95 percent of Kentuckians under 60 who died of COVID since July were unvaccinated

More than 95% of the 443 people under age 60 who have died from COVID-19 in Kentucky since early July were unvaccinated, Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday.

Of those 443 people who died, only 21 had been inoculated.

“That is a huge difference,” he announced in a news update in Frankfort. “What this ought to show is even if you think you’re young enough to battle this thing off, if you are unvaccinated, you are in trouble.”

Statewide, coronavirus metrics continue to improve. The statewide positivity rate fell below 9% Thursday for the first time since late July, to 8.67%. Beshear confirmed 2,625 new cases of the virus, bringing the total number of cases reported this month to 16,972. By this time last month, the state had already confirmed 28,514 new cases.

The rate of hospitalizations continues its decline, dropping by 17% in the last seven days, the governor said. The number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care units and on ventilators also continues to fall, as does the week-over-week new case rate. On Thursday, 1,578 people were in the hospital with coronavirus (56 fewer than Wednesday); 472 were in an ICU (four fewer); and 313 were breathing on a ventilator (one less).

“We were a little bit worried we might see a leveling out, but every day it seems we see a decrease,” he said. The number of hospitals with critical staffing shortages is down to 58 out of 96 — still high, but comparably lower than the mid-to-high 60s the state has reported for weeks. Sixteen children are hospitalized with coronavirus, six of whom are in an ICU and four were on a ventilator. A total of 148 ICU beds are open statewide.

Unvaccinated Kentuckians continue to account for the lion’s share of new cases, hospitalizations and deaths. From March 1 to October 6, 85% of the state’s new cases, more than 91% of all coronavirus hospitalizations, and 83% of deaths were among those partially vaccinated or unvaccinated.

Though the virus is receding in the commonwealth, the number of new coronavirus deaths has yet to notably drop. On Thursday, Kentucky confirmed another 50 people had died, including a 38-year-old, pushing the overall death toll to 9,022.

While it’s good to be “excited about the trends and where we’re going, let’s remember that we’re going to live with these scars and trauma and loss for a long time,” Beshear said.