BEASHEAR: Hospitals reaching “critical point”, mask mandate “something we have to be considering”

FRANKFORT, Ky. – Governor Beshear held a press briefing this afternoon about the current spike in COVID cases covering some hot button topics such as hospital capacity and masking.

Beshear says hospital capacity in the state is reaching a critical point.

He says yesterday there were more people fighting for their lives with COVID that ever before.

The governor is urging the public to not go get a COVID test at the emergency room. He says if it’s not an emergency, go elsewhere and save the ER for emergencies.

He is encouraging parents taking extra caution with their children who cannot or are not vaccinated.

And about another mask mandate, Beshear said a statewide mask mandate is something we have to be considering saying if there is a point where there are no beds in the state in hospitals, the government will have to take some quote strong steps.

When it comes to universal masking in schools, he said he thinks he made the right choice.

“Sending unmasked, unvaccinated kids into a poorly ventilated classroom is like holding the world’s largest chicken pox party except instead of chicken pox it is the third leading cause of death last year, and may surpass cancer this year,” said Beshear.

Beshear also named next week Health Care Heroes Appreciation Week in the Bluegrass and asks everyone to lift healthcare workers up in our communities throughout the week.