Beshear: Any person going to mass gathering this weekend will have their license plate reported Share Shares Copy Link Copy

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All right, Kentucky, it is five o'clock on. Good Friday. Once again, we are together, Um, knowing that we're gonna get through this and we're gonna get through it together. So once you say it with me, we're gonna get through this. We're gonna get through this together one last time. We're gonna get through this. We're gonna get through this together. James C. Of the video, That one other saying it. Well, we'll bring it up here in a minute. Um, we're gonna get through this. This is a time and a weekend the whole week for multiple faiths. It is about faith. That is about knowing that we have faced as people a cz Christians as juices, as members off of many faiths. We have faced a very difficult dark times, and we have prevailed. We know that the weeks or the or the months ahead are gonna be difficult. We know that they're gonna be tougher days before they're easier days. But we also know because we have faith that we're gonna get through this. We're gonna get through it together. We're gonna pass this test of humanity that has been placed in front of us. We're gonna get through this because we're gonna follow the 10 rules that we know help us to reduce the spread of the Corona virus and help us to ensure that we protect one another. Those rules are staying healthy at home. The most important rule. You should be at home, and we'll talk a bit about how, all through this weekend, even with it being such a special weekend, you should be at home. That means not getting together with family outside your house. I know that's tough. You zoom, use face, use FaceTime, use whatever you can digitally. But just know that we did better last weekend that we did the weekend before. And we need to do better this weekend, then the next one, and we'll talk about tough areas. Problem areas are senior living facilities. If we violate these rules this weekend, it increases the chances of even more harm to those who are most vulnerable. So stay healthy at home number to avoid crowds and gatherings. No exceptions. Pull up a crowd, a grocery store hardware store can't go in it, and we've had to make the tough decision is the people that that we won't be able to even get together this weekend or this week For what? A special week and weekend practice. Social distancing. This isn't excuse to say we can do what we want just six feet apart. It is, we're healthy at home. We're not going to be around any crowd. And when we come across somebody we are six feet apart from them. Know when to seek care, as our case is escalate and they are on and and as hospitalizations escalating need for I see you beds, we have to know when not to to tax the health care system. That means if you are nervous but well, call the hotline if you are sick, but would have otherwise sought care Call. But don't go to your doctor's office. And if you are truly sick, make sure you get care. And if you're truly injured, make sure that you get care. Wash your hands. No cheating. 20 seconds with soap and water. Every time and surfaces, you can use that 1 100 bleach. If you can't find this, inspect and disinfectant apply for benefits. We're gonna make sure everybody gets through this. That means we need you to be on Medicaid if you're not covered in some other health care coverage, that is gonna help the health care providers that air caring for you. We talk about our frontline heroes being the medical profession. Right now, they need you to be on Medicaid if you're not otherwise covered, and then there is unemployment. We know that we have record numbers of people signing up. Keep going. We will continue to work to increase our capacity. Just yesterday, I believe we set a record in Kentucky but making 71,625 separate payments. That's yesterday alone for almost $43 million. And that included. It was the first day that included the new $600 extra benefit that was passed by the federal government. If you have not been able to successfully sign up yet or that's not, that's not you, that's us. If we have not been able to get you in the system, we understand that you're anxious. We understand that you're frustrated. We understand during these times that should be a better process. But we're doing the best we can with the largest volume in our history. Scaling up we promised that we will get to you. We will make it right. Prioritize your mental health. For many, this is a spiritual week and weekend. Make sure that you take advantage of it. If that's something that you d'oh, you can join if you don't have a service watch hours virtually at Bear Grass Christian Church at a Louisville, which is where I'm a deacon, you're welcome to join us or any other service that's out there. But make sure you're getting your physical exercise on that. You're spending time with family that you're connecting with friends through virtual means. Do not travel anywhere for any reason of the couple of exceptions, don't travel and finally report non compliance. This has helped us find, for instance, a couple gems that even though they absolutely knew they couldn't be open. We're still letting people in so they could be right around each other exercising, spreading the Corona virus. And we can't be doing that. Eso we always talk about the 10 rules plus one fill out your census. It's not just something that will help us rebuild. This is actually a legal requirement for everybody. You have a legal obligation to fill it out. It's actually against the law not to fill it out. Let's all fill it out and let's make you competitive. So this is the dashboard about how we're doing to date through yesterday. We are 18th right now. And yes, I believe we're number one of our Southern states, but 18th in good enough for us. I know that we've never been excited. Whether you're up Ah, cats or card fan or Hilltoppers, Fanar Murray or Northern Kentucky University 18 is not where we wanna be S O. We need more and more and more folks to do it. And you could even look at some of the county's these air some of our higher ranking counties. But even some of our best counties are at 50%. We need to do better. We're healthy at home. There is plenty of time to fill out your census. It just takes, ah, small amount of time. Let's get to number one on this list. The other thing that we asked is that you model the type of behavior that we need and that we need so badly. What's been amazing about Kentucky? Why we're flattening the curve is we have seen our duty. We have accepted it. On been many instances you've taken joy even in what has been