The numbers of new COVID-19 cases remain relatively low in Kentucky, but as vaccination rates slow Gov. Andy Beshear said he is considering incentives to encourage people to get a COVID-19 vaccine.
Beshear announced Monday 313 new cases of COVID-19 and 8 new deaths. The state’s positivity rate is 3.45%.
COVID-19 vaccination rates continue to slow. In April, the number of shots getting in arms decreased by several thousand every week.
As the demand for vaccines declines, Beshear said the number of doses in a vial makes it difficult to offer shots in smaller settings. Typically a vial contains 10 doses and once opened all of those doses have to be used.
“One of the reasons it’s really hard to get it in primary care physicians offices — we all hear about that — but you’ve got to be able to see 10 patients that day that would want to get vaccinated,” he said.
More than 1.7 million Kentuckians have received at least one dose of a vaccine. Beshear has set a goal of getting at least one vaccine shot for 2.5 million Kentuckians, at which point he said he’ll further loosen COVID-19 restrictions.
Later this week, Beshear plans to announce incentives to encourage more vaccinations.
