Mask, safety plea continue as state hits second-highest COVID day; schools get update

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – The state confirmed it’s second-highest one-day total for new coronavirus cases Tuesday, prompting state leaders to continue the plea for Kentuckians to follow health and safety guidelines.

Gov. Andy Beshear reported 674 new cases and three deaths which brings the total number of deaths to 674.

The total number of cases in the state topped 24,000 to 24,060.

Of the new cases, 22 were children under the age of 5. A total of 30 day care centers have at least one case associated with it, but Beshear stressed the cases may not necessarily have originated in the day care.

Several counties saw big numbers, including 180 in Jefferson County, 35 in Fayette, 22 in Harlan, 22 in Madison, and 12 in Casey, among others.

Harlan is one of the counties which have gone from only a handful of cases to more than 100 in less than three weeks

It, along with Pike and Warren, among others, are examples of why piecemeal enforcement of rules aren’t likely to work well in containing the virus, which has shown the ability to move across county and state lines easily.

“There is no safe region in Kentucky anymore. Harlan shows it will happen almost overnight,” Beshear said.

The state’s five-day moving average positive test rate fell slightly to 4.37 percent, still almost two points higher than it was just a month ago before the surge began.

The state’s mortality rate remains at about 3 percent, well below the national and international average.

The governor said 532 people were in the hospital with COVID-19 symptoms and 136 are in the ICU.

“These are worrisome numbers,” the governor said, noting the state still is not “at a critical point” with either because capacity in beds, ICU openings and ventilators remains at a “good number.”

“But that can change quickly,” he added.

Overall, the state has confirmed 549,208 tests.

Ten days into the directive requiring wearing masks in public when social distancing is not possible, Beshear repeated his comments from Monday, saying the state hopes to start seeing positive results from that requirement “by this time next week,” which would be late July.

“We hope we can see signs it is stopping escalating, that bit is back at a plateau…then hopefully we will see it start declining,” he explained, although the mask requirement is likely to remain in place for weeks, if not longer to keep the virus contained.

The numbers of cases will impact everything from the start of school to the Kentucky Derby and Kentucky State Fair.

“Everyone is watching the numbers…we are in such a critical period,” he stated.

He and Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack went through a variety of statistics and how they are figured, in part to counter a barrage of questions and counter-suggestions on social media about statistics and whether the coronavirus is real.

Stack went through a variety of viruses — HIV, polio, Hep C and herpes to name a few — to illustrate the history of statistics, treatments, and community spread and impact.

“It’s not fear-mongering,” Stack said, responding the the social-media accusations.

Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman also provided an update on school opening, especially a provision allowing unlimited emergency days for teachers and staff and a separate effort to expand wi-fi service to areas where it is not as readily available. That service is particularly important if schools have to revert to online teaching partially or completely again.

The unlimited emergency days allows staff to quarantine if they are exposed to the coronavirus or suffer other impacts.

“At the heart of every reopening plan should be the health and safety of every child and every adult in the building, as well as every family they go home to at night,” said Lt. Gov. Coleman, an educator who also serves as secretary of the Kentucky Education and Workforce Development Cabinet. “That should be first and foremost.”

The Lieutenant Governor highlighted the states Healthy at School guidelines, which promote best practices including social distancing, cloth face coverings, contact tracing, sanitation and health screenings.

She also touted expanded flexibility the state is extending to school district officials so they can make decisions about what is best for their students, teachers and school staffers. Among the new provisions being allowed for the coming school year are unlimited non-traditional instruction (NTI) days, removing daily average attendance requirements for funding, an expanded care program and unlimited COVID-19-related emergency days for teachers and staff in quarantine.

Lt. Gov. Coleman said she will be taking part Thursday in a Kentucky Department of Education virtual town hall with educators and staffers to talk about issues related to reopening schools.

In addition, the Lieutenant Governor said she sent a letter to U.S. Education Secretary Betsy DeVos and Kentuckys congressional leadership explaining the health and safety challenges facing schools across the commonwealth and appealing for additional funding for Kentucky schools through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act.

All of our schools and college campuses have to keep students safe and they have to keep them learning, Lt. Gov. Coleman said. Today I urge Congress and our national leaders to meet this moment so that we can meet the needs of our communities in this unprecedented time.