sacrificed and difficulty and changing our economy and our lives in ways that we would have never expected. You have risen to the challenge and by spreading it on social media by showing people that we can do this right, we could do it together. That's not me. That's you showing it. I believe that we have had Maur and Maur compliance. So let's look at what we've got for today. So this is pretty incredible. This is Ah, firefighter separated from his medically fragile child toe offer. The maximum protection given is the first responder he can be exposed, and this is what type of sacrifice that people are making. So it's honor both this firefighter and his child by not engaging in mass gatherings this weekend or at any other time. If you're considering doing it, I think about him and think about that kid knowing their sacrifice. It's our duty to make sure that we support them. Mass gatherings do not support them, it spreads. The Corona virus means it could it could get to this brave firefighter or even worse, get to his child. So if you don't believe may do it for them. These are first responders, Thank God. Frontline health care workers, heroes talking toa heroes. And, as you can see doing it with social distance that this is, um, the the UK College of Pharmacy doing their work with the new hand sanitizer being made by our bourbon industry. We appreciate them both. All right, These are our health care workers again. Frontline health care workers. And look at the amount of peopie that they're wearing. This is how dangerous the spires ca NBI. This is why we engage in social distancing to better protect them as they come to the front lines. And they're a good example of this week being National Public Health Week. And so, folks, this is our public health. Ah, department here in Frankfurt are local public health groups that are out there. Everybody, everybody that's working on the public health front on our health care system. Thank you very much. You absolutely do save lives. I want to thank all of you. I want to personally thank our Department of Public Health here in Frankfurt that what's being asked of them and what's being asked of everybody is the greatest challenge that any of us have ever seen and faced. And they have certainly risen to that occasion, huh? It's just Ah ah Google meeting teacher and a first grader showing that we can still reach out to our classes. We should be engaging our kids intellectually, socially. And let's make sure we use all these opportunities and thank you to this teacher for making sure that she is still providing that enrichment. The chalk drawings continue on our artists out there are incredible. Here's some kids honoring what Easter means to them, which they will be practicing at home in the safest way to do it. Andi, I thought that this was, um uh, pretty interesting. This is one family. This is just one family that are spelling out healthy at home, showing that they as a unit are sticking together, but obviously away from everybody else. And I thought this was pretty creative, and this is the type of modeling that we're talking about, you know, that embraces our social duty that even celebrates our our our civic duty and find some joy and doing what we can do to rise up and defeat this adversary. You know what's being asked of us is different than has ever been asked of us. But we can do it, Mr. About staying home. It's about just staying away from people for a period of months. Eso what we've been tasked with, we know we can do. We just got to be resilient. And here is houses lit up green toe honor those that we've lost on later we're gonna need Thio light him up green again today and probably most days. Next we've got another video from pastors these air all I believe Christian pastors. Yesterday we had multiple face and I believe tomorrow we'll have multiple faiths. But coming into this weekend, which is Easter, we also have Passover being celebrated Right now. We just were reached out to especially after yesterday from even more faith leaders wanting to spread the message that the healthiest place to be is in your home. Well, I'm tired. Let's surpassed reports of elk or bad. This church. This is Dave Hammond, Pastor, the Faith Baptist Church of my Rick, Kentucky and Pike County. Hello. I'm Ronaldo Henderson and I am the senior servant of the Washington Street Church of the Duke of Kentucky. Hi, My name is Chris Michael on the pastor at the First Christian Church Disciples of Christ in Owensboro, Kentucky. Hello, Kentucky. I want to encourage everybody to stay healthy at home because every challenge brings with it an opportunity. Churches might be empty this Easter, but so is the grain. I want to encourage you to meet together separately this Sunday to remind you that on that first Easter, Jesus came to people behind locked doors. He will come to you as well, even though we cannot meet Sunday. That didn't stop what we celebrate up from the grave. He arose. We celebrate the victory over death. Every believer has defeated them, Absent from the body present with the Lord Happy Easter to all of you. We encourage you and your family to worship the Risen Lord at home this Easter Sunday. Stay healthy state. Say so. Therefore we ask that you would be creative in your worship and that you would stay safe, stay home, save lives. Let's seize this opportunity to better see Jesus and may God bless you and keep you is my prayer. We want to thank all of our faith leaders. It's virtually all of our faith leaders who are telling us the same message that where we should be worshipping regardless of our faith is at home in this year. Let's make sure that we listen to them all right, before moving into where we are right now. I want to do something a little bit different today, and I think we're gonna be doing it. Um, going forward. Virginia on dhe. Her staff have been really incredible at helping to make sure that everybody I mean, everybody can get the information that they need. And what we've seen from folks, not just those that Virginia's directly serving is that they want to learn a little bit more about sign language. So each day, we're gonna have Virginia teach us and teach May a little bit of sign language. So for the first time, we're gonna switch places. She's gonna come up to the podium and talk us through it, and I'm gonna do my best. But I want people to know that I don't know what we're doing today other than the phrase, so I will be learning just like you. Thank you, governor. And what you say every day is way. And that's everyone that includes That's a circle that includes everyone. We will get through it. This is a point and you go right through it