FRANKFORT, Ky. (LEX 18) — Governor Andy Beshear has announced the first regional vaccination site, operated by Kroger, to distribute the COVID-19 vaccine to Kentuckians.
Starting on Tuesday, February 2nd at 10:00 a.m., people who qualify to get the vaccine can go to Kentucky Horse Park to receive their first dose. The site is located inside the Alltech Arena (4089 Iron Works Parkway, Lexington, KY).
You can schedule an appointment starting at 5:00 p.m. Thursday at kroger.com/CovidVaccine. Appointments are required to receive the vaccine. Vaccines will be distributed Tuesday-Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in the first week. Beginning the week of February 8, people can sign-up to receive the vaccine from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Thursday through Saturday.
"At Kroger Health we are committed to helping people live healthier lives and we’re happy to be able to provide an easy solution to those Kentuckians seeking a vaccine," said Pheli Roberts, health leader for Kroger Louisville Division. "Our team at Kroger Health stands with you to keep Kentucky and the surrounding communities healthy and safe."
Kentucky Transportation Secretary Jim Gray says there is going to be 3,000 appointments available in week one, approximately 600 people per day. New appointments will be added to the website at around 6:00 a.m. daily.
The COVID-19 vaccination priority will be people in phase 1b over the age of 70. All vaccination sites are being asked to prioritize this population until further notice. Others from phases 1a and 1b will be eligible for vaccination. People in 1c will be eligible if sites have extra doses, ensuring that they meet the 90% goal of distributing the vaccines the state receives.
Beshear tells me they wanted to be able to provide the vaccine to people in 1C starting next week (which was the original plan), but low supply and spikes in demand means they need “a little bit more time.” @LEX18News
— Mike Valente (@ValenteLEX18) January 28, 2021
The state's vaccine phases are:
- Phase 1a: Long-term care facilities, assisted living facilities, health care personnel
- Phase 1b: First responders, Kentuckians age >= 70, K-12 school personnel
- Phase 1c: Kentuckians age >= 60, anyone older than 16 with U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highest-risk conditions for COVID-19, all essential workers
- Phase 2: Age >= 40
- Phase 3: Age >= 16
- Phase 4: Children under the age of 16 if the vaccine is approved for this age group (estimated to comprise 18% of Kentucky's population)
Three additional regional sites are opening through partners Ephraim McDowell Hospital in Danville and Western Baptist and Lourdes Mercy, both in Paducah.
If you head to Kentucky Horse Park to receive your vaccine, follow the signage to the Alltech Arena parking lot, which is free for visitors. Vaccines will be administered in the Alltech Arena building on the main pedestrian level.
Kentuckians should wait in their vehicle until five minutes before their scheduled vaccination appointment. People should also wear a face mask and remain socially distant from others. If you have difficulty walking to the entrance, both security and the National Guard will be on-site with golf carts to drive you to the entrance. In case of bad weather, there will be a socially-distanced queue in the hallway, so no one needs to wait outside.
This is what the vaccination site will look like indoors:
The state is also unveiling a new website to see if you're currently eligible for the vaccine and other information tools. Go to vaccine.ky.gov or call (855) 598-2246 or (855) 326-4654 (use this number if you are hearing-impaired). You can call between 8:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.
