 74 93 a 66 year old man from Franklin County, an 80 year old woman from Harrison County, 62 year old man from Henderson, two men from Jefferson ages 83 84 um, a woman from Logan, age 63 a 73 year old man from Muilenburg. Some of the best news that we see is in long term care. Just three of those 10 individuals, 30% or long term care residents again, that's plummeted from two thirds to a third or less. Just three new, um, resident cases. Eight new staff cases, two new deaths attributable to to long term care given, um, the vaccinations that are that are out there, um, and and a few other updates. We have Dr Stack today to talk about the new CDC guidance for those that have been vaccinated. It should be a very good incentive to get vaccinated on what it does, but also what it does not allow, as well as an update on a couple of new cases of the variants that we are seeing here in Kentucky. So over the doctor stat. Good afternoon, everyone. And hello, Governor. So I'd like to give you these few updates that the governor mentioned. So today the CDC released new guidance. The guidance is to give information to people who are fully vaccinated and What restrictions may be able to be removed for those people who are fully vaccinated is that there's a lot for giving there's noise here in my neighborhood. Sorry. So there's a lot of information in these, um, in this document, and it's going to take us some time to kind of think through it and what the implications are. But I'll break it down if I can into a few big buckets, first of all, for people who are fully vaccinated. So this would be for adults who are fully vaccinated. The CDC is now saying that those individuals within their own households can gather in small groups with other fully vaccinated adults. Of course, people under 16 are not yet eligible for the vaccination. It's not authorized for them, but for the households where all the adults are fully immunized, uh, completely through the series in two weeks past the second dose for a two dose series, you can gather in small settings. They don't specify the numbers, but in small settings in your private household. If though vaccinated and unvaccinated people mixed together in a gathering in those instances, generally you should still practice social distancing and where your masks with a few limited exceptions and they pretty much make an exception. That sounds like our current guidance in Kentucky that two households, or a maximum of eight people, could get together. Um, if you had a mixture of vaccinated and unvaccinated. So maybe use that in Kentucky for a placeholder until we get more information on this. Uh, the other guidance and this is really important is when you are out in public when you are out in public settings, whether you are vaccinated or not, the CDC is still asking everyone and urging everyone to please wear your mask socially distanced. Practice your hand hygiene and cough hygiene. Cough into your sleeve, not into the open air. And please continue to do those behaviors until we get everybody vaccinated, particularly the most vulnerable in society. Um, additionally, there is no change to the travel guidance, so there has been no relaxation of travel guidance by the CDC yet in relation to vaccination status. Um, so please, this is this is good news. This is a big development, but we have to be careful. A real concern I think most public health professionals have is if people misinterpret this as we don't have to pay attention to the virus and we don't have to do our masking and social distancing. That would be a mistake. If we do that, we run the risk of supercharging the pandemic when hopefully we should be getting near the end of the pandemic. And along those lines we found some more cases of the B 117 variants of covid 19. That's the strain of the virus, the mutation that was first found in the United Kingdom. At this point, uh, it is inevitable that it will continue to multiply and expand in its presence in the state of Kentucky unless we take all of the important public health measures of masking social distancing. And we all get vaccinated as soon as we are able to and have access to it. So, please, when it's your opportunity to get vaccinated, I sure hope you'll accept the vaccine. It'll help keep you safe, your loved ones safe in our community safe and then the final point related to the vaccines. We still have not yet received guidance for long term care facilities and assisted living facilities that are regulated by the federal government through Medicare, Medicaid, we are as eager as family members, and residents of those facilities are to give new guidance and allow enhanced visitation. We have already done that in sittings are situations or settings where we have the ability or the authority in Kentucky to do so. But the federally regulated facilities are going to have to have guidance from the federal government that permits that visitation as soon as we have that we will look forward releasing it, uh, and making sure you have access to that so we can safely get back to seeing our loved ones and enjoy each other's company. So good news on the vaccine front, and we're gonna keep working as hard as we can to expand our network and get everyone the chance to get vaccinated as soon as supplies make it possible for everyone to have that opportunity. So thank you very much for all you've done Kentucky and back to you, Governor. Well, thank you to Dr Stack, I I think that last point. We still hear some that are confused. It's mainly the skilled nursing facilities that are, uh, covered by the federal government through Medicaid and Medicare. We we are waiting their guidance. Um, those other facilities that are not we've allowed enhanced visitation. Where where everybody is vaccinated. I know a lot of people are getting to see their loved ones. If, uh if your loved one is in a facility, though, that is governed by the federal government, we understand you're anxious. We hope that they will come out with their guidance very, very soon. All right, let's move to, um, vaccines. Um, let's start with table, too. Remember, uh, the week of February 23rd had been the most vaccines we had ever. Uh, putting people's arms in a single week with one day to go This week, we have already surpassed it. So this week, And remember our vaccine weeks run through Tuesday's, um, Tuesday through the following Monday because that's when we get the vaccines. Each week we've already vaccinated 113,811 individuals, and we have one more day to to go. We are catching up from that large amount of supply we got after weather delayed it for a week, and we are excited about how many Kentuckians right now are getting vaccinated. If we look at table one, uh, currently in Kentucky, we now know 834,130 individuals have been vaccinated. And that's through the various programs. Uh, state and federal. That means certainly for, uh, population over 18. You can only get, um, two of the three vaccines. If you're over 18, we have vaccinated 25% more than a quarter of the eligible population in Kentucky. So a year and two days after the very first case of covid and Kentucky and we have three highly effective vaccines and we vaccinated a quarter of our adult population, we want to move forward even faster. But I think that that that's something we should all be very thankful and grateful for, while at the same time working to make sure each and every one of you get that shot of hope as soon as possible. Uh, going through the demographics, which we do on Monday of the vaccines. Let's start with age. So as we look at age, um, about 36.4% of all our vaccinations have been age 70 and up 70% of all of our vaccinations have been age 50 And, uh, that's a good sign. Let's move to gender. We're 60. 40 again. We think that this is going to balance out a little bit more. But we are, um, trying to see if there is more hesitancy. Some of the national polling has suggested that amongst men, um, ethnicity, 98.87% non Hispanic, 1.13% Hispanic and then on race, we've picked up just a little bit, but still a long way to go. Um uh, White, 86.21%. You see Asian, about 1% black or African American, now up a little to 4.77%. We still need to do better. Uh, we are being intentional. We have a number of community clinics that are currently operating and will be in the coming weeks. In the coming months, I want to thank all the leadership out there that's helping to make that happen. That came from community conversations where leaders in those communities proposed what they believe would work best to get the most people vaccinated and to address historical hesitancy. That certainly is justified. Um, those are the demographics that that we have today again, we will continue to work on an equitable distribution of this vaccine. That's not just a value. It's a requirement of this program. With that, we will open it up to questions. We'll start with Joe Ragusa from Spectrum. Hi, Governor. So I have a couple questions, really about some legislative stuff. Um, I wanted to ask first, uh, what your thoughts are if you've if you've seen Senate Bill 1 69 which is a bill enhancing benefits permanent disability benefits for retirement benefits, rather for those who have to medically retire first responders who are injured in the line of duty. Um, and also kind of in a more general sense. You know, lawmakers sent a slew of bills over to your desk on on Friday, including a few bills. I know that you were in favour of Senate Bill seven. The unemployment overpayment benefits, uh, Bill and Senate Bill 67 to alcohol to go, bill. So what? Your thoughts with the bills that they passed on Friday. So I have I've not had an opportunity to fully read Senate Bill 1 69. certainly we want to be there for our first responders who are harmed on the on the job. I want to read through all of that. Um, a lot of the bills passed on Friday weren't enrolled. Meaning they couldn't get to my desk because one of the chambers had adjourned. We expect to get whole lot of them when they come back in session. Certainly there are a number of those bills that I will sign, Um, that I am in favour of, um actually, there are a couple that reached my desk that are critically important. Uh, taking federal health care reform and putting the mental health parody into state law is something that I've been pushing for a number of years. So that's really exciting. Cap on insulin. Uh, incredibly exciting to alcohol to go, which is another one of those that's come out. So I think you're gonna see that while, um, I vetoed a number of the early bills, which I think everybody expected. Uh, there's a lot of them that are coming to my desk that that I will sign and I'll be I'll be proud to sign. That will help move us forward. Now it's it seems like the Legislature, Um is definitely focused on a number of important areas now, healthcare being a big one. And and that's good to say. Now I know that a lot of their attention has turned to the budget, which is critically important. We have the dollars to invest. We have the dollars. Now is the time that we're going to determine our post covid future our our role in the new economy. And we've got to be bold. And, you know, no one's ever ever been at the point where we are where you don't have to borrow to stimulate your economy in the midst of a recession. So of course, we should do it. Mike Valenti from W L A X. Yeah, thanks, Governor. You've talked a lot about the importance of passing another COVID relief package. It looks like that will happen. The House is slated to vote on that tomorrow, but I want to ask you about a provision that is not in the package, which is the minimum wage hike to $15. Obviously, we know the Senate parliamentarian ruled that it couldn't be included in budget reconciliation, and the Senate removed it after it was passed through the House version. Would you have liked to see the minimum wage provisions included in that bill? Do you support the minimum wage increase to $15? So first, let me say the the American Recovery Act is critical to get past. It's going to provide more than $2 billion in state aid to help us do really important things in Kentucky that can generate jobs now. Water and sewer projects. Just think about it. We could use these dollars to ensure that every Kentucky and has access to clean drinking water. How long have we wanted to make that a reality that's possible? There you can use those dollars on broadband. Uh, the house has certainly pushed a bill that has a substantial broadband investment in it. Uh, this can can just add more. You can provide significant relief to households to businesses, uh, to