Category Archives: COVID-19

COVID-19, Health Care, Kansas

KDHE Amends Travel Related Quarantine List

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TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has amended its travel quarantine list to add the countries of Denmark, Georgia, Iceland, Latvia, Netherlands, Reunion and Slovenia. The countries on the travel quarantine list will expire on March 3, 2022. KDHE will not release a travel quarantine list after March 3, individuals should now refer to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention travel advisory page.

An unvaccinated individual who has not had COVID-19 within the last 90 days or those that have not received all the recommended vaccine doses, including boosters and additional primary shots, should quarantine if they meet the following criteria:

  • Traveled on or after Feb. 4 to Faroe Islands.
  • Traveled on or after Feb. 17 to Denmark, Georgia, Iceland, Latvia, Netherlands, Reunion and Slovenia.
  • Attendance at any out-of-state or in-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, 2020.

The length of a travel-related at home quarantine is 5 days after your last exposure with an additional requirement to wear a well-fitting mask indoors and outdoors when around others for an additional 5 days. If you cannot mask, at-home quarantine is recommended for 10 days. Quarantine would start the day after you return to Kansas or from the mass gathering. If yo­­u do not develop symptoms of COVID-19 during your quarantine period, then you are released from quarantine. Regularly check this list to stay up to date on travel-related guidance. Please refer to the KDHE Isolation and Quarantine FAQ for additional information.

For those traveling internationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is requiring testing within three days of flights into the U.S. For further information on this and other requirements, visit their website.

For those who meet the following criteria do NOT need to quarantine:

  • You are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines. This means that you are ages 5 or older and have received all recommended vaccine doses, including boosters and additional primary shots for some immunocompromised people when eligible.
  • You had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days (meaning you tested positive using a viral test).

Persons who do not meet the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance for travel or mass gatherings.

The travel quarantine list is determined using a formula to evaluate new cases over a two-week period, then adjusted for population size to provide a case rate per 100,000 population. This provides a number that can then be compared to the rate in Kansas. Locations with significantly higher rates — approximately 3x higher — are added to the list.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the KDHE website at www.kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus.

COVID-19, Fort Scott, Government, Schools

Community Input Sought On U234 District Needs

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It’s been a rough two years for education in the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Because of the pandemic, the U.S. Government has given money to school districts to support kindergarten through grade 12 schools to open and sustain their safe operations.

USD 234 will receive over $4 million in school funding and is seeking input to identify needs for the school district from the community.

The district is offering meetings to the community to gain ideas in moving forward in the education of their students.

“The expected outcome of these meetings is to gather information from our community stakeholders that will be used to compile our ESSER  III  (Elementary and Secondary School Relief) plan and application,” USD234 Business Manager and Board Clerk Gina Shelton said. “Part of the ESSER III plan calls for informed decisions based upon a variety of stakeholder input.”

“We have surveyed and held several meetings with our staff to gather their input,” she said. “Our community is another key factor in the success of our schools. We seek information from our parents on needs they see to help their child(ren) be successful with their education.”

“We seek information from our community members even if they do not currently or previously have had students in our district,” Shelton said. “Education is all about providing opportunities for kids. I firmly believe our future as a community is impacted greatly by our students. They are our future workforce, our future community leaders, and our future parents. These conversations will allow us to develop a plan to hopefully address as many needs as we can.”

The first batch of ESSER funds allowed them to continue providing education during the shutdown, she said.

“The second batch was a key part of us being able to remain in person,” Shelton said.

“This last batch is all about providing services to help provide a quality education for our students,” she said. “Ten years down the road, we want to be able to say that those funds made a big impact on our students’ successes.”

Five Sessions for the Community Input

The info gathering sessions will be in the different buildings in the school district, for the community to see where the learning happens, she said. And the different time sessions are to give parents options to attend.

There are evening sessions and a Saturday morning session for parents to find one time period that fits with the family’s schedule.

“One is scheduled at the high school during parent/teacher conferences, we hope they find this convenient for them,” she said

Another of the meetings is at the school board meeting.

