FRANKFORT, Ky. — More of Kentucky's state leaders received their COVID-19 vaccination Monday in the Capitol Rotunda. Secretary of State Michael Adams, Auditor Mike Harmon, Supreme Court Deputy Chief Justice Lisabeth T. Hughes, and Justice Samuel T. Wright III were among those vaccinated.

Last week, Justice Laurance B. VanMeter received his vaccination while Chief Justice John D. Minton Jr. received his shot along with Gov. Andy Beshear. A majority of the Kentucky Supreme Court has now received the initial dose of the vaccination.

Earlier this month, the first round of Kentucky hospitals began administering doses of Pfizer's vaccine to frontline healthcare workers. Vaccine distribution continued last week, with long-term care facilities receiving their first vaccines Monday, Dec. 21.

“The purpose is to build confidence in the vaccine. If we truly want to defeat COVID, we need to vaccinate more than 70% of Kentucky’s population, and that requires validators who are willing to step up to take the vaccine to show that it’s safe,” said Beshear. “This is also important for continuity of government. These are the top elected officials under the Constitution, and it’s critical that they receive the vaccine to perform their functions.”

Auditor Mike Harmon receives his vaccine Monday. // COURTESY GOVERNOR'S COMMUNICATIONS OFFICE

 Adams emphasized the vaccine's safety.

“Like Vice President Pence, Gov. Beshear, Senate President Stivers and House Speaker Osborne, I’ve taken the coronavirus vaccine in order to promote its safety and efficacy to my constituents,” Adams said. “Whether your politics are red or blue, this vaccine is for you, and I hope our example encourages Kentuckians to take the vaccine and defeat this virus for good.”

Several state leaders have already received the vaccine. Last week, Beshear, First Lady Britainy Beshear, Minton, House Speaker David Osborne, Senate President Robert Stivers, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman, Chief Judge Denise G. Clayton of the Kentucky Court of Appeals, Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack, and Cabinet Secretary J. Michael Brown all received the vaccine.

Also, Acting Kentucky State Police Commissioner Phillip Burnett Jr., Emergency Management Director Michael Dossett; Beshear’s chief of staff, La Tasha Buckner; his senior advisor, Rocky Adkins; and Virginia Moore, executive director of the Kentucky Commission on the Deaf and Hard of Hearing, were vaccinated last week.

RN and school health nurse for the Franklin County Health Department Amy Cubellis administered the vaccines Monday.

According to a press release from the governor's office, over 11,000 Kentuckians have received the vaccine, mostly health care workers. Beshear said Kentucky expects more than 202,000 doses of the vaccine before the end of the month with the second dose coming for each about three to four weeks later.

Haeli Spears is a digital producer with Spectrum News 1 Kentucky. She is a University of Louisville graduate who started her career with Spectrum News in May, 2020.