to industries. We pay off the U I loans, so it's going to be incredibly important for us. And that's just on the state level. There's about another $2 billion that will go to cities and counties, opportunity to do some really special things that help us sprint out of Covid, uh, into a bright future. And if we do it in a smart way, reduce future expenditures by by attending to our infrastructure needs the ones that we can water sewer broadband under the bill. Now I do think the minimum wage needs to be raised. I think that it's a more complicated conversation, though, than just picking a number and saying it should. It should hit that mark because I believe that your total compensation is wages plus benefits. And if we raise the minimum wage to a certain level. But people aren't getting health benefits, for instance, then their total compensation, uh, in in what they need to to to survive. Whereas, you know, if you were talking about $15 an hour and and and no health care versus $13 an hour and health care, they're just they're different. It's it's it's not apples to apples. So I certainly believe the minimum wage needs to be increased. But I think we have to have the conversation in with the benefits that are offered so that we truly can reach that that point where everybody can get by on on the salary or the wage that they're paid Chad Hedrick from W K Y t. Hi there. Governor. I wanted to ask you, uh, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine has said that state state health leaders there say that for two weeks they need to see 50 cases or less per 100,000 before they're able to start lifting health restrictions and orders. Are you looking at having some similar threshold in Kentucky to say Okay, once we hit this amount of cases per 100,000 or however long we can start lifting more orders? Well, we we certainly, um, at least adjusted and order recently to allow more capacity in just about every part of our economy, provided that you can have the distancing. So we started, um, that what we look at is we want to see declining cases. We want to see declining positivity rates. We want to see increasing pace in vaccinations, but we're going to do this step by step with the variants out there. We know there's the threat for it to pick back up, so, you know, as cases step down, um, we'll step down on the restriction side as well, So we will do this thoughtfully. and we will do it, um, in in steps again. I don't think you just rip off the Band Aid, which you've seen, um, in Texas and Mississippi were just too close to the end. And I want people to to realize that's got to be part of how we think, too. We are so close what, two months and two weeks, Three weeks until every single adult who wants a vaccine can get one. Think about how short of a time period that that is. So while we will loosen restrictions provided that we continue to see, uh, the good direction that things are going in, we will do it in mind with being so close to the finish line. We don't want to leave people behind. Sarah lad from The Courier Journal. Yes, thank you. Are there any more details available on those new variant cases that Dr Stack mentioned? For instance, where are they? In the state? How many? And was there any travel involved with the patients? Let's go to Dr Stack. I think he at least has the counties. Hey, Governor. Yes. So the most to recent ones we got today were won in Jefferson County one in Fayette County. This harkens back in my memory to when we were doing press conferences in March of 2020 when we said, We know the diseases here, we just don't know where it is yet, and it will take more time and testing to find it. Now that that be 11 b 117 variants is here. It will spread naturally. What they saw happen in other areas because this is more transmissible than the original covid virus is. This is likely to become the predominant form the virus that's in circulation. I think by springtime mid spring, they were saying this would be the predominant form across much of the nation. So as far as travel history, I don't have that specifically what they do is take positive samples and then sequence them. And then they look back and they do further looking in for some of those. But when it becomes more common, the travel history won't be quite as important. It will be predominantly that we all have to take the measures necessary vaccination masking social distancing to keep it from spreading and propagating. But the two newest cases we found in the last 24 hours or so. I think we're one in Jefferson County and one in Fayette County. Governor Tom, late check from Kentucky today. Thank you. And good afternoon, Governor. Uh, Mike, Two questions as usual. Uh, one is Is there anything new on expansion of our vaccine allocation to the state and more sites? Are they in the future? And also, what is the status of contact tracing? Haven't heard anything about that for quite a while. Um, let's see. New vaccine centres. You snuck a third one in there. Uh, so, um, on expansion of vaccines, we get that news on Tuesday, I'll be on a call with the White House. I think it's around, uh, 10 or 11 on Tuesdays, and that's when they've announced it each time this week. One thing that's different is we don't get any. Johnson and Johnson, we already know that. So they shipped out all of it that they had pre manufactured last week, which is about 36,500 doses this week. There won't be any, Uh, So while we expect at least a little bit of an uptick on Moderna and Pfizer, it might not make up for for no Johnson and Johnson this week. Now, as we move into the future, I think it'll it'll. It'll trickle in next week. But certainly with Merck now manufacturing the Johnson and Johnson vaccine again, those numbers will start picking up really seriously and significantly. The Pfizer numbers, because I was on a call with their CEO last week are gonna pick up very significantly as well through March as we go. But we will have a better, um, uh, idea that after tomorrow's call and we'll give that information tomorrow night, vaccine centres will announce on Thursday. We are in advanced talks on opening, um, a Shawnee vaccination location. We now believe that we can do that with current supply as it increases, uh, scheduling out a start of that location contact tracing continues, but at the at the level of virus even that we're at now is more of a challenge. We do have a lot of partners that are helping us out in between schools and work and and the rest. But we're definitely now, um, certainly some of the folks that were doing contact tracing are now doing vaccinations and and rightfully So Steve Johnson from W E K U. Good afternoon, governor. And thank you. I think this may be a question for Dr Stack. Um, still on the variant issue coming, following up on what Sarah had asked about the variants. And I saw a report over the weekend where a health professional was saying nationally. He turned it as kind of being in the eye of the storm. And so I guess the question I have is with proper masking and social distancing along with vaccinations. Can we stay ahead of the variance in the months ahead? Let's go to Dr Stack. We can't. The answer is yes, we can stay ahead of the variance if people follow the measures and so one. As soon as you have a chance to get vaccinated, please get vaccinated. That's that's absolutely imperative, because the evidence continues to increase. That's why the CDC gave these new guidance Today. It continues to show the vaccine is incredibly effective at preventing you from getting deathly ill and sick, but also hopefully from preventing you from spreading infection to others, or maybe even from getting infected at all. And so if we get everyone vaccinated as quickly as we can. And if people wear their masks and socially distanced whenever they're out in public? Uh, yeah, I think we can stay ahead of this. And I think that this is not imperiling our ability to get to the end of the journey. It just means that people have got to recommit and and not give up before we cross the finish line. We just got to hang in there for a few more months, and I think that yes, we do have a chance to prevent this from becoming a major problem, but only if we continue to rally and see this through the end. That's no different than a runner crossing the finish line. You don't You can't give up before you've crossed the finish line. And we're so close. But we're not yet passed it, so just hang in a little bit longer, Governor. Next we have our cross from Kentucky Health News. At least I think we do. Okay, we'll come back. Um, next we have Piper Hart Smith, Blackburn from The Associated Press. I'm here now, Governor. Okay. Go ahead, Al. Sorry. Technical problems. I don't do this enough. I have a long winter short one, Uh, the Shortland is Who's your contact in the Biden administration that you referred to? And the long one is our lead story on the rural blog today says that there may be a problem in some states and rural areas because of resistance by Republicans to getting vaccinated. About one third of Republicans say that they will definitely not get vaccinated, and there's already a Republican pollster working on strategies for that. So is this a particular worry in this state? And if so, what are you doing about it? So, first, Julie Rodriguez is the contact for all governors in the Biden administration. I think she's in the same position that Jerry Abramson was was in under the Obama administration. I think we we do see, uh, hesitancy, uh, you know, in in in different areas. But but I have seen the polling that suggests, uh that there is some significant hesitancy among some Republicans. So we we tried to start early on addressing some of that, having the Senate president here in Kentucky, the speaker of the House vaccinated when we step forward to to do it. Uh, since then, we have had other leaders or we've offered, uh, to other leaders there. We like you want to look at the data and figure out the best ways to communicate? Uh, certainly in other areas, that's through community leaders inside that community, so we will have more asks, moving forward of those that are trusted by. I think it's just this portion, um, of of Republicans and and it's critical to get them vaccinated There, there, there aren't any Democrats or Republicans when it comes to to who the Corona virus will infect. And I want everybody, everybody to get vaccinated. Even if you stood outside the window here and and and screamed in the midst of one of these press conferences, I want you to get the vaccine. We all want to move beyond this, and and, um, I want to listen. If there are leaders, um, in or outside of the Republican Party that have ideas about better ways, uh, to convince it in the right word, I think it's it's educate. It's it's to provide the information. But I do think, um, and now you see a lot of data to, So I'm sure you have opinions on this I do think that hesitancy will wane a little bit. The more and more and more people get vaccinated, we look at a quarter of the population. Now, um, once we reach a half or two thirds today's, um, CDC announcement where you can you need to wear your mask in public everywhere, you need to wear your mask at work. But at home, in private gatherings with other people that have been vaccinated under the right conditions, you don't. That's a pretty good incentive to that. Hopefully reaches beyond politics. Uh, okay. Now, Piper Hudspeth, Blackburn from the Associated Press. Piper, you get to ask us the last question of the day. Alright, Piper, if you want to send us, the question will get you a response in writing. All right, everybody. Good job. Good job at fighting Covid. What we're seeing in the numbers means you are doing the right things to protect people around you. It means we're trying to carry everybody to the finish line to defeat this virus. Remember, May 31st is just around the corner. Uh, and that's when we believe every adult who wants to be vaccinated can be, uh, don't get confused about the CDC guidance from today in public, on the job. Wear the mask. If you have been fully vaccinated and others, everyone else has been fully vaccinated. It's small private gatherings now. You don't have to wear one and and don't have to engage in social distancing. It's a good incentive for all of us to get vaccinated. But again, in public and large groups and the rest please continue to wear this. We are so close. We don't want to lose people that we can, uh, bring to the end with us and and we're gonna defeat covid 19. We're gonna do it this year. We're gonna do it together. We'll see you tomorrow at four. Mm Mhm.

