Ky. Gov. Beshear orders ‘non-essential’ retail businesses closed Monday

FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX19) - Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear announced ‘non-essential in-person retail businesses’ will be ordered closed to by Monday at 8 p.m.

Beshear announced the order Sunday during his daily update on COVID-19 in Kentucky.

Entertainment, sporting goods, clothing, shoe, jewelry and furniture stores, florists, bookstores and auto dealers are among those business that will be forced to close.

The order does not include grocery stores, pharmacies, drug stores or gas stations.

Curb-side pickup and delivery services will still be allowed from businesses that offer those services, Beshear said.

Liquor stores are excluded.

Banks, veterinarians and other businesses are considered ‘essential,' according to Beshear, and will also not be ordered closed.

A full list of categories of life-sustaining, in-person retail businesses is attached to the order.

“This is the next step that we need to take to reduce the contacts among Kentuckians until we can defeat this virus,” Beshear said. He added there is no need to rush to grocery stores, pharmacies and gas stations that can remain open. “There is going to be enough of the essentials for everybody."

Separately, Beshear said Northern Kentucky had a new confirmed case — its fifth — which the Northern Kentucky Health Department confirmed later Sunday: a 33-year-old female from Kenton County in home isolation.

“It is very likely that soon COVID-190 cases will be identified throughout Northern Kentucky,” District Director of Health Lynne Saddler, MD, said. “Each and every person throughout Northern Kentucky must take specific actions now to keep themselves and their family health at home and to prevent the spread of COVID-19.”

The governor also ordered medical facilities to cease elective procedures, a measure he had previously only recommended. He said the additional action was necessary since some groups have failed to follow the order and that more restrictive actions were needed to protect Kentuckians.

Additionally Beshear announced the state now has 103 cases of coronavirus, up from 87 cases on Saturday. Click here for the list with details.

According to the governor, more than 2,000 people have been tested.

“It’s probably going to get tougher before it gets easier, but we are resilient people and we can and we will do this together,” Beshear said. “I fully agree with those who say this is the challenge of our generation.

"Some people refer to our grandparents’ generation as the greatest generation in coming together both abroad and at home to overcome an adversary. The one that we face is not like one we have seen in our lifetime. Instead of bringing us closer, it brings us further away physically. We know we are fighting for the most vulnerable among us. We are already proving we are willing to put the health and lives of our fellow Kentuckians above our economic interests.”

The governor fell short of issuing a ‘stay at home’ order as Ohio Gov. DeWine did Sunday. However, he said people that don’t abide by his guidance to limit gatherings “undermine the sacrifice everyone else is making.”

Beshear singled out a Lewis County pastor he says is refusing to close services at his or her church.

“You can’t do that, bringing together some of the most vulnerable in a small room, when we know this virus has been passed in churches,” he said. “(It) undermines the sacrifice of every other church that is doing the tough thing of canceling their house to in-person service.”

Beshear also spoke out against “enemies of this country that will intentionally spread disinformation," saying they will target Kentucky as much as any state.

“When you see things that try to undermine our plan, that want us to fail, that’s why it’s important to fill social media with good behavior,” he said.

To wit, Beshear introduced a third hashtag to show people modeling good behavior in Kentucky: #healthyathome joints #teamkentucky and #togetherky.

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