Johnson County could extend COVID-19 shutdown another week. Here’s what reopens first
Worried about reopening businesses ahead of neighboring counties, a Johnson County health official on Wednesday recommended extending the coronavirus stay-at-home order another week, through May 10.
After that, the county could begin a phased reopening of the economy, starting with hair salons, gyms, shops and restaurants — with social distancing restrictions.
The Johnson County Board of Commissioners is expected to discuss later this week the order extension as well as a four-phase reopening plan recommended by a task force studying how the county should emerge from coronavirus shutdowns.
Leaders in Johnson and Wyandotte counties previously said they were abiding by the state’s stay-at-home order, which expires at the end of the day Sunday, rather than following the lead of Kansas City and Jackson County, which extended their orders through May 15.
Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly plans to issue “significantly less restrictive” rules taking effect Monday, according to a court document. But in the meantime, Johnson County has been crafting its own plan for reopening — although that could change depending on what Kelly decides.
Joseph LeMaster, the county’s public health officer, on Wednesday emphasized the need to coordinate with Kansas City and neighboring counties. He has the authority to extend the stay-at-home order without commissioner approval.
He said Johnson County is reporting a downward trajectory of coronavirus cases — a trend that leaders have said is required to begin reopening the economy. But he worries about the continued rise in cases across the Kansas City metro.
“Our Johnson County data has been encouraging as our residents have continued to follow the guidance to flatten the curve,” LeMaster said. “But we have concerns about what’s going on in the rest of the Kansas City metro, which is not seeing the same positive outcomes. The concern is that as people move freely, there will be the possibility of introductions of the virus as the reopening process starts.”
In order to reopen, health officials have said they need to see cases drop for 14 straight days, as well as a steady decline in reported COVID-19 symptoms during that time period. Hospitals would need to be able to treat all patients without crisis care. And the county needs to implement a robust program for testing and tracking cases.
And while LeMaster said the county appears to be preventing further spread of the outbreak, he worries about residents in shut-down counties flocking to open businesses in Johnson County.
“We’re aiming to have as much regional harmonization as we can,” he said.
Commissioners Mike Brown and Steve Klika voiced concerns about another extension to the stay-at-home order. Brown pointed out that nearby counties in Missouri are moving toward reopening next week. Platte, Clay and Cass counties have all announced they would reopen on May 4.
Johnson County health officials have continued to push for more data before restrictions are lifted. And a lack of testing supplies remains a problem across the state, including in Johnson County, which funded its own program to expand community testing following statewide shortages.
“We’re still having to work hard to get (supplies),” Sanmi Areola, public health director, said Wednesday.
Johnson County’s plan
If Johnson County officials agree to extend the stay-at-home order, businesses might begin to reopen on May 11.
A 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.
In the first phase, many commercial businesses, including hair salons and gyms, would be allowed to reopen as long as they follow social distancing guidelines, such as maintaining six feet of distance. Gatherings of more than 10 people would still be prohibited. Restaurants and bars could operate dining rooms at half-capacity.
In the following weeks or months, restrictions would slowly be lifted until all businesses and gatherings are permitted.
But health officials have warned that several criteria need to be met before Johnson County can safely return to normalcy.
Under the plan, after the county lifts some restrictions — allowing hair salons, stores and fitness centers to open, for example — officials would monitor the number of coronavirus cases, hospital capacity and the spread of the virus in vulnerable populations, such as in nursing homes. After 14 days, Areola said the county would begin to determine the impacts of the rollback.
If coronavirus cases continue to decline and other criteria are met, the county would move to the next phase of reopening. But Areola has warned that it is likely there will be a spike in cases after restrictions are rolled back. If that’s the case, the county may need to reimpose rules.
“The reason we are where we are with our numbers tracking down is because of physical distancing measures,” he said Tuesday. “If you, for lack of a better word, overload the system, where you have a lot more interactions and a lot more people out there, the risk of having to go out and reinstitute more stringent (restrictions) is higher.”
The task force debated whether hair salons and fitness centers should be included in the first phase of reopening. Some members questioned whether those businesses can implement social distancing.
“I’m still very concerned about having hair salons in phase one. I’ve had a lot of calls from stylists who are very concerned that it will be very difficult to follow the guidelines,” Johnson County Commissioner Janeé Hanzlick said.
“It’s not just pressure from the (business) community to open, although that’s big. There’s also a fairness and consistency standpoint,” Prairie Village Mayor Eric Mikkelson said. “If you’re going to tell a restaurant you can open with these severe restrictions, I have a real hard time telling a gym that they can’t, or some other business with a relatively similar risk level.”
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.
In all of the phases, residents will be encouraged to wear face masks, avoid unnecessary travel and work from home when possible. Businesses will be instructed to follow industry guidelines for social distancing and safety protocols.
Vulnerable and senior residents will be urged to stay home as much as possible. And nursing home visitations will be restricted.
Areola cautioned that until a large percentage of the population becomes immune to the virus or until a coronavirus vaccine is available, some level of social distancing will likely be required.
If the plan is approved, enforcement would look similar to how it did when the first stay-at-home orders were issued. Local law enforcement is tasked with responding to complaints, then educating businesses on the rules. Business owners who repeatedly violate the order could receive a citation or fine.
This story was originally published April 29, 2020 at 12:00 PM.
