Beshear Limits Out-Of-State Travel: 42 New COVID-19 Cases Reported In KY Today

Ten steps to fight COVID-19, as discussed by Governor Beshear at today's live conference.

Edmonson Voice Staff Report:​
Governor Andy Beshear issued an order today in a live conference to limit Kentuckians’ out-of-state travel and offered a 10-step plan to fight the spread of the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

“Right now we have more cases in other states,” he said. “What it means is your likelihood of getting infected and potentially bringing back the coronavirus may be greater in other states than ours. You need to be home anyways.”

The decree allows for a range of exemptions, including travel to other states for work and groceries, to care for loved ones, to obtain health care and when required by a court order. Kentuckians arriving back in the commonwealth from out of state are required to self-quarantine for 14 days.

“We want you to remain Healthy at Home,” La Tasha Buckner, chief of staff and general counsel for Gov. Beshear, said of the new order’s goal.

The Governor issued the order under provisions of the State of Emergency declaration that he issued on March 6, 2020, the day of the state’s first positive case.

Gov. Beshear previously advised Kentuckians to avoid travel into Tennessee, which did not as quickly adopt some of the more stringent measures Kentucky has enacted, according to a press release from the Governor's office.

As of 4pm today, the Governor said there were at least 480 cases of COVID-19 in Kentucky, with 42 of those being newly confirmed. That number includes the first confirmed cases in Edmonson County, which was reported first by the Edmonson Voice today. There were two new deaths also reported today, which raised the state’s toll to 11 deaths related to the virus.