You can find your closest Kentucky COVID-19 testing site here.
A list of drive-thru COVID-19 testing locations in Kentucky can be found here.
ECONOMIC RESPONSE
Essential Service Designations:
Governor Beshear signed an executive order stipulating that all “non-life-sustaining businesses” must stop in-person business by March 26 at 8:00PM. Businesses that may remain open include “grocery stores, drug stores and pharmacies, banks, hardware stores, agricultural operations, gas stations, media, businesses needed for transportation, logistics, shipping, delivery and pick-up, housing, building and construction, laundry, financial services, home-based care and services, professional services, manufacturing and other businesses key to national interests or life-sustaining goods or services, and those covered under the federal critical infrastructure sector.” (March 24)
Labor & Workforce Guidance, Standards and Regulations:
Kentucky released official reopening guidance for businesses based on sector. Details for each sector can be found here.
Governor Beshear announced a 10-point plan designed to help Kentucky businesses prepare for the state’s slow reopening process. The ten rules of the plan are the following: “Continue telework where possible[;] Phased return to work[;] Onsite temperature/health checks[;] Universal masks and other necessary PPE[;] Close common areas[;] Enforce social distancing[;] Limit face-to-face meetings[;] Sanitizer/hand wash stations[;] Special accommodations[;] [and] Testing plan.” (April 28)
Governor Beshear announced that the state’s Healthy at Work minimum requirements list was simplified and would now apply to all businesses. (April 20)
Governor Beshear signed an executive order that expanded workers compensation to military, active National guard, child care workers, grocery workers, corrections officers, domestic violence shelter workers, child advocacy workers, rape crisis center workers, postal workers, and Department of Community Based Services workers who have been ordered to quarantine. (April 9)
Economic Stimulus & Relief:
Governor Beshear allocated nearly $40 million for use in emergency rental assistance programs in Louisville and Lexington. (June 7)
Governor Beshear announced that Kentucky would receive more than $3.6 million in federal funding to support economic growth and recovery of the state’s tourism and arts industries. (May 20)
Governor Beshear extended the state’s moratorium on evictions. (April 5)
Governor Beshear relaunched the Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund, which allocated an additional $264 million for utility and rent relief funding. (February 12)
Governor Beshear announced $38 million in utility relief funding. (January 25)
Governor Beshear signed an executive order setting in motion the distribution of one-time payments for unemployed residents. Two groups would be eligible for the supplemental payments: residents who had not yet received their benefits and had been without a job since late October, and residents who missed out on supplemental jobless benefits last year. (January 13)
Governor Beshear signed an executive order extending the state’s eviction moratorium to January 31. (January 4)
Governor Beshear announced the launch of the Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund website, a site where Kentucky residents could apply for assistance. (September 9)
Governor Beshear announced $15 million in federal COVID-19 relief funding for renters.The governoralso signed an executive order outlining new eviction restrictions. (August 25)
Governor Beshear announced that the state’s application for additional federalfunding to aid unemployment benefits was approved. (August 20)
Business Support & Resources:
Kentucky lawmakers passed a bill that wouldprovide businesses with COVID-19 liability protections. (April 14)
Governor Beshear announced $195.5 million in funding for childcare aid, which would help cover sustainment payments for regulated childcare programs; the cost of fingerprint background checks for childcare providers; training and technical assistance on safe and healthy work environments; and the cost of parent copayments for families who benefit from subsidies. (March 8)
The Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control is granting a 12-month fee renewal waiver to current licensees. Businesses who have already paid for 2020 will have their fees waived in 2021. (November 6)
SOCIAL RESTRICTIONS
Reopening:
Governor Beshear announced final capacity restrictions related to COVID-19 and the statewide mask mandate would end June 11. (May 14)
Governor Beshear announced that all events and businesses with 1,000 or fewer people present could increase to 75 percent capacity beginning May 28. Indoor and outdoor events with more than 1,000 people would be limited to 60 percent capacity. (May 7)
Governor Beshear announced that the state’s mask mandate for outdoor events with 1,000 or fewer attendees would be rescinded. (April 26)
Governor Beshear announced that events with 1,000 or fewer attendees would be limited to 60 percent capacity, or the maximum number of people that allows for physical distancing. Events with more than 1,000 attendees in a single space would be limited to 50 percent capacity, or the maximum number of people that allows for physical distancing. (April 20)
Governor Beshear announced he would lift most COVID-19 restrictions after 2.5 million residents receive at least their first COVID-19 vaccine. (April 12)
Residents 16 years of age or older became eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. (April 5)
Governor Beshear announced that residents 16 years of age and older would be eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccine by April 12. Beshear also extended the statewide mask mandate for an additional 30 days. (March 31)
Governor Beshear announced that residents 40 years of age and older are eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine. (March 26)
Governor Beshear announced all residents 50 years of age and older could sign up for COVID-19 vaccination appointments beginning March 22. All other residents would be able to register by April 12. Beshear also announced he would extend the curfew on bars and restaurants by one hour. (March 19)
The Cabinet of Health & Family Services announced that nursing home facilities would ease COVID-19 restrictions and open for visitation on March 15. (March 12)
Governor Beshear announced 18 industries could now increase capacity to 60 percent. Beshear also said he intended to increase childcare capacity to regular group size on March 15 if positive trends continued. (March 3)
Governor Beshear signed executive orders extending the state’s mask mandate and allowing Kentucky pharmacists to dispense emergency refills of up to a 30-day supply of non-scheduled medications. (January 4)
Governor Beshear announced that COVID-19 vaccines had started to be administered in Kentucky. (December 14)
Governor Beshear released updated COVID-19 restrictions requiring restaurants and bars to operate at 50% capacity. (December 11)
Governor Beshear issued several new COVID-19 restrictions effective November 20, including limits on social gatherings, bans on indoor food or beverage consumption at restaurants, and a 33 percent capacity limit for recreational activities. (November 20)
Governor Beshear announced that 94 counties across the state were considered to be “red zone counties” due to rising COVID-19 cases. (November 13)
SCHOOL PLANNING
K-12:
Governor Beshear issued an executive order recommending all school districts, including private schools, offer or expand some form of in-person instructional opportunities beginning in March. (February 24)
Governor Beshear issued an executive order recommending public schools delay in-person learning until January 11. (December 18)
Kentucky released guidance for schools that planned to reopen in the fall, which can be found here.
Lieutenant Governor Jacqueline Coleman announced a plan to allocate $8 million to provide internet service to all K-12 students. (August 26)
Governor Beshear announced that fall sports at the high school level could resume. (August 25)
State Higher Education:
A list of Kentucky universities and colleges planning to reopen in the fall can be found here.
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