By Associated Press - Thursday, March 11, 2021

FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky is expanding the class of people eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccination, officials said Thursday.

Meanwhile, the rate of positive tests edged up slightly to 3.95%, with 1,211 new cases of the disease reported in the state and 36 deaths, Gov. Andy Beshear said at a news conference.

The state is adding some people who might be at risk of severe illness to the class eligible for vaccination as of Monday, said Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health. The change is based on guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“As of March 15, the Kentucky COVID-19 vaccination eligibility phase is 1-C,” Stack said. “1-C is now expanded to include all persons ages 16 or older with any medical or behavioral health condition or conditions that the CDC reports ‘are’ or ‘might be’ at increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness.”

Smoking is not among the state’s covered conditions, Stack said.

Visitation at nursing homes is also being expanded, said Adam Mather, inspector general for the Cabinet of Health and Family Services.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services approved a proposal for about $6.7 million to be used for a smart entry screening system at Medicare-certified nursing homes, Mather said. Kentucky will be the first to implement the contactless devices and vaccine tracking, intended to help reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other diseases, the state said.

“The sensors will be placed at key points of entry to safeguard the 22,450 residents living in these facilities,” Mather said.

He said the facilities will ease restrictions beginning Monday.

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Find AP’s full coverage of the coronavirus pandemic at https://apnews.com/hub/coronavirus-pandemic.

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