Beshear: Businesses need to apply to reopen

Healthy at Work plan is the ‘new normal’

FRANKFORT, Ky. (April 21, 2020) – Gov. Andy Beshear on Tuesday announced the launch of “Healthy at Work,” a new initiative to help Kentucky businesses reopen safely as we fight the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19).

The Governor has urged all Kentuckians to remain Healthy at Home, following federal and state guidelines on social distancing and limiting contacts. However, Kentucky families and businesses also must prepare for the day when we begin to reopen our economy.

“We want to make sure that when we hit that mark, knowing that we may only know five days in, that we’re ready and that when it is safe to do something, we can immediately start doing it,” the Governor said.

But he warned against opening up too soon.

“When we look at the long-term reopening of the economy, we do it by not being foolish or making risky decisions,” Gov. Beshear said. “It’s how we come out of this strong.”

Healthy at Work offers a phased approach to reopening Kentucky’s economy. It is based on criteria set by public health experts and advice from industry experts.

“This is going to be a dialogue with your business, your trade associations, employee groups,” said La Tasha Buckner, the Governor’s chief of staff and general counsel. “We’re all going to be working on this. We want to make sure we’re doing this the best way and not the quickest way.”

Phase 1 is a state-readiness evaluation. Phase 2 is an individual business-readiness evaluation. This approach will ensure the commonwealth’s citizens can safely return to work while still protecting the most vulnerable Kentuckians.

During Phase 1 of Healthy at Work, the Kentucky Department for Public Health will determine whether Kentucky has met certain public health benchmarks for reopening Kentucky’s economy. These benchmarks closely follow the White House’s Guidelines for Reopening America.

During Phase 2 of Healthy at Work, the Department for Public Health will evaluate individual businesses’ ability to safely reopen.

“Our new normal is not going to be the old normal,” Gov. Beshear said. “Every plan has to be really different from what regular operations looked like before.”

Among other things, each business proposal is required to explain its ability to provide personal protective equipment (PPE) to employees, adequate access to hand sanitizer and disinfectant, and minimal direct contact between employees and the public.

“Doing this right is about safety. That’s our number one concern,” the Governor said. “It’s also the right thing for the economy. Avoiding a second spike will restore our economy faster.”

PPE update
Gov. Beshear also offered an update on the levels of PPE available in the commonwealth. He praised all of the individuals who have answered the call and donated these essential items for our health care workers.

“In the last week, we have more gloves, surgical masks, face shields, respirator masks and coveralls,” the Governor announced.

Among the PPE items where Kentucky has seen growth in inventories, Gov. Beshear reported the state has on-hand about 1.5 million surgical masks, 365,000 N95 masks, 930,000 KN95 masks, 446,000 face shields, 4.5 million gloves and 37,000 gowns. All areas showed improved stocks over the past couple of weeks.

“This wouldn’t happen two weeks ago,” the Governor said of the boost in available PPE. “These gains were not possible two weeks ago.”

Drive-through testing
Gov. Beshear continues to urge people to sign up for testing at four recently announced new drive-through testing sites in and around the communities of Madisonville, Paducah, Somerset and Pikeville.

Those seeking to obtain a test can get location and registration details at The Little Clinic website.

The Governor also announced another drive-through screening site in Christian County. The local health department is partnering with the Kentucky Department for Public Health to provide tests Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at Tie Breaker Park. People wishing to sign up for testing should contact the Christian County Health Department.

Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, said the testing capacity still needs to be increased.

“Right now, the testing capacity is only one-third or one-fourth of where we need to be.”

Case information
As of 5 p.m. April 21, Gov. Beshear said there were at least 3,192 coronavirus cases in Kentucky, 177 of which were newly confirmed.

“This suggests that we have likely plateaued,” the Governor said. “It means we are not on the increase and we are not decreasing.”

Unfortunately, Gov. Beshear also reported 17 new deaths Tuesday, raising the state’s toll to 171 deaths related to the virus.

“Seventeen is a hard number to take. These are 17 individuals to be missed; 17 families that will be grieving; 17 communities that will be grieving,” Gov. Beshear said. “They are more than just their ages, genders and home counties. Let’s make sure we are doing everything we can to not have days like today.”

The 17 newly reported deaths include an 81-year-old man from Butler County; two women, ages 90 and 94, and a 92-year-old man from Graves County; a 58-year-old woman from Grant County; three men, ages 80, 85 and 90, and two women, ages 80 and 81, from Hopkins County; a 52-year-old man from Jackson County; two men, ages 71 and 81, and an 81-year-old woman from Jefferson County; a 73-year-old man and a 93-year-old woman from Kenton County; and an 86-year-old woman from Lyon County.

Gov. Beshear took part Tuesday morning in a wreath-laying ceremony to honor the Kentucky victims of the coronavirus after the number surpassed 150 a day earlier.

A Kentucky State Police Honor Guard marked the losses during the ceremony, which took place in the Capitol Rotunda.

“Today at 10 a.m., we had the bells ringing in the Capitol Rotunda, and a Kentucky State Honor Guard placed a wreath at the foot of the statue to President Abraham Lincoln,” the Governor said. “Our flags at the Capitol are still flying at half-staff, because these are wonderful, amazing people who we have lost.”

To highlight that each of those lost is more than a statistic, Gov. Beshear on Tuesday remembered John “Doug” Woods of Hopkins County, who died of COVID-19 within two days of Freda, his wife of almost 64 years. He said the loss to one family so quickly was devastating.

“It’s just too much too soon,” one granddaughter wrote of their loss.

She continued, referring to his service in the U.S. Air Force, “you will forever be my favorite veteran.”

At least 1,266 people have recovered from COVID-19 in Kentucky.

To date, at least 33,328 people have been tested. At least 1,076 people have ever been hospitalized with 286 currently hospitalized.

At least 558 have ever been in the ICU with at least 165 people currently in the ICU.