Wintry weather will be temporarily shutting down three regional COVID-19 vaccination centers, including the Lexington location at the Kentucky Horse Park, on Thursday. The state is confident the appointments can be rescheduled within a week.
Calling it a "curveball" from Mother Nature, Gov. Andy Beshear said the approaching winter storm is cause for caution and the state won't be taking any chances with patients or staff at the newly-opened Kroger regional vaccination sites in Lexington, Bowling Green, and Covington.
"If you have waiting a long time to get this appointment, I am really sorry," the governor told Kentuckians during his Tuesday briefing. "But I also don't want to put you out on the roads with thick amounts of ice, where, if you wear your mask and you're careful for this next week, we'll get you vaccinated."
Weather permitting, the appointments could be rescheduled as early as Saturday.
The state is still planning to announce where it will open its next round of regional vaccination hubs on Thursday, though no official date has been set to formally expand availability to those in group 1C (essential workers and people 60 and over).
Vaccine supplies from the federal government are set to increase 6 percent in the coming week and authorities remain confident in the state's ability to distribute them quickly.
TUESDAY COVID-19 NUMBERS FOR KENTUCKY:
- 2,339 new cases
- 35 deaths
- 7.66% positivity rate
- 1,204 hospitalized
- 282 in ICU
- 148 on ventilator
- 452,532 vaccinated (81% utilized)
- 555,950 doses allocated
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