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Kentucky updates COVID-19 vaccine sign-up process to stop Ohioans from receiving shots


Kentucky updates COVID-19 vaccine sign-up process to stop Ohioans from receiving shots
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Updated: 7:37 PM EST Feb 25, 2021
WLWT Digital Staff
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Updated: 7:37 PM EST Feb 25, 2021
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Good evening, Team Kentucky. This is Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman, and I am here with some good news items today and some information to share with all of you. Uh, related Thio a few initiatives. First, I'm gonna start with the Kentucky Broadband Initiative. Reminder that we need every single Kentucky in to go thio speed test dot k y dot gov. In order to take the speed test, which will give us data, we need to build a map across Kentucky of the high end low points of Internet connectivity. That map then will provide guidance for our public and private partners to be able to help us spring broadband to the last mile on connect every Kentucky household that we possibly can to affordable, reliable Internet. And so, before we can begin to do that, we really need everyone to go toe speed test. Okay, y dot gov and provide us with the information that we need to build the most accurate map. And I wanna make a note here that, uh, the two places that we have a pretty low participation from our our big cities. So, folks in Lexington and Louisville, we really need you to go to speed test dot k y dot gov and give us that data that we need. It doesn't matter where you live. We still need you, Thio, help us to build this map. And so the deadline has been extended to march 1st and we need is many Kentucky. And to take part in this as possible, I'm really happy to announce that we have talked to the 72,000 number for people who have participated. So if you've participated, make sure that you remind your family and friends to do so, too. Next up, we have a really exciting announcement about childcare here in Kentucky. You know, every every single family in Kentucky knows that the Cove in 19 Pandemic has had a profound impact on our child care system, which has had a profound impact on all of our employees and employers across the state as well. The coronavirus has forced over 300 Kentucky childcare facilities to close over the last year, some only temporarily, but some also permanently. But I am proud to announce that there is help on the way for Kentucky families and for our childcare providers. The Division of Child Care at the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, has received a $195.5 million in federal childcare aid through the 2021 Cares Act. This money will be used in a variety of ways to reach Kentucky INS in all 120 counties, including short term necessities such as training and technical assistance to keep our work and learning environment safe. But this funding will address larger structural needs within the childcare system by helping jumpstart hiring requirements like background checks and fingerprint scans, as well as providing copayment assistance for parents who benefit from child care subsidies. Despite the hardship faced by childcare centers in Kentucky are states. It's well below the anticipated 40% of closure rates for child care centers across the country. Currently, Kentucky has lost fewer than 8% of it centers in the past year. But even so, we know that many programs need help quickly, and this new stream of federal funding will help us to make sure that we don't come close to that national average. We're in the process of building a child care system that works for every Kentucky family and This is a huge step towards reaching our future goals again. That is $195.5 million in federal childcare aid, uh, coming from the Cabinet for health and family services to all of our childcare providers and families who need support. Next up, we have a great agriculture announcement. It is F f a week. And so I am particularly excited to share some really good agriculture news today, the Kentucky Soil and Water Conservation Commission has selected 592 Kentucky farm projects in 86 counties to receive a total of $5.9 million in tobacco settlement funds. The money will be used for practices that improve water quality and prevent soil erosion on farmland that provides an economic backbone in rural communities across the Commonwealth. Specifically, these funds will provide more sustainable opportunities for farm owners, such as providing alternative water source for livestock fencing to facilitate rotational grazing or growing cover crops. Over the past 27 years, the commission, administered by the Division of Conservation, has obligated more than $170 million in state cost share funding. These funds are distributed with the assistance of the 121 Soil and Water Conservation District across Kentucky. The Bashir Coleman administration is proud to continue this work. Bringing resource is and support to rural Kentucky We understand how vital local farms are to Kentucky's economy, and we're helping to keep them productive for generations to come. Next up, we have a transportation announcement that is related. Thio backs are COV 19 vaccines. I want to share information on an exciting initiative to ensure that all Kentucky INS can receive their shot of hope. We want all Kentucky and you wish to get vaccinated, get vaccinated to be able to do so. And we do not want transportation to be a barrier. Public transit agencies across the Commonwealth are offering free or reduced cost transportation to and from vaccination appointments. These services are already operating in 99 counties covering 75% of all counties across Kentucky, our public transit agencies or helping us meet our critical goal to provide vaccines to Kentucky into our homebound or need transportation assistance. And we are grateful for their service to our communities. As we progress through the phased rollout of the vaccine, we know that planning for transportation, maybe an integral step for many Kentucky INS. You confined transportation services near you right now by heading to K y co vid 19 dot k y dot gov for a full list of participating public transit agencies and their phone numbers to get in touch across thes transportation services. Please know that masks are required. We must continue our actions to stop the spread, even on the way to and home from receiving our shot of hope. If you have any questions about the services, you can find more information on K Wachovia 19 dot k y dot gov or call our covert vaccine hotline at 8555982246 or 8553264654 For deaf or hard of hearing Kentucky INS and last up, I have some really great pictures to share from my my travels today. Uh, I was able to visit several vaccination sites across eastern Kentucky, and I have to tell you that I just left each one of them feeling more energized and more inspired, not just from the hope uh, then I know the Kentucky ins that we're getting the shot feel, but because of the gratitude that I felt for the people working in those hospitals and and bearing the burden of this pandemic for the last year. So this first picture is a group of nurses, um, at the hazard Regional Health care or that started the Appalachian Regional Healthcare Center in Hazzard. Um, you'll notice that all of their shirts say essential. And this is a really cool thing that they've done this year. They normally give a Star Award thio one of their employees like an employee of the Year Award. But this year they decided that they couldn't pick just one. And so that's why all of those nurses have on the essential T shirt because they basically named every single employee, uh, their Star Award winner this year, which I thought was was, um, pretty remarkable and pretty indicative of what it means to be on on Teen Kentucky. The second picture that you'll see from Hazard, um, is me again with some folks that are working in the in the hospital. Um and, uh, we have Molly, who was actually the Star Award winner from last year, who was really grateful to have the opportunity, she said, to make sure to keep the train on the tracks and to keep folks coming in for their vaccines. And it was remarkable to see. And I want to say, a special thank you also pictured here to the chief medical officer, Maria Rahman, who was a great, uh, source of of knowledge and information for me. Um, and certainly a great sense of hope for everyone who comes through that center to get their shot of hope. So things in Hazzard were pretty remarkable today. Next up, a visit pipe all and you'll see in this first picture from Pikeville. Um, this is a group of pharmacists and nurses who were preparing the vaccinations and then administering the vaccinations in their drive through line that they had set up the efficiency and effectiveness. Uh, and the infrastructure that these health care centers and hospitals have created in the midst of a pandemic is nothing short of a miracle. Uh, these folks were just as as, um, excited and energized today, a Z. They were when this started, and that speaks volumes to their commitment and their character, Um, the next picture from Pikeville. You'll see. I'm standing there with the folks who are directing the cars into the line. They're checking folks in getting people lined up to be able to come in and get their shot of hope. And the interesting part about this is all of these folks work at the hospital and playful. But what's great about it is these are the folks that have volunteered additional working hours, and they're also working outside of the offices they normally work in. So they volunteered, and and they've been moved around to be able thio lows, gaps and and make this system work as efficiently as possible. And so, for these people who are volunteering their time over time in places that they're not used to working in again says everything we need to know about the sacrifice their healthcare heroes are making every day. And so I want to say a special thank you to Donovan Blackburn, who is the head of the hospital in Pikeville for a remarkable tour. Um, that that he gave us today