Governor Andy Beshear is asking Kentuckians to stay at home as a winter storm ravages the commonwealth.
“If you’re not home yet, make sure you spend as much time as necessary getting home,” Beshear said.
The storm is expected to last most of the week, with significant accumulation of snow, sleet and ice. Transportation Secretary Jim Gray said crews will be continuously clearing major roads.
“There is no district in this state which is not plowing, which is not in preparation,” Gray said.
Gray said some state vehicles have been involved in traffic accidents, including a “potentially more serious incident” in Graves County.
Find more information on road conditions, including priority routes and travel planning tips, here.
Beshear also provided an update on COVID-19 in Kentucky, announcing the state has seen five consecutive weeks of declining cases. The state is reporting 723 new cases Monday, the lowest number of new daily cases since October 12. The positivity rate for coronavirus tests is 6.57%, the lowest since November 5.
Nine Kentuckians died as a result of COVID-19 Monday, including a 64-year-old woman from Hopkins County.
Kentucky’s vaccination program continues to achieve its goal of administering 90% of vaccine doses the week they are received. View state data on the number of shots given per week:
Beshear announced child care workers will move into Phase 1B of the commonwealth’s vaccine priority scale, meaning they are immediately eligible to schedule appointments for inoculation. State lawmakers from both parties encouraged the governor to open up vaccinations to child care providers, citing their public-facing job and essential nature.
Find more information on Kentucky’s vaccination rollout and COVID-19 response here.
