LEXINGTON, Ky. — Gov. Andy Beshear announced 690 new cases of COVID-19 in Kentucky on Friday, along with 21 more virus-related deaths.
For the first time since March 20, the positivity rate rose above 3%, to 3.08%.
The state’s coronavirus death audit continues to yield more previously uncounted deaths. On Friday, all but three of the deaths reported were from this audit. A total of 6,129 people in Kentucky have died from coronavirus. Kentucky has confirmed a total of 428,527 cases of the virus.
There are 393 people hospitalized across the commonwealth with COVID-19 (18 fewer people than Thursday), and of those, 89 are in intensive care (three fewer people) and 66 are on a ventilator — an increase of 21 people in the last day.
At least 1,402,101 people have received their initial coronavirus vaccine — 26,200 of whom got it in the last day, according to the Kentucky Department for Public Health. All Kentuckians age 16 or older are eligible to receive the vaccine beginning Monday. Information about the state’s more than 600 vaccination sites is available at vaccine.ky.gov.
As thousands more people across the country are immunized each day and more studies affirm the efficacy of vaccines, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday loosened its guidance on domestic travel. The federal agency now says fully vaccinated people can “travel safely” within the country; they don’t need to get tested for COVID-19 before or after; and self-quarantine once they return is no longer necessary.
Travel is not yet safe for unvaccinated people, as the state and country are still far from reaching herd immunity, according to the CDC. People everywhere, including those who are fully immunized, should still avoid crowds and wear a mask in public.
This week or next week is spring break for many school students across Kentucky. Beshear warned those traveling to other states not to throw caution to the wind, but instead continue abiding by the same rules even if they’re inoculated: wear a mask in public, practice social distancing and avoid crowds.
