Several Ky. hospital systems to require vaccinations for workers

FRANKFORT, Ky. (WKYT) - Governor Andy Beshear gave another Team Kentucky Update on Thursday.

Governor Beshear and Dr. Stack were joined by several leaders of health care organizations who came together to require the vaccination among their employees.

The governor said hospital executives from 11 health care systems in the commonwealth are announcing the following pledge:

“The health care facilities below are committed to the health and safety of our patients and employees. In support of this commitment, we will all require our health care workforce to initiate a complete COVID-19 vaccination series no later than Sept. 15, 2021.”

The health care systems adding this vaccine requirement for staff include: Appalachian Regional Healthcare (ARH), Baptist Health, CHI Saint Joseph Health, King’s Daughters Health System, Med Center Health, Norton Healthcare, Pikeville Medical Center, St. Claire Healthcare, St. Elizabeth Healthcare, UK Healthcare and UofL Health.

Officials from both Somerset’s Lake Cumberland Regional and Danville’s Ephraim McDowell Health tell me they will not mandate vaccines for employees.
— Phil Pendleton (@philtvnews) August 5, 2021

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Governor Beshear also announced Thursday they have had over 2,000 newly reported cases for the second day in a row. He said there were another four new COVID-19 related deaths.

He also said that the state’s positivity rate is now above 10%.

Beshear says that cases in children under 18 and under 12 are rapidly rising across the country.

In a video statement Wednesday, Gov. Beshear said the state’s COVID-19 numbers are the highest since vaccines were not readily available for most people. He said simply and bluntly that Kentucky is not moving in the right direction.

Beshear says the growing cases continue to highlight the need for people to get vaccinated and for everyone to wear masks indoors.