All Kentucky hospitals active in the first shipment of Pfizer's coronavirus vaccine have now received their doses.
Gov. Andy Beshear announced Wednesday that Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital in Paducah, the last of the 11 hospitals to get the vaccine, has accepted its shipment. Another 10 received shipments earlier this week.
Michael Yungmann, president of Mercy Health-Lourdes Hospital, said inside a statement, “a corner has been turned.”
“While it's been a long year, today is really a day for celebration,” he said. “We're honored to become delivering the very first COVID-19 vaccinations in Western Kentucky and also to play a role in this historic moment of happening offense against coronavirus. Thank you towards the Governor and his administration for that leadership and coordination that has made this moment possible.”
Beshear called the deliveries “an exciting time” in the statement. But he cautioned that COVID-19 will continue to spread before the vaccine is more accessible.
“With these life-saving vaccines being administered now to our front-line workers, the beginning of the end of the coronavirus crisis is within sight,” he said. “We are also continuing to see fewer cases week over week, with today's number down from last Wednesday. This really is all very good news, however it will require time before these modern medical miracles are for sale to everyone.”
There were 2,898 new COVID-19 cases and 23 deaths in Kentucky on Wednesday. Nearly 1,800 Kentuckians have been in a healthcare facility with COVID-19, 460 are in the ICU and 239 are on ventilators.
Beshear also said the Healthy at Home Eviction Relief Fund portal will near by no more the day. More than 150 applications happen to be received as of Tuesday afternoon.
