A range of initiatives was put into place, many by executive order, including broader leeway for pharmacists, relaxing of standards for unemployment insurance, extensions of Kentucky driver licenses, the curtailing of non-essential police services in some areas, and moratoriums on evictions and utility shut-offs.

The individual had been placed in isolation in an unidentified medical facility (later identified as the University of Kentucky's Albert B. Chandler Hospital).

[8] The highest rates of both testing and confined cases were in areas around the urban centers of Louisville and Lexington.

[8] As of March 18, one of the first two patients to test positive for the virus, a 56-year-old man from Montgomery County, had fully recovered and was released from isolation.

[18] Leaders from the Kentucky General Assembly announced that the 2020 session would continue despite warnings about gathering in large groups.

[14] The Louisville Metro Police Department announced they would no longer be responding to certain calls, including hit-and-run, public intoxication, and disorderly conduct.

[19] The Lexington Fire Department enacted a number of steps, including restricting public access to stations, but were still responding to all emergency calls.

[20] State Child Protective Services workers were ordered to limit contact with families except in cases of "imminent risk or high risk-only circumstances".

[23] Mayor Greg Fischer of Louisville ordered the closure of playgrounds, basketball courts and soccer fields in the city's parks on March 24.

[24] On March 17 an executive order was announced allowing pharmacists to issue prescriptions for 30 days if they cannot contact a patient's doctor.

It also allowed pharmacists to set up and conduct business in areas not covered by the normal permitting process, to increase the ease and availability of mobile operations.

[29] On Easter 2020, Beshear had the Kentucky State Police show up to churches who defied his order banning mass gatherings, including religious services.

In December 2022, literary press Whiskey Tit published Tell Me What You See, a short fiction collection by Christian County native[34] Terena Elizabeth Bell, which compared Kentucky's shutdown[35][36] to New York City's and included multiple photographs of Governor Andy Beshear.

[39] The Governor also asks people to light up their house green whenever there are coronavirus deaths in the state that day to honor those that are lost.

As part of this, Beshear has ordered the Governor's Mansion and the State Capitol dome illuminated in green on those nights.

In addition, masks wearing remains recommended in correctional facilities and homeless shelters as well as by anyone who has a compromised immune system, is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms or has tested positive for COVID-19 in the previous ten days.