FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear said Indiana may be reopening for business too early in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.
During his daily COVID-19 briefing, Beshear said he consults regularly with Indiana Gov. Eric Holcomb, but has no plans to follow the lead of his neighbor to the north.
“If I believe Indiana's doing something a little too fast, I mean on a couple of those, I do, and Gov. Holcomb knows that we have a difference there,” said Beshear.
Beshear said he does not feel pressure to reopen Kentucky's economy now that Indiana has launched its Back on Track program, which allows businesses to resume earlier than Beshear’s plan.
“That concept that just because somebody else is doing it, you should do it, in a worldwide health pandemic, I'm not buying that," he said. “I'm going to protect our people.”
Beshear acknowledged concerns expressed by Greater Louisville, Inc., the Louisville Chamber of Commerce, that the two state's reopening efforts are “disjointed” and may drive business across the Ohio River.
“At the end of the day each of us is responsible for our people,” Beshear said. “I believe that our gradual step is the right way to go.”
Beshear said those who travel to Indiana could hurt Kentucky’s efforts to “flatten the curve.”
"Lets not drive to other states just because they're doing something earlier if we think we have done it better," he said.
Beshear said he will have a conversation with Holcomb about the issue, but did not go into specifics.
“I'm going to talk to Gov. Holcomb about, especially, the cities right on the other side of Louisville.”
Beshear did offer a rough timetable about when Kentucky restaurants could begin to reopen.
"Phase 2, which will include things like restaurants, will be in June." he said.
Beshear said he hoped to release guidelines for Phase 2 within the next two weeks.
The governor also reacted to a ruling by a federal district judge declaring his ban on travel across state lines that is not related to work, unconstitutional.
“If we need to clarify that, we'll clarify that. We want legal, constitutional orders that still protect our people,” he said.
The same judge denied a motion to throw out Beshear's rules restricting mass gatherings.
Phase 2 of Beshear's plan to restart the health care industry begins Wednesday when hospitals can resume elective surgeries and outpatient procedures.
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