COVID-19 news: KC-area counties announce reopening, high schools plan for graduation
Another Kansas City-are county has decided to end its stay-at-home order earlier than planned, falling in line with the guidance of Missouri and Kansas’s governors.
Platte County officials announced Tuesday night that they will end their stay-at-home order early, joining Clay and Cass counties in lifting their order at the end of the day May 3 following weeks of a shutdown due to the new coronavirus.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced Monday that he would end the state’s stay-at-home order on May 4, lifting restrictions on large gatherings, including commencement ceremonies. Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s orders are set to expire May 4.
This doesn’t apply to local jurisdictions with stricter rules, such as Kansas City and Jackson County, where orders don’t expire until May 15.
In Johnson County, a task force is working to determine when to open doors to local businesses. Some may reopen as early as next week.
The number of confirmed COVID-19 infections in both states continues to increase daily.
The Kansas City metro area had a total of 1,946 cases, including 119 deaths, as of Tuesday, according to data compiled by The Star.
In Missouri, 7,303 people had tested positive for coronavirus as of Tuesday afternoon. At least 314 have died, according to updated data by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
Across Kansas, 3,738 have tested positive and 125 have died from the coronavirus, according to the latest statistics, provided Wednesday morning by the Kansas Department of Health and the Environment.
Missouri has reported more cases than Kansas but has also tested more people.
The United States surpassed 1,014,500 confirmed cases and more than 58,400 deaths reported as of 10:00 a.m. Wednesday, according to a database maintained by Johns Hopkins University. Worldwide, there were more than 3,141,900 cases and more than 218,400 deaths.
Johnson County re-opening plans in place
Johnson County hair salons, gyms, shops and restaurants could reopen as early as Monday, May 4, as part of the first phase of reopening decided on by a local task force.
The task force — made up of business leaders, city and county officials, an economist and a health care executive — has met almost daily to craft guidelines for reopening Johnson County.
The group hasn’t always agreed. The decision to include hair salons and fitness centers in the first phase of reopening, for example, was met with opposition from some members who question whether those businesses can implement social distancing.
The Johnson County Commission is expected to vote Thursday on a four-phase plan to ease the economy back in while emerging from the shutdown over the next weeks and months.
In the second phase, gatherings of up to 50 people will be allowed. Massage businesses can open. Restaurants, bars and breweries that serve food will be allowed to operate dining rooms at 75% capacity.
In the third phase, gatherings of up to 100 people will be permitted. Restaurants can operate at full capacity. Entertainment venues, sports complexes and pools will be allowed to open with social distancing restrictions.
In the final phase, all businesses would be allowed to fully operate, and gatherings over 100 people would be permitted.
Platte County ends shutdown early
Platte County officials initially issued a stay-at-home order in Platte County through May 15. In Kansas, Johnson and Wyandotte counties are also hoping to end shutdowns May 3, but have made no formal announcements.
Areas of Kansas City that lie in Clay, Cass and Platte counties are still subject to the May 15 date.
In its release, the Platte County Health Department says it has “observed a sustained reduction in cases for at least 14 days,” meaning it is ready to reopen businesses.
“Sufficient staff has been added to the Health Department to help with contact tracing,” the release says. “Access to testing has greatly improved in recent weeks. There has been added communication with hospitals in our area to ensure they are as prepared as can be for additional COVID-19 cases.”
Businesses in Platte County that wish to reopen are expected to create a plan “outlining steps that will be taken to protect employees and customers.”
Graduation planning underway
High schools around the metro area are making graduation plans to accommodate seniors whose last semester in physical classrooms was cut short by the pandemic.
Some schools will still hold their ceremonies in May, though they’ll be online. Kansas City, Kansas Public Schools will social distance their pomp and circumstance at a drive-in theater. But most area schools will wait until July, hoping for the traditional caps, gowns and tassels in person.
Shawmee Mission school district and Lee’s Summit hope to have in-person ceremonies in July. But just in case, the schools are preparing a virtual recognition. For Lee’ Summit, that includes senior slideshows on social media and online award ceremonies.
North Kansas City schools decided to hold graduations online in May, since all the high schools are within Kansas City boundaries.
Raymore-Peculiar High School is in Cass County, which plans to end restrictions May 4, but the school postponed graduation to July 17.
Several districts, including Kansas City Public Schools and Center School District in south Kansas City, are still working on plans. In the meantime Center, like some other districts, expects to honor seniors by placing signs in each graduate’s front yard.
The Star’s Sarah Ritter, Allison Kite and Mará Rose Williams contributed reporting.