together. These are individuals and they're together, and you will circle it together. So we we'll get through it together. Well, we'll talk one more time. We We'll get through it together. Thank you. So as we go through this, we'll learn a little bit each and every day so that all of us can better communicate with all of our brothers and sisters here in the common Well, uh, all right. I want to talk a little bit about where we are. James, could you put up the new, um, uh, Kentucky map from our website? Esos. You've noticed the last couple of days you've been hearing newer counties that weren't necessarily on this map before. Let's remember this Corona virus is everywhere just because they're still just a few counties that Aaron White here it is in those counties to it is here we are in the midst of our surge and escalating cases. Now is the time that we have to be at our very best the next couple weeks, at least being absolutely critical. Tow us, not only blunting o r, flattening the curve, but really protecting those that are most vulnerable, especially our seniors that are in different types of assisted living facilities. You can see on here what happens. It's not just our our counties that have the largest population, but what you see are clusters clusters where very quickly it can spread throughout the community. All of us, we're gonna be hit pretty hard. You know, I believe that we're doing better than just about every other state. But this is a very serious virus, and we've got to continue to expect to see more cases, and we will continue to see more deaths again. The road's gonna get harder before it gets easier, but I know that this map would look a lot different today, but for your actions. So let's show the covert act now, um, based on on strict compliance, and this is just a map we show. And these numbers at different times are our revised, though there've been some national revisions, and then there's been some really difficult days since the national revisions. These projections, they're all just people's best guesses, right? They take a little bit of data on a virus that they have never seen with some overseas data that may or may not be reliable, and they just try to do their best. Let's not criticizing them, but we ought to know that what comes tomorrow, we can guess that. But we will only know when it happens. This is the difference between us being strong this weekend and next weekend, making sure that we don't allow ourselves to stop what has been really good social distancing and really good compliance. I mean, this is just one example that the difference could be up to 11,000 lives. Those there 11,000 Kentucky INS was there 11,000 people that are loved by their families in their communities. It's absolutely worth fighting for, and it sure as heck we're staying home for if all were asked us to stay at home, 11,000 lives justify every single thing that we're doing. So it's remember they're really stakes. I'm gonna talk about those here in a little bit, but there are real stakes all right Lou into the next PP personal protective equipment. So we talk about all the different things that we used to fight The Corona virus are social distancing, which we know we're doing a good job of. I'm not gonna show those charts today. We have increasing our healthcare capacity and we have testing. These are the ones of the things that can help. A social distancing flattens that curve. Make sure that we have enough healthcare capacity. Increasing the health care capacity gives us room for error to make sure that we have the people in the beds and the equipment to take care of everybody is going to need it. And then the increased testing not only helps us identify those who need care, but as we want to eventually start loosening restrictions in the future, significant increased capacity for testing is going to be absolutely critical. And every federal statement or prediction relies on significantly more testing than we have right now anywhere in America, including Kentucky. But certainly number two and number three rely on personal protective equipment. This is what allows those that are taking care of us and hospitals or nursing homes any other area and those that are actually doing the tests to be safe and how they're doing it. To reduce the chances that health care worker contracts, the Corona virus and so many of our health care workers have examples of p p e go from the in 95 respirator, which is really important in one of the hardest to get gowns, which is the protective equipment on nitro gloves. Along with a lot else. We continue to need your help. We're trying to buy it. We're trying to manufacture it and we have donations. I will tell you, while we're having more success on the manufacturing and we have some glimmers of hope on the purchases, that's been the hardest. Your donations, your donations have been our number one source for additional peopie. So we're calling on you to do it even more. Look in every possible place, every possible business that's out there we need, especially those respirators. We need the gloves we need. The gowns will take the surgical masks. This is the way to do it. Here's the number. Here's the Web site. You can drop it off at any, uh, transportation Cabinet area headquarters. You can drop it off at any of our posts for the Kentucky State Police. Please continue this every time we get Maur it. Allow us to deploy it when it's needed, and it is absolutely needed. So, Kentucky, we're counting on you. You have come through. Let's keep doing it, knowing that every time that you donate thes you save lives Monday, it's our hope to have an update on PEOPIE on donations. We've received what we have that's able to deploy and also the system and how we're going to deploy it. Two different healthcare systems. Our hope is to walk through all of that in detail. On Monday, uh, first responders were working with our local health departments to make sure that addresses of those that have tested positive or who are in self quarantine are available just to our first responders when they might be going on a run that helps them know the level of personal protective equipment they may need. It's it's something that very reasonable that they asked for, and that we're working to make that a reality. We'd ask otherwise that those individuals privacy's b B, it's their home. It's their address. Be respected, But we want to make sure that if something happens there on and they need help that those going I also know the situation that that they're dealing with. All right, eso I'd mentioned, um, that we were gonna have some tough news today. Today we have our single largest number of new