“We’ve had ESSER III funds as a recurring item at our board meetings for several months now, but we know sometimes it is hard for people to attend,” Shelton said. “Our hope is that even if they can’t attend in person, they are able to watch the streamed board meeting. Then if they have questions or ideas, they can reach out to us if they would like more information.”

“We really want this to be an active conversation that leads to some very positive results,” she said.

The district encourages the community to take it feedback survey:

Community ESSER Survey

More information can be found at this website,

https://www.usd234.org/o/USD%20234/page/esser-funds

The district has divided the input sessions into groups at five different scheduled times: the Fort Scott Preschool is the first session on Thursday, Feb. 10 starting at  5:30 p.m. at the preschool center at 409 S. Judson.

Taken from the district’s Facebook page.

The next is at Winfield Scott Elementary School, 316 W. 10th, on Feb. 16 at 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, Feb. 19 is the next one at 8 a.m. at the Fort Scott Middle School, 1105 E. 12th as is the next one on  Monday, March 7 at 5:30 p.m. at the middle school as well.

The last session is on Tuesday,  March 8 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Fort Scott High School Auditorium, 1005 S. Main.

 

 

 

COVID-19, Fort Scott

Fund Raiser for Kennedy Bosley-Leihsing

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Kennedy Leihsing. Submitted photo.

A fundraiser to help pay for the funeral costs of Kennedy Bosley-Leihsing is on Feb. 13 from 8 a.m. to noon at the Empress Event Center, 7 N. Main.

It is a  free-will donation pancake feed that includes two pancakes with sausage links, butter, and syrup. One can dine-in, or take to-go.

For more information call Lori Brown, at 620-215-3600.

“We’re hopeful that our community does what it normally does and comes together to support a family that’s going through a very difficult time,” said Bill Michaud, owner of Sleep Inn, whose staff is hosting the pancake benefit feed.

About Kennedy

Leihsing, 15, was a sophomore at Fort Scott High School who died unexpectedly on January 25  from COVID-19 in the Ascension Via Christi Emergency Department.

A great aunt, Iris Byrd, started a GoFundMe for the family as there was no insurance to pay for the funeral, according to the GoFundMe page.

“She was raised along with the other grandchildren by her grandparents, both of whom are on disability for various medical conditions. This is yet another reason why help is so desperately needed,” Byrd said on the GoFundMe page.

“Kennedy was so smart and kind, and she loved life and always put others before herself. She was beautiful in all respects,” Byrd said on the fundraising page.

Kennedy’s best friend Elizabeth has a mom, Lori Brown, who works at the Sleep Inn Hotel in Fort Scott. The Sleep Inn team is hosting a pancake feed to benefit the family because the GoFund Me goal to help with funeral expenses has not been met yet.

Elizabeth Brown left,  and Kennedy Leihsing October 2021. Submitted photo

Kennedy’s funeral was on February 4.

Sleep Inn. Submitted photo. The employees of the hotel are hosting the fundraiser, which will be located at the Empress Event Center, 7 N. Main.

 

 

 

 

 

COVID-19, Government, Kansas

KDHE Amends Travel Related Quarantine List

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TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has amended its travel quarantine list to remove the country of Aruba. The country of Faroe Islands has been added to the travel quarantine list. An unvaccinated individual who has not had COVID-19 within the last 90 days or those that have not received all the recommended vaccine doses, including boosters and additional primary shots, should quarantine if they meet the following criteria:

  • Traveled between Jan. 21 and Feb. 4 to Aruba.
  • Traveled on or after Feb. 4 to Faroe Islands.
  • Attendance at any out-of-state or in-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, 2020.

The length of a travel-related at home quarantine is 5 days after your last exposure with an additional requirement to wear a well-fitting mask indoors and outdoors when around others for an additional 5 days. If you cannot mask, at-home quarantine is recommended for 10 days. Quarantine would start the day after you return to Kansas or from the mass gathering. If yo­­u do not develop symptoms of COVID-19 during your quarantine period, then you are released from quarantine. Regularly check this list to stay up to date on travel-related guidance. Please refer to the KDHE Isolation and Quarantine FAQ for additional information.

