Gov. Andy Beshear again expressed concern about schools in red zone counties continuing with in-person instruction.
The comments came after Beshear read a written question that he said was from a school administrator in a school district that was still having in-person classes while the county was designated a red county due to the number of COVID-19 cases.
“If you are in a red zone, a red county, as hard as you try, COVID will be spreading in your school,” Beshear said during his Monday evening press briefing. “Schools have done better than just about anywhere else but they don’t have nearly the resources that we do in long-term care… A school system doing everything right in a red county can’t avoid the virus. The virus grows in the school and then it grows in the community.”
Beshear added that these school districts should consider the teachers and school staff.
“Think about the teachers,” Beshear said. “Think about the principals and everyone else. You’re putting them in direct contact at a time when the probability is really high that they’ll be exposed to the virus. To those schools that are still sending people back, look your people in the eye, tell them you care about them, and then do the right thing.”
Russell County remains a red county, but Superintendent Michael Ford said the school district will remain virtual this week and the status for next week will be reevaluated in the coming days. However, other nearby school districts that are also in the red category have continued with in-person instruction. Adair, Clinton, and Pulaski County schools have all continued in-person instruction while the county remains a red county. There could be other counties that fall into this category but WJRS News has not been able to confirm others at the time of writing.
On Monday, 80 of Kentucky’s 120 counties were in the red zone with the remainder in the orange-accelerated zone.
The following numbers were provided from the Governor’s office regarding COVID-19 in Kentucky.
New cases today: 1,745
New deaths today: 11
Positivity rate: 7.49%
Total deaths: 1,576
Currently hospitalized: 1,133
Currently in ICU: 300
Currently on ventilator: 142
