No red counties; almost 60% of state’s adults vaccinated, some nagging numbers remain

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – Almost 60 percent of the the state’s adults have been vaccinated but the numbers are concentrated in older populations while younger groups continue to lag behind.

And wide disparities exist between counties across the state, a gap the state hopes to narrow with a new set of incentives to be announced Thursday, Gov. Andy Beshear said Tuesday in what will be his next-to-last briefing.

His last briefing will be June 11.

He did note the state had no counties in the so-called ‘red’ category.

Beshear wouldn’t disclose the incentives but did say the state plans to reopen all 195 senior citizens centers in the state on June 11 when all other sectors of the economy are reopened fully.

Tuesday, the governor announced 2,058,029 people have received at least their first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine in Kentucky.

“These vaccines are miracles. They have effectively eliminated death and hospitalization for the most vulnerable,” said Beshear. “They are saving lives every day and we’ve got to make sure more people get them.”

As of 4 p.m. Tuesday, June 1, the state reported the following COVID-19 numbers:

New cases today: 137
Positivity rate: 2.50%

Deaths: 1 current, 260 to complete the ongoing audit, bringing the total deaths to 7,067.

Beshear noted weekly case numbers are down for the fourt straight week after plateauing for three weeks. Thjat plateau had sparked concerns of a possible surge even as vaccinations were happening across the state.

The state also has had four straight weeks of declining positivity rates. But even with those positive numbers, the state continues to have stubborn COVID numbers

For example, 324 people were hospitalized Tuesday, 111 were in ICU and 56 were on ventilators.

For information on cases and hospital capacity, see the full daily COVID-19 report. To see a list of those reported lost to the virus today, click here.

“Today, we’re going to add a number of audit deaths – 260 – to make sure that we are fully accurate,” said Beshear. “I believe after today we will have conducted the most comprehensive audit of any state in the country for deaths during this pandemic.”

The top five counties by percent of residents vaccinated are: Woodford (62%), Franklin (60%), Fayette (58%), Boone (52%) and Scott (51%).

The bottom five counties by percent of residents vaccinated are: Christian (19%), Spencer (20%), Ballard (21%), McCreary (22%) and Lewis (22%).

Beshear also announced a Better Kentucky Plan that will help Kentucky create 14,500 jobs and help build better schools, expand internet and deliver clean drinking water and quality sewer systems across Kentucky.

The plan’s $250 million Cleaner Water Program is the first program to accept applications, starting today, since Gov. Beshear and Kentucky lawmakers reached a bipartisan agreement at the close of the 2021 General Assembly to invest nearly $700 million in federal relief funds for infrastructure initiatives. To learn more, see the full release.

To see all vaccination sites and free transportation options to and from vaccination appointments, visit vaccine.ky.gov. To see a list of vaccination sites that have openings this week, visit vaccinemap.ky.gov. If Kentuckians have questions, they should call the state’s COVID-19 Vaccine Hotline, 855-598-2246 or TTY 855-326-4654 (for deaf or hard-of-hearing Kentuckians).

For detailed information on COVID-19 vaccinations and more, visit kycovid19.ky.gov.