FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Gov. Andy Beshear issued an order Wednesday to limit shopping to one person per household, stepping up efforts to enforce social distancing as coronavirus cases continue escalating in Kentucky.
The governor reported 204 new virus cases across Kentucky, a new one-day high. It raised the state’s total cases to 1,346 since the global pandemic hit the Bluegrass State.
He reported eight more virus-related deaths, bringing the statewide death toll to 73.
Meanwhile, Kentucky residents who lost their jobs amid the economic damage from the pandemic will receive a boost in unemployment benefits. Beshear announced that $600 unemployment supplements from the federal government will be available as soon as Thursday evening.
“This is going to be a significant help,” the governor said during his daily briefing.
The number of Kentucky residents filing for unemployment benefits has skyrocketed in recent weeks as the coronavirus wreaks havoc on the economy.
Beshear’s new executive order will mostly limit shopping to one person per household. It applies to grocery stores, pharmacies, hardware stores and other retailers still open to in-store business.
“It’s going to help you and the business practice better social distancing if there are less people in there,” said La Tasha Buckner, the governor’s chief of staff. “It’s also going to help your family stay safer because you have less people going into the stores and potentially becoming exposed.”
The order includes exceptions for people who have children or others who need supervision.
Beshear also cracked down on door-to-door sales to reinforce social distancing guidelines, and he renewed an order allowing people to get prescriptions refilled without visiting a doctor.
Meanwhile, the governor continued to stress the need for Kentucky residents to avoid mass gatherings, including in-person religious services during this Easter and Passover seasons.
“While I know it will be hard to worship virtually or in other ways, it will save lives,” he said. “And it will mean people that you normally see in person at church will still be in church months from now.”
Beshear suggested that church leaders who defy orders to keep people at home on Sunday could face consequences. He wasn’t specific if law enforcement would be involved.
“We’ll be taking additional steps and those that want to openly claim that they’re still going to be (holding Sunday service), knowing they’re going to put people in harms way, can probably expect to see us,” he said.
Most people who contract COVID-19 have mild or moderate symptoms, which can include fever and cough but also milder cases of pneumonia, sometimes requiring hospitalization. The risk of death is greater for older adults and people with other health problems.
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