Governor announces ten new rules for businesses preparing to reopen
FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ)- During his Tuesday update on the coronavirus, Governor Andy Beshear shared ten guidelines to help businesses safely reopen when the time comes.
“There are things that are similar to all businesses. These are things that are in the White Houses plan for reopening. And just like we talk about 10 steps for defeating the coronavirus, I want to talk about 10 steps for Healthy at Work,” Gov. Beshear said.
The ten steps come as the state began reopening Monday with some health care services as phase one. That launched the Healthy at Work initiative, which set out public health benchmarks for reopening the state’s economy. The benchmarks are similar to the White Houses Guidelines for Reopening America.
The 10 rules to reopening a business under the Healthy at Work plan are:
- Continue telework where possible
- Phased return to work
- Onsite temperature/health checks
- Universal masks and other necessary PPE
- Close common areas
- Enforce social distancing
- Limit face-to-face meetings
- Sanitizer/hand wash stations
- Special accommodations
- Testing plan
The Governor also updated the state’s testing efforts, introducing new options in Oldham and Mason Counties. In Oldham County, you can register through the health department’s website, and Buffalo Trace District Health Department says you should call 606-564-9447 about testing.
“This is the most testing we’ve had in Kentucky at any point, and it’s growing,” the Governor said. “People are taking advantage of these testing sites, and they need to keep taking advantage of these.”
You can sign up for free COVID-19 testing near you by visiting kycovid19.ky.gov.
The governor also emphasized the importance of masks Tuesday. He reminded Kentuckians that by May 11th, everybody working for or visiting a business should be wearing an easy to make cloth mask.
“This isn’t something you can be fined for, and again no one is going to be arrested for not wearing a mask,” the Governor said. “But should you if you’re going to the grocery store? Yes. Think about it: None of us knows if we are infected but asymptomatic with this virus. This protects you and other people.”
He reminded Kentuckians they should start wearing masks when out in public.
“When you wear these, it has to cover your nose and go beneath your mouth,” commissioner for the Department for Public Health, Dr. Steven Stack said. “Ideally, it also should go below your chin.”
The governor announced nearly 174,000 claims have been paid out totaling more than $173 million. He also said there are about 37,000 claims from March still unprocessed. He has said he aims to have all of those processed by the end of the week.
The Governor cited employer separation and identity verification problems as some of the reasons behind the hold up.
The governor also asked Kentuckians to fill out their census at my2020census.gov or by phone at 844-330-2020 (English) or 844-468-2020 (Spanish).
As of 5 p.m. April 28, the governor said there were at least 4,375 coronavirus cases in Kentucky, 230 of which were newly confirmed.
The governor also reported 12 new deaths Tuesday, raising the states total to 225 deaths related to the virus. That includes one case listed as probable.
The deaths include a 75-year-old man from Adair County; two women, ages 77 and 85, from Campbell County; two women, ages 71 and 84, from Graves County; a 55-year-old woman and a 69-year-old man from Jefferson County; two women, ages 89 and 92, and two men, ages 77 and 89, from Kenton County; and a 72-year-old woman from Russell County.
“That’s a lot of Kentuckians to lose in a day, even to something this deadly,” the Governor said. “He urged everyone to remember the families who are grieving by lighting up houses and business with green lights, the color of compassion and renewal.”
The governor also became emotional talking about the death of Lillian Press who helped create Kentucky Educational Television with her husband, Leonard.
Press died in Washington Sunday night where the governor said she moved recently to be near her son.
“She was 95 years old, but let me tell you: she was healthy, she was sharp,” the Governor said. “She’s really special and she had more years that she should have been able to give to us.”
He also noted Press organized the Governor’s Scholarship Program.
“More than a decade after she made it happen, it was something that changed my life, that changed the course of how I felt about myself and how I interacted with others,” Gov. Beshear said. “She did get to see the first person who graduated from the Governor’s Scholar Program become a governor. I’m very proud of that, and I know she was too, because I had an opportunity to talk to her after the election.”
The governor also shared at least 1,617 people have recovered from coronavirus in Kentucky.
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