Topeka –The Shawnee County Health Department (SCHD) has identified additional COVID-19 cases linked to the Topeka Service Area on Interstate 70 Turnpike just East of Topeka, according to public information officer Craig Barnes.

 The exposure is specifically designated to the food court and restrooms of the facility. This facility food court&nbsp; includes Dunkin Donuts, Hardees, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut. The facility is accessible going east and westbound on the I-70 Turnpike.&nbsp; 

Shawnee County Health officials issued a similar alert in early May.

People who have traveled to food court or used the restrooms of this facility between July 2, 2020 and July 4, 2020 are recommended to contact their primary care provider&nbsp;IF&nbsp;they develop any of the following symptoms within 14 days from the date of their visit including fever of 100.4 F or higher, chills,&nbsp;rigors, myalgia (muscle pain or aches), malaise, headache, sore throat, lower respiratory illness (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing), new olfactory and taste disorders,and diarrhea.

“It is important that the public be aware of this information in case they traveled and stopped at the Turnpike food court during their travels for the holiday weekend,” said Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino, Shawnee County Health Officer. 

“While the risk is most likely low for infection, it is not zero, and individuals should contact their healthcare provider if they begin to exhibit any symptoms related to COVID-19.”

As a reminder, human coronaviruses like the one that causes COVID-19 are most commonly spread through coughing and sneezing, personal contact like shaking hands, and touching a surface with the virus and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. There are simple steps everyone can take to help prevent spreading them:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wear a mask when social and physical distancing is not possible.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stay home when you are sick and only leave home for essential items.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588891583149.png" alt="Topeka Service area on I-70 Google image" />
 <figcaption>Topeka Service area on I-70 Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka –The Shawnee County Health Department (SCHD) has identified additional COVID-19 cases linked to the Topeka Service Area on Interstate 70 Turnpike just East of Topeka, according to public information officer Craig Barnes. The exposure is specifically designated to the food court and restrooms of the facility. This facility food court&nbsp; includes Dunkin Donuts, Hardees, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut. The facility is accessible going east and westbound on the I-70 Turnpike.&nbsp; Shawnee County Health officials issued a similar alert in early May.People who have traveled to food court or used the restrooms of this facility between July 2, 2020 and July 4, 2020 are recommended to contact their primary care provider&nbsp;IF&nbsp;they develop any of the following symptoms within 14 days from the date of their visit including fever of 100.4 F or higher, chills,&nbsp;rigors, myalgia (muscle pain or aches), malaise, headache, sore throat, lower respiratory illness (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing), new olfactory and taste disorders,and diarrhea.“It is important that the public be aware of this information in case they traveled and stopped at the Turnpike food court during their travels for the holiday weekend,” said Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino, Shawnee County Health Officer. “While the risk is most likely low for infection, it is not zero, and individuals should contact their healthcare provider if they begin to exhibit any symptoms related to COVID-19.”As a reminder, human coronaviruses like the one that causes COVID-19 are most commonly spread through coughing and sneezing, personal contact like shaking hands, and touching a surface with the virus and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. There are simple steps everyone can take to help prevent spreading them:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wear a mask when social and physical distancing is not possible.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid close contact with people who are sick.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stay home when you are sick and only leave home for essential items.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Coronavirus cases identified at I-70 service area food court

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government on Monday identified roughly 650,000 mostly small businesses and nonprofits that received taxpayer money through a federal program that was designed to soften job losses from the coronavirus but also benefited wealthy, well-connected companies and some celebrity owned firms.

The Treasury Department’s Payroll Protection Program approved applicants from a broad swath of industries. Some that were less directly impacted by the pandemic, such as manufacturing and construction, received a greater proportion of the loans than the hard-hit restaurant and hotel industries. Many law firms and private equity companies also obtained loans.

Businesses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b9544ec851527b8712ff63adf9180b47">owned by politicians&nbsp;</a>also borrowed from the program, including a minor league baseball team owned by the family of the governor of Ohio. A large franchisee of Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut restaurants, whose CEO is a major donor to President Donald Trump, received loans totaling $15 to $30 million.

Other recipients included Kanye West’s clothing and sneaker brand Yeezy, Ice Cube’s professional basketball league, Planned Parenthood clinics in more than two dozen states, the nonprofit arm of the anti-tax group headed by Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform, as well as Rosenblatt Securities, one of the biggest names on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

As of June 30, the program had handed out $521 billion. The Treasury Department identified just a fraction of the total borrowers Monday, naming only companies that got more than $150,000. Those firms made up less than 15% of the nearly 5 million small companies and organizations that received loans.

Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican and chairman of the Small Business Committee that crafted the program, said the release of the data provided “much needed transparency.” He called the program “a historic lifeline” for small businesses during the pandemic.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer described the data release as a “good start” but lamented that it took so long and “so much pressure from Democrats” to make the information public. He said more transparency was needed ”to ensure that these taxpayer dollars went where Congress intended — to the truly small and underbanked small businesses.”

Economists generally credit the program with helping prevent the job market meltdown from being much worse. Employers added 7.5 million jobs in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/cddec060d38eacbb708a47120d34af51">May and June</a>, a solid increase that was probably driven in part by the PPP. The economy still has nearly 15 million fewer jobs than before the pandemic.

Research by the Federal Reserve&nbsp;<a href="https://bfi.uchicago.edu/working-paper/2020-58/" target="_blank">found that</a>&nbsp;companies with fewer than 50 workers before the pandemic saw their hiring rise 12% in May, while jobs grew just 5% in larger firms, suggesting PPP helped fuel rehiring.

But the program was only intended to carry the economy through a short interruption from the pandemic, which is now threatening to have a longer-lasting impact. The Treasury Department initially required the loans to be spent within eight weeks of being received, though that was later extended to 24 weeks.

Many small businesses have already run through their PPP money and still face sharply smaller demand, as consumers remain wary of returning to previous habits of shopping, visiting gyms, or eating out. Texas, Florida, California, New York and others states have reversed their reopenings, closing down bars and delaying the onset of indoor dining.

“The biggest issue is that PPP is short-term help,” said Adam Ozimek, chief economist at Upwork, a freelancing platform. “And now we’re dealing with a mid- to long-term problem.”

A survey by the National Federation of Independent Business found that as of mid-June, 14% of small businesses that borrowed from the PPP expected they would have to lay off some workers when their loan ran out.

The program provided loans of up to $10 million for small businesses to help them recover from the government-ordered shutdowns and revenue losses caused by the virus. The average loan amount for the entire program was $107,000, the Treasury Department said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/PPP-Results-Sunday.pdf" target="_blank">broad summary</a>&nbsp;of the program.

The loans can be forgiven if businesses mostly use the money to continue paying workers. The program initially was set to expire June 30 but was extended last week to Aug. 8, with $132 billion still available.

The recipients employed 51 million people before the pandemic began, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. That amounts to about 85% of all workers at companies with fewer than 500 employees. The government will not know how many of these jobs were actually saved until companies apply to have the loans forgiven, a process that is just beginning.

A senior administration official said Monday that some small companies “will need additional support” in the coming months.

The public may never know the identity of more than 80% of the nearly 5 million beneficiaries to date because the administration has refused to release details on loans under $150,000. That secrecy spurred a lawsuit by news organizations including The Associated Press.

The Treasury Department has released only dollar ranges for the loan amounts, rather than exact figures.

High-profile evangelical megachurches, including several with pastors who have backed Trump, also received loans after religious entities were permitted to seek aid even if they performed only faith-based functions.

Among the Trump-linked churches that received PPP loans was First Baptist Dallas, the Texas megachurch where senior pastor and White House ally Robert Jeffress hosted Vice President Mike Pence for a pre-July 4 service. Jeffress’ church reported retaining nearly 300 jobs with its loan of between $2 million and $5 million.

Some major supporters of Trump also benefited. Muy Brands Inc., a San Antonio, Texas-based franchisee with more than 750 Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut restaurants, received between $15 million and $30 million between three entities. Muy Brands CEO James Bodenstedt is a major donor to the president. He has given $300,000 to the Trump Victory PAC since the start of this year, according to federal campaign finance records.

The hardest-hit restaurant and hotel industries lost nearly half of their pre-pandemic jobs in March and April. They ranked fifth on a list of recipients. Health care, professional and business services, construction and manufacturing received a greater share of loans.

