Gov. Beshear to allow executive order closing bars and restaurants to indoor service to expire Sunday night

Gov Andy Beshear offered nothing Thursday to indicate that his executive order closing bars and restaurants to indoor service would be extended.

Beshear said while Thursday saw the highest number of new COVID–19 cases across the state in a single day with 4,325, long-term indications were that the virus spread was decreasing since he issued the executive order of Nov. 20, it would expire at midnight Sunday.

Beshear noted that the number of new cases this week is 800 less than at this same point last week.

In addition, the COVID–19 positivity rate, which was in excess of 10 percent, has continued to decrease and was at 9.13 percent on Thursday.

“That is a leading indicator,” Beshear said of the positivity rate.

“We believe that shock to the system is working,” Beshear said of the effects of the executive order.

Restaurants and bars will be able to again serve customers indoors, though it will remain at 50 percent capacity, per his previous executive order.

Beshear said it will be up to restaurant and bar managers and personnel to enforce the mask mandate in order to keep the businesses from being forced to close again.