Full Notes

• We will get through this and we will get through this together.
Say it with me. We will get through this, we will get through this
together.
• 10 Step to defeating the coronavirus (10 Steps)
• Tomorrow Josh Benton will answer questions about benefits and
issues with it. We are going to get this right but I need your
patience right now
• We are going to have to continue these measures for AT LEAST
another month
• Finally the opportunity to report non-compliance (833-KY-SAFER
or 833-597-2337)
• Going back to Seattle line-graph (Graph) If you look at this, if we
rely on social distancing alone, which is our primary focus, we see
a 75% decrease in contacts. This is how we protect our family
and friends and neighbors. So, if you haven’t cut your contacts to
75% or more, you’re not socially distancing enough.
• Again shows Philadelphia vs ST Louis vs Louisville (Graph 1, 2,
and 3)
• It’s the closing of restaurants and bars, closing of forward facing
businesses, it’s all those sacrifices we are making that is what is
making a difference.
• What Louisville did during the Spanish flu, they weren’t as close
as St. Louis, but handled the second bump better than even St.
Louis. We need to be Like St. Louis and Louisville (Prevent first
and second spike)
• CDC map is shown (Map) cases increasing significantly across the
nation, but shows KY is faring better due to our aggressive steps.
There is uncertainty, however, none of us know how widespread
this will get. But whatever is coming, we can beat this by
following our guidelines. Absolutely, we know that resiliency will
defeat this virus and save and protect by reducing our contacts
 by 75%
• I owe an apology to U of L’s football coach, Satterfield, that was
my mistake (Not sure what the mistake was) I never expected to
be giving a 1 hour update everyday from my own handwritten
notes. It was meant as no disrespect to him or their university.
• Today’s update:
• Largest day of new cases at 114 new cases and 6 new deaths.
• There will be times we will see a higher number. It’s hard. But
that’s why we are working SO hard to reduce our number of
contacts and protect the people around us.
• We were prepared for this, we know we will see bigger numbers
but we are going to get through this
• New Cases: 58x Jefferson, 17x Fayette, 4x Hopkins, 3x
Jessamine, 2x Kenton, 2x Shelby, 2x Daviess, 2x Edmonson, 2x
McCracken, 2x Christian, Campbell, LaRue, Graves, Clark,
Madison, Montgomery, Laurel, Pulaski, Russell, Hancock,
Muhlenberg, Hardin, Rockcastle, Henry, Scott, Union, Carroll,
Woodford, Bourbon, Anderson
• Remember, most people that have this are asymptomatic. So we
need to treat every community as if they have iy
• Deaths: 88 Female form Fayette, 74 Male from Bullitt, 87 Female
Jefferson, 81 Female Jefferson, 74 Male Jefferson, 66 Male
Jefferson
• All those deaths had other underlying conditions, but the COVID-
19 virus was a factor.
• Please let’s redouble our efforts.
• Light up those green lights.
• Let’s make sure we honor the deaths and their families and
console their families. We are more interconnected more than we
have ever been. Make sure we do the right thing, and get it right
the first time.
• Dr. Stack takes over:
• Perspective is important in this. Most of us will be okay, and kids
will be relatively spared. Some of my friends and colleagues
across the country are talking about field hospitals, and how we
never saw this coming. Folks, it’s not a game, this is for real. I’m
proud of what we have done in Kentucky. We have acted boldy
and taken aggressive steps. I get questions like: Should we do
more? Lock down more? If you do the things we tell you, then no.
It’s so contagious and once it spreads it can become
uncontrollable. If we don’t do these things, a lot of people will get
hurt and the Governor has to stand here every day and read
these reports. There are some reports that think this is not going
to be as bad as we think I just want to urge you to be cautious.
Nobody should be thinking we are out of the woods next.
• Masks, when to use them:
• If you're sick, you need to be at home. But if you absolutely
NEED to leave that would be when to wear them. But please, do
NOT wear those scarce masks for our healthcare workers who
need them, to include those on the frontlines first responders,
etc.
• We’re all in this together as team Kentucky
• Governor takes over
• This just in, another death in Campbell County, making the total
deaths seven
• Everytime we stay at home, healthy at home, we are saving lives,
but those that aren’t listening can be causing these deaths.
