Gov. Andy Beshear to Kentuckians: Do not travel to Tennessee

FRANKFORT, Ky. — Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear had a message for those who live in the southern portion of the Bluegrass State: Do not travel to Tennessee.

"We have taken very aggressive steps to try to stop or limit the spread of the coronavirus to try to protect our people," Beshear said. "But our neighbors from the south, in many instances, are not."

"If you are a Kentuckian living on that border, I need you to not go to Tennessee for anything other than work or helping a loved one or maybe the grocery, if it is there closer," he continued. "If you ultimately go down over that border and go to a restaurant or something that's not open in Kentucky, what you do is you bring the coronavirus back here in Kentucky."

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Kentucky has 302 confirmed cases of COVID-19 as of Friday evening, Beshear said. Meanwhile, Tennessee has more than 1,200 confirmed cases, according to the state's health department website.

Beshear pointed to three Kentucky counties on the border — Christian, Todd and Logan — and said they are doing a good job to "flatten that curve." According to a map based on data from the Christian County Health Department, each county has one to 10 confirmed COVID-19 cases.

But several counties in northern Tennessee close to the border have 21 to 80 confirmed cases, according to that map.

Several Tennessee mayors and doctors representing medical professionals across the state have urged Gov. Bill Lee to issue an order requiring residents to stay home for two weeks in an effort to stop the spread of coronavirus, according to The Tennesseean.

“I cannot control that Tennessee has not taken the steps that we have," Beshear said on Friday.

When asked what he'd say to Lee, Beshear added that he's “not here trying to criticize his leadership, I’m here trying to protect our people.”

Beshear, who said he hasn't spoken with Lee, added that it wouldn't be fair to consider ordering to close the border between the two states.

Earlier: Kentucky General Assembly passes coronavirus relief bill by a unanimous vote

“We consider different options every single day," Beshear said. "I’m not there yet.”

Beshear said if and when he speaks to Lee, he would tell him to do everything that Kentucky, Ohio and Indiana has done.

"I would ask him to close restaurants and bars to in-person traffic," Beshear said. "I would ask him to close the forward-facing businesses, just like we have."

However, Gov. Lee issued an order earlier this week limiting all Tennessee bars and restaurants to takeout, drive-thru and delivery services only.

The order went into effect at midnight March 23 and lasts through April 6.

Phillip M. Bailey contributed to this report.

Contact Ben Tobin at bjtobin@gannett.com and 502-582-4181 or follow on Twitter @TobinBen. Support strong local journalism by subscribing today: subscribe.courier-journal.com.