The Kansas Department of Health and Environment amended its travel quarantine list last week to include those who have traveled to North Dakota and the country of Andorra.
Kansas evaluates the previous two weeks’ case rates by 100,000 population for states and countries.
Locations with significantly higher rates – approximately 3x higher than Kansas – are added to the list. North Dakota has a two-week case rate 3.5 times higher than Kansas while Andorra’s rate is 4.9 times than Kansas.
This list is effective for all persons returning to or entering Kansas on the effective dates. A comprehensive list of those individuals needing to quarantine for 14 days includes visitors and Kansans who have:
• Travel to or from North Dakota on or after Oct. 21.
• Travel to or from the country of Andorra on or after Oct. 21.
• Attendance at any out-of-state mass gatherings of 500 or more where individuals do not socially distance (6 feet) and wear a mask.
• Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15.
Travel quarantines do not prohibit travel through Kansas. People from these locations may still travel through Kansas. If this is done, KDHE recommends limited stops, wearing a mask at rest stops or when getting gas and being 6 feet from others when doing so. If the destination is Kansas, they would be required to quarantine upon arrival to their destination.
Mass gatherings are defined as any event or convening that brings together 500 or more persons in a single room or space at the same time such as an auditorium, stadium, arena, large conference room, meeting hall, theater or any other confined indoor or outdoor space. This includes parades, fairs and festivals. Mass gatherings do not include normal operations of airports, bus and train stations, medical facilities, libraries, shopping malls and centers, or other spaces where 500 or more persons may be in transit. It also does not include typical office environments, schools, restaurants, factories or retail/grocery stores where large numbers of people are present, but it is unusual for them to be within 6 feet of one another for more than 10 minutes.
Critical infrastructure sector employees who have travelled to these destinations should contact their local health department regarding instructions for application of these quarantine orders while working. Critical infrastructure employees, such as public health, law enforcement and food supply workers, need to have the staffing resources to continue serving Kansans so the local health department may allow a modified quarantine. The only exemption for these quarantine mandates for critical infrastructure sector employees is work – they are not to go any other locations outside of work, according to KDHE.
Various states and cities have put Kansas residents on their quarantine lists, because of high Kansas COVID-19 rates.
For example, residents of Kansas who travel to Chicago have to quarantine for two weeks. Ohio, New York, Illinois and Connecticut, and some other states also are advising anyone coming from Kansas to self-quarantine for two weeks when entering the state. Before you leave on a trip, check with the state’s travel restrictions to see if a quarantine is required.
On Sunday, Wyandotte County reported an increase of 29 COVID-19 cases, for a cumulative total of 8,036, since Saturday, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 webpage. There was no reported increase in the number of deaths, which was the same as Saturday, a total of 164. Deaths increased by two from Friday to Saturday.
Free COVID-19 testing available
A free COVID-19 pop-up test will continue from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 26, at Oak Ridge Baptist Church, 9301 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas.
The pop-up test is through Vibrant Health and the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force.
The Unified Government Health Department has moved its COVID-19 testing from the 6th and Ann location to the former Kmart at 78th and State Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas. The hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Tests are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County.
The tests now are open to asymptomatic people as well as those who have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. Check with the UG Health Department’s Facebook page to see if there have been any changes in the schedule because of the weather or for other reasons. Bring something that shows that you live or work in Wyandotte County, such as a utility bill.
For more information about the new testing site at the former Kmart location, visit https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/10092020_newtestingsitewyco.pdf.
The UG COVID-19 webpage is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.
The KDHE’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/.
The Unified Government COVID-19 hub outbreak map is at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/.
To see an NEA list of schools that have had COVID-19 cases, visit https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=aa3f2ede7cb2415db943fdaf45866d2f.
The KC Region COVID-19 Hub dashboard is at https://marc2.org/covidhub/.
The CDC’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.