State has new vaccine website

FRANKFORT— Gov. Andy Beshear and other state officials updated Kentuckians on the state’s vaccine rollout Monday and announced the state’s third straight week of declining cases and its fourth day in a row with a positivity rate below 9 percent.

“Remember, we are vaccinating people faster than we get doses from the federal government, and if you’re having a hard time signing up, it’s because there just aren’t enough doses,” Beshear said. “But we are working hard and everybody is going to get their turn.”

For the past four weeks, Kentucky has administered more initial doses than it received from the federal government. The governor reminded Kentuckians that the state can vaccinate up to 250,000 people per week: the only limiting factor for vaccine distribution is supply.

Transportation Secretary and vaccine distribution project director Jim Gray updated Kentuckians on the commonwealth’s vaccine progress and the Lexington regional vaccination site at Kentucky Horse Park’s Alltech Arena, which the state will open tomorrow in partnership with Kroger.

“The goal is that no one will have to drive more than one county away to get a vaccine. We’re not there yet, but that is the goal,” Gray said. “At the Kentucky Horse Park site, set up is underway as we speak today. I’m very optimistic about where things are. Each site is part of a strategic approach to getting these important vaccines into the arms of all Kentuckians who want them.”

In total, 422,500 initial vaccine doses have been sent to Kentucky and 362,271 have been administered: 341,575 initial doses have been sent to the state’s distribution program and 305,757 have been administered through that program; 80,925 initial doses have been sent to Kentucky through the federal long-term care vaccination program that contracts with CVS and Walgreens and 56,514 have been administered through that program.

By answering a series of questions on the new vaccine.ky.gov website, which is protected and secure, Kentuckians can determine if they are currently eligible for a vaccine and if so will be directed to a map that shows available vaccines sites across the state. As vaccine supplies increase, more sites will be added to the map and announced.

Kentuckians not currently eligible or unable to locate an available vaccine are encouraged to sign up for text or email updates by entering their name, county of residence and an email or phone number at vaccine.ky.gov. The sign-up is not a wait list or appointment scheduler, but aims to provide alerts when a person’s eligibility changes, or, for example, when vaccines are available in an area.

Dr. Steven Stack, commissioner of the Kentucky Department for Public Health, said in addition to the Find a Vaccine website, a new hotline has been added to help Kentuckians who do not have access to the internet or computer or need additional assistance. The hotline – 855-598-2246 or TTY 855-326-4654 – is available 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. EST Monday through Friday.

“Hotline operators are prepared to walk a person without internet through what's on the website via a phone call,” Dr. Stack said. “For those who are vaccine eligible, the operator can help them identify a vaccine location and connect them by phone or even help them look for an available appointment. For those not currently eligible, the operator can help the caller sign up for text or email notifications.”