For those traveling internationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is requiring testing within three days of flights into the U.S. For further information on this and other requirements, visit their website.

For those who meet the following criteria do NOT need to quarantine:

  • You are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines. This means that you are ages 5 or older and have received all recommended vaccine doses, including boosters and additional primary shots for some immunocompromised people when eligible.
  • You had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days (meaning you tested positive using a viral test).

Persons who do not meet the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance for travel or mass gatherings.

The travel quarantine list is determined using a formula to evaluate new cases over a two-week period, then adjusted for population size to provide a case rate per 100,000 population. This provides a number that can then be compared to the rate in Kansas. Locations with significantly higher rates — approximately 3x higher — are added to the list.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the KDHE website at www.kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, COVID-19

CHC/SEK has free N95 masks available for the public  

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CHC/SEK has free N95 masks available for the public  
Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) is among the first 100 community health centers across the country to receive shipments of N95 masks for free public distribution to help stop the spread of COVID-19 and its variants.
The non-surgical N95 masks are available for pick up at all CHC/SEK locations beginning Friday, Feb. 4.  Pending availability, every person is allowed up to three free masks at the direction of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which is providing the masks.
The rollout of free N95 masks is part of the Biden administration’s effort to distribute 400 million N95 masks from the Strategic National Stockpile via pharmacies and community health centers. Some of the participating pharmacies include CVS, Walgreens and Kroger.
The masks distribution program is the largest deployment by the Strategic National Stockpile to date and is also the largest deployment of personal protective equipment in U.S. history, according to Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that Americans wear “the most protective mask you can that fits well and that you will wear consistently,” and it notes that different types of masks can offer different levels of protection.
“Loosely woven cloth products provide the least protection, layered finely woven products offer more protection, well-fitting disposable surgical masks and KN95s offer even more protection, and well-fitting NIOSH-approved respirators (including N95s) offer the highest level of protection,” according to the CDC.
Also last week in the fight against the pandemic, the White House and U.S. Postal Service opened the website COVIDTests.gov for Americans to request four free at-home COVID-19 tests.
Bourbon County, Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, COVID-19

Government Makes Free N95 Masks Available

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A sign on the door of a Bourbon County clinic states a mask must be worn.

The Biden Administration announced on Jan. 19 that N95 masks will be available to the public from the government’s Strategic National Stockpile, which has more than 750 million of the protective masks on hand, according to Free N95 masks: Biden administration plans to give away 400M masks | AP News. The masks will be available for pickup at pharmacies and community health centers across the country.

Currently, Walmart Fort Scott has the N95 masks for distribution, according to a call to their pharmacy on Feb. 1.

Walmart Fort Scott, 2500 S. Main.

A spokeswoman for Fort Scott Walgreens Pharmacy on Jan. 31 said their location will not be allocated these free masks.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas Fort Scott clinic will have them available on Feb. 4.

“We received five pallets of masks Friday,” Krista Postai, CEO of Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, said. “There is a limit of three per person per the guidance we received.”

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, 401 Woodland Hills Blvd.

“We received a shipment of 20,000 Honeywell adult masks Friday evening,” Robert Poole, CHC  Communication and Marketing Director, Pittsburg, Kansas, said. “We are in the process of getting those redistributed to our clinics.  They should be available to pick up in all of our clinics by (this) Friday.

To view the latest statistics of COVID in Kansas: https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas

To view the particulars of the mask: https://www.honeywellstore.com/store/products/molded-cup-n95-face-mask-respirators-dc300n95.htm

Free N95 masks were to be available to pick up at local pharmacies and community health center sites across the country.

Every person is allowed up to 3 free masks, pending availability.

Wearing a mask is a critical way to prevent the spread of COVID-19, according  to https://www.hhs.gov/coronavirus/masks/index.html

Masks and respirators, when worn consistently and correctly, are effective at reducing the transmission of SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.

The CDC recommends that one wear the most protective mask that one can and that it fits well over your nose, mouth, and chin.

