FRANKFORT, Ky. (AP) - Kentucky can beat the president’s timetable for offering COVID-19 vaccinations to every adult wanting one, Gov. Andy Beshear said Monday as the state reached an inoculation milestone.
The governor headlined a statehouse event celebrating the 1 millionth Kentuckian to receive at least the first dose of the coronavirus vaccine - about three months after the first shipment of vaccine arrived in the state. Kentucky has more than 4 million residents.
“Think about how far we’ve come and how fast,” Beshear said.
But the Bluegrass state also reached another grim milestone, surpassing 5,000 coronavirus-related deaths - showing that “this war is not yet won,” the governor said.
The governor has continued urging Kentuckians to wear a mask in public, practice social distancing and follow other guidelines to combat the spread of COVID-19.
Beshear sounded upbeat Monday about Kentucky meeting or exceeding President Joe Biden’s national vaccination goals, but said it will depend on the supply of vaccine.
With more than 550 vaccination sites set up statewide and more to open, the state continues to increase the number of Kentuckians vaccinated each week, the Democratic governor said.
The goal is that no Kentuckian has to travel more than one county from their home to be vaccinated - seen as a key issue in getting the vaccine into arms.
“It’s going to be making sure that we can meet people where they are and ultimately addressing some hesitancy that’s out there,” Beshear said. “But those are all things that we can do.”
Regarding the president’s vaccination goals, the governor said: “I expect not only will we meet his goal of every adult in Kentucky who wants a shot getting it by the end of May, I think we’re going to beat his goal in opening up vaccinations to everyone before May 1st.”
Kentucky has had declining coronavirus cases for nine consecutive weeks as vaccinations have ramped up.
On Monday, the state reported 396 new COVID-19 cases and 23 more virus-related deaths, raising Kentucky’s death toll from the virus to at least 5,005 since the pandemic began.
“My faith tells me that these are all God’s children - irreplaceable people who meant so much to their families, to their friends and to their communities,” Beshear said in mourning those who died.
More than 400 virus patients are hospitalized in Kentucky, including 114 in intensive care units.
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