• But I absolutely know, it’s because of our actions that we are
doing MUCH better than we could have.
• For our grocery store workers: we are expanding our childcare to
them as well well as our healthcare workers
• Signed an executive order to allow us to hire back retired police,
firefighters, EMS, and correction officers with no penalty to their
retirement.
• I want to thank our board of nursing who will supply more
nurses, both new to the profession and retired.
• Virtual fiscal courts for the public, there needs to be a way for
people to dial in.
• No yard sales. This is a way to spread this virus really easily. No
yard sales.
• Tomorrow and next day in Franklin County having a practice run
drive-thru testing facility to give us the data we need to make
more.
• I want to thank UofL for their support in processing the tests from
the drive-thru and increased capacity for testing. Some of these
outside labs can take up to 7-10 days to get back results. So, any
testing we do, we need to make sure it’s effective with a fast
turnaround.
• The positives that are out there. Our numbers are where they are
and not like other places because of your hard work. The
numbers from today are lower than they could be and we need to
continue to protect one another. Positive social pressure and
modeling the appropriate behavior we need, and show it. It’s time
to get on board.
• We look at some of today’s social media (Link to slides).
Morehead’s City Park is lit up green. And I encourage that we all
do this. Next, U of L’s campus shows lit up green. Photo of
toddler healthy at home. This is a time we can be with family,
and maybe we can see the positive side of being healthy at
home, being with our kids more. Former First Lady Jean Ford is
shown being visited by her great granddaughter (through glass).
A photo of two sisters chalking their street to remind others to
wash their hands. There is a lot we can learn how they have
adapted. Photo from healthcare professionals holding signs. The
amount of risk these folks take is amazing. Thank you for what
you’re doing. Next a photo of a man giving blood. But we need
 blood. Eminence Schools showing 3d printing being put to use
making PPE. Kentucky Coroners Association donate PPE. A video
of Georgetown College (KY) ringing their bells.
• Let’s remember those we lost, but get up tomorrow ready to go. I
believe in Kentucky and we will get through this.
QUESTIONS
• Have you talked to the Williamsburg Mayor about people not
going into TN? -- I’m not sure I’ve spoken to the mayor but I
talked to county judges about it today. You can still cross state
lines for groceries, job, care for a loved one, or by a court order.
Not just TN but other states or other counties if we can help it.
Nobody form other states should be here to visit, there would
need to be a 14 day quarantine for them
• Tomorrow being April 1st, people will need to pay rent, what of
those that can’t -- There are no evictions allowed. If you can pay
the rent, please do. But I would hope every landlord and tenant
can come up with a plan and a long term plan to work through
this
• What are your thoughts on the LRC (Legislative Research
Commission) staffer that tested positive? -- What it means we
ought to have everyone humanly possible working from home.
They need to be doing some tracing of people who had contact
with this individual and seeing how they are feeling. These folks
need to pass a budget and get out of town. As of now, what I
gather, they are coming in it to pass bill then leave
• Should those already on unemployment expect delays due to the
new claims? -- we do not believe the payment will be delayed
• Question on proof of concept site (for drive thru testing) -- We
need a few days to prove we can do this, we will spread out
more. Again we have very limited supplies, so (triage) will be in
play when testing. 60yr+ with underlying conditions showing
symptoms and getting our first responders (especially those in
 quarantine) tested back out.
• GE and different concerns from workers around reopening the
facility -- I worry about every facility in KY. It’s important to have
the opportunity for them to continue, since they are essential.
Hopefully the changes they have made will work out and all
facilities in KY will get on board and do the same so our
employees feel safe at work. It’s a scary time for all of us.
• There is talk that the legislature will only pass a one year budget
-- I can’t recall that ever happening before, but I also never
expected them to be meeting in the middle of a pandemic. They
need to be safe. A one year budget isn’t crazy, we normally pass
a 2/year but I’m willing to be flexible
• Will the state be offering remote options for signing wills or
advanced direction? -- We can notarize things through video. If
we can do so remotely we will, we are working on addressing this
• Updates on state workers light the highway department that still
have to work everyday -- I hope we don’t have a full department
anywhere in state government that has to report in-person every
day. If that’s happening we will fix it
• Considering ending school year early -- Given that the president
has move his recommendation to the 30th of April we are going
to look more into that. If we were to make a move, it would be
what the president did, and just extend for a few weeks, just in
case things get better. But it’s not beyond the realm of possibility
and need to be prepared
• Claims denied for unemployment -- We are working as fast as we
can and hiring more people and working with a system that
wasn’t set up for this. If you are told you do NOT qualify, you DO,
we just need your info in the system, we will get you processed.