cases. We have 242 new cases of covert 19. Here in Kentucky, we had one duplicate that we discovered in our system. So our total number of cases, our official number here from the state is 1000 693. We have had 24,288 total tests that we can verify. Those there have been all reported to us. We've had 459 Kentucky and ever in the hospital for the Corona virus. We believe it's at least 271 currently in a hospital setting. Since the beginning, we believe we've had at least 177 Kentucky and in the I c u. We believe we have at least 105. Kentucky is currently in the I C. U, and we can report. This is really good news that we have had at least 464 Kentucky is recovered. That's 27% when you think about the period of time it takes to recover because it's not something really short, that is, that is really positive news already, and we believe that number is larger. That's just the number that we can currently confirmed. Uh, counties that new cases are are in, and it's long, so I'm gonna take a sip of water. We have 32 new cases in Jefferson 20 and Kitten, 15 and Hopkins, 14 and Davis, 10 and Boone, 10 and Campbell, nine, and Christian and Warren, seven, and Muilenburg, six. And Marion and Pulaski, five. And Bullet, Grant Harden, Henderson and Trig. And I believe These Air tricks first cases based on on the map. We have four in a Dare Boyd, Jesse Hman, Madison, McCreary, Russell and Webster. We have three in Butler, Calloway, Jackson Lion, Mercer, Woodford, too, and Bracken, Clark, Clinton, Cumberland, Marshall Oldham Simpson, and we have one in barren Caldwell, Edmondson, Grace, Grayson, Laurel Mason, McCracken, McLean, Montgomery, Morgan, Nelson, Scott, Shelby, Spencer and Todd. And we have three that are unconfirmed at the moment. We also have have lost 11 new Kentucky INS that we report today these air 11 individuals that are loved by their families by their communities. It brings our total death count and Kentucky to 90. It means we've lost 90 Amazing Kentucky and which is a loss to all of us. So for those 90 and for the 11 new a slider houses up green or place of business institutions, let's make sure that we have Dunmore. We do more of that tonight, and every night moving forward then we have before Green is the color of compassion and renewal compassion for those families. For those individuals renewable because, at least in my faith, I believe that their body is just a vessel and their their soul is leaving it for a better place, something that my fates were reduce their belief in, I think, every single holy week in every single Easter. So for 90 separate Kentucky ins, let's commit to do better. I know you're working hard. Let's commit to do better. This number's gonna get worse, and there's gonna be tougher days than today, but our actions today they're gonna be seen in about two weeks. Let's try to make two weeks from now better than today. Our new deaths by County are 39 Jefferson eight and Canton seven and Fed and Hopkins, three. And Campbell and Christian to and Boyd, Bullet, Davis, Lion and McCracken and one on a dare. Anderson Boon Bourbon Butler Calloway, Grant. I'm sorry, these air, the the overall, not the new one. That's overall deaths by counting my apologies. The 11 are a 73 77 year old male and Butler, a 73 year old male and Jefferson, 75 year old female and meet 66 year old male and Jefferson, 75 year old male and Jefferson, 75 year old male UM, a cracking 73 year old male in Jefferson. 68 year old male in Jefferson, 92 year old male and Jefferson, 80 year old male in Hopkins and an 81 year old male in Davis County. Let's commit to doing everything we can to try to make sure that we reduce this toll by as much as we can every day. Breakdown on on race of overall cases that we know this is with 69% of cases us knowing the racial breakdown. It is 81.72% Caucasian, 11.7% black or African American, 2.5% Asian, 3.86 multi racial, um and then on deaths currently are 79.4 on and on on the information on those that have passed away. We know 72% of the of of those that have passed away of their of their race 79.45% white, 19.17% black or African American, 1.36% Asian. So that's a deadly virus. Even with everything we're doing, Even with changing our economy and changing our daily lives, it is a deadly virus. But it would be so much more deadly if you weren't doing what you're doing and how it is deadly is being spread through people, especially through crowds and with losing over 90 individuals already. I hope everybody knows that even on a weekend like this, we cannot have in person gatherings of any type. I want to thank our faith community out there. I think we're down to less than seven churches because we don't have any synagogues or or or mosques that are that are holding in person. Service's were down toe about seven churches statewide. We got a lot of churches in this state. We're down to just about seven that are thinking about having an in person service. And we absolutely cannot bring people together in one building like that because that is how the Corona virus spreads. And that's how people die. And I know we focused a lot on an individual church or a pastor, but it is on every individual. That's what one of our orders is about not to go to a mass gathering. It's not just the person that's holding it, but every individual that goes to one of these will spread it to other individuals. And I I guess I hear that there are some individuals that say this is my choice about whether I go to something and get the Corona virus. But it's not the next person's choice that you might spread it to having gone to a gathering, getting it and then going out, whether it's to work or to a grocery store or somewhere else. So we're having to take a new action that I hoped that we wouldn't. It's that any individual that's gonna participate in a mass gathering of of any type we know about this weekend we're going to record license plates on provided to local health departments. Local health departments are going to come to your door with an order for you to be quarantined for 14 days that if you're gonna expose yourself to this virus and you make that decision to do it, it's not fair to everybody else out there that you might spread it to. This is just a example of personal responsibility. We're gonna make sure that those that are going to get noticed that this will happen that if they're going to participate in the mass gathering, it's 14 days self quarantined at their home. Somebody makes that decision okay, but understand that this is the only way that we can ensure that your decision doesn't kill somebody else. That your decision doesn't spread the Corona virus in your county in your new community that your decision to go to a mass gathering doesn't negate the sacrifice of every other house of worship. 