Kentuckians included in phase 1C of the COVID-19 vaccine rollout can receive their first dose beginning March 1.

Phase 1C includes anyone who is at least 60 years old, anyone 16 years and older with high risk conditions for COVID-19 and all essential workers in the state.

“We can see the end,” Beshear said. “The light at the end of the tunnel is getting brighter and the directions that we’re headed are good, but we can’t until we get the job done.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider the following as high risk conditions include:

• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease)
• Down Syndrome
• Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
• Obesity, specifically a body mass index of 30 kg/m2 or higher but less than 40 kg/m2
• Severe Obesity, specifically a body mass index equal to or above 40 kg/m2
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease
• Type 2 diabetes mellitus

An essential worker is anyone who works in one of these fields:

• Health care personnel
• First Responders
• Corrections
• Education
• Food and agriculture
• Manufacturing
• U.S. Postal Service Workers
• Public transit workers
• Grocery store workers
• Transportation and logistics
• Food service shelter and housing (construction)
• Finance
• IT and communication
• Energy
• Media
• Legal
• Public safety (engineers)
• Water and wastewater

Beginning March 1, COVID-19 vaccines for the phase 1C vaccine group will be available at two regional sites in Bowling Green. The regional vaccine sites are the Medical Center in Bowling Green, located at 250 Park St., and Greenwood Mall, located at 2625 Scottsville Road.

In addition to the regional vaccination sites, three Walgreens locations in Bowling Green are also offering COVID-19 vaccines.  

Gov. Andy Beshear said not everyone in phase 1C will be able to immediately receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

“Moving into 1C is going to be exciting for a lot of people, but understand there are a lot of people in 1C,” Beshear said. “That means it may be challenging to get signed up early on, but remember that more vaccines are on the way.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a third COVID-19 vaccine on Feb. 27. Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine only requires a single dose. The other two COVID-19 vaccines, which require two doses, are produced by Pfizer and Moderna.

Before opening up access to Kentuckians in phase 1C, the state prioritized groups in phases 1A and 1B. Phase 1A includes healthcare personnel and residents of long-term care facilities and phase 1B consists of people 70 years and older, first responders and K-12 school personnel.  

Beshear said 687,823 Kentuckians, which is approximately 15.4% of the state’s population, have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine since Dec. 15. 

91,191 Kentuckians received a COVID-19 vaccine between Feb. 23 and Feb. 28. According to the Kentucky Department of Health, the state has utilized 91.7% of the 715,485 allocated COVID-19 vaccine doses. 

Leo Bertucci can be reached at [email protected]  Follow him on Twitter @leober2chee.