And according to an analysis by Beth Ann Bovino, U.S. chief economist at Standard &amp; Poor’s, some states with the smallest increases in unemployment from the pandemic got more loans than harder-hit states.

“It didn’t reach the industries that needed it, and it looked like it didn’t reach the states that were hardest hit,” Bovino said.

Media companies, including Newsday and American Media, former owner of the National Enquirer, got loans of up to $5 million.

The data gave few details about loans to minority-owned businesses. Companies were not required to supply demographic data on their applications, and many entries about race and gender contained “unanswered.”

However, many minority-owned businesses are run by the owner, with few, if any, employees, so their loan amounts likely were under $150,000 and therefore not part of the data release. Senior administration officials who briefed reporters before the release said they hoped to get more information when owners submit applications for loan forgiveness over the next few months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593545192155.png" alt="Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin prior to his testimony before the House Financial Services Committee&nbsp; June 30-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin prior to his testimony before the House Financial Services Committee&nbsp; June 30-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The government on Monday identified roughly 650,000 mostly small businesses and nonprofits that received taxpayer money through a federal program that was designed to soften job losses from the coronavirus but also benefited wealthy, well-connected companies and some celebrity owned firms.The Treasury Department’s Payroll Protection Program approved applicants from a broad swath of industries. Some that were less directly impacted by the pandemic, such as manufacturing and construction, received a greater proportion of the loans than the hard-hit restaurant and hotel industries. Many law firms and private equity companies also obtained loans.Businesses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b9544ec851527b8712ff63adf9180b47">owned by politicians&nbsp;</a>also borrowed from the program, including a minor league baseball team owned by the family of the governor of Ohio. A large franchisee of Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut restaurants, whose CEO is a major donor to President Donald Trump, received loans totaling $15 to $30 million.Other recipients included Kanye West’s clothing and sneaker brand Yeezy, Ice Cube’s professional basketball league, Planned Parenthood clinics in more than two dozen states, the nonprofit arm of the anti-tax group headed by Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform, as well as Rosenblatt Securities, one of the biggest names on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588075781384.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As of June 30, the program had handed out $521 billion. The Treasury Department identified just a fraction of the total borrowers Monday, naming only companies that got more than $150,000. Those firms made up less than 15% of the nearly 5 million small companies and organizations that received loans.Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican and chairman of the Small Business Committee that crafted the program, said the release of the data provided “much needed transparency.” He called the program “a historic lifeline” for small businesses during the pandemic.Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer described the data release as a “good start” but lamented that it took so long and “so much pressure from Democrats” to make the information public. He said more transparency was needed ”to ensure that these taxpayer dollars went where Congress intended — to the truly small and underbanked small businesses.”Economists generally credit the program with helping prevent the job market meltdown from being much worse. Employers added 7.5 million jobs in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/cddec060d38eacbb708a47120d34af51">May and June</a>, a solid increase that was probably driven in part by the PPP. The economy still has nearly 15 million fewer jobs than before the pandemic.Research by the Federal Reserve&nbsp;<a href="https://bfi.uchicago.edu/working-paper/2020-58/" target="_blank">found that</a>&nbsp;companies with fewer than 50 workers before the pandemic saw their hiring rise 12% in May, while jobs grew just 5% in larger firms, suggesting PPP helped fuel rehiring.But the program was only intended to carry the economy through a short interruption from the pandemic, which is now threatening to have a longer-lasting impact. The Treasury Department initially required the loans to be spent within eight weeks of being received, though that was later extended to 24 weeks.Many small businesses have already run through their PPP money and still face sharply smaller demand, as consumers remain wary of returning to previous habits of shopping, visiting gyms, or eating out. Texas, Florida, California, New York and others states have reversed their reopenings, closing down bars and delaying the onset of indoor dining.“The biggest issue is that PPP is short-term help,” said Adam Ozimek, chief economist at Upwork, a freelancing platform. “And now we’re dealing with a mid- to long-term problem.”A survey by the National Federation of Independent Business found that as of mid-June, 14% of small businesses that borrowed from the PPP expected they would have to lay off some workers when their loan ran out.The program provided loans of up to $10 million for small businesses to help them recover from the government-ordered shutdowns and revenue losses caused by the virus. The average loan amount for the entire program was $107,000, the Treasury Department said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/PPP-Results-Sunday.pdf" target="_blank">broad summary</a>&nbsp;of the program.The loans can be forgiven if businesses mostly use the money to continue paying workers. The program initially was set to expire June 30 but was extended last week to Aug. 8, with $132 billion still available.The recipients employed 51 million people before the pandemic began, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. That amounts to about 85% of all workers at companies with fewer than 500 employees. The government will not know how many of these jobs were actually saved until companies apply to have the loans forgiven, a process that is just beginning.A senior administration official said Monday that some small companies “will need additional support” in the coming months.The public may never know the identity of more than 80% of the nearly 5 million beneficiaries to date because the administration has refused to release details on loans under $150,000. That secrecy spurred a lawsuit by news organizations including The Associated Press.The Treasury Department has released only dollar ranges for the loan amounts, rather than exact figures.High-profile evangelical megachurches, including several with pastors who have backed Trump, also received loans after religious entities were permitted to seek aid even if they performed only faith-based functions.Among the Trump-linked churches that received PPP loans was First Baptist Dallas, the Texas megachurch where senior pastor and White House ally Robert Jeffress hosted Vice President Mike Pence for a pre-July 4 service. Jeffress’ church reported retaining nearly 300 jobs with its loan of between $2 million and $5 million.Some major supporters of Trump also benefited. Muy Brands Inc., a San Antonio, Texas-based franchisee with more than 750 Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut restaurants, received between $15 million and $30 million between three entities. Muy Brands CEO James Bodenstedt is a major donor to the president. He has given $300,000 to the Trump Victory PAC since the start of this year, according to federal campaign finance records.The hardest-hit restaurant and hotel industries lost nearly half of their pre-pandemic jobs in March and April. They ranked fifth on a list of recipients. Health care, professional and business services, construction and manufacturing received a greater share of loans.And according to an analysis by Beth Ann Bovino, U.S. chief economist at Standard &amp; Poor’s, some states with the smallest increases in unemployment from the pandemic got more loans than harder-hit states.“It didn’t reach the industries that needed it, and it looked like it didn’t reach the states that were hardest hit,” Bovino said.Media companies, including Newsday and American Media, former owner of the National Enquirer, got loans of up to $5 million.The data gave few details about loans to minority-owned businesses. Companies were not required to supply demographic data on their applications, and many entries about race and gender contained “unanswered.”However, many minority-owned businesses are run by the owner, with few, if any, employees, so their loan amounts likely were under $150,000 and therefore not part of the data release. Senior administration officials who briefed reporters before the release said they hoped to get more information when owners submit applications for loan forgiveness over the next few months.

Small business virus relief went beyond hard-hit companies, data show

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas set a new record Monday for its worst two-week spike in reported coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, prompting its Democratic governor to issue a stern public warning meant to push the public and local officials in her red state into accepting masks in public as necessary.

Gov. Laura Kelly said the state has seen at least seven new clusters of two or more reported cases in the past five days directly related to bars and restaurants. She recommended during a Statehouse news conference that counties delay lifting their last restrictions on public gatherings.

Kelly issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200702093130003.pdf" target="_blank">an order</a>&nbsp;requiring people to wear masks in public and in their workplaces, and it took effect Friday. But Kansas counties can opt out, and some have done so. Commissioners in Shawnee County, home to the state capital of Topeka, adopted a less restrictive mask mandate Monday.

“Kansas is at a make-it or break-it moment,” Kelly said.

The state Department of Health and Environment reported 982 more confirmed coronavirus cases since Friday, an increase of 6% that brought the total to 16,901. It also reported another three COVID-19-related deaths to bring the total for the pandemic to 280.

During the past two weeks, Kansas reported an average of 317 new coronavirus cases a day. That was nearly 15% higher than the 276 for the two weeks that ended Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f492431f603ac1ad9610ccc32bb2c0c2">previously the largest spike.</a>&nbsp;The state had seen its average number of new cases decline from mid-May through mid-June until cases began to surge again.

“I’m fully aware it’s going in the wrong direction,” Kelly said after her news conference Monday.

The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.

Mask mandates are in place in three of the state’s most populous counties, Johnson and Wyandotte counties in the Kansas City area, and Douglas County in northeast Kansas, home to the main University of Kansas campus. Sedgwick County commissioners opted out of a mandate, but the city of Wichita, where 76% of the county’s residents live, voted to impose one.

