Gov. Andy Beshear encouraged vaccinated Kentuckians to get their COVID-19 vaccine booster shot.The boosters help individuals protect themselves and others better as immunity from the initial vaccine dose(s) likely wanes overtime.
All Kentuckians are now eligible to get any of the three COVID-19 vaccine boosters: Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson.
“You really need to get your booster, because we are seeing hospitalizations among vaccinated people going up month after month, which suggests waning immunity,” said Gov. Beshear. “Getting your booster is incredibly important. I am going to get mine live Thursday when we do the Team Kentucky update. The vaccines work. You need a booster for the vaccines to continue to work at the level that we need them to.”
COVID-19 Case Information, Vaccinations Update
Number of people who have received at least one vaccine dose in Kentucky: 2,556,665 (duplicate vaccinations in the federal reporting system have been removed.)
Oct. 30, Cases: 941
Oct. 30, Deaths: 10
Oct. 31, Cases: 711
Oct. 31, Deaths: 12
New Cases Today: 568
New Deaths: 26
Monday’s Positivity Rate: 5.03%
Current Hospitalizations: 772
Current Intensive Care Admittances: 249
Currently on Ventilators: 138
During the week ending Oct. 31, 8,603 new COVID-19 cases were reported in Kentucky and the average test positivity rate was 4.98%.
From March 1 to Oct. 27, 84.1% of COVID-19 cases, 84.2% of COVID-19 hospitalizations and 85.0% of COVID-19 deaths in Kentucky have been among those who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.
Sign-Ups Open on State-Based Marketplace
Beshear is reminding Kentuckians that the health coverage annual enrollment period opens today, Nov. 1, providing citizens of the Commonwealth the opportunity to sign up for commercial plan coverage that begins in 2022.
In addition, Kentuckians have a new place for enrolling: kynect.ky.gov. To get help signing up, Kentuckians can also call help lines for kynect benefits (1-855-306-8959), kynect health coverage (1-855-459-6328) or TTY (1-855-326-4654).
“Starting today, Kentucky families can go online and shop and save on quality health care coverage,” Gov. Beshear said. “Health care is a basic human right, and the healthier we all are, the better spot we are in to build a better Kentucky and further boost our booming economy.”
Enrollments received through Dec. 15 will qualify for coverage that begins Jan. 1, 2022. For Kentuckians who enroll between Dec. 16, 2021, and Jan. 15, 2022, coverage will start Feb. 1, 2022. Enrollment in a commercial plan will remain open on kynect.ky.gov through Jan. 15, 2022.
“The important thing to do is to look and plan. Talk to the kynector, talk to the agent, and have them help you shop around,” said Cabinet for Health and Family Services Secretary Eric Friedlander. “You are likely to find a plan, hopefully one that is less than what you are currently paying. This is good for Kentucky.”
Kentucky tops $10B in record year for Economic Development growth
Kentucky is experiencing unprecedented economic momentum, as Beshear announced this year’s private-sector new-location and expansion projects have exceeded $10 billion in new investments for the first time in the commonwealth’s history with more than 15,200 full-time jobs announced.
“This is not just breaking a past record, which we did more than a month and a half ago, this is adding a zero to anything we have ever seen in the history of the Commonwealth,” said Gov. Beshear. “It is a monumental achievement for our state, which represents months of dedication from local and state economic development leaders and businesses across Kentucky. It means that today more than any day in our lifetime – maybe even in our history – Kentucky is trusted by businesses all over the world to truly deliver.”
Biden announces deal to remove Kentucky bourbon tariff
The Biden administration announced a deal with the European Union (EU) to remove costly and burdensome tariffs on one of Kentucky’s flagship industries: bourbon.
The Beshear administration has taken an active role advocating against these tariffs.
“We stood up for Kentucky bourbon workers, producers and consumers to protect thousands of well-paying jobs in the Commonwealth and the families and communities they support,” said Gov. Beshear.
The deal will prevent a catastrophic 50% tariff from going into effect on Kentucky bourbon imported by the EU on Dec. 1, 2021, and will remove all retaliatory tariffs on Kentucky bourbon by Jan. 1, 2022.
The bourbon industry in Kentucky has applauded this effort.