Gov.
Beshear hopes to capitalize on the post-pandemic economy to reposition Kentucky as a strong contender for new job growth in several industries.
Commonwealth.
Joining me from frankfort -- is kentucky governor andy beshear.
Thank you governor for taking the time.
1.
- governor let's talk first about -- what many are calling a very successful roll- out of the vaccine in the commonwealth.
-- you are very close to reaching a million inoculations.
What remains the biggest challenges -- on the road to immunity?
"let's recognize how exciting this is.
We are about year and a week of this pandemic we can see a light at the end of the tunnel.
We are vaccinating people faster than the federal government can give us doses.
We are setting records with people vaccinated every week.
With over a 120,000 individuals getting their shot of hope this week.
It is really exciting.
More than a quarter of the eligible population has been vaccinated and we are just seeing the pace increase and increase and increase.
"the challenges we face right now are two fold.
Number one building out the infrastructure.
We currently have over 500 locations where people can get vaccinated and we have got to continue to grow that.
But the main challenge is supply.
Everybody is ready to get vaccinated right now; everybody is ready to move out of this pandemic.
We are getting about 100,000 first doses each week and that is great; that is a whole lot more than we were getting just a couple months ago.
But what it means is its going to take some time to vaccinate everybody.
It is going to pick up a lot right at the end of this month.
It is going to pick up a whole lot in april.
What we believe now is that every adult kentuckian that wants to get vaccinated can get that shot by the end of may.
That is really exciting."
Are you seeing a lack of buy in when it comes to rural communities?
-- we are hearing from people in those area*who continue to mis- trust the vaccine*or simply don't think they need one.
"right now, we are still seeing all across kentucky, a demand for the vaccine that exceeds supply.
Every rural area where we have a vaccine site, every time we open up appointments they immediately get booked.
Is there some hesitancy out there?
Yes, it is across kentucky.
It is in different groups.
Right now, what i mainly see is those folks saying, 'i want to wait and see.
I don't want to be the first person to get vaccinated.'
What we have seen in those groups, as we go, is people moving from being a little worried to willing to do it.
To excited, even a little impatient about how long it is taking to get the vaccine.
I think we are going to see a lot of movement.
The other thing that is now is the cdc is giving us new guidance on what you can do if you are fully vaccinated with other fully vaccinated people.
What it is saying is you can get back to normal a whole lot faster if you are willing to get the vaccine."
Looking ahead governor -- past the pandemic.
It seems by the second half of this year*you may get to focus on something other than covid-19*for really the first time since you took office.
What are you looking forward to getting back to addressing and what is topping the agenda ?
"well even with this pandemic, we haven't taken our eye off the ball on economic development.
We had over $2.5 billion worth of investment last year, even in the midst of a pandemic.
We had the second highest wage that the new jobs we announced, are going to pay to kentuckians.
But that is certainly at the top of the list.
A lot of exciting opportunities out there.
We see what the automotive industry is going through and large potential investments that are out there.
We continue to focus on health care which is a basic human right.
We have gotten a lot of people signed up for health care during this pandemic and it has worked.
What we saw disproportionate death, we were able to reduce and even eliminate.
Providing health care has meant that we have lost fewer people than many states.
Ensuring that our rural hospitals are healthy because the access there has never been more critical.
Ensuring every kentuckians gets access to a world class education.
That is our efforts to rebuild schools, we put a $100 million into our budget to do that because so many of them are crumbling.
Creating the better kentucky promise should help 6300 kentuckians get their associates degree or skilled certificate.
Finally, investing in higher education which has been cut or flat lined for so long that we have got to get more people graduating with a 4-year degree to compete for so many of these jobs.
There is so much opportunity.
When something like covid comes along, it changes the world after it for good.
So the post-covid economy is going to be different than the pre-covid economy.
This is a chance for us; a chance for kentucky to leap forward.
To be a leader in industries like agri-tech and aerospace.
A chance for us to attract jobs that might never at looked at us before, but now in a world where density isn't as good or as important, we can truly compete.
The question is are we going to be bold?
Are we going to have a budget, are we going to use the american recovery act money to truly push us forward and make generational investments or are going to sit back and watch others get ahead of us.
Now is the time we decide whether we are going to be fdr or herbert hoover.
I think, if we have courage to make those investments right now, we can change the course of our history for the better."
After month of debate -- congress passed the 1- point-9 trillion dollar covid-19 relief package.
The bill extends the 3-hundred dollars a week unemployment benefits it also includes a tax credit of up to 36- hundred dollars per child.
And those direct stimulus check we all have been waiting for with 14-hundred dollars for individuals making under 75- thousand dollars and 28-hundred dollars for couples making under 150- thousand dollars a year enjoy your wednesday because this could be the last of the dry weather for the extended forecast.
Conditions will bring highs to the upper 60s and lower 70s under cloudy skies.
Thanks to the strong southerly flow, temperatures aren't taking a hit from the clouds dominating today.
However, these conditions will bring gusty winds.
Some of our far northern communities are under a wind advisory until 12 a.m.
Thursday.
The warmth will stay with us well into tomorrow.
Expect overnight conditions to stay in the upper 50s with cloudy skies.
New tonight - more evidence shows - people with obesity should get the covid-19 vaccine.... as research shows obesity increases the risk for severe covid-19 illness.... a cdc study of many are calling a very successful roll- out of the vaccine in the commonwealth.
-- you are very close to reaching a million inoculations.
What remains the biggest challenges -- on the road to immunity?
"let's recognize how exciting this is.
We are about year and a week of this pandemic we can see a light at the end of the tunnel.
We are vaccinating people faster than the federal government can give us doses.
We are setting records with people vaccinated every week.
With over a 120,000 individuals getting their shot of hope this week.
It is really exciting.
More than a quarter of the eligible population has been vaccinated and we are just seeing the pace increase and increase and increase.
"the challenges we face right now are two fold.
Number one building out the infrastructure.
We currently have over 500 locations where people can get vaccinated and we have got to continue to grow that.
But the main challenge is supply.
Everybody is ready to get vaccinated right now; everybody is ready to move out of this pandemic.
We are getting about 100,000 first doses each week and that is great; that is a whole lot more than we were getting just a couple months ago.
But what it means is its going to take some time to vaccinate everybody.
It is going to pick up a lot right at the end of this month.
It is going to pick up a whole lot in april.
What we believe now is that every adult kentuckian that wants to get vaccinated can get that shot by the end of may.
That is really exciting."
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44News Exclusive With Gov. Beshear on Vaccine, Unemployment, Post-Pandemic Plans