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As the stay-at-home restrictions to prevent COVID-19 wear on, the heat on some Johnson County commissioners has been ratcheting up from disaffected voters. On Monday, those commissioners passed some of that pressure on to county health officials who were updating them on the county’s need for more data.
“Simply telling people it’s for your own good, go home and sit down and we’ll tell you when you can come out is not resonating well,” said Commissioner Mike Brown, who represents much of the western part of the county. “I am hearing from people and they’re growing incredibly restless right now.”
“A plan to get us open must be developed,” he said, even if it isn’t immediately implemented.
But the health experts said they still need more data before they can be sure it’s safe.
“While we can expect and have cautious optimism here, I remain unconvinced that we’re ready to make a decision yet to lift the stay-at-home orders,” said Joseph LeMaster, MD, MPH, county public health officer.
LeMaster and Public Health Director Sanmi Areola, PhD, were replying to questions from Commissioners Steve Klika, Michael Ashcraft and Brown, who said they have fielded a steady stream of comments from constituents who mostly are tired of the shut down and want to know why it continues in full force.
The statewide stay-at-home order by Gov. Laura Kelly is set to end April 19. After that, Johnson County’s order will continue until April 23.
LeMaster acknowledged that the time is drawing near for the county to have the beginnings of an exit plan for the order. But testing equipment has only just begun to become available for wider exploration of how many in the county have contracted COVID-19. The first drive-up tests from a random sample of county residents started Friday and needs to be repeated to get an idea of its accuracy, said Areola.
Not all of those Friday results have come back yet, but of the ones that have, just under 5% have tested positive, he said.
But the commissioners urged health experts to make their case for keeping the restrictions.
“I’m not arguing about the importance at all of the safety of our citizens. That is paramount. But I’m dealing with reality at the same time,” Klika said.
“The problem that we are having is that we’re not packaging the message well enough for John Q. Public to understand it,” Klika said.
Klika said “My frustration is reflective of all the issues I’m hearing with my constituents,” the majority of whom don’t support the current restrictions. “I’m hearing in other parts of the country the Texas governor is talking about opening up business starting next week. The president is talking about laying out a line of how they’re going to be opening up and we’re still going to be in the middle of testing. Please bear with my frustration.”
Health officials say they need broader testing to understand community spread
Areola said he doubts people will be able to gather in concert-size groups in that amount of time, “but it may be there are some things we can roll back.” However the county needs that further testing to be sure that the exponential growth of cases really has slowed, he said.
Even if the county only does a partial re-open, health department officials will have to closely watch to see if COVID-19 cases increase. “The good news is our numbers from what we have done are looking good. That’s the good news,” Areola said. Lifting restrictions “will depend on us being able to verify that what we are seeing is sustainable over time. It’s tough to make decisions based on one data point.”
“It only takes a couple of things to change before the flat curve spikes up,” he said.
Commissioners Becky Fast and Janeé Hanzlick pushed back on the idea that most people don’t support the restrictions. “I’m hearing from a lot of my constituents who want us to proceed with caution,” Hanzlick said. Those people understand the need for business to reopen, but they’re also concerned about the safety of their families, she said.
Fast cited the 1918 Spanish flu history in Kansas, saying the state experienced the nation’s worst death rate because of its response.
“There is no thriving economy until individuals and families feel comfortable to return to work and they don’t fear death and illness,” she said.
Commissioners will continue to discuss the matter at future meetings.
Meanwhile concern has been growing about local governments’ ability to replace personal protective equipment used by first responders, law enforcement and other providing direct patient care.
To that end the commission approved an emergency contract Monday with Fully Promoted of Overland Park for $285,000 of equipment from Greater China Industries.
Public safety and health care providers have been strapped for a way to replace gowns, gloves and masks since February, according to the county’s background document. After placing orders with multiple vendors and coming up empty, the providers decided the situation was urgent.
They were able to get a shipment from the strategic national stockpile but even after that there is still a significant gap, officials said. Most local resources have been depleted.
Emergency Management coordinator Dan Robeson said that based on information from health care providers, the county expects to have enough of the protective gear to last until the order arrives.
Fully Promoted will get 8,700 isolation gowns, 9,000 KN95 masks, 201,400 disposable medical masks, 3,072 face shields and 441,000 gloves, but the county must pay 50 percent up front. Commissioners were told that Fully Promoted has promised to refund that down payment if the materials become unavailable.
The shipment’s estimated time of arrival is April 29.