Shawnee County commissioners last week opted out of Kelly’s mandate and voted 2-1 Monday to impose looser rules allowing people to wear face shields instead of cloth coverings. The commission heard complaints from business owners that in summer, it will be too hot for many people to wear masks.

The county has seen a 60% increase in reported cases in the past two weeks, and county health officer Gianfranco Pezzino told commissioners that if the same surge had happened at the beginning of the pandemic in March, “it would be a lockdown.”

“As unpleasant as this measure is, I think at this point in time, this is necessary,” Pezzino said. “Is it going to be two weeks? Is it going to be two months? I cannot tell you.”

Meanwhile, one of the state’s largest public school districts, Shawnee Mission in Johnson County, canceled in-person graduation ceremonies it had set for July 14-16 because of a surge in coronavirus cases,&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/shawnee-mission-school-district-cancels-in-person-graduation-amid-surge-in-coronavirus-cases/" target="_blank">WDAF-TV reported.</a>

The state’s 105 counties have been setting the rules for businesses and public gathering since May 26, when Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a5e30a0ec7a5943ada9f03af22ee1970">lifted statewide restrictions.</a><a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020s/b2020s/measures/documents/summary_hb_2016_2020special" target="_blank">The state law</a>&nbsp;allowing counties to opt out of her health orders was enacted last month and resulted from a compromise between Kelly and the Republican-controlled Legislature, which had complained that she was too slow to reopen the state’s economy.

State and local officials across the U.S. have faced resistance to mask requirements from conservative Republicans, particularly President Donald Trump’s supporters. Some GOP lawmakers in Kansas have suggested that Kelly’s order infringes on personal liberties.

Some legislators and local officials also have questioned how a mask mandate will be enforced. Kelly’s order allows local officials to pursue fines of up to $2,500 for violations. However, she said Monday that she expects counties largely to educate violators about the importance of wearing masks.

In eastern Kansas, Anderson County’s GOP chairman, who owns a weekly newspaper, posted a cartoon Friday on its Facebook page equating Kelly’s order to the mass murder of Jews during the Holocaust. He removed the cartoon Sunday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/14c464d55ec75051a29358c1a58f8403">and apologized</a>&nbsp;publicly for unintentionally using “deeply hurtful” imagery.

Patrick Miller, a University of Kansas political scientist, said Republican officials’ rhetoric on masks has shifted in recent weeks, so that many encourage wearing masks but oppose a mandate. GOP officials are less likely to mock mask-wearing now, Miller said.

Texas is among states with Republican governors that have imposed mask mandates.

“It could be very indicative of where we’re going,” Miller said. “Some politicians are going to evolve on this. I think we’re still seeing that evolution occur.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594062014716.png" alt="Photo courtesy Office of Governor Laura Kelly" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Office of Governor Laura Kelly</figcaption>
 </figure> By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas set a new record Monday for its worst two-week spike in reported coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, prompting its Democratic governor to issue a stern public warning meant to push the public and local officials in her red state into accepting masks in public as necessary.Gov. Laura Kelly said the state has seen at least seven new clusters of two or more reported cases in the past five days directly related to bars and restaurants. She recommended during a Statehouse news conference that counties delay lifting their last restrictions on public gatherings.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F285653772527001%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Kelly issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200702093130003.pdf" target="_blank">an order</a>&nbsp;requiring people to wear masks in public and in their workplaces, and it took effect Friday. But Kansas counties can opt out, and some have done so. Commissioners in Shawnee County, home to the state capital of Topeka, adopted a less restrictive mask mandate Monday.“Kansas is at a make-it or break-it moment,” Kelly said.The state Department of Health and Environment reported 982 more confirmed coronavirus cases since Friday, an increase of 6% that brought the total to 16,901. It also reported another three COVID-19-related deaths to bring the total for the pandemic to 280.During the past two weeks, Kansas reported an average of 317 new coronavirus cases a day. That was nearly 15% higher than the 276 for the two weeks that ended Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f492431f603ac1ad9610ccc32bb2c0c2">previously the largest spike.</a>&nbsp;The state had seen its average number of new cases decline from mid-May through mid-June until cases began to surge again.“I’m fully aware it’s going in the wrong direction,” Kelly said after her news conference Monday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594055033998.png" alt="Monday July 6, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday July 6, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.Mask mandates are in place in three of the state’s most populous counties, Johnson and Wyandotte counties in the Kansas City area, and Douglas County in northeast Kansas, home to the main University of Kansas campus. Sedgwick County commissioners opted out of a mandate, but the city of Wichita, where 76% of the county’s residents live, voted to impose one.Shawnee County commissioners last week opted out of Kelly’s mandate and voted 2-1 Monday to impose looser rules allowing people to wear face shields instead of cloth coverings. The commission heard complaints from business owners that in summer, it will be too hot for many people to wear masks.The county has seen a 60% increase in reported cases in the past two weeks, and county health officer Gianfranco Pezzino told commissioners that if the same surge had happened at the beginning of the pandemic in March, “it would be a lockdown.”“As unpleasant as this measure is, I think at this point in time, this is necessary,” Pezzino said. “Is it going to be two weeks? Is it going to be two months? I cannot tell you.”Meanwhile, one of the state’s largest public school districts, Shawnee Mission in Johnson County, canceled in-person graduation ceremonies it had set for July 14-16 because of a surge in coronavirus cases,&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/shawnee-mission-school-district-cancels-in-person-graduation-amid-surge-in-coronavirus-cases/" target="_blank">WDAF-TV reported.</a>The state’s 105 counties have been setting the rules for businesses and public gathering since May 26, when Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a5e30a0ec7a5943ada9f03af22ee1970">lifted statewide restrictions.</a><a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020s/b2020s/measures/documents/summary_hb_2016_2020special" target="_blank">The state law</a>&nbsp;allowing counties to opt out of her health orders was enacted last month and resulted from a compromise between Kelly and the Republican-controlled Legislature, which had complained that she was too slow to reopen the state’s economy.State and local officials across the U.S. have faced resistance to mask requirements from conservative Republicans, particularly President Donald Trump’s supporters. Some GOP lawmakers in Kansas have suggested that Kelly’s order infringes on personal liberties.Some legislators and local officials also have questioned how a mask mandate will be enforced. Kelly’s order allows local officials to pursue fines of up to $2,500 for violations. However, she said Monday that she expects counties largely to educate violators about the importance of wearing masks.In eastern Kansas, Anderson County’s GOP chairman, who owns a weekly newspaper, posted a cartoon Friday on its Facebook page equating Kelly’s order to the mass murder of Jews during the Holocaust. He removed the cartoon Sunday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/14c464d55ec75051a29358c1a58f8403">and apologized</a>&nbsp;publicly for unintentionally using “deeply hurtful” imagery.Patrick Miller, a University of Kansas political scientist, said Republican officials’ rhetoric on masks has shifted in recent weeks, so that many encourage wearing masks but oppose a mandate. GOP officials are less likely to mock mask-wearing now, Miller said.Texas is among states with Republican governors that have imposed mask mandates.“It could be very indicative of where we’re going,” Miller said. “Some politicians are going to evolve on this. I think we’re still seeing that evolution occur.”

🎥  Record COVID-19 spike prompts warning from Kansas governor

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly held a press briefing Monday to discuss the rising COVID-19 case numbers in Kansas and the importance of wearing a mask to protect friends, family members and neighbors from the virus.&nbsp; She said the Kansas Department of Health recommends the state stay in Phase 3 of the <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/ad-astra-a-plan-to-reopen-kansas/">Ad Astra reopening plan.</a>

Kansas has set another record for its worst two-week spike in reported coronavirus cases since the pandemic began.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 982 to a total of 16,901, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly held a press briefing Monday to discuss the rising COVID-19 case numbers in Kansas and the importance of wearing a mask to protect friends, family members and neighbors from the virus.&nbsp; She said the Kansas Department of Health recommends the state stay in Phase 3 of the <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/ad-astra-a-plan-to-reopen-kansas/">Ad Astra reopening plan.</a><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F285653772527001%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Kansas has set another record for its worst two-week spike in reported coronavirus cases since the pandemic began.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588354966337.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 982 to a total of 16,901, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 280<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594055033998.png" alt="Monday July 6, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday July 6, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥  Gov. Kelly: Kansas should stay in Phase 3 reopening plan

The Ellis County Health Department on Monday reported three new positive case of coronavirus in the county.

