Commissioner Jim Howell catches coronavirus; fourth COVID-19 case at Sedgwick County
Sedgwick County Commissioner Jim Howell has tested positive for the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, he and the county government announced Tuesday evening.
Howell, who had tested negative for coronavirus infection three times previously, said he decided to get a fourth test after he began experiencing symptoms on Sunday.
He said his symptoms so far have been mild and mostly cold-like, with a runny nose and dry cough. He said he’s also experienced a loss of taste and smell, one of the signature symptoms caused by the coronavirus.
He said he is quarantining himself in his home and will continue to do so until at least Oct. 20.
“I’m living in my basement for the next week, it looks like,” he said.
Howell continues to work from home, participating in Tuesday’s county staff meeting by remote teleconferencing while his four fellow commissioners appeared in person.
He said he will participate by remote link-up at Wednesday’s regular meeting.
Howell has been the most consistent voice and vote against the county’s mask mandate, bar and nightclub curfew, and other measures recommended by the county health officer, Dr. Garold Minns.
He said he still doesn’t believe mandatory actions are the best way to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
“I’ve always said that this is a serious virus, dangerous and it needs to be respected,” Howell said. “I’ve advocated for three things primarily: education, advocation for mitigation and then trusting our people to do the right thing, understanding the risks. So no, this hasn’t changed my opinion.”
Howell said he has been conscientious about wearing protective face masks in public and urges even strident anti-mask advocates to do so.
He said he opposes the curfew that closes bars and clubs at midnight because it singles out those business for special attention while allowing others to operate more or less on their usual schedule.
Howell is the fourth top-level county official to contract COVID.
County Manager Tom Stolz and two of his department heads were diagnosed in late September and have since cleared quarantine and are back at work.
Howell said he doesn’t know how he caught COVID or whether his exposure is a result of the September outbreak in the county headquarters, on the third floor of the courthouse.
“The dates do seem to overlap a little bit, so it is possible,” he said.
This story was originally published October 13, 2020 at 7:21 PM.
