Fears of backpedaling in response to the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted Governor Laura Kelly’s weekly COVID-19 press briefing Monday.
The governor’s conference followed the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s latest COVID update which reported a total of 1,063 new cases and nine new deaths since last Friday. Additionally, Kelly stated the Kansas City Metro Area has reported more than 400 new cases four days in a row in recent weeks.
Governor Kelly stated that if current trends do not reverse soon, she will be left with no choice but to recommend the state go back to phase two of the Ad-Astra recovery plan. Kelly says this is not a course of action she wishes to pursue and stated: “we all must do better.”
This would mean mass gathering restrictions of no more than 15 people and bars and nightclubs having to close their doors once again. Kelly’s statements come as KDHE and Kansas hospitals have reported a recent decrease in the median age of COVID-19 patients.
Kelly says this is a reminder that everyone is susceptible t the virus not simply the older population. As always, the governor encouraged all Kansans to adopt common-sense mitigation practices such as masking up and adhering to social distancing while inside buildings or at public events.
Governor Kelly is scheduled to hold her next news briefing next Monday at 4 pm.