The department said the cases are under investigation. The individuals are symptomatic and in isolated.&nbsp;

The department also said two previous positive cases have recovered since last week. There are now seven active cases of COVID-19 in Ellis County, with 30 total cases since reporting began.

The Ellis County Health Department on Monday reported three new positive case of coronavirus in the county.The department said the cases are under investigation. The individuals are symptomatic and in isolated.&nbsp;The department also said two previous positive cases have recovered since last week. There are now seven active cases of COVID-19 in Ellis County, with 30 total cases since reporting began.Read the entire release below:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594058287005.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Ellis County reports three new cases of COVID-19

By BECKY KISER Hays Post&nbsp;

Face masks are now a requirement to enter Hays City Hall, even after the Ellis County Health Dept. issued a <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/21423f8d-d261-4eb5-b117-ab3f25442f3f">statement</a> late Thursday that it will not enforce Gov. Laura Kelly's executive order.&nbsp;&nbsp;

The Ellis County Commission, serving as the county board of health, held a special meeting Thursday afternoon in response to Gov. Kelly’s<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/fd80a903-c6c3-4b70-ae64-3ef420902ede"> order </a>requiring all Kansans wear a mask in public spaces beginning Friday. The mandate includes work spaces and any place where people can not be separated by at least six feet. The commission voted unanimously to <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/21423f8d-d261-4eb5-b117-ab3f25442f3f">not require Ellis County residents to wear a mask</a>.

New signs are posted on the entrance door to Hays City Hall, 1507 Main, noting that visitors and its employees within are now required to wear a face mask. 

According to Kim Rupp, Hays public information officer and finance director, masks will be offered to those who enter without one. If the person refuses, they will not be assisted  and will be asked to leave the building.

"If we go through all that and the person finally exits, refusing to wear a mask, in that same amount of time we likely could have their business taken care of," Rupp said.

A hand sanitizer station has been in place at the front of the entrance hallway since city hall <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5ebeb34ceb7f170536050f56">reopened to the public</a> May 18.&nbsp;

During Thursday night's city commission work session, department heads and city manager Toby Dougherty were all wearing face masks as they waited to address commissioners.

Each person removed his mask while speaking at the podium and then put it back on afterwords.

Many chairs in the commission chambers have been moved and are not used so remaining chairs for the public are more than six feet apart. 

City commissioners are also social distancing with empty chairs in between each of them.&nbsp;

Rupp said the face mask requirement for city hall will be enforced as long as the governor's executive order in effect.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593900997079.jpeg" alt="Visitors to Hays City Hall and its employees within are now required to wear a face mask. Masks will be offered to those who enter without one. If the person refuses, they will not be assisted and will be asked to leave the building.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Visitors to Hays City Hall and its employees within are now required to wear a face mask. Masks will be offered to those who enter without one. If the person refuses, they will not be assisted and will be asked to leave the building.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>By BECKY KISER Hays Post&nbsp;Face masks are now a requirement to enter Hays City Hall, even after the Ellis County Health Dept. issued a <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/21423f8d-d261-4eb5-b117-ab3f25442f3f">statement</a> late Thursday that it will not enforce Gov. Laura Kelly's executive order.&nbsp;&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593901245395.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Commission, serving as the county board of health, held a special meeting Thursday afternoon in response to Gov. Kelly’s<a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/fd80a903-c6c3-4b70-ae64-3ef420902ede"> order </a>requiring all Kansans wear a mask in public spaces beginning Friday. The mandate includes work spaces and any place where people can not be separated by at least six feet. The commission voted unanimously to <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/21423f8d-d261-4eb5-b117-ab3f25442f3f">not require Ellis County residents to wear a mask</a>.New signs are posted on the entrance door to Hays City Hall, 1507 Main, noting that visitors and its employees within are now required to wear a face mask. According to Kim Rupp, Hays public information officer and finance director, masks will be offered to those who enter without one. If the person refuses, they will not be assisted and will be asked to leave the building.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593904284961.jpeg" alt="Face masks for the public alongside copies of Thursday's Hays city commission work session agenda." />
 <figcaption>Face masks for the public alongside copies of Thursday's Hays city commission work session agenda.</figcaption>
 </figure>"If we go through all that and the person finally exits, refusing to wear a mask, in that same amount of time we likely could have their business taken care of," Rupp said.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593902285159.jpeg" alt="Hand sanitizing station just inside Hays City Hall" />
 <figcaption>Hand sanitizing station just inside Hays City Hall</figcaption>
 </figure>A hand sanitizer station has been in place at the front of the entrance hallway since city hall <a href="https://hayspost.com/posts/5ebeb34ceb7f170536050f56">reopened to the public</a> May 18.&nbsp;During Thursday night's city commission work session, department heads and city manager Toby Dougherty were all wearing face masks as they waited to address commissioners.Each person removed his mask while speaking at the podium and then put it back on afterwords.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593903353675.jpeg" alt="John Braun, projects director, removes his face mask to address Hays city commissioners Thursday night. John Bird, city attorney, Kim Rupp, finance director, and Jesse Rohr, public works director, wear their masks in the city hall chambers.&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>John Braun, projects director, removes his face mask to address Hays city commissioners Thursday night. John Bird, city attorney, Kim Rupp, finance director, and Jesse Rohr, public works director, wear their masks in the city hall chambers.&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>Many chairs in the commission chambers have been moved and are not used so remaining chairs for the public are more than six feet apart. City commissioners are also social distancing with empty chairs in between each of them.&nbsp;<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593903076943.jpeg" alt="City commissioner&nbsp; Michael Berges wears a face mask at the July 2 work session. Berges removed it when he talked. Mayor Shaun Musil was absent from the meeting." />
 <figcaption>City commissioner&nbsp; Michael Berges wears a face mask at the July 2 work session. Berges removed it when he talked. Mayor Shaun Musil was absent from the meeting.</figcaption>
 </figure>Rupp said the face mask requirement for city hall will be enforced as long as the governor's executive order in effect.&nbsp;

Masks required at Hays City Hall, despite Ellis Co. decision not to enforce governor's order 

LAWRENCE — New information emerges about the novel coronavirus on a daily basis, sometimes confirming, other times contradicting what we thought we knew the day before. Our reaction to this constant information flow depends not only on our understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic but also our sources, environment and how we estimate risk.

 A recent University of Kansas study found that while Kansas survey participants relied on multiple sources about reliable COVID-19 information, they tended to prefer local authorities and distrust social media.

Mugur Geana, associate professor of journalism &amp; mass communications and director of KU’s Center for Excellence in Health Communications to Underserved Populations, wrote the study, which will be published in the June issue of the&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.ku.edu/kjm/article/view/13821">Kansas Journal of Medicine.</a>&nbsp;The study showed responses consistent with the state’s status, at the time, as an area with relatively few cases.

“When we did this survey in April, information was changing very fast,” Geana said. “We wanted to make sure we captured a window in which data available to people did not vary widely.”

More than 130 Kansans submitted answers to the social media survey, open only for a 96-hour window.

No respondents reported having COVID-19. Only 8% said they had family members diagnosed, while 41% said they knew someone in their community or place of work with COVID-19. Respondents appraised their knowledge of the pandemic as above average, and their responses to questions about the virus confirmed that.

“We wanted to understand what their concept of risk was. We were pleasantly surprised, but we also need to take it with a grain of salt, because the sample skewed toward highly educated participants,” Geana said.

Those results are consistent with online surveys, which tend to be answered more by highly educated people and women, Geana said.

Among the significant findings was where people reported getting information about the pandemic.

 The top source was Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly's daily media briefings, which were also rated as the most trustworthy. 

Information from search engines such as Google or Bing was second in terms of usage, with 60% of respondents saying they used them daily. 

National newspapers such as The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal were third in terms of use, while discussions with family, friends and co-workers followed.

As far as mediated sources of information, public television and national newspapers were the most trusted media sources, while local or regional papers, commercial television, cable news, liberal and conservative media sources followed. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram were the least trusted source of information.

A high level of knowledge among respondents was not surprising, but the lack of trust in social media was, Geana said.

“We somewhat expected that (high level of knowledge) because it was a salient issue. People had to stay at home because of COVID-19, so they were watching a lot of TV because of it, reading a lot of news because of COVID-19, etc. That was very surprising,” Geana said of the observed lack of trust in social media. 