COVID-19, Fort Scott, Schools

USD 234 COVID Attendance Dashboard Update – 1/21/2022

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Taken from the Fort Scott School District’s Facebook page
USD 234 COVID Attendance Dashboard Update – 1/21/2022

 by Ted Hessong
Friday, January 21, 2022

Based on building COVID positive rates, the high school, middle school, and Eugene Ware will need to continue to wear masks on Monday, January 24.  Winfield Scott and the preschool do not need to wear masks starting Monday, January 24.  Also shown below is the student absenteeism % for this week.

Building Student Absenteeism %

1/18/2022

Student Absenteeism %

1/19/2022

Student Absenteeism %

1/20/2022

Student Absenteeism %

1/21/2022

COVID Positive %

1/21/2022

FSHS 20% 25% 22% 23% 3.63%
FSMS 22% 24% 22% 24% 2.25%
Eugene Ware 22% 25% 24% 21% 4.26%
Winfield Scott 15% 19% 21% 20% 1.09%
Preschool 17% 14% 14% 14% 0.0%

Today, January 21,  the district had a total of 4 staff out because they are COVID positive and 3 staff in quarantine.

COVID-19, Government, Kansas

Kansas Travel Quarantine List Update

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KDHE Amends Travel Related Quarantine List

TOPEKA – The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) has amended its travel quarantine list to remove the states of New York and Washington D.C. and the countries of Andorra, Isle of Man and San Marino. The country of Aruba has been added to the travel quarantine list. An unvaccinated individual who has not had COVID-19 within the last 90 days or those that have not received all the recommended vaccine doses, including boosters and additional primary shots, should quarantine if they meet the following criteria:

  • Traveled between Dec. 16 and Jan. 21 to Andorra.
  • Traveled between Jan. 10 and Jan. 21 to New York and Washington D.C.
  • Traveled between Jan. 10 and Jan. 21 to Isle of Man and San Marino.
  • Traveled on or after Jan. 21 to Aruba.
  • Attendance at any out-of-state or in-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, 2020.

The length of a travel-related at home quarantine is 5 days after your last exposure with an additional requirement to wear a well-fitting mask indoors and outdoors when around others for an additional 5 days. If you cannot mask, at-home quarantine is recommended for 10 days. Quarantine would start the day after you return to Kansas or from the mass gathering. If yo­­u do not develop symptoms of COVID-19 during your quarantine period, then you are released from quarantine. Regularly check this list to stay up to date on travel-related guidance. Please refer to the KDHE Isolation and Quarantine FAQ for additional information.

For those traveling internationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is requiring testing within three days of flights into the U.S. For further information on this and other requirements, visit their website.

For those who meet the following criteria do NOT need to quarantine:

  • You are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines. This means that you are ages 5 or older and have received all recommended vaccine doses, including boosters and additional primary shots for some immunocompromised people when eligible.
  • You had confirmed COVID-19 within the last 90 days (meaning you tested positive using a viral test).

Persons who do not meet the above criteria should continue to follow current quarantine guidance for travel or mass gatherings.

The travel quarantine list is determined using a formula to evaluate new cases over a two-week period, then adjusted for population size to provide a case rate per 100,000 population. This provides a number that can then be compared to the rate in Kansas. Locations with significantly higher rates — approximately 3x higher — are added to the list.

For more information on COVID-19, please visit the KDHE website at www.kdhe.ks.gov/coronavirus.

COVID-19, Government, Kansas

Kansas National Guard to Assist with COVID-19 Response

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Governor Kelly Deploys Kansas National Guard to Assist with COVID-19 Response

~Federal VA facilities to provide limited, temporary care to ease strain on hospitals~

TOPEKA – Governor Laura Kelly announced additional efforts the State is taking to combat COVID-19. Governor Kelly deployed 80 nonmedical Soldiers and Airmen from the Kansas National Guard to support the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s (KDHE) testing sites across the state and assist with the shipment and delivery of personal protective equipment (PPE).

Additionally, Governor Kelly engaged the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), and the Veterans Health Administration (VHA) to provide limited acute care and Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds for temporary medical treatment of non-eligible VA individuals to help reduce the strain on Kansas hospitals.

