‘This is what you have been waiting for’ | Beshear sets vaccination goal with promise to remove restrictions – WHAS11.com

The governor said when 2.5 million Kentuckians receive the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, he will remove capacity and distancing restrictions.

LOUISVILLE, Ky. Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear issued a challenge Monday morning in the hopes of encouraging all Kentuckians to receive their COVID-19 vaccine.

Outside the new mass vaccination site at Cardinal Stadium in Louisville, Beshear announced the "Team Kentucky Vaccination Challenge." The goal of the challenge is to reward the state's vaccination efforts by removing COVID-19 restrictions.

The first goal of the challenge is to give out 2.5 million first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine in Kentucky. When the state reaches that goal, Beshear said he will remove capacity restrictions on nearly all events, businesses and venues that serve fewer than 1,000 customers. He also said he would remove physical distancing restrictions and end the curfew for bars and restaurants in the state.

"This is what you have been waiting for - a clear number and a clear goal to hit," Beshear said.

Beshear stressed that the mask mandate will remain in place due to the concern over COVID-19 variants.

You can watch the full press conference below:

On Sunday, Gov. Beshear said more than 1.5 million Kentuckianshave received their vaccine so far, so the state is about 900,000 people away from reaching the first goal. Gov. Beshear said we can reach 2.5 million people vaccinated in three and a half weeks, but more realistically four to six weeks.

The vaccination site at Cardinal Stadium opened Monday morning at 9 a.m. It will be the largest mass vaccination site in the state. Gov. Beshear said around 4,000 Kentuckians should be able to get vaccinated at that site each day. The goals of the site is to administer 200,000 vaccines in seven weeks.

A month ago there were more people who wanted the vaccine than doses available. Now the supply is available, and is ready to be administered.

Now its up to our people to do, I think their duty as citizens, their patriotic duty as Americans as we fight this disease together, Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer said. We need you to come get your vaccine.

Eligibility for the COVID-19 has been expanded to include everyone 16 years old and older.

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'This is what you have been waiting for' | Beshear sets vaccination goal with promise to remove restrictions - WHAS11.com