Kansas is last in nation for COVID-19 testing. The state can’t reopen until that changes
The Kansas Chamber of Commerce released a survey Wednesday showing that 84% of its members want to reopen the state now or in the next two weeks.
“Kansas needs to begin planning now,” said chamber president Alan Cobb, “so our businesses, their employees and citizens have confidence in the safety of their workplaces.”
All Kansans want life to return to normal. But it’s also clear that Kansas cannot reach that goal unless and until it drastically increases widespread testing of residents for the coronavirus.
Kansas remains last among the 50 states in testing per capita for COVID-19. As of Wednesday, the state reported testing 19,101 people. Mississippi, with a population very similar to Kansas’, has tested 52,364 people.
Arkansas has tested 29,057 people. New Mexico has tallied 40,877 tests. Both are about the same size as Kansas.
Gov. Laura Kelly and other state officials say they have complained mightily about the shortage of test kits and chemicals, and insist they’re trying to ramp up testing this week. “Our ability to test and contact trace must be much more robust before we can safely proceed to open,” the governor said last week.
On Wednesday, state officials said incomplete reporting from some counties might have also distorted the state’s record.
This week, Kansas relaxed its testing guidelines so more people can find out if they’re infected. Drive-thru tests in some counties are also helpful. But the ongoing lack of equipment and supplies is a disaster and may prolong the economic pain in the state.
Some Kansans and GOP officials have suggested that reopening the state’s economy is more important than waiting for robust testing. The state’s infection and fatality rates, they say, are low enough to relax the regulations now in place, with or without tests.
They’re wrong. Testing is essential for three reasons:
▪ Tests can reveal patterns in coronavirus outbreaks, enabling a quick, proactive response. The recent spike in cases at Kansas meat-packing facilities shows why extensive testing is so important.
“We can go to where the problem areas are,” said Kansas Health and Environment Secretary Dr. Lee Norman.
▪ Tests can show infection in people who show no symptoms. That’s critical because coronavirus is highly contagious and potentially fatal. If you wait for sick people to show up for treatment, you’ve waited too long. With widespread testing, authorities can isolate individuals who catch the disease.
▪ Kansans won’t emerge from their homes until they’re sure it’s safe. Governors and mayors can issue all the edicts they want, but until residents are convinced they can safely visit shops and stadiums and restaurants, they’ll stay home.
When the immediate crisis has passed, Kansas lawmakers should investigate the delays in acquiring testing materials in the state. It will be important to know if Kansas was shortchanged by federal officials, or if the state itself could have been more aggressive earlier in seeking tests.
But there can be no doubt: As long as Kansas is last in the nation in coronavirus testing, the state will be unable to safely reopen. Protests and rallies and press releases won’t change that equation.