Governor says more legislators need to wear masks

By Al Cross

Kentucky Health News

Saying he believes the General Assembly is having "a major outbreak" of coronavirus cases, Gov. Andy Beshear said Thursday that legislators need to take more preventive precautions.

”“I think everybody should be wearing a mask, Beshear said in response to a question at a press conference. “I think a ton of legislators have had Covid in the last week or so, based on the numbers of folks that are voting remotely, based on them having to take a day off from the General Assembly because so many people had Covid.

“I mean, dear Lord, put on mask if you know a bunch of people around you have Covid. It’s just basic protections. We don’t have to be tougher than the person next to us. Nobody is watching us to see how scared or not scared that we are. This isn’t some test of masculinity. I mean, it is a virus; wear a mask. It protects you, but hey, if you’ve got it and even if you don’t know it, you wanna spread it to the person next to you that might have a terrible reaction to it? It’d be terrible to be in the legislature and to lose a seatmate to your right or to your left.”

Beshear noted that he has made testing available to everyone in the Capitol. “If they’re unwilling to wear a mask, at least get tested every day so you know that you’re not potentially exposing people around you,” he said. “But remember, if the person next to you hasn’t been tested, you need to wear a mask to make sure you have all of that protection.”

Noting that  the executive branch is masked up, Beshear said, “We have not had major outbreak that I think they’re seeing on the legislative side. That’s because masks work.”

Kentucky Health News is seeking comment from legislative leaders.