Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman said Kentucky is processing 1,900 applications for Team Kentucky Fund distributions. She said people who have been impacted by COVID-19 and have lost their job or wages should apply. The fund currently has more than $3 million.
Coleman said Team Kentucky has partnered with Community Action Agencies of Kentucky to distribute the funds. She said the partnership provides more support for Kentuckians. Coleman said people entering the Community Action program have access to help finding a job and transportation and health screenings, among other benefits.
All proceeds from the fund go to help Kentuckians. Coleman said donations are tax-deductible and people can donate to the fund at donate.ky.gov. The Commonwealth of Kentucky’s Public Protection Cabinet oversees the Team Kentucky Fund.
Governor Andy Beshear confirmed 127 new cases of coronavirus in Kentucky today, bringing the total case to 9,077. He said 512 people are currently hopitalized and 82 are in the ICU. He reported six new deaths due to coronavirus, including a 78-year-old man from Hopkins County.
“Kentucky, we’ve now lost 400 of our own to this pandemic,” Beshear said. “Let’s keep those green lights going...and let’s commit to doing better.”
He said people should ring their bells at 10 a.m. tomorrow morning in honor of the people lost to the virus.
Beshar said 15 residents and 16 staff members in long term care facilities tested positive for coronavirus.
He said 3,124 Kentuckians total have recovered.
Beshear urged people to register for an absentee ballot, saying he recently completed the online registration.
“It took me less than a minute. I have a ballot coming to me. I can fill it out and send it in. It is easy. It is safe.”
Public Health Commissioner Steven Stack said there’s no disagreement among public health professionals around the country on the importance of wearing masks. He said wearing a mask is not a “political statement.”
“Some people want to make this about, ‘Oh, it’s just elderly folks.’ It’s not just elderly folks...It’s about anyone who has a medical condition that could be affected by this, including our fellow men and women who are in the elderly category,” he said.
Stack said he thinks it’s unfortunate that people would be dismissive toward the elderly and think they are “not as important as the rest.”
He held up his mask and said, “Something this simple is all it takes to keep your secretions to yourself and away from other people.”
Stack said there are consequences for people who disregard guidance and don’t wear masks. He said the consequences might affect others or “boomerang back to you.” He asked those who choose not to wear a mask be respectful to those who choose to.
Beshear said masks can be uncomfortable and make it harder to breathe, but “they protect people.”
Beshear announced an executive order to change the way appointments to the state’s Executive Branch Ethics Commission are made. He said the commission investigates different concerns in the state’s executive branch of government.
In 2008, former Governor Steve Beshear signed an executive order to diversify the commission. Under the order, the governor directly appoints three members of the commission and chooses the other two from lists of three nominees put forward by the attorney general and state auditor.
Governor Andy Beshear said former Governor Matt Bevin rescinded the order in 2016 and directly appointed all five members of the commission. Beshear said the restored order ensures “we can restore the type of Executive Branch Ethics Commission that this state deserves.”
Beshear also announced testing sites for next week and said the state cannot reopen safely without significant, statewide testing.
