Gov. Andy Beshear announced 3,895 new cases of COVID-19 Thursday at his daily briefing.

Along with that, he said there were 34 new deaths. From the beginning of the pandemic, there’s been a total of 190,601 diagnosed cases and 2,014 deaths.

“Today is the toughest day this country has ever seen with COVID-19,” Beshear said. “We lost more people to COVID-19 today, than any other day in our history, and certainly in our fight against COVID-19.”

He also said there was a record of hospitalizations across America, meaning the record number of deaths we saw today may not hold, Beshear said.

While today marks the most cases announced in Kentucky on a Thursday, there is good news on the horizon, Beshear said.

The first vaccines are expected to be given as early as December 15 and will be given to the following 11 sites throughout the state in the following dosages, according to Beshear.

Ten hospitals and medical centers across the state will receive doses of the vaccine. Eight will receive 975 doses each, including the Medical Center at Bowling Green. Two will receive 1,950 doses. 

The facilities were chosen for their ultra-low cold storage capacity, proximity to high incident areas, and enrollment as a COVID-19 provider, Beshear said.

“This is in many ways our test run,” Beshear said.  “Our plan is to get these providers on the phone with everyone who wants to provide these vaccines and figure out what works.”

Beshear said that while the vaccine is good news for Kentucky, it doesn’t mean we can relax.

“One hundred and thirteen of Kentucky’s 125 counties are in red zones, that means the spread is so high, the CDC says it’s really not safe to be out there,” Beshear said.  “We’re getting close to qualifying for our own travel advisory.”

The next media briefing will be held Monday, Dec. 7 at 4 p.m. EST.

Michael Dylan Payne can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @mdpayne_.