and all of the information that he shared that I could bring back with me and of course, Governor Patton was there, uh, to greet us as well. And that was that was a great person to see and be able to catch up with. So last but not least, our final stop was impressed. Ensberg, again at the Appalachian Regional Healthcare Center, impressed Ensberg. You'll see here the pictures of the folks that I'm talking to are the nurses who are checking people in who are administering the vaccination and then who are checking on on folks afterwards to make sure that, um, everyone gets home safely. So, um, we had Tim Hatfield, the CEO at the hospital in Preston. Zberg actually Mayor less. Stapleton and County Judge executive Robert Williams was there to greet us as well. Um, and we had the mayor, uh, mobile any. And Hazard and And the county Judge executive, Scott Alexander was there to greet us as well. And that is, uh, a perfect example of the collaboration that has gone on in these communities across Kentucky. Every stop I made, uh, we were hearing about how local government and health departments and hospitals and, um, our school systems had all come together. Volunteers from local businesses were helping out s so they could continue to meet the needs of their citizens. And I just I just kept thinking that this is exactly what the governor means when he says we're all on Team Kentucky. I got to see it live in person today. And I was I gave the governor credit. His leadership has has made sure that it's a sure that we are a state that is leading the nation in our cove in 19 response in many ways. Um, and he would tell he would agree when I say this, Uh, but the boots on the ground, the people who were on the front lines doing that work every day, um, has made his leadership possible. And so, um, I had a great visit. Um, I'm or inspired And, um, you know, grateful, uh, than ever for the folks that I got to meet today and look them in the eye and say thank you for everything they've done in the last year and for everything that will do to get us out of this pandemic. So with that, I will turn it over to governor this year. Yeah. Now, thank you. To Lieutenant Governor Coleman going to any of these vaccination sites and she's right over here is a moving experience. It's it's hard to describe the emotions that you feel it's It's a mix off of hope and relief and belief. It's It's a special feeling where there's this positive energy that we've all tried to stay positive the last 11 months. But it's almost electric, and you can feel it in between people that while you're still trying, Thio keeps, um, social distance. You feel this common purpose and and you can see beyond cove it for the first time in so long. So thank you for thank you for thanking all those people that are that are doing such such great work. Alright, folks, it zits five o'clock today. It's like the remix. Um, we're back showing photos of people doing good things. I feel like I'm supposed to yell at Kenneth or roll my eyes at some point today. Um, but I appreciate you all being willing thio, uh, to accommodate this change. Today for me was the National Governors Association meeting that I got to do in person in D. C. Last year, my kids got to see a lot of D. C. They've never been there. Um, this year was different, but I was honored to be able to lead a session today on transportation with our U. S. Secretary of Transportation and then just left a governors meeting with the with the president. So a lot of opportunity to talk about our Kentucky needs to put out there how many of our workers have been displaced by changes in either the energy economy and trying to make sure it doesn't happen with the transportation economy. So please know that any time that I get these opportunities, I don't care about fighting for you, making sure that Kentucky has heard and making sure that Kentucky has a seat at the table toe where all of our families and it doesn't matter what party you're in or where you are in the state that you are counted and that you are heard. All right. Um, today we have, ah, covert report that that is sadly and positively more of the same and what we're seeing today, we're reporting 1447 new cases of of Cove in 19. Now, right now, we were just barely on track to be above last week. But we can now tell you based on the data we're looking at that last week's numbers were depressed a little bit because of of testing, which was the weather. The weather hit. How many people were being tested last Wednesday? And this is trying to get us close to the data as we can, um, of last week with the weather, only 9600 people got tested. 14,000 got tested this Wednesday. The numbers are even more stark on different days. So what I think is is we're gonna see a little bit of an aberration in our continued downward trend. Mhm. But that but for the weather, we would see a continued, uh, steady downward trend. Uh, Kentucky is currently hospitalized down 42 843. That's good news. Eight. Lest in the I C. U 10 more on a ventilator, this is all due to Cove. It generally pretty stable. Our positivity rate the best news of the day, down the 5.67%. We want to see that continue to drop. That's the leading indicator, as opposed to the lagging indicator, which are cases that tell us that we have had a natural downward progression. But the hard thing is, we're still dealing with the impact of the winter search, and we're still seeing the devastation that is co vid we've lost now. Well over 500,000 Americans talk a lot about Kentucky ends, and we should. But how? Americans? We're all members of this country. And now that we've lost more than World War two, World War One and Vietnam combined, we've got to know that this has been in many ways, the War of Wars and that our loss is significant and tragic. And even as we come out of this, even as we see that hope in front of us, that we have lost so much and our trauma is going to endure and we're gonna have to give ourselves space Andi understanding As we come out of this, it's likely that there will be those days where we think we should be so happy that there's no more cove it. But we're still hurting so much because off everyone and everything lost during it. So let's let's go ahead and let's try to prepare ourselves for what's to come knowing that an event like this with what it inflicts is gonna is gonna take us a while to get over. And and there's the question of Do we truly want to get over everything of it with what it's taught us with, how it's shown us, we're all interconnected, So let's make sure we take stock of that as we look at the light at the end of the tunnel. What brought me to the this point? You know, kind of the hard point is that we're reporting 43 deaths today. Now most of those air recent Some of them are ones that have gone through our committee. But regardless, it's 43 additional. Kentucky is lost, and that makes it a hard day. If there is a bright spot, only five of them were in long term care, or that we know they're in long term care. Now, meeting vaccinations work. If you're out there, please, please get vaccinated. This is the way that we get out of this and we stop having days where we lose 45. Kentucky and Strycova. Today's deaths include a 73 year old man from Bell, a 95 year old man from Boone, 78 year old man from Elliot, 91 year old man from Fat, three Floyd County residents to women ages 59 80 then a 72 year old man, 75 year old man from Graves, a 60 year old woman from Harden. A 70 year old man from Henry, 21 year old woman from Hopkins County. A number from Jefferson. Women ages 70 76 78 81. And men, ages 57 63 79 79 81 90 and 97. 95 year old woman from Kitten, a 73 year old man from Laurel. 79 year old man from Laurel. A 67 year old woman from Lawrence County. Two individuals from a cracking, a woman aged 78 a man aged 79. 62 year old man from McCreery in Madison to individuals. Both men, ages 84 85. 65 year old man from Marshall. Two individuals from me, both men, ages 72 87 49. A 49 year old man from Menifee. A sudden gotten easier and 11 months I mean every day you feel People's loss. 80 85 year old woman from Nelson, Two men from Nelson, ages 89 93. 72 year old man from Perry, 58 year old man from Pulaski, 71 year old woman from Shelby, an 87 year old man from Spencer, a 72 year old man from Taylor. We've been out this so long that we could be in a place where we're numb. But who would we be? Would we be if we were at that place? And while we've seen from some, you know, I don't want to call it indifference. Maybe it's maybe it's denial. The the emotions they're gonna pour out of us is we come out of this and Lord, I pray that were coming out of this. They're gonna be tough. So let's acknowledge it as we go. I'll talk about the better news. Let's talk about vaccinations and don't let anybody tell you different vaccinations are going incredibly well in Kentucky. Remember when we showed you last week, Um, that that, you know, we had We had only gotten a fraction of of what we expected in delivery, but we had put 98.5% of every first dose that had ever come into the state in someone's arm. And that's where we wanna be given out doses faster than the federal government provides them. So let's first look at Table one on vaccinations. Okay, that's 646,836 Kentucky INS in less than a year from our first case, have received their first shot of hope and are developing some level of immunity. That's at least 14.7% of our population if you go people 18 and older, which is one of the ways that the CDC looks at it because only one of the vaccines is 16 and up once 18 and up, that's 19 to 20% of our population. Now, remember, let's look at number two, table two, that when you look at this last week, was disruptive. Last week, we expected on first doses to get about 71,000 doses, we got, uh, 6825. So what we did is we used every remaining bit that was out there, but you know it, it shows. I mean, we had vaccinated more than 63,871 people beginning January 5th up until last week. But listen, there's good news when you look at this. We got 152,710 doses this week and in a day and a half because we get him on about Tuesday so you could only start him on Wednesday and this report comes