FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 9, 2020
Joint statement from Kentucky Chamber and Kentucky Travel Industry Association regarding coronavirus outbreak:
On behalf of the Kentucky business and travel industries, we would like to thank Governor Beshear for his reassuring leadership and keeping Kentuckians informed on the spread of the coronavirus in Kentucky. We agree that we must look at facts, be guided by expert information and most importantly, be prepared.
The safety and health of the public and employees across the Commonwealth is our first and overwhelming priority. We strongly encourage heeding all public health guidelines established by the experts at the national, state and local levels of government; understand and follow good-health practices; and factor information into decisions about population groups that are particularly vulnerable.
We also recognize the potential far-reaching repercussions of this outbreak—including the threat of serious economic implications. At the center of those implications are jobs and what a significant interruption of commerce can mean for workers, their families and our communities. The tourism industry alone supports over 94,000 Kentucky jobs.
At this time the Governor and public health officials have advised the risk to the general public is low and that Kentuckians should continue about our daily lives. We are encouraging businesses to exercise caution and assist employees who may show symptoms of illness. All employers should be ready to implement strategies to protect their workforce from the coronavirus, while ensuring continuity of operations.
We are committed to heeding the guidance of public health officials and will continue to monitor the situation and assist businesses in being as prepared as possible to protect the health of their workers and the public. For additional resources for business please visit https://www.kychamber.com/coronavirus. Travel and tourism companies can also access pertinent information at https://www.ktia.com/coronavirus-resources.
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The Kentucky Chamber is led by Ashli Watts and the Kentucky Travel Industry Association is led by Hank Phillips. The Kentucky Chamber (representing 3,800 member businesses statewide) and the Kentucky Travel Industry Association (with 900 members representing attractions, convention & visitor bureaus, hotels and restaurants statewide) have also launched the following online resource pages to provide timely updates and guidance from public health officials:
>> Kentucky Chamber: https://www.kychamber.com/coronavirus
>> Kentucky Travel Industry Association: https://www.ktia.com/coronavirus-resources