Gov. Andy Beshear made a handful of announcements Thursday as the latest measures to help contain the spread of COVID-19 across the Commonwealth.
Those measures included:
• recommending that school districts statewide extend the suspension of in-person instruction until at least May 1
• announcing plans to commute the sentences for hundreds of non-violent offenders
• expanding a recent order restricting travel to include people from out of state
• issuing a call to action as the state works to keep stocks of personal protective equipment (PPE) amid dwindling supplies
• converting the state fairgrounds in Louisville into a 2,000-bed makeshift hospital
• announcing said Kentucky State Parks no longer will be open for overnight stays
School closings
Beshear spoke with school superintendents from across the Commonwealth about the need to keep the current restrictions in place, and he expects private schools to follow the guidance.
He said officials are watching data coming in from across the state and nation and studying how other cities are dealing with the surge of cases. Beshear said a decision to further extend the restrictions, perhaps even canceling the rest of the school year for in-person instruction, was possible.
“There is a real chance that we don’t go back to in-person instruction this year, but we’re not there yet,” Beshear said.
Sentences commuted for non-violent offenders
Beshear announced plans to commute the sentences for hundreds of non-violent offenders. The move reduces the risk of virus transmission for an at-risk population as well as for Department of Corrections officers and other personnel.
“This is lightening the load on our corrections system and at the same time protecting some of the most vulnerable individuals who are in the corrections system,” said J. Michael Brown, Secretary of the Executive Cabinet.
Beshear commuted the sentences of 186 inmates identified as being medically vulnerable to the coronavirus, and plans to commute the sentences of another 743 inmates in state custody who are due to complete their sentences within the next six months.
The Governor said all of those receiving commutations were being held for non-violent, non-sexual offenses.
Travel into Kentucky
Beshear expanded a recent order restricting travel to include people from out of state coming into the Commonwealth. Anyone from out of state has to follow the same travel restrictions as Kentuckians.
“We have to make sure we don’t have people traveling in, staying two days and then leaving, because that frustrates everything we are trying to do right now,” he said. “If someone has a family member from out of state and they want to come and ride it out with their family members, that’s fine. But once you get here, you quarantine for 14 days and you don’t go anywhere else. It’s no different than any other state is doing.”
Call to action on gloves
Beshear issued a call to action as the state works to keep stocks of personal protective equipment (PPE) amid dwindling supplies.
“What we need right now in Kentucky, and I know there’s a lot out there, is gloves for our medical professionals,” he said. “We believe this is the next area where there’s going to be another big run in the United States.”
The Governor asked anyone who could make donations of gloves or other PPE supplies to call the National Guard Hotline at 502-607-6844 or go to tinyurl.com/KYEMCOVID.
Fairgrounds
The governor said plans are moving ahead to convert the state fairgrounds in Louisville into a 2,000-bed makeshift hospital.
“Our goal is to be ready when the surge comes,” Beshear said. “I want to have it ready before we need even one of those single beds.”
State Parks
Beginning Friday, all Kentucky State Parks no longer will be open for overnight stays. The facilities will be open for use during daytime hours as long as visitors maintain proper social distancing. Kentucky State Parks will be open to the public between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7 p.m.
“This is to make sure that we’re all healthy at home,” Beshear said. “It’s making sure that we’re not creating opportunities for people to create a crowd and we’re not presenting a haven for those coming from other places to potentially bring their contacts.”
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The Owensboro Health coronavirus hotline is available 24/7 by calling 877-888-6647. Call the hotline before seeking in-person care. More information from OH can be found here.
For the latest information and data on COVID-19 in Kentucky visit kycovid19.ky.gov or dial the Kentucky state hotline at 800-722-5725.
For the latest health guidelines and resources from the CDC, visit their website here.
