FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- In response to rising COVID-19 cases, Gov. Andy Beshear is ramping up his campaign to get more Kentuckians vaccinated.
Beshear offered a new incentive Thursday for state employees to get the vaccine: Any executive branch worker who shows proof of the shot will get an extra vacation day.
“That's if they've already been vaccinated or they're willing to get vaccinated," Beshear said during a news conference at the Capitol. "We're going to give them an extra day off work."
Beshear invited other constitutional officers to join in providing the incentive. He said he is not ready to issue any new statewide mandates but added that the option is “still on the table.”
He said one big factor that he is watching closely is hospital capacity.
“We have not allowed our hospital systems to be overrun," Beshear said. "We cannot allow that to happen. I'm going to be willing to do what it takes to prevent that from happening.”
While the governor did not issue any new mandates, he did applaud Kentucky health care companies that are now requiring employee vaccinations. Beshear brought several hospital executives to the Capitol to explain why.
“This is a war," said Gerard Colman, CEO of Baptist Health. "It's a war we have to win battle by battle. And we're at a battle point right now.”
Donovan Blackburn of Pikeville Medical Center said the number of COVID-19 patients in his hospital is exploding.
“Just a month ago, I had three patients, one in the ICU," Blackburn said. "As of this morning, I now have 43 patients in the hospital."
Blackburn said the patients are getting younger.
“I have patients in their teens now coming into the hospital,” he said. “This step is necessary if we're going to win the fight.”
Dr. Jason Smith, the medical director for U of L Health, said the gathering of health care experts demonstrated confidence that the vaccine is safe and effective.
“We believe in this vaccine enough that we are going to make sure that our health care teammates are going to be protected from this virus,” he said.
Beshear asked other private companies to follow suit and consider requiring employee vaccinations. He said it would help protect the company’s bottom line.
“If you don't have healthy employees, if they get COVID, they don't show up for work,” he said.
Beshear told WDRB News he is “looking into” whether he has the legal authority to require executive branch employees to get the vaccine.
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