‘Supply, supply, supply:’ Kentucky close to maxing out weekly vaccine allocation

FRANKFORT, Ky. (FOX19) - Kentucky administered more first doses of the vaccine last week than it received from the federal government, placing its utilization rate over 100 percent for the fourth week in a row.

After receiving 56,175 first doses during the week beginning Jan. 20, the state administered 64,310 first doses over the next seven days for a 114 percent utilization rate.

Over the three preceding weeks, the state’s utilization rates were 119 percent, 143 percent and 147 percent.

That compares to the first three weeks of the vaccine rollout, beginning Dec. 15, when the state recorded a 27 percent utilization rate, then 26 percent, then 62 percent.

The weeks with rates above 100 percent reflect the state catching up to its initial under-utilization.

To date, Kentucky has administered 362,271 first doses of 422,500 first doses allocated, a utilization rate of 86 percent.

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Previously Gov. Andy Beshear has said the state could administer 250,000 doses or more per week.

The problem, as he stressed again Monday, is supply.

“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. But we are working hard and everybody is going to get their turn,” Beshear said.

Kentucky recorded 1,623 newly confirmed cases of COVID-19 Monday and 35 new virus-related deaths.

Weekly case totals have fallen for the third week in a row.

Of the deaths, just six are from long-term care residents, a first for the commonwealth, according to Beshear.

“I hope that is a sign that our early vaccinations and steps in long-term care facilities are making a difference,” he said, “but again, it should be a warning to the rest of us that this can impact us whether you are in a long-term care facility or not.”

The positivity rate continues to trend down. Currently it is 8.85 percent.

Some 1,314 Kentuckians are hospitalized with COVID-19, the lowest figure since hospitalizations began rising in early December due to a countrywide winter surge.

Of those hospitalized, 337 are in ICUs and 178 are on ventilators.

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