out. I want to know about 10 a.m. Today. We've already vaccinated 38,000, 522 people. That's some of the fastest we've done in a day and a half. Now I will admit, I don't know. That was short notice that we can rise from our record of 82,578 people vaccinated in a week. 252,710. But I know everybody out there that the lieutenant governor talked about is trying like Heck wants to get as many people vaccinated. It's possible this process is going incredibly well thanks to so many people working so hard. But I do want to make sure that you know that we will never judge ourselves in Kentucky by the how quick the second dose gets to people. When we start doing that, it means we are sending it out willy nilly, every single second doses for a specific individual that we want to get to that higher level of effectiveness of the vaccine. That's what the FDA tells us to do. That's what the CDC tells us to dio, and that's what we're gonna dio talk about. Vaccine sites, um, vaccine sites. As of our announcement today, at least 410 across Kentucky last week we had 291 sites, and now we're adding 119 for this upcoming week. Regional sites We previously have 57. We're adding six this week. Those include Rock Castle County Hospital, Caldwell County Hospital, Cumberland County Hospital Baptist Cells, Richmond Twin Lakes Regional Hospital and Owens Borough Health and Muilenburg and Kroger. We have 10 new sites for a total of 30 two in Florence, one in Erlanger, one in Shelbyville, one in Louisville to a Nicholas fill, one in Winchester, one in Somerset, one in Hopkinsville. Wal Mart locations air now up to 35 meaning we've added 10 new sites and those air in the counties of Rowen, Wayne Simpson, Davis, Union, Lincoln, Grant, Montgomery Marien and Pike Bet early qualified health centers. We now have 12 centers with multiple locations. That includes centers in Jefferson McLean, Webster Caldwell, Casey Russell, Wayne McCreary. I'm sorry, Rachel. I got I got moving there. Um, in Green counties, we have 61 local health departments on through the federal pharmacy program, which includes Walgreens and independent local pharmacies. There are now 215. And let me tell you, when Johnson and Johnson is approved, based on our current plans, we're gonna have a lot more independent pharmacies out there that are ready, willing and able to step up to the plate and to help their communities. I personally appreciate their patients. I know their ability. I know that they're pillars of their community. Can't wait to see what they're able to do when we're able to turn on a new program. So now we have new maps to show you how much we continue to grow our vaccine efforts. So let's start with the first one. Is this when I asked about Kenneth, Um, here is where we were, uh, many weeks ago. Keep gone and we grew, keep going and we grew and we grew. And we continue to grow. This is a month, a month and a half. This is how we're building out. Our goal, especially when we hit very significant supply, is to make sure it's in your neighborhood. Alison there is, especially as we move into one. See, it's gonna be tough to get an appointment because everybody wants it, and that's a really good thing. That means we have the enthusiasm to get the herd immunity and defeat this thing for good. That is a good thing. I know it's hard if you can't get an appointment to think my inability to get an appointment, it's a good thing it's it's not for you, but it is for us and ultimately for you to get to that point where you could take your mask off and get back to an old normal. It's a good thing, too. So let's remember the collective that we is, what it takes to defeat this virus, and with all these sites we are on our way. Now I'm sure that I have missed something because I ran down here right as lieutenant governor was about to start. I did. Which is long term care. Um, I ran down here. So Lieutenant Governor is about to end. Um, 90 residents, 11 new staff testing positive all around the country cases air plummeting in long term care and with the damage they've sustained. This is incredible news. We do have 15 new deaths that are attributable to long term care. They've been reported and previous days or weeks. We do have two new facilities that have a positive case. Long term care or proof are proof that these vaccinations work and that they protect people. All right with that, let's turn it over to questions. We got a list here. Let's start with Tom. Late Tech from Kentucky today. All right. Good afternoon, governor. Thanks for letting me lead off today. I've got to for you here. First of all, when will the restrictions on church capacities be lifted above 50% and have also gotten wind that Ohioans are making plans to come to the Covington Kroger site to get their vaccination kind of jump in the line there? Not to mention the state line. Are there any safeguards in place to prevent that from happening. Yes. Thank you, Tom. Today we did learn that a number of Ohioans about 1000 had scheduled a T least through Saturday at our Covington facility. We have fixed their ability to sign up based on zip code, but for the people that showed up and showed up for vaccine, we did go ahead and vaccinate them because listen, I mean, they're they're people, too, and they can spread it across their river. Now, I am personally going to ask the federal government for every individual we vaccinated from Ohio to get it least that amount of allocation from Ohio who otherwise is getting that allocation. And this is one of those. It's one of those things that test us is people, right? Were we get an allocation for Kentucky and you have somebody in need that shows up that might not be one of your citizens. And while we don't want it to happen, turning them away is is a different question. And I hope when we dig down to our our values and our faith that way hope that we could give that person protection we can stop the issue from happening in the future, and and then we can get those extra vaccines coming back to us because it's our job to to vaccinate our own citizens on on restrictions on on church capacity. Obviously, those haven't been mandatory in a while. I've been talking to a lot of church leaders because we're headed in the right direction, especially those leaders that have only had virtual services. We continue to see the direction we're on as vaccinations increase. I think there is a lot of new opportunity now e mean church. It raises ah, lot of questions. I mean, if if you're gonna have a capacity, do you can you have, ah first come first serve? How do you How do you do that? That's I know That's tough on our ministers and our pastors and our rabbis and and and others, and I know that they are working through that. Certainly there are some things that spread the virus more than others singing, um, and then and then the the ability to wear masks. But we're certainly entering a phase where I believe we're gonna be able to provide, uh, mawr opportunity, whether it's for in person worship or other things than we have in the recent past. Mike Valenti from W L A X Oh, let me pause on my governor. Hey. Hey, Mike. We I skipped over. Are you? I update. If you're good with it, let's do that. And then I'll come to your question. Does that work? Yep. That's fine. Okay. Okay. Let's go toe Amy for are you? I update and then we'll come back to Mike. Thank you, Governor. I'm here today. Hopefully with some good news and some information for you. Uh, first, some information about our numbers. We've been looking mawr and working mawr on the are older claims I can let you know that of the 695,000 claims from unique claimants that we had from the beginning of the pandemic through the end of December, 86% of those have been deemed payable, which is far outstrips are payable rate. Prior to the pandemic, which was just 70 to 75% Onley, 8% have been denied. We have about 6% of those without fraud issues, left toe work and almost 50% of those air from the fourth quarter. So the Office of Unemployment has made fabulous progress on the unemployment claims, which rival those just for the filings from 2020 of those across the great recession. So they have been working so hard to make sure that you get the benefits that you are entitled to. And I would also like to let you know, too, that we believe that we are back to our on time payment rate. Um, that is comparable to that. That was pre pandemic. So again, kudos to the office of Unemployment. Forgetting that number back up where I know they wanted it to be next. A little more information. I know there was a lot of press coverage from the cyber attack that the Office of Unemployment had yesterday. Um, the filing system was hit with a directed cyber attack yesterday morning. The good news is, is that our Commonwealth Office of Technology and our Office of Unemployment recognized the issue and they were able to prevent any intrusion into the system. They're monitoring closely for any additional attempts, but they did stellar work in protecting. Are you? I system from a breach and no, you I users data was stolen. We're very excited about the fact that even though these attacks were goingto happen, particularly with the federal programs that have so many dollars available, our office was able to fend off that attack and keep the system Onley down for about an hour. It was back up yesterday at 3 25 and then the back end of the system where people work on the claims was never down are affected. So we were still able to help work claim it claims while the filing front end part was down. I'm just so claim, it's understand. In order to stop that attack, we had to deploy a capture system. You may recognize those where you have to click that you're not a robot, you're not a computer. Um, it's a common thing to stop spam and stop these kinds of attacks. Um, it should not be difficult. We have not heard any issues of claimants having trouble accessing the system. As a result, it gives us just one more additional layer of security, but it should not make it any more difficult for you to log into the system. This will be my last update on the Bank of America debit cards. You've got to spend that off. By Sunday, the 28th or Bank of America will