News and Music Discovery
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Beshear Announces Higher Federal Vaccine Allocation As Winter Storms Pummel The Commonwealth

Gov. Andy Beshear

Kentucky is bracing for another round of winter weather as state workers continue to clear the damage caused by the deadly first bout of snowfall earlier in the week. 

Significant snow accumulation is expected Wednesday, with poor driving conditions throughout the commonwealth.

“Hazardous driving conditions are the rule and not the exception,” said Transportation Secretary Jim Gray during a Tuesday press conference. 

Governor Andy Beshear said emergency responders and the Kentucky National Guard will be on-hand to assist with weather-related emergencies. However, he encouraged Kentuckians to stay home to avoid unnecessary accidents and injuries. 

“Front-line emergency responders continue to work hard to clear roads, trees and branches and support communities across the commonwealth as needed – including Kentucky National Guard soldiers and Kentucky State Police troopers providing wellness checks in counties suffering power outages,”  Beshear said. “We remind Kentuckians to please stay off the roads if possible. They are slick and dangerous.”

In addition to the weather update, Beshear briefed Kentuckians on new COVID-19 data. The state is reporting 1,255 new virus cases, and 27 deaths. The “curve” of coronavirus cases continues to decline, with the number of “red zone” counties (counties where COVID-19 spread is considered critical) reduced to 63. The positivity rate for COVID-19 tests is down to 6.58%

Kentucky’s vaccination program will receive a significant increase in dose distribution from the federal government over the next week. Kentucky’s allocation will increase by 29%, raising the number of weekly vaccines to 87,860. Beshear said the allocation has jumped 57% since the beginning of the Biden Administration. At least 542,394 Kentuckians have received a dose of a COVID-19 vaccine. The U.S. Census Bureau estimates Kentucky’s population to be 4.47 million. 

Find more information on Kentucky’s response to COVID-19 here.

Dalton York is a Morning Edition host and reporter for WKYU in Bowling Green. He is a graduate of Murray State University, where he majored in History with a minor in Nonprofit Leadership Studies. While attending Murray State, he worked as a student reporter at WKMS. A native of Marshall County, he is a proud product of his tight-knit community.
Related Content