99.99% in this state that are choosing to do the right thing, folks way shouldn't have to do this. What we're asking you to do is not to harm other people is to love your neighbor as yourself. We shouldn't have to do this Losing 90 Kentucky ins having 241. I think new cases today ought to convince us how important this is. My son was supposed to get baptized this Sunday. He'd been working on it. He was excited about it. We're excited about it. There's my first child that will be baptized. It's something that I desperately wanted to be at. I would have served communion this weekend. It was mad, my, uh, felons, Easter felon and our our weekend of of of the month. But we know we're all safer at home, and I think it is not a test of faith. And whether you're going to an in person service, it's a test of faith that you're willing to sacrifice to protect your fellow man, your fellow woman, your fellow Kentucky and and your fellow American. Let's give an update on a couple of very specific areas that we've been talking about. Let's first go to the Green River Correctional Complex. The new numbers there we have three new cases. All three are inmates. We we actually expected this number by today to increase a little bit. Maur This happened. We got these tests back. I believe after yesterday's press conference, we're gonna continue toe work to protect people in the Green River Correctional Complex. Some of our steps air up there, and I know they're taking additional steps every day. That's next. Goto Western State. We have three new cases in Western State. We have two new patients and one new staff. We have no new deaths at Western State, which is an important number. And I know Secretary Freelander is working directly with them to provide the very best service. There been some rumors out there. We have not been taking new patients since this outbreak occurred on doing everything we can with a population that can't simply be in their room that that doing the very best we can to protect every individual and every staff member in that facility. All right, let's move to long term care facilities and this is our challenge and this is where the Corona virus is devastating. Every state and all of our communities. This virus comes for those that are most vulnerable, that are older than have health conditions and the facilities that it impacts. We are now spending significant, not just resource is, but Dr Stack is spending the vast majority of his time working directly with these facilities. So we have 37 new cases just since yesterday. Now, part of this is there have been significant, significant new testing. I think 3 to 4 facilities tested their entire staff in the last 24 hours or those just came in. So 37 new cases, significantly more tests. So we have 38. Uh, I'm sorry. We have 37 new residents that have tested positive, 38 new staff and two new deaths. Eso So we have was a 75 new cases either in or connected to our long term care facilities. There are now, we believe, 29 Kentucky facilities that have been impacted, though it's a little misleading. There are a TTE least nine, maybe 10 of those where it is a single staff member or maybe two, and it doesn't mean that they have even been in or around the facility before they tested positive. We have three facilities that have been hit very hard. One in Jefferson we talked about yesterday, one in a dare on dhe one in in Lyon County. We've had our 1st 4 volunteers down in Line County and they have been really welcome. Bye bye. That community James, can you put up the When they arrived, this was waiting for them in the courthouse there and Lyon County welcoming them. They are already working really hard. What we hear back from the staff is they have brought a new energy on ability thio care, and we're working with not only a number of these facilities to set up their own cove it wing knowing how this is infiltrating facilities and knowing that for those that don't need a hospital immediately, if they can still be in their facility. Because these folks can be fragile for transport to that, that that can be sometimes the best outcome. We have multiple facilities across the state setting that up. We're also working with multiple hospitals right now. Toe have specific areas where if for lack of a better term we have to make a rescue and transport that they're ready to treat. Those patients were also planning right now on using the fairgrounds, which we have stepped up our capacity as an emergency landing place, especially for nursing home patients. We have also created a long term care task force that I'm gonna ask Secretary Freelander to talk about. Thank you. So the governor did a very good job of describing the complexities that face folks in long term care face folks who were doing transportation face families, face residents, face staff, trying to balance a variety of needs the importance of transportation, the trauma that comes with with transportation, how facilities remains fully staffed when staff start to test positive. These are all things that we have to balance and look at and try to figure out in a changing environment in a very challenging environment. These are some of the most vulnerable residents in some very, very precarious health situations that we need to take the most care as we work with them. We work with the facilities and we work with the hospitals to make sure that we're providing the very best care and recommendations that we can come up with. You heard Dr Stack yesterday talk about his team and how his team engaged with a specific facility. But that team engages with every facility that has someone who tests positive. So this fast moving situation, all of these different things that we have to balance. We've asked a very small group of individuals, 10 individuals, most of them physicians to come and help us think through the best way to balance all these different things and to make sure that we're protecting our loved ones. So physicians from the University of Louisville of the University of Kentucky Bellarmine professors as well as a psychiatrist, medical ethicists, geneticists on dhe geriatrics. We have brought this group together to help advise the Cabinet to advise Dr Stack to advise the Cabinet to advise all the facilities about how to balance all these various things in various pieces that they must. We had a very first meeting today. It was it was a very zoom meeting. To be clear, it was a very good meeting where we brought up lots of issues because these folks all have experience in long term care. They've been