LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — A trend is beginning to develop in Lexington. The University of Kentucky, like the Lexington-Fayette County Health Department, is noticing some openings on its COVID-19 vaccine schedule.
"We, as of last night, have vaccinated over 140,000 people, so we are making a huge dent in this very quickly," said UK Chief of Police Joe Monroe, who's been charged with leading the vaccine operation at Kroger Field.
"For us to maintain full operations, we're talking to the state and opening it up to additional phases," he continued.
But that's not all. In addition to accepting appointments from those not affiliated with groups 1-A, B, or C, UK will welcome those living out of state as long as they have a Kentucky connection.
"Either they work in Kentucky and spend a majority of their time here, or they're students here at the university or another one of our colleges here in the commonwealth," Monroe said.
Fayette County, with its numerous vaccine clinics, and population of roughly 300,000 people (including those under 16 who aren't being vaccinated), has moved through the vaccination process very quickly. That, Chief Monroe hopes, is the main reason we're seeing so many openings on the schedule.
"Of course there are people who will refuse to be vaccinated. I think everybody understands that. But the decline we're seeing, I think, is based on the numbers of sites across the commonwealth," Monroe cited.
Emily Nadeau is a UK grad student who received the second of her two shots today. She has an underlying condition and wouldn't miss the chance at getting protected. She also viewed it as her civic duty.
"Getting the vaccine is doing your part to getting back to normal," she said.
It's part of filling the lines at Kroger Field with football fans, rather than vaccine recipients, on Labor Day weekend.
