Beech Tree News Network

Editor's Note: Kentucky residents can call the state coronavirus hotline — 1-800-722-5725 — for advice about when to seek medical treatment. Visit Kentucky’s coronavirus website, kycovid19.ky.gov, for more guidance about the disease.

Gov. Andy Beshear on Friday recommended that Kentucky temporarily close all of its 195 senior centers to “in-person activities” in an effort to slow the spread of novel coronavirus.

Through those centers, 4,800 meals are provided to seniors on site each day and about 3,200 receive home-delivered meals.

Plans are already in the works at facilities across Kentucky to provide those meals to seniors either at their homes or through pick-up. If need be, Beshear said in his Friday morning Capitol news conference, he plans to use federal funds accessible through his state of public health emergency declaration to ensure “they get [those meals] one way or another.”

The newest confirmed cases of novel coronavirus in Kentucky are a 51 year-old woman in Harrison County and a 31 year-old woman in Lexington, Gov. Andy Beshear said Friday morning. Further details about a Humana employee in Louisville who has contracted the viral repiratory illness were not yet available, he said.

The number of confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kentucky remained at 11 Friday morning, after Gov. Andy Beshear announced three new cases on Thursday. He warned that more positive tests are expected later Friday and in coming days.

Overall, 118 people have been tested for the viral respiratory illness, COVID-19: 107 tests were negative, the governor said.

“I want Kentuckians to start thinking a little bit differently about what the next couple of months are going to look like and what our job is,” Beshear said. “This is us against the coronavirus.”

Six people have tested positive in Harrison County, two are positive in Jefferson and three have tested positive in Fayette.

HELP FOR KENTUCKY MEDICAL WORKERS EXPOSED TO CORONAVIRUS

Beshear also announced that Kentucky Employers Mutual Insurance will begin providing wage-replacement benefits for first responders and other medical personnel who have been quarantined or told to self-isolate after possible COVID-19 exposure on the job.

“We’re going to make sure that they don’t lose money because of that,” Beshear said.

He also asked for state boards and commissions to revert to teleconference gatherings and cancel all in-person meetings.

“Once again, what we are trying to do is lessen the contacts that people have, to at least slow the spread of coronavirus,” or better yet, he said, lessen the total number of Kentucky’s confirmed cases, Beshear said Friday.

The governor on Thursday evening urged all public and private schools across the state to suspend in-person classes starting Monday, March 16 for at least two weeks at the recommendation of state public health officials.

Beshear also previously asked businesses around the state to allow employees to work from home whenever possible, and for employers to provide adequate paid leave for employees so they don’t feel pressured to be in the office. State prisons and similar correctional facilities have been closed indefinitely to visitors, long-term care facilities are prohibiting most visitors, and school districts have been asked to develop plans to close on short notice.

Kentucky residents can call the state coronavirus hotline — 1-800-722-5725 — for advice about when to seek medical treatment. Visit Kentucky’s coronavirus website, kycovid19.ky.gov, for more guidance about the disease.

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By Alex Acquisto

Lexington Herald-Leader

Kentucky Press News Service

Date: 03-13-2020