Reversing a decision from several months ago to leave coronavirus cluster sites unnamed, Kansas will begin naming cluster locations next Wednesday.
Governor Laura Kelly cited the start of academic activities, including athletics, at both the school and college levels as reasons for the change.
The state will publish the data weekly on Wednesdays. It will include cluster sites with at least five confirmed cases — except for private businesses, where at least 20 confirmed cases per location would be needed. The number of cases associated with each location will also be listed.
The cluster site information will be part of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s COVID-19 dashboard. The Kelly administration says Kansas will join numerous states already offering this information and Kansas will follow White House guidance on the topic.
This is something Lyon County Public Health had done briefly near the start of the pandemic before being told by local and state officials to back off after concerns about potential damage to business reputations and difficulties filling job opportunities. Public Health is studying the decision and its path forward. Emergency Preparedness Director Jennifer Millbern will have an update during Tuesday’s Newsmaker segment at 7:15 am.
