Kentucky Increased capacities allowed at businesses, other venues

Capacity Getting Closer To Being Full

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FRANKFORT, Ky. (KT) – After lifting the mask mandate earlier this month, Gov. Andy Beshear also increased capacities allowed at businesses and other venues, effective Friday.

Now, capacities at businesses and other venues have been raised from 60% to 75%, regardless of size, and curfews have ended as well. Those businesses and venues will be able to return to 100% of capacity, effective June 11.

When making the announcement, he explained why he is not lifting all restrictions immediately. “One month gives our 12 to 15-year-olds the necessary time to get vaccinated,” Beshear stated. “One month also gives notice and time to everyone else who has not received their ‘shot of hope.’”

He noted, “A return to full capacity could raise the risk of exposure to those not vaccinated, but the solution is to get your vaccine. We have lost more than 6,700 Kentuckians to COVID. We shouldn’t and we don’t have to lose any more.”

There are still some exceptions to the lifting of the mask mandate, as the CDC guidance still calls for wearing masks in crowded indoor settings like buses, planes, hospitals, long-term care facilities like nursing homes, prisons and homeless shelters. 

To remove the burden from businesses on having to rely on the honor system when it comes to customers being masked or unmasked, Beshear said, “They can post the rules, they can make announcements. They don’t need to be checking for anybody’s vaccinations cards. On June 11, unless they are one of the very specific number of locations, they won’t have to worry about it at all.”