Beshear says numbers show restrictions work, but awaits effect of Thanksgiving; defends ban on in-person schooling with examples
Dept. for Public Health graph, relabeled by Ky. Health News; for a larger version click on it.
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By Melissa Patrick
“We do need it to be a more responsible 50 percent,” he said, alluding to his stated wish for better enforcement of masking when diners aren’t eating.
“Chris is actually really direct and, and also very vulnerable, sharing his pain but also sharing his frustration and everybody needing to do their part,” said Beshear. “This is a chance not to listen to me. Listen to him. Listen to somebody who’s lost a brother and Destiny who has lost a dad.”
Rufus Mason |
The governor honored the life of Rufus Mason, a 72-year-old custodian at Westport Middle School in Louisville, who died from Covid-19 on Nov. 30. Mason tested positive for the virus after exposure at the school where he worked, said Beshear. Mason had worked for Ford Motor Co. for 40 years before retiring in 2009 and becoming a custodian.
“This stuff really happens, and the reason it’s not happening more is because we’ve taken so many steps to prevent it from happening,” Stack said.
- The newly confirmed Covid-19 fatalities were an 89-year-old man from Allen County; a 71-year-old man from Bullitt County; an 89-year-old woman from Graves County; a 77-year-old woman from Greenup County; a 92-year-old woman from Jessamine County; two men, 86 and 87, from Johnson County; a 76-year-old man from Marshall County; and a 67-year-old woman and an 81-year-old man from Pike County.
- Counties with more than 10 new cases were: Jefferson, 343; Fayette, 171; Warren, 66; McCracken, 55; Boone, 54; Kenton, 52; Whitley, 48; Woodford, 44; Bullitt, 43; Hardin, 37; Campbell, 34; Pulaski, 32; Boyle, Hart and Madison, 30; Greenup, 29; Oldham and Scott, 27; Harlan and Henderson, 26; Daviess, 24; Caldwell and Lincoln, 22; Trigg, 21; Barren, 20; Graves, Johnson, Mercer, Pike and Powell, 19; Muhlenberg, 18; Casey, 17; Franklin and Taylor, 16; McCreary, 15; Anderson, 14; Shelby, 13; Boyd, Clark, Estill1, Logan, Mason and Perry, 12; and Bell, Christian, Jessamine, Laurel and Union, 11.
- Beshear reported that 3,753 restaurants and bars have applied for $35 million in assistance from the $40 million fund he created with federal relief money when he banned indoor service. He said $12 has already been paid, and if the state receives more than 4,000 applications, he will consider expanding the fund.
- The state’s daily report said 1,700 people were hospitalized with Covid-19, 410 of them in intensive care and 210 of those on a ventilator.
- In long-term care, Beshear announced 324 new cases among residents and 268 among staff, bringing the number of active cases to 2,509 and 1,305, respectively. There have been 1,376 resident deaths and seven staff deaths attributed to Covid-19.
- Hopkinsville police reported “a possible threat against a county health official who tried to enforce a state coronavirus order at a restaurant that has now operated for three days on a suspended permit,” Jennifer P. Brown reports for the Hoptown Chronicle. “The report lists a suspect who commented on a Facebook post created by the owners of The Village Restaurant after their food service permit was suspended Friday. “In the Facebook comment that apparently prompted County Health Director Kayla Bebout to call police, the person said, ‘That health department inspector could have an accident if they aren’t real careful.’ The name of the suspect, who has not been charged, was redacted from the report.”
- CBS reports that Covid-19 is now the leading cause of death in the United States.
The New York Times surveyed 700 epidemiologists and found that:
- “Epidemiologists are a very cautious group. Most said that even with vaccines, it would probably take a year or more for many activities to safely restart, and that some parts of their lives may never return to the way they were.”
- They “worry about many unknowns, including how long immunity lasts; how the virus may mutate; the challenges of vaccine distribution; and the possible reluctance to accept the vaccine among some groups.”
- Half said they would not change their personal behavior until at least 70% of the population was vaccinated; 30% said they would make some changes once they were vaccinated themselves.
- “Of 23 activities of daily life that the survey asked about, there were only three that the majority of respondents had done in the last month: gathering outdoors with friends; bringing in mail without precautions; and running errands, like going to the grocery store or pharmacy.”
- They “have almost entirely avoided other parts of pre-pandemic life — including activities that many Americans are doing now. Almost none said they had attended a sporting event, play or concert; met up with someone they didn’t know well; or attended a wedding or funeral.” They ranked as the riskiest activity eating indoors at a restaurant.