Category: COVID-19

Concern expressed about firefighters dealing with COVID-19

Concern was expressed recently about the safety of firefighters in dealing with COVID-19.

At a March 12 Unified Government Commission, Commissioner Mike Kane asked about the subject of firefighter safety.

He asked if the UG could check into the procedures that Kansas City, Missouri, has approved, and to see if there is something that the UG could learn from.

Commissioner Kane said recently that his questions were not directly about the five firefighters reportedly under self-quarantine or about any specific incident, but his concerns were about safety procedures in general. Each fire department seems to have different procedures, he said, and there is a need for have a professional look at it to say what needs to be done. He added he thought the mayor and governor did the right thing to declare an emergency, to protect the people who live here.

“They are doing things different,” UG Administrator Doug Bach said at the meeting about the Kansas City, Missouri, and Kansas City, Kansas, procedures. “We did some analysis of the things they are doing.”

The UG was looking at best practices and will move forward with what is the most appropriate for the UG, he said at the meeting.

Bach, at the meeting, said he was looking at all operational practices, and added that about 90 percent of the UG employees need to keep working.

“We are taking steps to provide additional disinfectant, advise and provide information to employees about what they should be doing to take precautions,” he said.

“We’re advising people if you’re feeling ill, don’t come to work, but otherwise, this is a time when we have to step up,” he said at the meeting. “This is when our employees work hard and take care of the community.

“I know we’ll be here to serve,” he said, “and we’ll continue to do what we can to provide additional resources that they need.”

The International Association of Firefighters recommended personal protection equipment including certain types of masks, disposable gowns, gloves, eye protection, and placing a surgical mask on patients. The IAFF has developed recommended protocols for firefighters in dealing with COVID-19, including information about the personal protection equipment that is needed, at https://www.iaff.org/coronavirus/?fbclid=IwAR2H9dj37GEUxbxWC4MhItdumnIBX8e1ffF57B2JyaNQz26iqHMirVqhpMQ.

KDHE issues new recommendations for quarantine and isolation of travelers, close contacts and those being tested

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is issuing new guidance today surrounding COVID-19, including travelers, close contacts of confirmed cases and those being tested.

KDHE is now recommending 14-day home quarantine for Kansans who have:


• Traveled to a state with known widespread community transmission (currently California, New York and Washington state) on or after March 15.
• Visited Eagle, Summit, Pitkin and Gunnison counties in Colorado within the past week.
• Traveled on a cruise ship on or after March 15. People who have previously been told by Public Health to quarantine because of their cruise ship travel should finish out their quarantine.
• Traveled internationally on or after March 15. People who have previously been told by Public Health to quarantine because of their international travel should finish out their quarantine.
• Visited Eagle, Summit, Pitkin, and Gunnison counties in Colorado within the past week.
• Received notification from public health officials (state or local) that you are a close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19. You should quarantine at home for 14 days since your last contact with the case. (A close contact is defined as someone who has been closer than 6 feet for more than 10 minutes while the patient is symptomatic.)

“We know there are a lot of questions and concerns from people,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE secretary, said in a news release. “One thing we want to stress is that having contact with someone who may have been exposed to someone who may be a COVID-19 case is not a reason to worry or quarantine yourself. Public health officials will notify you if you are a close contact of a confirmed case of COVID-19.”

There is no need for returning travelers to notify KDHE about their return, according to officials.


Information on COVID-19 cases in the U.S. and states with community transmission can be found at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

Home quarantine guidelines


Those who are under home quarantine should not attend school, work or any other setting where they are not able to maintain at about a 6-foot distance from other people.

If a person under quarantine develops symptoms of COVID-19 during their 14-day quarantine period, including a measured fever of 100.4 (F) or higher and lower respiratory symptoms like coughing or shortness of breath, they should contact their healthcare provider and tell them about their recent travel or other COVID-19 exposure.

Testing for COVID-19

Healthcare providers should evaluate exposure history and symptoms and call KDHE if COVID-19 is suspected. KDHE only approves COVID-19 testing requests from healthcare providers and local health departments. People who are currently being tested for COVID-19 should remain in home isolation, or hospital isolation if symptoms are severe enough to be hospitalized, until test results are available. If the test result is negative, isolation is no longer required. If test results are positive for COVID-19, the person must remain in isolation until released by public health.

Prevention

There is currently no vaccine to prevent COVID-19. The best way to prevent illness is to avoid spreading the virus and to avoid being exposed to the virus. The virus is thought to spread between people who are within about 6 feet of each other for at least 10 minutes through droplets from coughing and sneezing.

To reduce risk, everyone should:


• Wash hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds or use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
• Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Stay home if you are sick.
• Cover coughs and sneezes.
• Clean and disinfect surfaces daily.

For more information, visit the KDHE website at www.kdheks.gov/coronavirus. KDHE has a phone bank that is staffed Monday – Friday, 8 a.m. – 7 p.m. The phone number is 1-866-534-3463 (1-866- KDHEINF). KDHE also has an email address for general inquiries, [email protected]. Please note these contacts are for general questions and cannot provide you with medical evaluations. If you are feeling ill, please stay home and call your health care provider.

More closings announced

Since the COVID-19 emergency declaration, some area churches and museums have announced they will not be open, or they will scale back gatherings.

Some Wyandotte County churches have postponed or canceled services or programs on Sunday, March 15, according to the churches’ social media posts. Others are open but are encouraging people who are sick to stay home. Some churches have video links to services. Search on the church’s social media posts for more information.

The National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, Missouri, is closing today through April 3, according to an announcement today. The outside grounds will remain open to the public during this time. For more information, visit theworldwar.org.

The American Jazz Museum and The Blue Room club in Kansas City, Missouri, have closed temporarily to stop the spread of the COVID-19, according to an announcement today.

The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City, Missouri, will be closed to the public from March 14 through Friday, April 3, because of the effort to contain COVID-19, according to an announcement. For more information, visit https://www.nelson-atkins.org/.

The Strawberry Hill Museum, Kansas City, Kansas, canceled this weekend’s tours and events, and hopes to reschedule classes later, according to an announcement on social media.

The Wyandotte County Museum in Bonner Springs remained open, but canceled or postponed events that are scheduled there. The museum’s exhibit on the architecture of Wyandotte County was scheduled to remain open, but there are no programs in conjunction with it. The museum requested researchers to call ahead and see if the research could be conducted by staff.

A program on Saturday at Grinter Place, a state museum in Kansas City, Kansas, was canceled.

The Kansas City, Kansas, Public Libraries have canceled all programs and events through March 31, but the libraries remain open, according to an announcement. The mobile library is closed. The Turner Community Library will close from March 14 to 23 because of the temporary closure of the Turner Recreation Commission building.