BOWLING GREEN, Ky. — Warren County has been a hotspot for the coronavirus for the past few months. The Barren River District Health Department has reported 1,698 positive cases, as of Thursday, July 9. The highest in the region, Warren County, outnumbers the next highest county, Butler, by more 1,400 cases. 

Warren County is the biggest county in the Health Department's district, yielding more people and resources. Regional epidemiologist, Layne Blackwell, says Warren County is a place of opportunity for many, resulting in a higher chance of exposure.

“We have a lot of work sites here. We have the big hospitals here. You have multiple long term care facilities, so we have cases in all of those and when you have congregate settings, you have more risk of exposure so we’re kind of seeing clusters, is what we call it, of cases” says Blackwell. 

Masks have been the solution for many states, in response to the national rise of COVID-19 cases. A recommendation the past few months, many have had the choice to wear a mask in Kentucky, but Friday, Governor Andy Beshear, mandated that masks must be worn in all public spaces. Restaurants, malls, grocery stores, and various other businesses must require patrons to wear a mask in order to enter.

Senior Public Relations & Social Media Specialist for the Greenwood Mall in Bowling Green, Rachel Willie, says they have equipped their stores with the necessary materials to keep everyone safe. In an effort to notify guests before entering the mall, signs detailing this new requirement will be posted to all entry doors. Our security team will have complimentary masks available upon request and will be monitoring the mall’s traffic to ensure that the appropriate health and safety measures are being taken” says Willie. 

Warren County has consistently reported some of the highest numbers in the state. Blackwell says this new mandate could help, but it will take time and consistency to see the outcome.

“They could’ve worn a mask 10 of those 14 days and the other 4 they didn’t. So if everyone in the community were to wear a mask out in public you could see a benefit, but you’re not going to see that right of way it’s going to take time and hopefully the data would reflect that but it's going to take time and you still have people who won’t wear a mask” says Blackwell.