“We are at an inflection point with the Omicron variant, and the strain on our hospitals is taking a toll on our health care workers and patients – all while the virus continues to spread rapidly through our communities,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “The majority of hospital patients are unvaccinated. Please do your part by getting vaccinated and boosted today.”

Military medical professionals in the Kansas Guard, already filling positions at medical facilities in their communities, will stay in their respective communities. The nonmedical Soldiers and Airmen will be on federal orders for 31 days to assist the additional efforts.

The Veterans Health Administration facilities are limited and available based on bed availability at time of need and on a case-by-case basis until February 17, 2022.

“The National Guard is a unique military component with both a state and federal mission,” Maj. Gen. David Weishaar, the adjutant general and director of the Kansas Division of Emergency Management, said. “Our Citizen-Soldiers and Airmen live and work in the communities we serve.”

“We are seeing a record number of COVID-19 cases across the state, causing staffing shortages and hospitals to reach capacity. This partnership with the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs, to accept transfers from Kansas facilities, will help alleviate the stress on our hospitals,” Acting KDHE Secretary Janet Stanek said. “It will allow for more timely discharges, increase bed capacity, and allow staff to accept and treat the next acute patient. Also, with the increased demand for COVID-19 tests, the support from the Kansas National Guard will help provide the manpower to ensure that free and timely testing is available to Kansans.”

Since Wednesday, January 19, 2022, Kansas reported 20,806 new cases of COVID-19, 29 new deaths, and 92 new hospitalizations.

The Kansas National Guard is one of many resources available to support counties as needed. The National Guard supports state emergency missions through the established process used by the Kansas Division of Emergency Management.

Governor Laura Kelly signed a state disaster declaration on January 6 to alleviate hospital staffing shortages along with two executive orders to temporarily suspend certain restrictions and regulations for adult care home and hospital staff.

Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, COVID-19, Health Care

CHC Fort Scott Summary of 2021

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Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas, 403 Woodland Hills Blvd.

Krista Postai, CEO of Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas sent an update on the Fort Scott clinics for 2021.

“Altogether, at our Ft. Scott clinics, we employ 109 staff,” she said. “We had 71,000 patient visits last year and our pharmacy filled 57,000 prescriptions. We completed 1,400 mammograms.”

Krista Postai. Submitted photo.

COVID-19

“On the COVID front, we completed 8,769 tests and 7,842 vaccinations,”Postai said. “We were approved to receive the COVID-19 Anti-Virals (Merck’s Molnupiravir and Pfizer’s PAXLOVID) at no cost and will be dispensing them, as appropriate, with a prescription through our pharmacies including the one in the Woodland Hills Ft. Scott Clinic.”

“Unfortunately, the initial allocation is very limited but we hope to see that increase as the national supply increases,” she said.

“We have also just been notified that we’re eligible to receive 20,000 N-95 masks from the federal stockpile – recommended for protection from the Omicron variant of COVID — for distribution to the public; we do expect those to arrive by the end of January and we will publicize once they arrive,” she said.

“We also expect another supply of the at-home testing kits for public distribution,” she said.

Preparing to Move Location in Fort Scott

“The design phase continues on our new building ( the formerPrice Chopper building on South Main Street),” she said. “We are still on schedule to be open in December 2022.”

“The CT Scanner – a Hitachi Supria 64-Slice unit – has been ordered, she said. “It is identical to the one being installed this week in Pittsburg. The Board did approve the charges for scans which will be as low as $50 for those who meet financial guidelines

The  CHC/SEK Board of Directors elected new leadership for 2022 including Board Chair Patrick O’Bryan, Vice Chair Jake Letner, Secretary Rose Madison, and Treasurer David Shepherd.

CHC Fort Scott clinic hours remain the same – Walk-in Care is 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. seven days a week; the main clinic is open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

 

COVID-19, Government, Health Care, Kansas

Access to COVID Testing

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KDHE Takes Steps to Improve Access to and Speed of COVID-19 Testing
~ Actions are being taken to address the rapid increase in demand for COVID-19 testing due to Omicron variant ~

TOPEKA – Over the past month, the highly infectious and transmittable Omicron variant of COVID-19 has significantly increased case rates and demand for testing in the United States and Kansas. KDHE continues monitoring the spread and impact of Omicron since the first case was confirmed in Kansas in mid-December 2021.