“In addition to media, in terms of trust, medical professionals are the most trusted people, but co-workers, family and friends are important, because you talk with them more, often through social media channels. Well, we found that they are not as trusted as we expected. Probably a lot of the recent scandals involving social media influenced the trust that people have in it nowadays.”

The findings also showed a relationship between people’s level of knowledge and their willingness to take precautions to protect themselves and others.

 Those who reported strong feelings about precautionary measures put in place by the state government to slow the spread were also less likely to take precautionary measures. That was also in line with previous findings that people’s risk perceptions were related to the severity of the outbreak in their community.

“If I believe a mask will not help me, I am more likely not to wear one, even though I have access to information that tells me that is dangerous and I could get COVID-19,” Geana said of the findings.

The study is the first of two, and the second part will include further information on the perception of risk about contracting COVID-19 as states started to reopen, with survey data taken in May.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593644529174.png" alt="A graph from the University of Kansas&nbsp;study shows the information sources survey respondents trusted. The scores range from 1, least trusted, to 5, most trusted." />
 <figcaption>A graph from the University of Kansas&nbsp;study shows the information sources survey respondents trusted. The scores range from 1, least trusted, to 5, most trusted.</figcaption>
 </figure>KU News ServiceLAWRENCE — New information emerges about the novel coronavirus on a daily basis, sometimes confirming, other times contradicting what we thought we knew the day before. Our reaction to this constant information flow depends not only on our understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic but also our sources, environment and how we estimate risk. A recent University of Kansas study found that while Kansas survey participants relied on multiple sources about reliable COVID-19 information, they tended to prefer local authorities and distrust social media.Mugur Geana, associate professor of journalism &amp; mass communications and director of KU’s Center for Excellence in Health Communications to Underserved Populations, wrote the study, which will be published in the June issue of the&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.ku.edu/kjm/article/view/13821">Kansas Journal of Medicine.</a>&nbsp;The study showed responses consistent with the state’s status, at the time, as an area with relatively few cases.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593641032679.jpeg" alt="Mugur Geana" />
 <figcaption>Mugur Geana</figcaption>
 </figure>“When we did this survey in April, information was changing very fast,” Geana said. “We wanted to make sure we captured a window in which data available to people did not vary widely.”More than 130 Kansans submitted answers to the social media survey, open only for a 96-hour window.No respondents reported having COVID-19. Only 8% said they had family members diagnosed, while 41% said they knew someone in their community or place of work with COVID-19. Respondents appraised their knowledge of the pandemic as above average, and their responses to questions about the virus confirmed that.“We wanted to understand what their concept of risk was. We were pleasantly surprised, but we also need to take it with a grain of salt, because the sample skewed toward highly educated participants,” Geana said.Those results are consistent with online surveys, which tend to be answered more by highly educated people and women, Geana said.Among the significant findings was where people reported getting information about the pandemic. The top source was Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly's daily media briefings, which were also rated as the most trustworthy. Information from search engines such as Google or Bing was second in terms of usage, with 60% of respondents saying they used them daily. National newspapers such as The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal were third in terms of use, while discussions with family, friends and co-workers followed.As far as mediated sources of information, public television and national newspapers were the most trusted media sources, while local or regional papers, commercial television, cable news, liberal and conservative media sources followed. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram were the least trusted source of information.A high level of knowledge among respondents was not surprising, but the lack of trust in social media was, Geana said.“We somewhat expected that (high level of knowledge) because it was a salient issue. People had to stay at home because of COVID-19, so they were watching a lot of TV because of it, reading a lot of news because of COVID-19, etc. That was very surprising,” Geana said of the observed lack of trust in social media. “In addition to media, in terms of trust, medical professionals are the most trusted people, but co-workers, family and friends are important, because you talk with them more, often through social media channels. Well, we found that they are not as trusted as we expected. Probably a lot of the recent scandals involving social media influenced the trust that people have in it nowadays.”The findings also showed a relationship between people’s level of knowledge and their willingness to take precautions to protect themselves and others. Those who reported strong feelings about precautionary measures put in place by the state government to slow the spread were also less likely to take precautionary measures. That was also in line with previous findings that people’s risk perceptions were related to the severity of the outbreak in their community.“If I believe a mask will not help me, I am more likely not to wear one, even though I have access to information that tells me that is dangerous and I could get COVID-19,” Geana said of the findings.The study is the first of two, and the second part will include further information on the perception of risk about contracting COVID-19 as states started to reopen, with survey data taken in May.

KU study gauges how Kansans get info on COVID-19 and who they trust 

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas reported another big increase in confirmed coronavirus cases Friday, capping its worst two-week spike since the pandemic began and coming as a statewide mask mandate from the governor took effect.

The state Department of Health and Environment reported that Kansas has had 15,919 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, up 929, or 6.2% since only Wednesday. Kansas also has reported 277 COVID-19-related deaths, up five in two days.

Gov. Laura Kelly issued an executive order Thursday requiring people to wear masks in public and in their workplaces because of a surge in cases, and it took effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday. She and her top public health administrator said that if the state doesn’t reverse the surge, it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d205da04a32ace8ecffd4b5e8a6fb481">won’t be safe to reopen public schools</a>&nbsp;for the state’s 519,000 K-12 students in August.

Kansas reported an average of 276 new coronavirus cases a day over the past two weeks — the largest 14-day average since the state confirmed its first case March 7. The previous peak was 271 on May 11.

Kelly called the surge in cases in Kansas and across the nation “alarming,” adding in an emailed statement, “Until there is a vaccine, masks are our best defense to help keep our families and neighbors healthy and keep Kansas open for business.”

The state released its latest figures shortly before a meeting of the City Council in Wichita, Kansas’ largest city, to consider a mask requirement.

Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple called the meeting a day after the city’s home county rejected a mandate,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article243979262.html" target="_blank">The Wichita Eagle reported.</a>

The Sedgwick County Commission voted 3-2 on Thursday to strongly recommend but not require that local residents follow Kelly’s order.

“The idea that we ‘strongly suggest’ people take this advice has failed,” Whipple said. “There’s no evidence that shows that strategy has worked, and now we are in a much worse position.”

Kansas has reported an increase of 6,701, or nearly 73% in confirmed coronavirus cases since Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a5e30a0ec7a5943ada9f03af22ee1970">lifted statewide restrictions</a>&nbsp;on businesses and public gatherings on May 26. The Democratic governor’s decision left the decision on the rules to the state’s 105 counties and came after weeks of complaints from the Republican-controlled Legislature that she was moving too slowly to reopen the state’s economy.

<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200702093130003.pdf" target="_blank">Kelly’s mask order</a>&nbsp;comes with no criminal penalties for people who don’t wear masks, but violators face a potential civil fine of up to $2,500 if local prosecutors decide to go to court. She and other state officials don’t expect the order to be vigorously enforced but hope it will encourage people to wear masks.

Whipple was a Democratic Kansas House member before being elected mayor last year. Among the biggest critics of Kelly’s mask order are two conservative Republican legislative leaders from Wichita, Senate President Susan Wagle and House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins.

During a special meeting Thursday afternoon, several Sedgwick County commissioners questioned whether a mask mandate could be enforced and suggested that educating residents about the importance of wearing masks would be the better tactic.

“No one wants to be the mask police,” said Commissioner David Dennis, a Republican.

Johnson County and Wyandotte counties in the Kansas City area are mandating mask wearing, as is Douglas County in northeast Kansas, home to the main University of Kansas campus.

Counties can opt out of Kelly’s mask order under&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020s/b2020s/measures/documents/summary_hb_2016_2020special" target="_blank">a new pandemic law</a>&nbsp;that took effect in June and resulted from a compromise between Kelly and lawmakers. But the state constitution gives cities broad power to set their own policies, independent of counties or the state.

Nearly 76% of Sedgwick County’s 516,000 residents, some 399,000 people, live in Wichita. The county’s confirmed coronavirus cases have nearly tripled since May 26, from 537 to 1,564, with 196 new reported cases in the past two days alone.

The governor’s order says Kansas residents must wear masks in indoor public spaces, while seeking health care or using public transportation. It also says people must wear them outdoors in public when they can’t remain at least 6 feet (1.8 meters) from others.

Businesses must require employees to wear masks in places frequented by the public or if they prepare food.

