FRANKFORT, Ky. (WDRB) -- Gov. Andy Beshear said he plans to publicly reveal positive coronavirus cases in Kentucky schools.
Beshear will include COVID-19 cases identified at schools as part of his daily coronavirus reports, similar to how cases are reported at long-term care facilities.
The information will include the names of schools, the number of current cases and the number of recoveries.
The governor said schools are already required to report public health outbreaks such as the flu and lice.
“If you have to report lice, surely you ought to report COVID 19,” he said.
Beshear is still urging schools not to allow students to return until Sept. 28, but Kentucky Public Health Commissioner Dr. Steven Stack said whenever schools reopen the public needs to be aware of virus outbreaks.
“The public needs to be able to know what risk they are — or are not — ... if their child goes into the classroom,” said Stack.
Beshear said the school will be given a “short window,” reportedly 24 hours, to inform the community before he reports the outbreak to the rest of the state.
“It just gives a little transparency to make sure that people can know in their own school, but also in a region what we’re seeing out there,” said Beshear.
Any infected student will have to quarantine, and health officials will do contact tracing to determine the level of exposure.
“Their parents are probably going to have to quarantine, too, based on their exposure,” Beshear said.
If there is an outbreak, Beshear said the state will provide assistance even for schools that have ignored his recommendation to delay holding in-person classes.
“We’ll see what type of help is needed, but we’re going to do everything we can to protect our kids, our teachers, everybody,” he said.
It is unclear whether Beshear will sign an executive order protecting school districts from COVID-19 lawsuits.
“I certainly don't want to make it easy to be cavalier and not follow the rules,” he said.
Beshear said the reports will begin as soon as the first school discloses a positive case.
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