Just a few days before Thanksgiving, state officials announced another record-high week of new coronavirus cases and the highest Sunday ever with 2,194 new cases.
Gov. Andy Beshear urged Kentuckians in a press release to avoid gatherings of more than two households or more than eight people, to wear masks and social distance.
"If we have a major surge of COVID-19 cases after Thanksgiving, our hospitals will simply not have the capacity to give everyone the care they need," Beshear said in the release. "Nothing is worth that risk."
New restrictions that went into effect Friday ban indoor customers at restaurants or bars, reduce capacity at gyms and indoor venues and limit retail to 50% capacity. Schools are ordered to stop in-person instruction on Monday.
And Beshear asked people to avoid traveling or gathering in large groups for Thanksgiving or shopping in-person.
Nearly the entire state is now in the red zone for uncontrolled community spread.
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