other medical director's hospital infection control leaders. So these folks all come together and giving us their advice on when to transfer, how to transfer, looking at facility layouts to make sure that we can provide some isolation in a facility or if we can't or for facilities. Staffing has gotten to the point where they can't continue either. How do we provide more staff, or how do we move residents out to maintain and protect them? So I want to thank these folks. They came together very quickly, and they're bringing their expertise not only from what they have across the country but also Kentucky. We actually have national experts here, and we are using them to advise us. So I want you all to know that we're doing our very best. For those were all trying to serve thank you on and caring for those in these facilities and responding to him also, let us tow activate our first state park. In this effort, we anticipate that we will see more of our largest activated, whether it's for the caregivers are volunteers were sending in or potentially for residents themselves if they're not in need of hospitalization but can't be isolated within their own facility. Finally, let me just mention and then we'll open it up for questions that I know. All across the Commonwealth, people are still sacrificing on duh and recognizing that. So I'm showing two T shirts today. This one's from Morehead. Um and this is their main street, which has been, for the most part, closed for so many of those businesses. But what they're saying with their statement is they're staying strong. They know we gotta beat this. And I know every community out there understands and is in it well with us. Alright. We have four reporters with us here today. We have Joe Sokka, Joe, give me your last name. So I set, right? That's what I thought. Joe Joe Radusa. Okay, But she looked at me funny when I pronounced it the last time. All right. Daniel Derosa, Um, and and Mike Valentic on. And then I have just a couple of questions. Here s O. We will go back and forth. Joe, What made you go last last time? You want you want to start first? This time we're following up on taking a license plate. Does that include Dr in Church service. Is that you? What authority s So the question is on the steps that were taking If people go to a mass gathering ah service this weekend knowing that they could get and spread the virus to people who aren't there, it applies only to in service. At least our actions are only in. It does not apply our actions to drive up or or through. I guess it's a drive up service. Those provided that a local leader hasn't made a different decision, and it could be based on the density of their county or in Hopkins County based on their outbreak. Those are guidance is as long as you could follow the rules that that it's it's it's away toe to make sure that we aren't having the in church service. Remember those rules? Cars have to be six feet apart. Only family let us together. Could be in a car. You can't put multiple groups in a car. You can't pass anything in and out of a car. I don't know that stuff with communion. So what I'd ask of these churches is let people know what they need ahead of time and whether that's them going to the grocery store to get it. Let him know what they need. Had a time so they can have it. They're in their car. We're gonna have state police. They're collecting those those license plates because the occupants of those cars are in violation of the orders. And then the names and addresses will be provided to a local health department, which are already in just a few areas. I mean, we're talking about seven at most. I imagine it'll be down toe three or four by tomorrow. But to make sure that those people that have made that decision and then making the decision no one they could spread the virus are going to self quarantine and our expectation would be everybody would voluntarily do it. But they're certainly gonna gonna have to do it. Um, I've had four calls from residents who live in Whispering Hills Trailer Park in Louisville. Hard working people who barely get by in normal times, they want the governor to know they've been charged $100 late fee for not paying their rent and have been threatened with eviction. And we're gonna provide this information to our labour cabinet. You cannot be affected during this time. And landlords tryingto charge you extra dollars for late rent is not right. Yes, you're gonna have to go that rent. But yes, they oughta work with you over the long haul to make sure that there is a payment plan out there. But don't let anybody threatened with eviction. It's illegal in Kentucky right now. We need people to be better and kinder and more compassionate for us to get through this. Everybody's hurting. I know that that landlord might want their rent, and I know every resident wishes they could pay it. But look at what we're facing. So let's all remember that we are each other's brother and sister and and getting through it together means acting like it. Daniel Good question on whether our actions on mass gatherings will just apply to church Service is in. That answer is no. It has to be a gathering that we know about, or or one that that that our folks R C or president, But no, this is by no means intending to single out churches. It's making sure that we're not having any type of mass gathering, and by and large, our faith community in some of the best at encouraging the right actions. Actually, that s o all right, if you look just our death rate So the question is, are death rate as as compared to our positive cases seems to be higher than the rest of the country. And I know one explanation for it. I don't know how much it would lessen it is that we are truly testing. The very sickest right now is that we have had to be very judicious about the tests that we've had on dhe. We've made sure that those who are symptomatic on those who are most vulnerable and there've been some have been symptomatic that are that are in that healthier area, that we've asked to ride it out oftentimes without a test. And that's been, I think, a heroic act that frees up a test for somebody else. But it's definitely how we've tested that contributes to that. Now we will see, as we have more testing, if that is the only reason. But we in Kentucky are not as healthy as we need to bay. When you look at who this virus kills, not just harms, it's not only those over 60 it's It's those that have heart, lung and kidney disease or compromised immune system. We have one of the highest rates of diabetes and heart disease and lung cancer in the country. This is a virus that praise on on our population in many