Five Kentucky children with COVID-19 on ventilators

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 23, 2021) – On Thursday during his weekly Team Kentucky update, Gov. Andy Beshear said he has now deployed 505 Kentucky National Guard members to 29 hospitals throughout the state, expanding the Guard’s presence by 94 members and to four more hospitals.

“This is the largest deployment of the Kentucky National Guard for a health care crisis in the commonwealth’s history,” said Gov. Beshear. “We continue to hear from our hospitals how much these incredible professionals help.”

As of today, 64 of 96 Kentucky hospitals are reporting critical staffing shortages, and 130 adult ICU beds are available statewide. Five Kentucky children with COVID-19 are currently on ventilators.

To see a map of current Kentucky National Guard, COVID-19 testing and nursing student support to hospitals, click here.

Already this week, 90 acute care hospitals have administered 4,385 monoclonal antibody treatment courses. Kentucky will receive 4,960 treatments for the entire week.

“We see these being very popular with folks who don’t want to get vaccinated, but the moment they get sick, want to get the monoclonal antibodies,” said Gov. Beshear. “I’m just trying to tell you: There’s not going to be enough. Don’t put yourself in the position where you show up hoping to get these and we’ve run out.”

Gov. Beshear said the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended the emergency use authorization yesterday for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to allow for a single booster dose to be administered at least six months after completion of the primary series in specific populations. To learn more, see the FDA’s full release.

COVID-19 Update
Today, Gov. Beshear reported 2,667,900 Kentuckians have received at least a first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, meaning 70% of all eligible Kentuckians (those 12 and older) have received at least one dose.

Sept. 23 2021, COVID-19 Case Information
Cases: 4,099
Deaths: 44
Positivity Rate: 11.33%
Hospitalizations: 2,223
Intensive Care Admittances: 625
On Ventilators: 424

Seventy percent of eligible Kentuckians 12 and older have received at least one vaccine dose

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 20, 2021) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear said Kentucky administered more than 5,000 monoclonal antibody treatment courses last week, but the state will only receive 4,960 courses this week due to a national shortage. They will be allocated to 79 sites around Kentucky based on backorder requests, current inventory and previous week utilization.

“We will have at least one monoclonal antibody treatment provider in each of our Area Development Districts, but there’s not going to be enough anywhere,” said Gov. Beshear. “If you’re putting off a vaccine to have an infusion, let me tell you, an infusion is much more invasive, and there are not going to be enough of those anywhere in the commonwealth. Get that vaccine.”

The Governor said 8,750 COVID-19 cases and 88 COVID-19 deaths were reported in Kentucky since Friday. Three of the Kentuckians who died were in their early twenties.

“While we hope that our weekly case numbers are plateauing, we cannot sustain a plateau at this level with the number of people it would put in the hospital,” said Gov. Beshear. “On any given day, we’ve only got between 90 and 120 total open adult ICU beds in the state. And that’s with many outpatient and elective procedures canceled to allow more space in the hospital to be converted to ICU units. This cannot become business as usual.”

“This is like a war zone to us. We have staff members experience PTSD, just as a soldier would in the time of war,” said Sherrie Mays, MSN, RN, vice president and chief nursing officer at Baptist Health Corbin. “My heart breaks for my staff. I see them out there working every day. They put this hospital and the patients ahead of their families so that our patients can be taken care of.”

She added: “If you have the vaccine, your case is going to be milder. You can’t think that this is just the flu and you’re going to stay home and take care of it. It is COVID, and we have to address it early on.”

COVID-19 Case Information Update
Number of people who have received at least one vaccine dose in Kentucky: 2,652,144
Number of people who received at least one vaccine dose since Friday: 13,752

From March 1 to Sept. 15, 87.1% of COVID-19 cases, 92.1% of COVID-19 hospitalizations and 84.6% of COVID-19 deaths in Kentucky have been among those who are unvaccinated or partially vaccinated.

The Governor reported that 59% of all Kentuckians, including those that are too young to be eligible, have gotten at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose; 70% of Kentuckians 12 or older, or 70%, of all eligible Kentuckians, have gotten at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose; and 72% of Kentucky adults have received at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose.

Colleague adds: ‘I’ve been in codes not just for people my age, but my kid’s age’

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 16, 2021) – On Thursday during his weekly Team Kentucky update, Gov. Andy Beshear said the state is supporting hospitals in the fight against COVID-19 with expanded personnel and testing assistance, as health care professionals sound the alarm on the delta variant’s threat, even to young Kentuckians.

