Governor Laura Kelly’s decision Wednesday to delay the opening of schools across the state comes at a time when coronavirus cases are spiking.
Health Secretary Dr. Lee Norman says Kansas is now a COVID-19 “red zone,” based on recent increases in new cases above 100 patients per 100,000 people and in the so-called diagnostic positive test rate above 10 percent. To say he’s disappointed in those current trends would be an understatement.
Norman says the recent spike in cases can be directly tied to the state’s decision to make the Ad Astra recovery plan an advisory document instead of required practice, followed almost immediately by the Memorial Day holiday weekend. Had the state followed through with the combination of a stay-home order and school closures, Norman says COVID-19 would be at a minimum.
Norman says the state is seeing the impact of social activity from the Fourth of July weekend as cases continue to increase — but he also says Kansas can push the curve back down between now and the projected start of school Sept. 9 by using masks, washing hands and socially distancing if residents act now.
Kansas now has almost 21,000 cases since March, including almost 900 from Monday to Wednesday. Nearly 300 patients have died.
