Gov. Laura Kelly said Wednesday that she plans to discuss a mask requirement with Kansas House and Senate leadership to work toward a bipartisan agreement.
Kansas reported 1,488 new positive COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, for a two-day period, and 25 new deaths related to COVID-19, according to the governor. State cumulative totals were up to 74,456 for cases and 952 deaths.
In the face of the largest case numbers since the pandemic began, more than 700 new cases a day, Gov. Kelly said at a news conference that she could not sit by while COVID-19 cases rise, threatening lives and businesses.
Wearing a mask should not be political, she said, it’s about public health and keeping the economy and schools open.
Recently cases have increased in small towns and rural areas of Kansas. While cases once were only in the highly populated areas, now two-thirds of the cases are in rural areas, she said.
The state recently has mounted an effort to provide resources to Norton County to deal with an outbreak there, according to the governor. All residents of a nursing home there have contracted COVID-19, and 10 have died.
The tragic deaths are a stark reminder that COVID_19 poses a real threat to all Kansans, and it doesn’t stop at county lines, Gov. Kelly said.
The spread of COVID-19 can be stopped if people wear masks, socially distance and avoid mass gatherings, she said.
The governor said that schools where everyone has worn masks had lowered the rate of spread of COVID-19 to almost zero.
She also said that hair salons and barber shops in Kansas have been open for months, wearing masks and using good hygiene, and there was not a single outbreak associated with them.
After more than 90 counties opted out of Kansas’ first mask requirement, the number of cases rose from 14,000 to more than 75,000 in the state, and deaths rose from 200 to over 900, she said.
There will be challenges, and some legislative leaders will not be happy that she wants a mask requirement again, she said. However, she said information has changed since the earlier attempt at a statewide mask order, and there are now studies showing that masks work. The governor appealed to all Kansans to join her in protecting families, neighbors and the economy.
The governor also said the state’s new unified COVID-19 testing strategy also will play a significant role in controlling the spread of the coronavirus.
Wyandotte County on Wednesday reported 66 additional COVID-19 cases, for a cumulative total of 7,918, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 website. There were 158 total deaths, with no new cases since Tuesday.
The University of Kansas Health System reported 29 COVID-19 acute patients in the hospital Wednesday, an increase from 27 on Tuesday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at KU Health System. There were 11 patients in the intensive care unit and seven on ventilators, no change from Tuesday. There were another 33 inpatients who had been hospitalized with COVID-19 but who are in the recovery phase, an increase from 30 on Tuesday. HaysMed in Hays, Kansas, had 15 total COVID-19 inpatients Wednesday, down from 14 on Tuesday, with one patient in the recovery phase.
KU doctors said they were concerned that the rolling seven-day average number of new cases in the Greater Kansas City area was increasing.
Caring for the caregivers
Dr. Becky Lowry, internal medicine at KU Health System, said it was important to provide support for doctors and health care workers, who have more stress in their lives during the pandemic. It’s necessary for them to eat well, get plenty of sleep and take a break from patient care occasionally. There’s also a need for a balanced work and home life, she said.
Dr. Ravi Sabapahty, psychologist with AdventHealth, said although doctors are generally strong and resilient, they’re being asked to do more for such a long time that they may be tired and worn out. He said they are doing their best to let doctors know they have support. Also, his advice was to keep in the present and not to worry about the past or future.
Free COVID-19 testing available
A free COVID-19 pop-up test will continue from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 22, at Vibrant Health Argentine clinic, 1428 S. 32nd, 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.
To see the governor’s news conference, visit https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/videos/267259981278099/.
The KU doctors’ news conference is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/260340972087463/.
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.
