Emergency Crews Save COVID-19 Vaccines By Boat After Flooding In Kentucky

Officials in Kentucky were determined to save COVID-19 vaccines even as heavy rains pounded the state and caused major flooding. On Monday, Gov. Andy Beshear said emergency crews rescued a batch of vaccines by boat after the power supply at a health facility was disrupted by heavy rainfall.

The batch was moved from the Lee County Health Department in Beattyville to Wolfe County, he further said, CNN reported.

The rain on Sunday flooded the health facility, causing the power to go out and jeopardizing the COVID-19 vaccines stored there, Beshear said in a press conference.

“Thankfully, the Kentucky River District director, Scott Lockard, and his incredible team, along with the Lee County Emergency Management, conducted a water rescue to keep these vaccines safe for our people. These folks lost a number of vehicles that day, but they did not lose one dose of vaccine," he was quoted as saying by ABC-affiliated WTVQ.

Beshear declared a state of emergency Sunday because of heavy rainfall across the state. The Kentucky National Guard has been activated and was responding to assist with high water emergencies, according to a press release from his office.

Kentucky received heavy rainfall over the weekend and remained in either a flood watch or flood warning until early Monday morning, it added.

"Most of this additional rainfall is likely to become runoff, leading to the threat of flash flooding. In addition, areal flooding of streams and creeks is likely, along with additional instances of river flooding,” the press release stated.

CNN Meteorologist Michael Guy said much of Kentucky saw two to four inches of rain within 72 hours and some pockets received four to six inches. Others, he said, saw up to ten.

This comes just days after a brutal winter storm affected much of the U.S., and delayed the coronavirus inoculation campaign in many states including Kentucky.

Kentucky had to reschedule vaccination appointments due to the weather and shipping delays. It received a large shipment of vaccines last week as states begin to catch up on the vaccination drive. Beshear said the high volume of doses would be a good test for the state's distribution system.