KENTUCKY — The light at the end of the tunnel is nearing for some Kentucky students. Gov. Andy Beshear issued a new executive order on Tuesday, recommending all school districts, including private schools, offer or expand some form of in-person learning beginning March 1.
What You Need To Know
- Beshear issued executive order recommending all school districts offer or expand some form of in-person learning beginning March 1
- Order recommends that if district personnel haven't finished their vaccine series by March 1, some form of in-person instruction can begin seven days after they have received the second dose
- Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman said the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) issued a comprehensive, 136-page manual, titled KDE COVID-19 Guidance 2.0
- Coleman said the manual guides planning school-related travel, administering spring state testing, operating schools after teachers and staff are vaccinated
The executive order recommends that if district personnel haven't finished their vaccine series by March 1, some form of in-person instruction can begin seven days after they have received the second dose.
“What we foresaw is that the safest way to expand in-person opportunities is to vaccinate all of our school personnel,” said Beshear. “Since then, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and others have moved that way and other states have followed our lead.”
To help with the transition back into school buildings, Lt. Gov. Jacqueline Coleman said the Kentucky Department of Education (KDE) issued a comprehensive, 136-page manual, titled KDE COVID-19 Guidance 2.0.
“Kentucky continues to be a national leader in vaccinating our school staff, and getting our kids back in the classroom safely remains a top priority for every Kentuckian — from the governor to our littlest learners,” said Coleman. “With this guidance, we hope to make the transition back to in-person learning as smooth and safe as possible.”
Coleman said the manual guides planning school-related travel, administering spring state testing, operating schools after teachers and staff are vaccinated, assessing knowledge gaps caused by the pandemic, and using the second round of Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Funding
Also on Tuesday, Beshear provided the following update on Kentucky's COVID-19 numbers:
- New cases Tuesday: 1,497
- New deaths Tuesday: 16
- Positivity rate: 6.3%
- Total deaths: 4,476
- Currently hospitalized: 894
- Currently in ICU: 242
- Currently on ventilator: 121
The top counties with the most positive cases reported Tuesday include Jefferson, Fayette, Boone, Laurel, and Kenton counties. Each county reported at least 60 new cases with Jefferson County reporting 208.
Beshear noted that Tuesday's positivity rate was Kentucky's lowest since Nov. 4.