return. Those funds to us will reissue those as a paper check. But I understand that that means there will be delays in getting that money. So do try to spend that money off by Sunday. Yes. Um, one quick, not quick. One bit of information about fraud. I know we've talked a lot about fraud. Our numbers for January is we've worked. Some claims are fraudulent filings or down to about 70% of those that are still unresolved. But we have now put up the form on our website that you can report any fraudulent filing any letters you receive or if you're an employer and you have a get a notice of a claim that's been filed for an employee who's still working or never worked for you. Um, if there's a screenshot up there now, about halfway down the page, you can see there is a big orange button that says unemployment insurance fraud. If you click on that, there will be a form you can fill out. You don't have to email now. If you have email you don't have to fill this out again. We're still working things in the order that we received them and we will get to them. Um, if you fill out and then if you miss it here, if you scroll all the way down to the bottom and that's our next slide that we have, there is kind of a menu across the bottom and you can see there is a place to report you. I fraud as well. Either link takes you to the same page. Eso If you fill that out, someone will reach out for more information if they need it. And we will take care of that. But please know that this information is bought on the Internet from data breaches on day air filing these in multiple states. We are getting a lot of filings from out of state, and we're getting reports from Kentucky ins that they're getting letters from other states. So we have recommendations on the k. C c dot K y dot gov website that you can follow if you think your identity has been stolen. The Attorney General's website has very good information as well. Um, please know that we have been working with local law enforcement partners to try to prosecute. Those who are committing this fraud and we have been able to identify are starting to work on identifying some of those. And we think that there will be several prosecutions in the coming months against those who are committing the fraud. One last very short issue. Um, U s Department of Labor issued new guidance just this afternoon regarding the Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program. You may start seeing some media coverage of that and have some questions. Please know that we are digging through that guidance and we will have an update for you next week on any changes that we need to make in response to that. And that's it. All right. Thank you, Amy. And now we'll go back to Mike Valenti, who's been very patient from W L a X. Yeah. Thank you, Governor. Good evening. Have you and Dr Stack and other advisers had any internal discussions about the possibility of issuing guidance? People who have been vaccinated fully inoculated, done both doses And at what point do you think people can? I guess start toe, release their foot off the gas. Eso We're awaiting the C D. C, which says they're gonna come out with that guidance here soon. Uh, we wanna be able to review that. Certainly, individuals who have been fully vaccinated around individuals who've been fully vaccinated are safer than than a mixture Of the two are people who have not been. But we still don't know yet that we're seeing Mawr and Mawr information on whether you can transmit it to each other so well. There's a lot of uncertainty there. I feel like it is going to get resolved here in the near future. We've certainly been ableto let our foot off the gas with in terms of visitation at assisted living and other senior living that is not governed, um, or regulated by by the federal government. We're looking at other opportunities toe to do that in terms of capacity across the economy and the current restrictions or limitations that are that are still in place. So I think we're all kind of waiting with bated breath to see what the CDC says. And certainly this gets easier as mawr of the population is vaccinated, which which I think is happening at a rapid rate. Karen Boyer from W E K U. Hi, Governor. Um, what percentage of the long term care facility population needs to be vaccinated before we start to see fewer deaths occur? And then our long term staff getting the vaccine more regularly now, or is there still some hesitancy around getting vaccinated? So Monday, we're gonna put out a full report because we believe our long term care program, at least the initial part is ending. Um, certainly everyone who wanted ah vaccine in both long term care and or who work in it have now been able to get both doses. We're already seeing a precipitous drop in deaths and long term care, and and the share of deaths long term care versus non long term care is changing dramatically. It is really strong proof that the vaccines work. It is good for our seniors in long term care. It's good for our long term outlook on on on ending. This tragic loss of life does tell us that we need to continue to be careful on that. A lot of people have passed away outside of of long term care. We get those numbers back, we will only know who opted in in the specific program for long term care. We won't know how many of the workers said no in the specific program and then went to AH regional site to get vaccinated. I think what we're gonna see is a high percentage of residents and a middle or or maybe even a slightly disappointing, um, percentage of long term care workers, though again, I think that's just the initial offering of it. Um, I think that that ought to reinforce that we've got to continue to message the right way. And and let's also remember that they were the very first people offered a new vaccine. Even right now, it's a lot different than when it was offered from them. And so we're gonna need to give um, them a little grace and when and how they were offered it when they hadn't seen anybody else take it and then remember there in one A. So they could go anywhere right now and get that vaccine and we want them to, even if they said no. Originally Alexa Key stove from the Lexington Herald Leader. Hi, Governor. You've announced previously that Kentucky's regional vaccine sites will begin collectively opening to one C. Starting march 1st. You have smaller sites, like public health departments, too. Focus more on giving doses to stragglers in one A and one B. Can you talk a little bit about how you're directing them to do that and whether you're telling them to begin the transition to one C at a particular time? For example, can health departments border doses for one C now and at the regional sites? Are you planning to boost staffing and hours once you do open toe one C since, as you mentioned, it's least 1.3 million more people. Thanks. So staffing is is entirely dependent on the number of doses we get. Um, you know, so regardless of the population that can get through the doors to be vaccinated, it's really it's really the supply that dictates the number of people that we need. Uh, I wish we had more supply, and right now, this week, Alex, we're going to see how much our current staffing conduced, because remember, we have 152,000 doses because of of last week, and we're really going to get in many ways an important test where we learn how much a given number of people can can do. Can we pick up the pace or or what does it take? All right, So our local health departments, especially in some of our smaller places I mean, they they have so much purpose and they do this for a living, and they've got really good judgment when it comes to their community. So for them, what we can really give is priority. And they live out the priority, you know, better than any regional center ever could with volume and in different ways to sign up. So what we're telling them is you can begin once, see, and the numbers they get are based on on population in the program. And they won't. They won't change based on how they're giving them out. But if we know anything about our local health departments, if if we set a goal and and we let them know they're they're critical role in this, which is to make sure especially those 70 up and then 60 to 70 get a priority, we know they will go out and do it. They've been doing it every time. They've They've been incredible in our in our equity efforts and continue toe to say yes. So they're gonna be able to do one c. And in some communities, that's probably what they will focus on in others where we have a larger senior population. I know they'll be more targeted. They've been incredible, incredible during this crisis, and we know that they will continue. And that gives us faith as we move toe one, see that those that haven't been served in one B You're not being left out. There's still a group out there that is going to live and breathe every day in their professional job to make sure you get your vaccine. John Boyle from wf pl Hi, Governor. I don't think I've taken advantage of these to double up on questions over the past couple months. So I'm gonna take the opportunity to do that this time So we'll start with the daddy that I have a question. Um, so we've seen a pretty stark increase in deaths over the past couple of days, whereas over the past couple weeks, you know, they're pretty low. A lot of times even under 20. Um, So I wanted to hear what number one. What are the dates of these deaths that are being counted right now, if we are able to get those And what do you attribute? The recent uptick Thio. And as far as the second question goes, switching gears a little bit, um, wanted to hear a little bit about hair stylists and barbers and, um, just thoughts on your administration, not considering them essential or or including them in one C uh, first hair stylists and barbers, let me tell you, have done an incredible job in this pandemic. They have shown that if you follow the guidelines, well, you can prevent the spread even, um, if you have the virus. They were one of the first groups who were back in our reopening and and have been operating in in a in a safe way. So I hope nobody thinks that this administration doesn't