ways. So our goal is to do everything we can to flatten that curve, especially with the more at risk population that becomes even more important. But as we come out of this and we learned a lot, we learn howto how to respond to, ah, global pandemic. We learned that we need to have stockpiles of PEOPIE and another necessary equipment. We also learned that we have to get healthier, that it's not just in our daily lives. But when we face something like this, not being healthier can be pretty deadly. Limited driving service considering banning deserves to reconsider people. Then the question is given. The actions that we're gonna be taking his estate don't apply to drive up service is what I encourage. I know of two local leaders that are prohibiting those from changing their mind. No, they are responsible for their people, just like I am and I've got to give them the latitude to do what they believe. And they both truly believe County Judge and Hopkins and the mayor of Louisville that this is necessary and the reasons that they give for it are understandable. I mean, the Jefferson County is s o much more dense than everywhere else in the state and then in Hopkins County, a goodness, the loss that they seen. You can absolutely understand the steps that they are tryingto take. Now, those that are doing it, please do it responsibly. What we've seen in some other instances is, you know, a couple of of of actors ruin it for everybody else. We don't want that toe happen. Uh, police in Pulaski County say they've had numerous cases where one parent lives in Kentucky and the other lives in Ohio or Tennessee, and they're wanting to know howto handle exchanges with the Children s O. This is one exception to the travel ban. It doesn't say it explicitly, but it says a court order court orders include visitation. And so you can absolutely take your kids across state lines to be with their other parent. But you gotta come straight home, and for that you don't have to quarantine. But you can't do anything else when you're down there other than make that transfer. And it's really important in times like this in these situations where there's joint custody and and sometimes there's, there's good, good relationships between the two individuals. A lot of times there aren't, and we all know the reasons why this is this is a time to work even harder. Your kids are already under stress for those situations, and this was a question I was asked yesterday where one of the houses is not complying with the things that are needed to keep people safe. You need to file something with the court on your visitation. I know that they will be very sensitive to it right now. That's that's the legal process for addressing visitation. So if you are a parent, that is not taking this as seriously, and I hope there aren't many out there. You really don't want a filing right now in a global pandemic on the custody status. You don't want that, so let's make sure that we're doing the right things, Joe. They're fine. Monday, Um, with that in mind. Do you plan on signing? So the question is the budget. The last date for me to take action is Monday afternoon. And do I plan on signing it? Governor in the Commonwealth of Kentucky has a line item veto when it comes to the budget. So it's not just signing it or vetoing it. So, yes, I will sign some version of the budget. We will have some line item vetoes. Now, as we've been looking through them, virtually all of them are about flexibility. We're living in a different time where I've got to be able to move. Resource is as quickly as they are required for where the latest outbreak in this Corona virus is going to go next. And none of us none of us even nationally knowing what the down slope will look like once somebody has reached the peak. And so my goal is not to eliminate any specific appropriation where the Legislature wants to send funding to, but making sure I can do what it takes to get us through this. I mean, I just passed a one of your budget, and so I hope that they're for maximum flexibility s so that we can keep our people alive so that we can reduce the costs to our Kentucky and that this virus brings Okay, This is an individual whose son in law station at Fort Campbell Their housing came through and we're supposed to move them to the base. It won't be a problem to travel to the base, will it? It's essential. The answer is no. That is that individuals work, which is also an exception, but go and then come directly back. And that should not bring together families that aren't otherwise living together at the moment. I know these air are challenging questions, but I appreciate you asking because when you ask a question this specific, it means you're really trying to do the right thing. We need more of that. So thank you to a concerned parent of a service member. Thank you for your son in law service. And thank you for all of you. Because you're all a part of that. When one member of the family is Jeff camera and both said that fissures and driving service is rights. You respond to that. What s so the question is obscenity. McConnell and Attorney General Cameron have have disagreed with with the mayor. Fisher's position on drive up church service is, and they believe it infringes, perhaps on constitutional rights. We're all just trying to make the very best decisions we can for our people during this. Mayor Fisher has to like I do every day, announced the new cases on the new deaths, and I know what that feels like. It's the hardest thing that I've ever done, by far by far. It's private thing I was most unprepared for as governor of one of the reasons I do it here every day is I don't want somebody else have to do what I'm doing. So I know how he feels and going through that every day. If that's what he feels, it's necessary for his city. I'm not gonna argue against it. I think it's it's him. I'm trying to do the best that he can. I get why people want to do it, understand that the arguments that could be passed back and forth. But I'm I'm not gonna criticize the mayor for doing everything you can to protect its people, Daniel. So drink people right? One of those is auto dealers apparently test drives your reaction to that and you. So the question is about businesses that may be violating the orders about non essential businesses and what should be going on specific comment about potentially some auto dealers still doing test drives. Auto dealers should not be having any face to face contact with people. They can still operate if it is online or over the phone. But people shouldn't be shown around the lots. And I will tell you that may be very unpopular with auto dealers that I know and I