From March 2020 to May 2021, before the delta variant was dominant in the United States, 74% of COVID-19 deaths in Kentucky were among those 70 and older, and 98% were among those 50 and older. From June 2021 to Sept. 15, 2021, once the delta variant became dominant, the share of younger COVID-19 patients dying increased significantly. During that time, 48% of COVID-19 deaths in Kentucky were among those 70 and older, and 88% were among those 50 and older.

“The No.1 thing that we can do to get through this is to get vaccinated,” said Gov. Beshear. “I think the tough conversations we’re having with those we love who may be hesitant to get the vaccine are making a difference, but we need a lot more of those conversations.”

As of today, Kentucky has 93 total adult ICU beds left. Out of 96 Kentucky hospitals, 66 are experiencing critical staffing shortages.

“Within the last month or so, we’ve been seeing 20-year-olds and 30-year-olds and 50-year-olds come in and within 24 to 48 hours they die,” said Traci Sanchez, MD, King's Daughters Medical Center. “Families are angry. They’re lost. Patients are lost because they know they’re dying. It’s hard to tell someone who is 40 years old that they’re going to be dead within 24 hours and there’s nothing we can do.”

The Governor said more than two dozen hospitals are receiving or soon will receive Kentucky National Guard support. To see a map of all hospitals receiving assistance, click here.

The state is supporting six community testing sites across Kentucky. To see a map, click here.

Nursing students are also supporting more than a dozen hospitals throughout the commonwealth. To see a map of these hospitals, click here.

To see a map that includes Kentucky National Guard, nursing student and testing support, click here.

Three other doctors from King’s Daughters Medical Center (KDMC) in Ashland and the chief executive at Harrison Memorial Hospital in Cynthiana shared the pain and sudden loss they see families go through every day due to COVID-19.

Kentucky third in nation for new daily COVID-19 cases per capita

FRANKFORT, Ky. (Sept. 13, 2021) – Today, Gov. Andy Beshear said Kentucky currently ranks third in the nation for the highest number of new daily COVID-19 cases per capita, with a seven-day average of approximately 90 new cases reported per 100,000 people.

“I am asking you to break the Thanksgiving dinner rule and have a tough conversation with those you love and care about who are hesitant to get the vaccine,” said Gov. Beshear. “It won’t be easy. But they are more likely to listen to a friend or family member, and that one conversation could save their life.”

The Governor highlighted a recent U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) study that found people who were not fully vaccinated this spring and summer were more than 10 times more likely to be hospitalized, and 11 times more likely to die of COVID-19, than those who were fully vaccinated.

“Today, I have 38 COVID patients on my unit. That is every room that we could possibly open and every patient we could possibly take care of,” said Laura Gevedon, RN, shift supervisor for the Pikeville Medical Center COVID unit. “Every patient that we have had say that they regret not getting their COVID-19 vaccine. They wish that they had never listened to anyone who said not to get it. They regret waiting. Get the vaccine and wear a mask.”

She added: “Last week, a man had a BiPAP on and was maxed out on his oxygen, but he was dropping. He told me to take it off and let him die. I told him that he had more fight and we weren’t going to do it. I called his wife and she talked to him convinced him to give it a little while longer. His BiPAP was so loud that his wife couldn’t hear what he was saying, so I asked him what he wanted me to tell her. He wanted me to tell her that he loved her and that he would be on the ventilator by that evening. Two hours later, he was unresponsive so we put him on a ventilator. The next day he passed away. That is my every day.”

“One thing that we have noticed recently is a big influx of COVID-19-positive patients that are younger. The ones that are the sickest are the ones who are unvaccinated,” said Alicia Hume, RN, clinical outcomes specialist at the Medical Center at Bowling Green Emergency Department. “The ones who are vaccinated aren’t getting as sick and typically don’t have to be admitted unless they have some comorbidities or health problems prior to coming in.”

“In addition to helping take care of patients when we have had such a high influx, I also work with our specialty infusion clinic giving the Regeneron antibody infusions. We have seen a lot of success with this, and the folks who are able to get in to get the infusions are all feeling better,” said Melissa Gilpin, BSN, clinical nurse educator at the Medical Center at Bowling Green Emergency Department. “Unfortunately, we just can’t keep up with the demand. We have so many positive patients come in and we don’t have enough time or space to give them this treatment that could be helpful. We are overwhelmed, and our staff is tired. They are wanting to do the best they can for this community. Get your vaccines, wear your mask and stay safe.”

COVID-19 Case Information Update