We are working on this every day
• Could the 64 Kentuckians who have recovered from the
coronavirus help in developing a vaccine since they have
 antibodies in their blood? -- We certainly hope they have a level
of immunity if they do we might be able to use them as first
responders
• Some churches are hoping to worship through drive in service for
Easter -- That’s VERY creative, but please follow these rules, cars
6 feet apart, same household in same car, nobody outside of the
car, and no passing things between those cars. If all those can be
followed, I think this can work. I believe those are very legitimate
rules to follow, last thing we want is Easter Sunday to cause
death to their congregations. To those of you who plan not to
listen, you’re going to kill someone. Please do not do that. This is
not a test of faith. Look at all the churches doing the right thing,
lease be a part of that, NOT being the exception.
• Budget and if it will have raíces for education -- My budget had
raises for teachers and state workers, but it was before the
coronavirus hit us. We will see some sacrifices out of the budget.
It will primarily be for getting through this crisis and rebuild on
the other end. The federal stimulus is going to need to be REALLY
significant. Right now we need to make sure we have the dollars
to maintain this. We need to focus on the virus and focus on
other budget items on another day
• Do I plan to open up childcare service to grocery store workers?
-- Yes we did that today
• Have I ordered rest areas to close -- No. But this is contingent on
people maintaining social distancing
• Letter from CHFS sent out a warning about defective masks
coming from (I couldn’t catch the name, sounded like a Chinese
company “hynong” maybe?) company -- That is true those are
defective masks, we wanted to make sure no one was using them
• TN have higher testing counts leading to higher cases, why are
our testing numbers so low? -- We don’t think ours are low we
just believe we are not getting the full negative counts back OR
 they could have more tests than they are reporting
• As I understand it, by the end of last week KY State lab had a 2-
week backlog of reading tests which is what led to the Drive Thru
delay -- That is not true our state lab has a 12-24 hours. Our
delay in mobile testing is due to a lack of tests and PPE that we
need and a lab to turn around those results faster. All the things
we need to make this work has to be up to par. It has to be done
right. I also need to SEE we have the number of kits the PPE to
tell KY we are ready.
• I mentioned the possible release of inmates yesterday -- People
we are looking at are those whose sentencing is almost over,
non-violent, non sexual related offences and those medically
fragile
• Response to Our Lady of Bellefonte hospital saying they are
closing at the end of the month? -- Listen we’re going to use that
building. Even if that hospital system isn’t there to run it, and I
hope they are, but we WILL use that building or any hospitals
that may be closed down. We need those beds
• Number of hospital beds 18,500, ICU beds 1,300, and ventilators
1,353. 1. Reduce the spread. 2. Getting more testing 3. Increase
healthcare capacity so when the cases spike are there enough of
all these. The more we can spread it out during its peak the more
we can slow this. Working on numerous plans to increase more
beds and convertible ventilators (~70 we know of). We will try to
get all those resources
• Question about if a positive case in Boyd co worked for a specific
entity? -- No I don’t have that info
• Inaudible question (sounds like it’s a question about releasing
inmates and a specific letter sent with suggestion) -- Things are a
little more complicated than that letter suggests for instance that
letter says all class Ds should be released. There are some people
convicted of a class D felony that tried to lure a child and actually
showed up trying to sexually assault that child and I feel
differently about letting someone like that out.
END QUESTIONS
Kentucky, today we had a tough day. Be ready for more cases
and deaths. But everything you do all day every day, will affect
how well we can fight this virus. When I’m out there fighting for
more PPE. Social distancing is key. Do your part. This is the
challenge of our times, our time to step up. This is a chance to
come together by staying apart. Before the virus hit, we were
probably more divided than ever. Everything we do matters. I’ll
end this by showing a video of our children (Danville Christan
Academy’s Volleyball team). This is a part of that social positive
pressure. Light those green lights up, remember those we have
lost and I’ll see you tomorrow.