(RILEY COUNTY, KS – February 24, 2021) Riley County Local Health Officer Julie Gibbs has issued Health Order No. 20 dropping most COVID-19 restrictions.
The new Local Health Order will go into effect at 11:59 p.m. Sunday February 28.
Health Order 20 rescinds all parts of Order 19 EXCEPT: masks and face coverings must still be worn in any public space in Riley County. A “public space” means any indoor or outdoor space or area that is open to the public; this does not include private residential property or private offices or workspaces that are not open to customers or public visitors. Masks are not required in outdoor public spaces if a distance of 6 ft can be maintained.
The new order will eliminate social distancing requirements inside businesses including bars or restaurants, no plexiglass and no table separation. Restaurants and bars will not be required to close at midnight and will not be limited to just seated customers. You will be able to sit at a bar side by side, dance on a dance floor or walk from table to table.Individuals are also strongly encouraged to maintain social distancing and follow health and safety guidelines from Kansas Department of Health and Environment and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The mass gathering limit of 50 people and the event request process will both be removed.
“This decision was made after looking at several factors. For the past four weeks the number of cases has continued to decline and we have not seen any new outbreaks. Additionally, there is minimal strain on local and regional health structures. We’ve also been able to ramp up our vaccination efforts”, explained Julie Gibbs, Director of Riley County Health Department.