COVID-19 news: KS Supreme Court paves way for COVID lawsuits, KC area test sites closed

Here’s the latest on COVID-19 in the Kansas City area:

Kansas high court paves way for COVID suits by ‘aggrieved’ parties

The Kansas Supreme Court’s decision on Friday leaving in place the state’s COVID response law allows Kansans to continue challenging restrictions schools and local governments may issue in response to the pandemic.

Under the law, known as SB 40, any “aggrieved” Kansan can bring a fast-track court challenge against a government that imposes public health measures such as mask mandates and social distancing requirements.

Challenges must be brought within 30 days of the measure being imposed. If a court fails to hold a hearing within 72 hours of a complaint being filed and to rule within seven days, the health directives are removed in a default judgment.

Test sites shut down Friday in KC, JoCo

Cold weather and shipping delays led five area COVID test sites to shut down Friday as the demand for the service has exploded around the region.

Two sites in Johnson County were closed by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment citing the freezing weather outdoors. The remaining three were closed by Curative in Kansas City after testing kits did not arrive by mail in time, the company said.

“We apologize for the inconvenience that this places on the community and look forward to supporting the testing needs of the Kansas City community,” Curative, which offers free PCR tests, said in a statement.

Research Medical helped by National Disaster Medical System

As hospital resources around the metro have become strained in response to a new wave of COVID-19 patients and staffing shortages, a small team of medical professionals has been dispatched to Kansas City’s Research Medical Center through a federally-run program.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has sent a 15-member team with the National Disaster Medical System to assist health care workers at Research Medical Center. The team is being brought in to “help care for patients during this most significant surge of COVID-19 in our region,” HCA Midwest Health, which runs the hospital, said in a news release Friday.

“HCA Midwest Health’s leadership has never been prouder to work alongside such a dedicated and committed family of physicians, clinicians and colleagues,” the news release said. “We are incredibly grateful and humbled for these resources — and this demonstrates that as a community, and nation, we are indeed stronger, together.”