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Gov. Beshear Considering Easing Capacity Limits At Kentucky Restaurants

Stu Johnson

Governor Beshear says his administration is currently evaluating ways to ease coronavirus restrictions affecting restaurants across Kentucky.  The Commonwealth just saw its sixth straight week of declining COVID-19 cases. 

Beshear said reductions in capacity limits at restaurants will start slowly as opposed to allowing full capacity all at once. “We want to continue to move in the right direction like we are right now.  A hundred percent capacity isn’t in the near, near future.  I think every public health official would say that that would be a major mistake and would cause avoidable damage before we are out, but that doesn’t mean we can’t loosen a little bit,” said Beshear. 

Starting March first, the state will officially move into the 1-C category of eligibility for vaccination.  That includes those 60 and above along with anyone over age 16 with at-risk health conditions.  Beshear said that group of Kentuckians numbers well over a million people, but he noted additional vaccine supply could help inoculate them in 10 to eleven weeks. 

Kentucky’s Public Health Commissioner says the pace of coronavirus vaccinations will speed up in the coming months. Dr. Steven Stack said the anticipated increase in vaccine supplies should help move many Kentuckians into the vaccinated category.   “I think you will find that it’s going to get easier over time and even though I know the next four to six weeks will feel like it’s just not quite as effortless as we would like, by the time we get to the mid-spring and the late-spring I think you’ll find that we will have vaccinated a great deal of people,” explained Stack. 

Stack added there are about 364 different entities across the Commonwealth offering vaccinations.  Governor Beshear reported 530 new COVID-19 cases, the lowest number since October 5th.  Beshear also announced 13 deaths and a positivity rate of 6.6%. 

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