Some parts of Kentucky’s health care industry that have been closed since the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak are expected to resume April 27, state officials said Thursday.

Specific areas include:

Health care clinics and medical offices

Physical therapy settings and chiropractic offices

Optometrists

Dental offices

These areas will not extend to similar services in nursing homes and prisons.

“In many ways this is our proof of concept — if we create the right guidelines, if we enforce those guidelines and if we do it gradually — that we can do this safely,” Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said during his evening public address.

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“And it’s no mistake that we’re doing it in the health care arena,” he continued, “which ought to be the area that can respond the fastest to any issues that arise with the coronavirus, should be the most aware of the procedures — the PPE and the rest — and ought to give us a good look at what this is going to look like as we do it in other areas.”

Other guidelines highlighted by the state’s public health commissioner, Dr. Steven Stack, include:

Maximize telehealth rather than in-person services

No visitors allowed except when necessary for end-of-life, vulnerable populations, minors, etc. and then only to minimum essential extent

Eliminate traditional waiting/common seating areas and use nontraditional alternatives (e.g., parking lot lobby)

Maintain social distancing (at least 6 feet) in all setting where people must wait and employ other steps to minimize direct contact between individuals within the health care setting.

Stack said other requirements involve screening workers and patients for their temperatures and COVID-19 symptoms, making sure the workplace is regularly sanitized and has necessary hand-washing and sanitizing products.

Those health care areas slated for reopening should also be able to acquire the needed PPE, Stack said. Masks should be worn by all providers, staff and patients.

Chiropractors, physical therapists and dentists should adhere to additional requirements, the details of which will be made available on the state’s COVID-19 website.

"Your business cannot look the same when you are able to gradually restart it than it did before," Beshear said.

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Jonathan Bullington is an investigative reporter. Reach him at: 502-582-4241; JBullingto@courierjournal.com; Twitter: @jrbullington. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: courier-journal.com/subscribe.