On the heels of the highest week of new COVID-19 cases in Kentucky, Governor Andy Beshear announced Monday afternoon recommendations for counties in the ‘red zone.’
The recommendations include several things, like allowing employees to work from home when possible, reducing in-person shopping, and encouraging take-out to avoid dining in restaurants and bars.
Others include; prioritizing businesses that follow and enforce mask mandates and other guidelines, rescheduling public and private events, and avoiding non-essential activities outside of your home.
This comes as the state has more ‘red zone’ counties than ever before, and Christian and Hopkins have been in the red for more than a week.
Beshear added communities should consider the recommendations like schools do, by looking at the incidence rate map on Thursday evening to determine what should be done the next week.
He said the reason these are not mandates is that they only work when people follow them.
The governor announced 953 new COVID-19 cases and three additional deaths Monday. He added the positivity rate remained over 5.8-percent for the second day, which last occurred on August 17 and 18.
Also, the current number of COVID-related hospitalizations make up 5-percent of the state’s capacity, while those in the ICU make up 18-percent of it. Around 8-percent of the state’s ventilators are being used on patients who have tested positive for the virus.
In Christian County, health department spokeswoman Amanda Sweeney announced the county’s 30th COVID-linked death Monday afternoon. Sweeney said they are sad to report the 99-year-old Caucasian female, who had underlying health conditions, is the latest death. She added their thoughts and prayers go out to the friends and families of those lost.
Sweeney also confirmed 37 new COVID-19 cases Monday. The active case number is 285, with 192 either 59 or younger and 93, 60 or older. Christian County has reported 1,593 recoveries since mid-March.