The requirement would not apply to children under 6, the deaf, or people with medical conditions that make breathing through a mask difficult or who can’t remove a mask without assistance.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas reported another big increase in confirmed coronavirus cases Friday, capping its worst two-week spike since the pandemic began and coming as a statewide mask mandate from the governor took effect.The state Department of Health and Environment reported that Kansas has had 15,919 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus, up 929, or 6.2% since only Wednesday. Kansas also has reported 277 COVID-19-related deaths, up five in two days.Gov. Laura Kelly issued an executive order Thursday requiring people to wear masks in public and in their workplaces because of a surge in cases, and it took effect at 12:01 a.m. Friday. She and her top public health administrator said that if the state doesn’t reverse the surge, it&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/d205da04a32ace8ecffd4b5e8a6fb481">won’t be safe to reopen public schools</a>&nbsp;for the state’s 519,000 K-12 students in August.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593795912528.png" alt="July 3, 2020 KDHE Image" />
 <figcaption>July 3, 2020 KDHE Image</figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas reported an average of 276 new coronavirus cases a day over the past two weeks — the largest 14-day average since the state confirmed its first case March 7. The previous peak was 271 on May 11.Kelly called the surge in cases in Kansas and across the nation “alarming,” adding in an emailed statement, “Until there is a vaccine, masks are our best defense to help keep our families and neighbors healthy and keep Kansas open for business.”The state released its latest figures shortly before a meeting of the City Council in Wichita, Kansas’ largest city, to consider a mask requirement.Wichita Mayor Brandon Whipple called the meeting a day after the city’s home county rejected a mandate,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article243979262.html" target="_blank">The Wichita Eagle reported.</a>The Sedgwick County Commission voted 3-2 on Thursday to strongly recommend but not require that local residents follow Kelly’s order.“The idea that we ‘strongly suggest’ people take this advice has failed,” Whipple said. “There’s no evidence that shows that strategy has worked, and now we are in a much worse position.”Kansas has reported an increase of 6,701, or nearly 73% in confirmed coronavirus cases since Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a5e30a0ec7a5943ada9f03af22ee1970">lifted statewide restrictions</a>&nbsp;on businesses and public gatherings on May 26. The Democratic governor’s decision left the decision on the rules to the state’s 105 counties and came after weeks of complaints from the Republican-controlled Legislature that she was moving too slowly to reopen the state’s economy.<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200702093130003.pdf" target="_blank">Kelly’s mask order</a>&nbsp;comes with no criminal penalties for people who don’t wear masks, but violators face a potential civil fine of up to $2,500 if local prosecutors decide to go to court. She and other state officials don’t expect the order to be vigorously enforced but hope it will encourage people to wear masks.Whipple was a Democratic Kansas House member before being elected mayor last year. Among the biggest critics of Kelly’s mask order are two conservative Republican legislative leaders from Wichita, Senate President Susan Wagle and House Majority Leader Dan Hawkins.During a special meeting Thursday afternoon, several Sedgwick County commissioners questioned whether a mask mandate could be enforced and suggested that educating residents about the importance of wearing masks would be the better tactic.“No one wants to be the mask police,” said Commissioner David Dennis, a Republican.Johnson County and Wyandotte counties in the Kansas City area are mandating mask wearing, as is Douglas County in northeast Kansas, home to the main University of Kansas campus.Counties can opt out of Kelly’s mask order under&nbsp;<a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020s/b2020s/measures/documents/summary_hb_2016_2020special" target="_blank">a new pandemic law</a>&nbsp;that took effect in June and resulted from a compromise between Kelly and lawmakers. But the state constitution gives cities broad power to set their own policies, independent of counties or the state.Nearly 76% of Sedgwick County’s 516,000 residents, some 399,000 people, live in Wichita. The county’s confirmed coronavirus cases have nearly tripled since May 26, from 537 to 1,564, with 196 new reported cases in the past two days alone.The governor’s order says Kansas residents must wear masks in indoor public spaces, while seeking health care or using public transportation. It also says people must wear them outdoors in public when they can’t remain at least 6 feet (1.8 meters) from others.Businesses must require employees to wear masks in places frequented by the public or if they prepare food.The requirement would not apply to children under 6, the deaf, or people with medical conditions that make breathing through a mask difficult or who can’t remove a mask without assistance.

Kansas sees worst 2-week COVID-19 spike since pandemic began

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has issued an order directing Kansas residents to wear masks in public places and their workplaces.

“The last few months have presented many new challenges for Kansans, and all of us want to return to our normal lives and routines,” Governor Kelly said in a media release. “Unfortunately, we have seen a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths across our state and our country. We must act.”

Viruses don’t stop at county lines. This order doesn’t change where you can go or what you can do. But wearing a mask is a simple and effective way to keep Kansans healthy and keep Kansas open for business.”

Under the order, Kansans are required to wear masks when inside any public space – including their workplace – or in situations where social distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained. Guidance regarding specific places or situations in which masks are required is outlined within the order.

Kansans under five years of age, those with medical conditions, and others specifically outlined in the order are exempt from these requirements.

To view EO #20-52,&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgovernor.kansas.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F07%2F20200702093130003.pdf&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cd0393e73597e4261404a08d81e973ed2%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637292982220415218&amp;sdata=Og56J0QqjqBR87kmMyAv7zXzf%2BIeTqzEtHvyNmlb9pY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">click here.</a>

The order Thursday is likely to provoke a backlash from the Republican-controlled Legislature even though enforcement is expected to be lax. Kelly issued the order after the state saw a surge in reported coronavirus cases following her decision to lift statewide restrictions on businesses and public gatherings May 26. She left the rules to the state’s 105 counties after weeks of complaints from Republican lawmakers that she was moving too slowly to reopen the economy. The new mask requirement will take effect Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593465508296.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly removed her face mask Monday just before beginning a news conference." />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly removed her face mask Monday just before beginning a news conference.</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly has issued an order directing Kansas residents to wear masks in public places and their workplaces.“The last few months have presented many new challenges for Kansans, and all of us want to return to our normal lives and routines,” Governor Kelly said in a media release. “Unfortunately, we have seen a spike in the number of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths across our state and our country. We must act.”Viruses don’t stop at county lines. This order doesn’t change where you can go or what you can do. But wearing a mask is a simple and effective way to keep Kansans healthy and keep Kansas open for business.”Under the order, Kansans are required to wear masks when inside any public space – including their workplace – or in situations where social distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained. Guidance regarding specific places or situations in which masks are required is outlined within the order.Kansans under five years of age, those with medical conditions, and others specifically outlined in the order are exempt from these requirements.To view EO #20-52,&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fgovernor.kansas.gov%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2020%2F07%2F20200702093130003.pdf&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cd0393e73597e4261404a08d81e973ed2%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637292982220415218&amp;sdata=Og56J0QqjqBR87kmMyAv7zXzf%2BIeTqzEtHvyNmlb9pY%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">click here.</a>The order Thursday is likely to provoke a backlash from the Republican-controlled Legislature even though enforcement is expected to be lax. Kelly issued the order after the state saw a surge in reported coronavirus cases following her decision to lift statewide restrictions on businesses and public gatherings May 26. She left the rules to the state’s 105 counties after weeks of complaints from Republican lawmakers that she was moving too slowly to reopen the economy. The new mask requirement will take effect Friday.

Governor signs order requiring masks be worn in public, at work

A number of northwest Kansas county health departments and law enforcement organizations have made the public declaration that the mandatory facemask rule set to go into effect Friday will not be enforced.

An announcement on guidance from Ellis County officials is expected Thursday afternoon. Russell County officials are expected to meet Monday on the topic, according to the Russell County Health Department.

Check Hays Post for more as details become available on this developing story.

A number of northwest Kansas county health departments and law enforcement organizations have made the public declaration that the mandatory facemask rule set to go into effect Friday will not be enforced.An announcement on guidance from Ellis County officials is expected Thursday afternoon. Russell County officials are expected to meet Monday on the topic, according to the Russell County Health Department.Check Hays Post for more as details become available on this developing story.<figure>
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UPDATE: NW Kan. counties opt to disregard Kelly's facemask order

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ top public health official predicted Wednesday that the state will face steeper increases in coronavirus cases and suggested that it blew its chance for a summer respite from the pandemic by reopening its economy too quickly.

