LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On June 11, the mask mandate ends in Kentucky, but not for everyone. Namely, the homeless population.
What You Need To Know
- Kentucky's statewide mask mandate ends June 11
- Mask will still required in homeless shelters
- Capacity restrictions end for all June 11
- Vaccinated volunteers can return to Louisville shelters
COVID-19 restrictions implemented by Gov. Andy Beshear last year are going away for most people on June 11. Homeless shelters are one of the exceptions.
The mask mandate is set to stay in place with no end date set by the governor's office.
"The mask mandate is still in place," Nina Mosely told Spectrum News 1. Mosely is the C.O.O. of Wayside Christian Mission in Louisville. Wayside helps thousands of homeless and transient residents each year with shelter, medical care, child services and earlier this year held several Johnson & Johnson vaccine clinics.
Throughout the entire Metro, there are approximately 1,200 shelter beds available each night, but many have no other choice than to sleep on the street. Mosely expects the mask mandate to stay in effect until Louisville – if not the entire state – reaches herd immunity.
"A lot of the homeless typically have chronic illnesses and things that make them a little more vulnerable and we are always careful about protecting their health and their safety," Mosely said.
While masks will remain on for staff and clients inside Louisville shelters, the capacity restrictions will be lifted completely. This means community kitchens and meal sites will no longer have to be "carry out," only.
Mosely said another big relief is beginning this month her volunteers can return to in-person, inside work if they are fully vaccinated.
“Our volunteers helped us in literally every area of the mission from serving meals to going out in the community finding people on the street to working in our offices," Mosely explained.
Another piece of good news is Mosely reports partnering agencies have done a very effective job of preventing COVID-19 outbreaks in the homeless community even as the more contagious variants account for the majority of new cases.
“We’ve had very little positive cases since the vaccinations came out. I think we may have had two," Mosely said.