recognize, um, the great job that they have been doing the safe way. They've been providing services. Not being in one C is wholly dependent on the C. D. C and how they put together, um, they're less. But to those groups, keep doing what you're doing. You're doing a great job and, you know, given that other people are in there, you know, vaccines alone don't make your your your business safe. What you're doing right now in the practices that you're using make your business is safe. So thank you. Right now, a so long as you walk in. And it's, like, everywhere else that we see, it's one of the safer places that there are lots of people toe to be, uh, eso on the data we can get you, um, the actual dates of death from today, the vast majority are February. A decent amount are January and there are probably eight, uh, eight or less what I would call historic deaths where we had to get more paperwork or there had to be a stronger determination of whether or not cove it waas a significant factor in the death. So if you remember early on, all the criticism out there was people were dying from something other than cove it. So we said a very we put a very strict policy in place to where if somebody was counted in this list, if we were going to say it was the toll of covert that we had done our homework. So I mean on today's that I read, Um, it's It's February, January, January, January, February, February, December, February Here's one of the historic September. January, December, February, February, February, February, February, February, February. Okay, so we'll get you all all the other dates. Andi. And that way you all can do your analysis and thank you for not doubling up until now. Chad Hedrick from W K Y t. Hey there, Governor question in regards to as we have mawr vaccine sites coming online, how is it determined of how many vaccines go to each of these sites as we get mawr coming into the state? It is a good question, and it's not perfect, but it's primarily based on population. Oftentimes we look at the area development district because it's a lot easier to look at region for population. But as we get more vaccine, we're gonna be able thio toe look in smaller and smaller areas. Um, it is driven by by population. At the moment. That is our prime mover. Um, it's also driven. It's important on what the what? The limitations are on the size that we can ship. So Madonna, that's 100. It's a little under 1000 on Pfizer. So areas that that population wise maybe a little bit smaller, where you wouldn't have AH 1000 vaccines it's 900 something. We'll be getting Madonna. Some of the bigger areas may be getting more Pfizer because in an allocation by population, that makes sense. Debbie Yetter from The Courier Journal of the Governor With the regional sites opening Teoh one C on Monday, I guess with priority given to 60 and older, do you expect to be able to accommodate the 70 and older who have yet to get vaccinated? I understand. And there seemed to be a number of those folks still trying to get appointments. Uh, we dio again. It doesn't mean that that individuals won't be frustrated and had to sign up and when to sign up. That's just everybody wanting this lifesaving vaccine. It's two things. Number one, at least in our Kroger regional sites. Uh, they have worked their computer system to provide preference, especially to those over 70. As we move towards one, see the other pieces local health departments, especially in smaller communities, working directly with waiting lists with people that they know, and then sometimes in senior living settings, were talking a lot about Johnson and Johnson right now. And what it's gonna allow us to get Tau Tau homebound seniors and others and only have to go once to give them a highly effective vaccine. Let me make sure I make this clear to everyone. When Johnson and Johnson's approved, we will have three incredible lifesaving vaccines. All of them come close to eliminating severe illness and death, and that's where we wanna bay. So if you get offered the Johnson and Johnson of the Modern or the Pfizer vaccine, take it, take it, take it, take it. They're all incredible. They're all better than anything we ever hoped for or was projected to us. Eso So you're gonna you're gonna see a number of of efforts. Azzawi moved to one. See, a lot of what we have in one B are harder to reach populations, and thus its's targeted programs. We think big and we think small Geoff Mulvihill from the Associated Press. Thank you, Governor. I have Ah, you. I question with the frog problems the Kentucky and other states have seen so far under Apoula. I want to know what the state's doing to avoid similar issues with the expected next round of extended and heightened benefits. Uh, let's go toe Amy cabbage, and we have seen your right a huge, uh, a significantly escalated amount of fraud based on, you know, the December announcement and and from there, And if that trend continues, it could be even more problematic. And for Kentucky, it's and everyone else. Every every every fraudulent filing that's not immediately flagged and expelled makes it harder to get to the legitimate one. Because if you gotta work your way through, let's let's let's pick random numbers. And let's make sure that people know they're not accurate numbers. If if you gotta work through, ah 100 claims and 90 of them are fraudulent and 10 of them are riel, when do you get to the 10 that are really it makes it harder toe help people, but let's go over to Amy. We're actually doing several things right now that we expect to ramp up, as you know, if the P way extension comes through, which is expected to be through the end of August 1 thing that we have already done and then other states are starting to roll out. I know Kansas recently rolled this out Is we have our i D verification product that was in place pre pandemic that is catching about 99% of the payments. It the letters are going out to claimants telling them that there has been a claim filed, but it is stopping any claims being paid. So while it's a burden on the system, it is also stopping the billions of dollars of payments of fraudulent payments from going out that other states have seen. So that's one good thing that we have. We are all getting ready to roll out a back end. Second, I d verification Thio catch anything that gets through that first level of I D verification and in light of the significant number of out of state fraudulent claims that we're seeing, we are taking and catching and giving a hard look at all claims filed from out of state and we are doing searches to catch other fraudulent indicators. I don't want to announce what those indicators are so that people committing the fraud don't then try to figure out a way around them. But we are taking all the patterns that we're seeing in the fraudulent filings and trying to run searches and flag those in our systems so that we can segregate those to the side and work on the legitimate claims. But it is something that we're cognizant enough we are concerned about, and we believe that we will see continue if the P. U A program is re upped by Congress. All right, everybody, um, we'll be live again at 4 p.m. Back again at four on Monday. But I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that we are just about 10 days away from the one year anniversary of our first case here in Kentucky. I keep thinking just about every day, Um, about March 6th last year. It was this beautiful day, Um, one of the nicest days we've we've we've had in a while. And it was a Friday, and I left a little bit early from the office. I wanted to go home and see the kids. It's in a great mood, even though that we knew that the coronavirus was out there. We were hopeful about what it might or might not do at the time. I had two dogs that were waiting for May, um, Thio to get home. Our lives are dramatically different then march 6th of last year were all sustained loss. We're all feeling loss, and there is a collective grief in this commonwealth that is greater than I could have imagined in my lifetime and and greater than I knew that I would have toe try to lead us through his governor. I hope I've met your expectations in doing that. None of us could have known what this journey it was, and none of us had the answers in the beginning and not all the answers. Now, as we approach a year, there's a lot of hope in front of us. There's a chance to move beyond this. But to do that, I need your your collective spirit, your resiliency and your compassion in in a way that we saw early on in this pandemic his last months, and we know it's now just months at least. Ah, pray of this pandemic are critical to protect those around us, so let's continue to do the right thing. So I've been vaccinated yet. I'm still wearing my mask, my masks plural every day. And that's because I wanna make sure that those around me that haven't yet been able to get in are protected. As as well. We talked about this being a test of our humanity. Tested over Onda tell it's over, so let's make sure we continue to do the right things. E wanna thank everybody. This last year's been tough on us all, and some people will sometimes say, You know, it's been it's been tough on you or or offer their support. It's been it's been tough on all of us, all of us. Give yourself space, Give yourself room, give yourself grace and an empathy and then give the same toe to those around you. Our collective healing will hopefully begin here here soon. We're all excited to get out of this, but it's gonna be a process moving forward. Our desks. Best days. They're coming, our common. It's gonna be incumbent on us to make sure that they're the very best days they can be. And let's make them incredible. Let's make sure that we don't forget who's not there with us, so we'll be working on plans for March 6th to make it fitting the year that we've been through. Maybe every March 6th moving forward, we'll remember what we've been through and what it took collectively to defeat it. Let's keep working towards that goal. We're gonna get through this. We're gonna get through it together. We're gonna come out on the other side. Thank you, Kentucky. God bless. We'll see you again on Monday.