Dr. Lee Norman, the top administrator at the state Department of Health and Environment, blamed a recent surge in new confirmed cases on gatherings over the long Memorial Day weekend and the May 26 lifting of statewide restrictions on businesses and gatherings. He said Kansas remains struck in its first wave of the coronavirus pandemic.

“We’d have to have some calm before the next wave, and we’re not there or anywhere close to it,” Norman said after a Statehouse news conference during which he described Kansas as being “in the middle of a bad convergence.”

Norman’s comments came a day before Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who appointed him, was to issue&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7457a306628413b9f3d6409a32e73283">an executive order requiring people to wear masks</a>&nbsp;in public. The order&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2ed56b6d64038adee0dc17465073232b">could be toothless</a>&nbsp;in much of the state because a law enacted last month allows counties to opt out and a mask requirement might not be enforced even if counties don’t do that.

Wyandotte County in the Kansas City area and Douglas County in northeastern Kansas, which is home to the main University of Kansas campus, already require masks. The health officer in Douglas County also ordered bars there closed for two weeks, starting Friday, after reported COVID-19 cases more than doubled in the last two weeks, from 85 to 188 as of Wednesday.

Kansas has had 14,990 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started, including 547 new ones since Monday for a 3.8% increase in two days. There were also two new COVID-19 deaths since Monday, raising the state’s overall tally to 272.

One new case involved an employee of the Kansas Legislature who tested positive along with his father and stepmother. Tom Day, director of legislative administrative services, said the employee has been working from home for a week and, “There has been very little contact with anyone else” in the Statehouse.

Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a5e30a0ec7a5943ada9f03af22ee1970">Kelly lifted statewide restrictions</a>&nbsp;on businesses and public gatherings immediately after Memorial Day, Kansas has had 5,653 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, which amounted to a 61% increase, and 84 deaths, for a 45% jump.

The Democratic governor’s action left the rules for businesses and gatherings to the state’s 105 counties and came after weeks of criticism from the Republican-controlled Legislature that she was reopening the economy too slowly.

“We are seeing a significant increase in clusters related to gatherings where masks are not being worn, bars in particular,” Norman said. “I’m worried about what we’re going to see happening over July Fourth.”

Norman said he’s also worried that Kansas will see another spike in cases this fall because the State Fair is still set to take place in Hutchinson despite the pandemic. The fair board voted Tuesday to hold the event Sept. 11-20.

Patrons will be required to wear masks at indoor commercial and competitive exhibit spaces and will be encouraged to wear them elsewhere. But crowds won’t be limited.

Norman called the decision to proceed with the event against his recommendation “disappointing.”

Fair General Manager Robin Jennison said its safety plan will be fine-tuned as needed.

“It’s a tremendous boost for the economy of the area,”&nbsp; “A lot of us feel at some point we need to get back on with our lives.”

The novel coronavirus’ spread slowed in Kansas from mid-May until mid-June, but it has since had a resurgence.

The number of new cases a day for the two-week period ending Wednesday was 236, which was the state’s highest figure since the two weeks that ended May 15. The figure dipped to 95 for the two weeks that ended June 14.

Sixteen counties have seen reported cases more than double during the past two weeks, and another six counties that had none as of June 17 have had at least one, including Thomas County in northwest Kansas, which now has 15.

<a href="https://apnews.com/80b931eac73e30698624559a5e068032">Riley County</a>&nbsp;has seen its reported cases more than double, to 219 from 88 two weeks ago, something local officials attribute mainly to cases among people 18 to 24 who’ve frequented the Aggieville bar and restaurant district near the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan.

Neighboring Geary County also has seen its reported cases more than double, to 70 from 30 two weeks ago, and adjacent Pottawatomie County has seen an 85% jump, from 40 to 74.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593684498845.png" alt="During his Wednesday news conference, KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman said,&nbsp; "We’d have to have some calm before the next wave, and we’re not there or anywhere close to it."" />
 <figcaption>During his Wednesday news conference, KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman said,&nbsp; "We’d have to have some calm before the next wave, and we’re not there or anywhere close to it."</figcaption>
 </figure>By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ top public health official predicted Wednesday that the state will face steeper increases in coronavirus cases and suggested that it blew its chance for a summer respite from the pandemic by reopening its economy too quickly.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKDHEnews%2Fvideos%2F574144539956381%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Dr. Lee Norman, the top administrator at the state Department of Health and Environment, blamed a recent surge in new confirmed cases on gatherings over the long Memorial Day weekend and the May 26 lifting of statewide restrictions on businesses and gatherings. He said Kansas remains struck in its first wave of the coronavirus pandemic.“We’d have to have some calm before the next wave, and we’re not there or anywhere close to it,” Norman said after a Statehouse news conference during which he described Kansas as being “in the middle of a bad convergence.”Norman’s comments came a day before Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, who appointed him, was to issue&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7457a306628413b9f3d6409a32e73283">an executive order requiring people to wear masks</a>&nbsp;in public. The order&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/2ed56b6d64038adee0dc17465073232b">could be toothless</a>&nbsp;in much of the state because a law enacted last month allows counties to opt out and a mask requirement might not be enforced even if counties don’t do that.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593622993638.png" alt="July 1, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>July 1, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Wyandotte County in the Kansas City area and Douglas County in northeastern Kansas, which is home to the main University of Kansas campus, already require masks. The health officer in Douglas County also ordered bars there closed for two weeks, starting Friday, after reported COVID-19 cases more than doubled in the last two weeks, from 85 to 188 as of Wednesday.Kansas has had 14,990 confirmed COVID-19 cases since the pandemic started, including 547 new ones since Monday for a 3.8% increase in two days. There were also two new COVID-19 deaths since Monday, raising the state’s overall tally to 272.One new case involved an employee of the Kansas Legislature who tested positive along with his father and stepmother. Tom Day, director of legislative administrative services, said the employee has been working from home for a week and, “There has been very little contact with anyone else” in the Statehouse.Since&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a5e30a0ec7a5943ada9f03af22ee1970">Kelly lifted statewide restrictions</a>&nbsp;on businesses and public gatherings immediately after Memorial Day, Kansas has had 5,653 new confirmed COVID-19 cases, which amounted to a 61% increase, and 84 deaths, for a 45% jump.The Democratic governor’s action left the rules for businesses and gatherings to the state’s 105 counties and came after weeks of criticism from the Republican-controlled Legislature that she was reopening the economy too slowly.“We are seeing a significant increase in clusters related to gatherings where masks are not being worn, bars in particular,” Norman said. “I’m worried about what we’re going to see happening over July Fourth.”Norman said he’s also worried that Kansas will see another spike in cases this fall because the State Fair is still set to take place in Hutchinson despite the pandemic. The fair board voted Tuesday to hold the event Sept. 11-20.Patrons will be required to wear masks at indoor commercial and competitive exhibit spaces and will be encouraged to wear them elsewhere. But crowds won’t be limited.Norman called the decision to proceed with the event against his recommendation “disappointing.”Fair General Manager Robin Jennison said its safety plan will be fine-tuned as needed.“It’s a tremendous boost for the economy of the area,”&nbsp; “A lot of us feel at some point we need to get back on with our lives.”The novel coronavirus’ spread slowed in Kansas from mid-May until mid-June, but it has since had a resurgence.The number of new cases a day for the two-week period ending Wednesday was 236, which was the state’s highest figure since the two weeks that ended May 15. The figure dipped to 95 for the two weeks that ended June 14.Sixteen counties have seen reported cases more than double during the past two weeks, and another six counties that had none as of June 17 have had at least one, including Thomas County in northwest Kansas, which now has 15.<a href="https://apnews.com/80b931eac73e30698624559a5e068032">Riley County</a>&nbsp;has seen its reported cases more than double, to 219 from 88 two weeks ago, something local officials attribute mainly to cases among people 18 to 24 who’ve frequented the Aggieville bar and restaurant district near the Kansas State University campus in Manhattan.Neighboring Geary County also has seen its reported cases more than double, to 70 from 30 two weeks ago, and adjacent Pottawatomie County has seen an 85% jump, from 40 to 74.___

🎥  Dr. Lee Norman: Kansas blew chance for coronavirus respite

The Ellis County Health Department on Wednesday announced two additional cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed in the county.

The new cases have mild symptoms and are in home isolation. One case is a contact of a known positive with recent travel history, and the second has no known travel history.