feel for them. I mean that the way their inventory works on the damage that this is doing to him. I know it's doing the same damage toe record unemployed folks in Kentucky and small businesses that are out there s o. I know that we have released a list of a fleeced. Some companies will see those others as they come out. Certainly if we have placed closure orders on them, those auto bay public documents and we'll release them under that open records act again, these air steps that we shouldn't have to take. And I think I said that a couple of Jim's were were sighted. I think that's my error and nomenclature and words. I believe a closure order was entered against him. It was up to me. I would have sided him, too, because they knew they shouldn't have been doing that. And a GM, especially where everybody touches everything. And, you know, when you're in a gym, nobody actually disinfects the equipment as much as they should. Not just never happens. Um, so you know, it's it's just important that everybody buy in and that you don't think that you should be the exception. Our Labour Cabinet, like our education cabinet on unemployment, is doing things and having a volume that we had never, ever previously anticipated. My kid who has it next, the virus believe Bill. If that doesn't materialize, consider Stepping in has a thing for workers. Even in those workers. The questions on hazard pay on dhe Congress potentially including it and their next we'll call it a stimulus bill or next Corona virus bill on. If they don't do it, would we consider doing it for frontline workers, maybe even grocery workers? Um, first, I hope they do include it out. They do provide more stimulus by the way, they absolutely need to provide it to state and local budgets. Because if they don't do that, what this responding to this crisis is gonna do? Tow state. The Commonwealth of Kentucky is budget and every city and county's budget. It's gonna be devastating, which will require additional layoffs, most likely programs that we can't fund. It'll further harm the economy. Virtually every time we've been through something like this, even the great recession, which it is very different now. This is much more comparable to the way the economy changed in World War Two. There's been direct assistance to those units. That's really important. I'm gonna use the cares act money to help us many people as I can s Oh, that's one good idea. If we can provide hazard pay through it, it comes with a whole lot of restrictions, and we're supposed to get guidance. I think on the 24th of this month at the at the latest, it may be a little earlier than that. I will tell you that guidance is gonna make a world of difference. Even even the question about whether this is dollars that air advanced or dollars that are reimbursed and just think about the difference in that. There's no way I confront 1.5 $1,000,000,000 to be reimbursed. But if it's advanced, then we could do a whole lot of good. Hopefully help a whole lot of people that have been harmed through this have more resource is than ever before to try toe, increase our testing capacity and let me before I take the last question just mentioned that. So I was asked a little bit about what I might see as we come out of this and we're not as you saw a new number today. We're not at our peak and I don't think we will be in the next week. And I think there's a lot of optimism out there and I like I like that. I like that. We all want to defeat this, but we do have to be resilient for us long as it takes. But one of the only ways that you're able to start easing restrictions on the way down and everything that the federal government's talking about in that requires a capacity for testing that doesn't exist in the United States anywhere at the moment and so easing restrictions is gonna require us, and we're gonna need to use the dollars on our national labs. They're gonna have to catch up, have the capacity to test a whole lot of people that we aren't right now. And that's when we're able to isolate them and contact Trace. That's gonna require significant amounts of hiring at the local level and at the state level. So, you know, you could see if we were able to get the testing capacity us having 1000 people at the state level doing just this on DDE that would help us to ultimately east those restrictions. So on top of everything else I talked about yesterday, it's really important to know that we're going to invest in that testing capacity, and it has to exist as we're coming out of it. Joe. It's directed at mass gatherings, sweet guy, but will descend on this weekend, and the question is on the steps. We're gonna take this weekend identifying those that mass gatherings and asking them, requiring them to self quarantine for 14 days so their decision can't spread the virus to another individual who could spread the virus to another individual who could spread the virus, tomb or individuals. And so that one person's decision can't cause the death of another person. The question is, does it apply just for this weekend? Or will it go forward? I want to see the impact that it can have. You know, it's a step I want to take. But I also wanted people Thio do the right thing. My hope is always that encouragement and positive social peer pressure positive examples that we see out there. My hope is that that will always be more powerful. And look at what we're down to. We're down to a handful, just a handful. And so I know that probably the headline that will come out of this is the actions we're gonna have to take on a handful of gatherings. But I want to say that I think the real reality here is everybody. Virtually everybody doing the right thing, eh? So we're now the overtime. Let me just say, I'm proud of you. But the stakes are high. 240 plus new cases, 11 new deaths. We'll have some tough days ahead of us. Be strong, be resilient. We will get through it. We'll get through it together. Ring your bells tomorrow at 10 AM like your homes up green. And we're gonna end today with some videos of all the bells that have been playing all across Kentucky to recognize the 90 individuals we've now lost, Remember, we're Team Kentucky. We have risen up is a people to defeat every challenge before us. And even when we have tough days like today, we know we'll get up tomorrow, we do the right things and we'll defeat it again. It's good Friday, special day for so many people. Well, I'll be back tomorrow, and I'm gonna be back on Easter to hope everybody has. Ah, good. Holy week. A good pass over. Thank you. Everybody out there. Who's doing it right? God bless. Uh, okay.

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