Mar 30, 2020

Riley County Emergency Operations Center responds to Governor's stay at Home Order

Posted Mar 30, 2020 6:16 PM

 Governor Kelly’s Stay at Home Order went into effect this morning and will remain in effect until at least April 19. The statewide order supersedes the previous Stay at Home Order issued by Riley County and all questions about the order should be directed to the Governor’s Office.

“Our modeling continues to suggest that the number of confirmed positive coronavirus cases in Kansas could reach as high as 900 over the next week,” Kelly said. “While I left these decisions to local health departments as long as possible, the reality is that the patchwork approach that has developed is inconsistent and is a recipe for chaos and, ultimately, for failure in our statewide fight to slow the spread of COVID-19.”

The Riley County Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will continue to meet daily and provide guidance for emergency planning and preparations. Live updates for the public will now happen each Monday at 4:15 p.m. on the Riley County Health Department Facebook page, instead of every day. If the situation changes, that schedule will be adjusted.

“We will work with local health care providers, first responders, and everyone in the community to keep people safe, and will follow all procedures outlined by the Governor,” said Julie Gibbs, Local Health Officer.

The Riley County Police Department will enforce the Governor’s Order at the local level. To report a Riley County business that is in violation of the Governor’s Order, please email [email protected].

Please refer to the Kansas Essential Function Framework (KEFF) for information and guidance about what businesses remain open to the public. That information is available online at https://governor.kansas.gov/keff/.

Understandably, the Governor’s office is experiencing a high volume of calls and questions related to the KEFF. The online portal is available at https://governor.kansas.gov/keff/ and offers a form for businesses that want to be reconsidered under the KEFF guidelines.

A screening hotline staffed by medical personnel is available every day from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. to provide guidance for anyone who has symptoms. The screening hotline number is 785-323-6400.

The Q&A hotline at 785-587-4526 will remain active for voicemail only. Please email general questions about the coronavirus response in Riley County to [email protected].

For more information about Riley County’s response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19) threat, visit the Riley County website at https://www.rileycountyks.gov/covid19, follow RCHD on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/Rileycountyhealthdepartment/ and Twitter @RileyCoHealth.