Contacts will be notified, the health department said.&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593005366466.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Health Department on Wednesday announced two additional cases of COVID-19 had been confirmed in the county.The new cases have mild symptoms and are in home isolation. One case is a contact of a known positive with recent travel history, and the second has no known travel history.Contacts will be notified, the health department said.&nbsp;Read the entire release below:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593624149651.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Two new cases of coronavirus reported in Ellis Co.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas is providing faculty more flexibility if they don’t feel comfortable teaching in-person classes in the fall amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Bichelmeyer said Monday that decisions on courses, how they would be taught and teaching assignments “should be the purview of the department or program,” KCUR&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-06-30/ku-reverses-course-and-gives-faculty-choice-of-whether-to-teach-in-person-classes-in-the-fall" target="_blank">reports.</a>

The move came after faculty had pushed back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dadb98240b27a4922043fe790c5da99e">last week</a>&nbsp;after they were told to return to campus beginning Aug. 24, unless they could invoke an exemption under the Americans with Disabilities Act. More than 50 department leaders signed a letter to Bichelmeyer raising concerns.

Instead of filing for an accommodation under the ADA, instructors will simply be asked to indicate their teaching preferences and to note the safety level they require in order to teach in person.

Bichelmeyer said that the teachers’ concerns were legitimate and understandable, “and this was just a case where trying to solve a problem with a precedent using the ADA doesn’t work in an unprecedented situation.”

In a letter to faculty and staff Tuesday, Bichelmeyer said that it remained the university’s goal to have as many in-person and hybrid classes as possible in the fall

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The University of Kansas is providing faculty more flexibility if they don’t feel comfortable teaching in-person classes in the fall amid the coronavirus pandemic.Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Barbara Bichelmeyer said Monday that decisions on courses, how they would be taught and teaching assignments “should be the purview of the department or program,” KCUR&nbsp;<a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-06-30/ku-reverses-course-and-gives-faculty-choice-of-whether-to-teach-in-person-classes-in-the-fall" target="_blank">reports.</a>The move came after faculty had pushed back&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/dadb98240b27a4922043fe790c5da99e">last week</a>&nbsp;after they were told to return to campus beginning Aug. 24, unless they could invoke an exemption under the Americans with Disabilities Act. More than 50 department leaders signed a letter to Bichelmeyer raising concerns.Instead of filing for an accommodation under the ADA, instructors will simply be asked to indicate their teaching preferences and to note the safety level they require in order to teach in person.Bichelmeyer said that the teachers’ concerns were legitimate and understandable, “and this was just a case where trying to solve a problem with a precedent using the ADA doesn’t work in an unprecedented situation.”In a letter to faculty and staff Tuesday, Bichelmeyer said that it remained the university’s goal to have as many in-person and hybrid classes as possible in the fall

University of Kansas backs away from in-person requirement

The Ellis County Board of Health will meet later this week to discuss the governor's order on Monday requiring facemasks in public spaces beginning Friday.

According to sources, the meeting will be at 4:30 p.m. Thursday.

"Guidance will be released from the Ellis County Health Department via press release to the residents and visitors of Ellis County following that meeting," the health department said in a news release early Tuesday evening.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593005366466.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The Ellis County Board of Health will meet later this week to discuss the governor's order on Monday requiring facemasks in public spaces beginning Friday.According to sources, the meeting will be at 4:30 p.m. Thursday."Guidance will be released from the Ellis County Health Department via press release to the residents and visitors of Ellis County following that meeting," the health department said in a news release early Tuesday evening.Read the entire release below:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593556463576.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>

Ellis Co. officials will meet this week on statewide facemask order

In preparation for the upcoming school year, an Ellis County Schools COVID-19 Advisory Group has been created with representatives from the medical community and all Ellis County schools (USD489, USD432, USD388, and Catholic schools).

The purpose of the advisory committee is to gather and discuss the most up-to-date information from Ellis County Public Health, CDC, KDHE and KSDE, then to provide recommended policies and procedures to the schools in terms of how to safely start and continue the 2020-21 school year.

Safely reopening all Ellis County schools is our first priority. The foundation of all discussions is to protect and ensure the social, emotional and physical well-being of students and staff.

Decisions and actions will be determined based on the current information from CDC with close collaboration with Ellis County Health, KDHE and KSDE.

Although definitive plans for the August reopening have not yet been created Ellis County schools remain committed to providing quality learning opportunities for all students which may include onsite, hybrid, and/or remote learning environments.

KSDE is expected to release guidance to all Kansas schools and the public by July 16. 

After reviewing this guidance, the Ellis County Schools COVID-19 Advisory Group will provide recommendations for school policies and procedures. Updates will be provided through school websites and media outlets.

The advisory group members represent a diversity of school and community stakeholders:

USD 489In preparation for the upcoming school year, an Ellis County Schools COVID-19 Advisory Group has been created with representatives from the medical community and all Ellis County schools (USD489, USD432, USD388, and Catholic schools).The purpose of the advisory committee is to gather and discuss the most up-to-date information from Ellis County Public Health, CDC, KDHE and KSDE, then to provide recommended policies and procedures to the schools in terms of how to safely start and continue the 2020-21 school year.Safely reopening all Ellis County schools is our first priority. The foundation of all discussions is to protect and ensure the social, emotional and physical well-being of students and staff.Decisions and actions will be determined based on the current information from CDC with close collaboration with Ellis County Health, KDHE and KSDE.Although definitive plans for the August reopening have not yet been created Ellis County schools remain committed to providing quality learning opportunities for all students which may include onsite, hybrid, and/or remote learning environments.KSDE is expected to release guidance to all Kansas schools and the public by July 16. After reviewing this guidance, the Ellis County Schools COVID-19 Advisory Group will provide recommendations for school policies and procedures. Updates will be provided through school websites and media outlets.The advisory group members represent a diversity of school and community stakeholders:<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593450247856.png" alt="COVID school advisory group.png" />
 <figcaption>COVID school advisory group.png</figcaption>
 </figure>

Ellis County schools form group to develop plans for school in fall

TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly held a press briefing  Monday afternoon to discuss the increase in COVID-19 cases in Kansas.&nbsp; She announced that beginning 12:01 a.m. July 3 every Kansan in a public space will be required to wear a mask. Local officials will be responsible for enforcing the mandate, according to the governor.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593465508296.png" alt="Gov. Laura Kelly arrived at Monday's press briefing wearing a mask" />
 <figcaption>Gov. Laura Kelly arrived at Monday's press briefing wearing a mask</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA — Gov. Laura Kelly held a press briefing  Monday afternoon to discuss the increase in COVID-19 cases in Kansas.&nbsp; She announced that beginning 12:01 a.m. July 3 every Kansan in a public space will be required to wear a mask. Local officials will be responsible for enforcing the mandate, according to the governor.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F3154697867948519%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>“This is a simple, proactive step we can take to keep Kansans at work, get our kids back to school, and keep ourselves and our neighbors healthy,” Governor Kelly said. “Wearing a mask is not only safe – but it is necessary to avoid another shut down.“Remember – my mask protects you, and your mask protects me,” Governor Kelly said. “We’re all in this together.”Under the order, most Kansans must wear masks in stores and shops, restaurants, and in any situation in which social distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained, including outside. The EO will be released on Thursday, and will provide specific guidance regarding under what circumstances masks must be worn.“I know Kansans will have many questions about this order – and we will answer them when it is released later this week,” Governor Kelly said. “But by announcing the requirement today, people in our state will have the appropriate time to acquire the masks.”The Kansas Attorney General’s Office will work closely with officials in Governor Kelly’s administration to ensure that the order complies with Kansas law.The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 905 to a total of 14,443, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 270.The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has added two states to the quarantine list: South Carolina and Florida and removed Maryland. This is in effect for persons arriving in or returning to Kansas&nbsp; June 29, and moving forward. The state will review/update this list every two weeks.A comprehensive list of those individuals needing to quarantine for 14 days includes visitors and Kansans who have:Traveled to:<ul>
 <li>South Carolina and Florida on or after June 29.</li><li>Alabama, Arizona and Arkansas on or after June 17.</li><li>Been on a cruise ship or river cruise on or after March 15.</li><li>International travel on or after March 15.</li>
 </ul>Others who need to continue quarantining:<ul>
 <li>Received notification from public health officials (state or local) that you are a close contact of a laboratory-confirmed case of COVID-19.</li>
 </ul>

Coronavirus Update