Gov. Laura Kelly lays out careful plan to reopen Kansas economy. But is it too soon?

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has joined the rush to reopen the economy in the middle of the coronavirus crisis.

In a Thursday evening speech broadcast to much of the state, the governor said she would lift her stay-at-home order on Monday. She’ll replace it with a three-phase plan that gradually allows Kansans to resume most normal activities in the weeks ahead.

“It’s an effort to balance non-negotiable public health considerations with jaw-dropping, unsustainable economic realities,” she said.

That balancing act is an enormous challenge in every state and city in America. Her answer, while carefully considered, still comes with risks that could threaten the health and safety of Kansans.

The governor’s framework in some ways resembles Missouri’s plan to reopen, although she has avoided several of Gov. Mike Parson’s mistakes. In Kansas, swimming pools and community centers will remain safely closed for at least two more weeks. In Missouri, they’ll be open.

Mass gatherings are still largely prohibited in Kansas, while they’re permitted across the state line with restrictions. Kansas barber shops will remain closed until at least May 18; in Missouri, it’s time for a trim next week.

There are important similarities. Kelly — like Parson — will allow local governments to impose stricter restrictions than their states’. That’s particularly relevant in the Kansas City region, where county governments are justifiably worried about the continued spread of the disease.

Make no mistake: That threat remains. Kansas has now recorded more than 4,200 cases of COVID-19, and the number of new cases may not have peaked. Outbreaks in Kansas meatpacking plants and state prisons are troubling. Testing remains substandard.

Yet Kelly, like her counterparts in other states, is trying to fold the umbrella while it’s still raining. That’s a surefire way to get wet.

No Kansan wants to see the economy shut down. But we must be clear-eyed about what these reopening orders will mean: more cases of coronavirus, more loss and more sorrow. Virtually every health expert believes that is inevitable.

In the best-case scenario, increased sickness will be mitigated by less economic suffering. That’s the governor’s gamble.

In the worst case, the additional illnesses will claim more lives, overwhelm hospitals and health care providers and plunge the state into a deepening financial morass later this year, requiring another shutdown. That’s what will happen if the Kansas and Missouri governors are wrong.

Everyone living in the Kansas City metro area can be excused if they’re deeply confused about what rules they’ll need to follow in the days ahead. Reopening orders are set to take effect May 4, May 6, May 11, May 15 and May 18, depending on where you live and work.

The rules are different in every jurisdiction, too. That makes it more likely frustrated residents will throw up their hands and ignore the regulations, making a bad situation worse.

Governors and mayors can issue all the orders and rules they want. If citizens refuse to respect those decisions, safety will be further compromised. And if that happens, people will remain in their homes, afraid to risk their own lives and the lives of friends, family and neighbors.

At that point, economic recovery will seem like a mirage. That’s why a coordinated response is so important.

Kansas City is taking a slower, more measured approach to reopening, as is Wyandotte County. Johnson County is poised to consider extending its stay-at-home order another week. That’s prudent amid this ongoing pandemic.

Gov. Laura Kelly offered a thoughtful plan for reopening, but the question remains: Is it too soon? Since she is forging ahead, we must all pray that she’s right. The alternative is too sad to contemplate.

This story was originally published April 30, 2020 at 8:00 PM.