On Monday, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear held a special news conference and made new mask recommendations as the state deals with new cases of the COVID-19 Delta variant.
Gov. Beshear is urging people with pre-existing conditions and those who work with the public to mask up again. He said the state has seen enough data to make the new recommendation as the Delta variant spreads.
“We believe that you should also be wearing a mask at this point even if you are vaccinated,” Beshear said. “This means that you have significant heart, lung, kidney issues, if you are immunocompromised at this point, given that we have seen an increase in breakthrough cases, we want you to be protected.”
Department for Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack said the state is seeing a similar number of confirmed cases as it did last July.
“But the situation is totally different. Because we have vaccines now, we have PPE, we have treatments in the hospital,” he said. “And now when we have those vaccines, we don't need to see this climb because if we all got vaccinated, this climb wouldn't be happening like this.”
Only 10 of Kentucky’s 120 counties have vaccinated at least 50% of their populations. More than 80% of people 65-and-older have been fully vaccinated.
Beshear said he does not think a statewide mask mandate would be helpful at this point.
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