Governor Andy Beshear Extends Statewide Mask Mandate; Announces Major Change for State Fair

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear took the podium Thursday for his regular COVID-19 update for the state, and began by announcing he was extending the statewide mask mandate an additional 30 days.

The Governor announced the original 30-day mandate on July 10th. It was scheduled to come to an end tomorrow (Saturday, August 8th). In that original announcement, the Governor did say the mandate could be extended until the statistics showed the state had "significant control" of the virus, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.

The announcement means the mandate will now continue until Labor Day (September 7th). However, the possibility exists for the order to be extended again if the Governor deems it necessary.

Beshear noted his decision was based on the decline in cases over the past seven days, a decline he attributes to Kentuckians wearing their masks. You can see his remarks just after the nine minute mark in the video below.

The Governor also announced this year's Kentucky State Fair, will be closed to the general public and open to participants only. Additional measures to help reduce the chance of spreading COVID-19, or any illness for that matter, includes reduced occupancy in all buildings, hand washing and sanitizing stations, a mask and glove requirement for all participants, and reduced hours among others. You can see all the protocols they'll have in place through the State Fair website.

You can watch the Governor's entire press conference in the video below.