As of January 16, 2022, the daily case rate has been more than 7,800 daily COVID-19 cases, that is a significant increase from about 1,200 cases per day in early December 2021.

Over the same period of time, KDHE saw testing rates increase. This increase in demand for COVID-19 tests has led to longer wait times, delays in turnaround of test results, and decrease in availability of rapid over-the-counter antigen tests.

KDHE is actively working to increase testing availability for all Kansans. Outlined below are a few of the steps KDHE has and continues to take to reduce wait times, improve turnaround times, and increase the number of mass testing sites in Kansas:

  • Coordinating with health departments to increase staff at existing sites across the state. The following locations are now open from 7 a.m. – 6 p.m., Monday – Saturday:
    • Johnson County – Johnson County Community College, 12345 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS
    • Johnson County – Church of the Resurrection, 13720 Roe Ave., Leawood, KS
  • Adding new testing sites to reduce wait times. KDHE is currently working to add 13 new testing sites, beginning with the following locations:
    • Johnson County – Shawnee Mission Park, 7900 Renner Rd., Shawnee, KS, opening January 19.
    • Johnson County – Roeland Park Community Center, 4850 Rosewood Dr., Roeland Park, KS, opening January 21.
    • Ellis County – Big Creek Crossing, 2918 Vine St., Hays, KS, opening January 21.
    • Crawford County – Countryside Christian Church, 1901 E 4th, Pittsburg, KS, opening January 21.
  • Identifying new partner labs to increase testing capacity and reduce test result turnaround times.
  • Sourcing indoor locations for mass testing sites to reduce closures due to weather.

Up to date information on testing locations and hours can be found at knowbeforeyougoKS.com.

KDHE is taking additional actions to expand testing access:

  • Community Testing Partners (CTPs): expanding the number and geographic footprint of partners (such as pharmacies, local health departments, and hospitals) to ensure broader availability of testing across the state.
  • Long Term Care Facilities (LTCFs): extending funding for PCR testing through March 2022 for Long Term Care Facilities to ensure they have screening and surveillance testing to protect the most vulnerable.
  • K-12 testing: prioritizing antigen testing kits for school districts, sourcing over 520,000 additional antigen test kits, and updating testing protocols to continue to keep Kansas schoolchildren safe.

Additionally, at-home COVID-19 rapid tests are now available for free at covidtests.gov. All households are eligible to order 4 free at-home tests, which will typically ship within 7-12 days. The first shipments of tests will begin in late January.

For Kansans with a health insurance plan, over-the-counter tests can be purchased at no cost or reimbursed through your health plan as of January 15. Check with your health plan for details and keep your receipt to submit a claim to your insurance company for reimbursement. For Medicare, Medicaid and CHIP beneficiaries, please check with your plan or state agency for information.

KDHE will continue to develop and pursue additional initiatives to increase testing capacity and shorten turnaround times to keep Kansans safe. In the meantime, KDHE continues to urge Kansans to use the following tools to protect against COVID-19 and the Omicron variant:

  • Get vaccinated and boosted. Vaccines remain the best tool to protect people from COVID-19, slow transmission and reduce the likelihood of new variants emerging. The authorized COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective in preventing serious illness, hospitalizations and death.
  • Wear a mask. Masks offer protection against all variants. It is recommended that people in Kansas wear a well-fitting mask in public indoor settings, where COVID-19 transmission remains high, regardless of vaccination status.
  • Social distance. People should avoid large gatherings and stay at least 6 feet from others when in public settings, especially if you are at higher risk of getting sick.
  • Stay home. If you have tested positive or are showing symptoms of COVID-19, such as a sore throat, cough, or fever, avoid spreading the virus by staying isolated. Consult a healthcare provider on your recommended course of treatment.

To find a free testing location in your community, or guidance about who should get tested, visit knowbeforeyougoKS.com.

To learn more about the vaccines, visit kansasvaccine.gov.

Find and schedule a vaccination appointment at vaccines.gov.

Bourbon County Local News