School rules coming Wednesday; June 29 a big day for everything from bars to large groups

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WTVQ) – With the number of new coronavirus cases still indicating the state is in a plateau while a number of other states are seeing surges, June 29 is a big day for the continued economic reopening.

In addition, the state will announce plans for reopening schools during Gov. Andy Beshear’s Wednesday briefing. And already he is prepping the public for what may be some tough standards.

“They are going to be very different…I just ask everyone to keep an open mind,” Beshear said, repeating the rules are designed to protect children and families.

“Some will be expectations, some will be very strong suggestions,” Beshear said of the guidelines, noting some will be relatively easy for schools to meet while others will be more difficult.

He also hinted the plans may call for schools to only be open for i-person classes only part of the week.

Along those lines, he said he could see sporting events with 50 percent capacity starting as early as late summer and continuing into the fall. He said that would be more difficult for indoor events because to masks and social distancing but easier for outdoor activities such as college and high school football.

“We must make sure it is safe for student athletes and fans,” the governor said in response to a question.

While bars can reopen and restaurants can extend to 50 percent capacity from the current 33 percent, groups of up to 50 people also can begin gathering such as those hosted by hotels, weddings and convention centers, and professionally run arenas, the state said Monday.

Kentucky Kingdom also opens June 29 under a unique plan that will attach a phone number to every ticket, allowing contact tracing should an outbreak occur that is linked to visitors there.

“Just about everything in the state will be reopened in some level,” Gov. Andy Beshear said of the June 29 date during his daily coronavirus briefing Monday.

He also noted the 50 percent standard is one Kentuckians should apply to their own lives and businesses. “If you were having two meetings a day, cut it to one. It’s the kind of lifestyle changes we need so we don’t see some of the things other states are seeing,” Beshear said.

Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack continued to focus on basic steps such as wearing masks, hand-washing and social distancing

“Face covering is a big deal. I am surprised at how may people aren’t complying…this is a dangerous disease…we can only stay open if we follow these simple steps,” Stack stated, noting guidelines are posted on the state’s Covid-19 web site for expanded bar and restaurant capacity, arenas, groups of 50 people and similar groups that fall into the so-called Phase III reopening.

The restaurant standard originally was to go to 50 percent this week but was changed from Beshear’s original announcement June 9 to coincide with bars.

The governor reported 90 new coronavirus cases Monday, one of the few days in the last six weeks that has been below 100. That brings the state’s total since March 6 to 13,839 cases. Beshear said the 90 cases, along with the 120 reported Sunday, while possibly low because of weekend testing numbers, suggest the state still is in a plateau.

He also reported no deaths, another number that hasn’t occurred in weeks. The state has lost 526 people to the virus.

The state has confirmed 352,215 coronavirus tests, 349 people remain in the hospital which is less than 50 percent of the state’s capacity. Some 67 people are in ICU, which is about 70 percent of the state’s health care capacity.

A total of 3,534 people have reported recovering from the coronavirus.

Of the new cases, a number were in the eastern Kentucky area, including four in Shelby and Fayette counties, and smaller numbers in Boyle, Clark, Lincoln, Perry, Jessamine, Madison and Whitley counties, among others.