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1,447 New COVID-19 Cases in Kentucky on Thursday

1,447 New COVID-19 Cases in Kentucky on Thursday
wsipam.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wsipam.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.

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Kentucky Broadband Initiative speed test deadline extended


WNKY 40 News
February 19, 2021
During the governor’s daily press briefing Thursday evening, an update to a statewide initiative was provided.
Lt. Governor Jacqueline Coleman spoke more on the Kentucky broadband initiative speed test, which seeks to find areas in the commonwealth with weaker internet connection so that help can be provided.
As of the update, over 61,000 Kentuckians have participated. The deadline for the speed test was originally Feb. 18 but has been extended to March 1.
April Humphrey has a daughter who attends school in the Barren County District. Her daughter uses virtual instruction, which is why April says she’s thankful for this initiative.

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963 New COVID-19 Cases in Kentucky on Thursday


Currently on ventilator: 130
Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Laurel, Christian and Kenton. Each county reported at least 30 new cases.
To see a list of those reported lost to the virus today, click here.
Winter Storm Update
Today, Gov. Beshear, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) Secretary Jim Gray and Kentucky Division of Emergency Management Director Michael Dossett updated Kentuckians on winter storm safety.
“Kentuckians have pulled together during these three winter storms. We have now restored power to more than half of the Kentucky customers who lost it – that’s substantial progress, but a lot more work needs to be done,” said Gov. Beshear. “We are a tough people, we’ve been through this before and we’re going to make it because we take care of one another.”

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2,339 New COVID-19 Cases in Kentucky on Tuesday


Currently on ventilator: 148
Top counties with the most positive cases today are: Jefferson, Fayette, Kenton, Boone and Madison. Each of these counties reported 80 or more new cases; Jefferson County alone reported 396. To see a list of those reported lost to the virus today, click here.
Long-Term Care Update
Cabinet for Health and Family Services Inspector General Adam Mather announced that CVS Health vaccinations are 88% complete in the state’s long-term care facilities and 79% complete in the state’s assisted living facilities. Walgreens vaccinations are 100% complete in long-term care facilities and 90% complete in assisted living facilities. CVS Health and Walgreens contracted with the federal government to provide long-term care and assisted living staff and resident vaccinations nationwide.

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COVID-19 Kentucky Daily Update

-------------- GOVERNOR BESHEAR'S DAILY COVID-19 STATEMENT FRANKFORT, Ky. (Feb. 9, 2021) – On Tuesday, Gov. Andy Beshear announced the federal government

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KACO Shares Legislative Priorities With PADD Board


The Pennyrile Area Development District board of directors heard the legislative priorities of the Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo) during their Monday afternoon meeting.
KACo Legislative Director Shellie Hampton said the top priority is getting the gasoline tax raised by ten-cents to help county road funds.

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What's New in Civic Tech: The Vaccine Rollout Goes Online


What’s New in Civic Tech: The Vaccine Rollout Goes Online
Plus, a new Kentucky state website allows visitors to test the speed of their connections, Miami has launched a new app to enable business licensing online via smartphones or computers, and more.
Shutterstock/Haris Mm
Perhaps the most pressing and widespread work happening in American civic tech right now is an effort at all levels of government to better-manage the COVID-19 vaccine rollout.
This effort is creating a mosaic of online resources — many of which are born in or sanctioned by state, county and local governments — with the express purpose of helping users get access to the COVID-19 vaccine. In some places, this work is manifesting in simple data maps, while in others it is taking the shape of online portals to determine official eligibility in these early stages of the rollout.

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