Kansas governor wants to test 2% of residents - 60K people - for COVID-19 every month

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly has set a goal of testing 60,000 residents each month — approximately 2 percent of the state’s population— for the coronavirus as life returns to a semblance of normal across the state.

Kelly and Lee Norman, the state’s top health officer, unveiled a strategy on Thursday afternoon that will rely on large amounts of supplies from federal Department of Health and Human Services. Kansas continues to rank near the bottom of states in per-person testing.

While more Kansans will be tested, tests will not be available on demand. Most testing processed by the state’s lab will focus on individuals under investigation for possible exposure to COVID-19. Others wanting to be tested will generally have to get a doctor’s order, which will be processed by a commercial lab.

Kansans will also deploy a mobile testing vehicle to rapidly increase testing in specific areas as needed.

“I know Kansans are anxious to return to many summertime activities. I am too,” Kelly said. “Today’s announcement will continue to aid Kansas in the progress that will allow us to return to normal but we must do safely so the sacrifices that all have made will not have been in vain.”

Public health officials have long maintained that widely available testing, combined with robust contact tracing, is the most effective way to quickly identify cases and limit the spread of the virus. But limited supplies – in Kansas and virtually every other state – have proved to be one of the most enduring challenges of the pandemic.

That’s finally changing. Kansas testing figures have improved significantly in recent weeks. Kits procured from overseas combined with additional federal resources have allowed health officials to loosen testing standards.

Testing has taken on added importance as most restrictions put in place this spring to slow the spread of the virus have been lifted. No statewide restrictions have been in place since May and many local governments haven’t imposed their own rules beyond calling for basic precautions like social distancing and thorough cleaning.

The number of new tests reported each day hasn’t fallen below 3,000 since mid-May, according to data posted by Johns Hopkins University. At the same time, the percentage of people testing positive has fallen dramatically, from a peak of 17 percent at the end of April to 3.6 percent this past week – suggesting the spread of the disease is slowing.

Still, only seven states rank lower than Kansas in terms of per-person testing, according to Johns Hopkins. As of Thursday, Kansas had a testing rate of 4,105 per 100,000 people. Both Missouri and Colorado ranked lower, however.

Since the coronavirus was first confirmed in Kansas in early March, more than 10,812 people have tested positive. Cases have been found in 90 of the state’s 105 counties. At least 240 people have died.

Testing has long been limited to individuals with symptoms. But supplies have increased enough that tests are being offered in some areas to the asymptomatic. On Friday, anyone living or working in Johnson County can get tested – regardless of whether they have symptoms or not. Sedgwick County has also been testing all close contacts of people who have tested positive, regardless of symptoms.

This story was originally published June 11, 2020 at 5:04 PM.