Sedgwick County leaders have to know: Reopening too soon could prove disastrous
It’s understandable that Sedgwick County Commissioners — like the residents they represent — are eager to relax stay-at-home orders, reopen thousands of local businesses and get the county’s stalled economy back on track.
We’re all getting a little restless.
But local leaders must be careful, measured and thoughtful in balancing economic concerns with public health. Because a headlong rush back to business as usual could prove disastrous.
Kansas recorded its third consecutive record-setting day of coronavirus cases on Friday — up nearly 300 cases from the day before.
On the same day, Sedgwick County’s health officer said measures designed to flatten the curve of the pandemic seem to be working, and that “hospitals think they have seen the peak” for coronavirus infections. But he cautioned against moving too swiftly to lift restrictions.
“Our patients who are in the hospital with COVID-19 pneumonia who survive do not jump out of bed and run a marathon,” Minns said. “It takes some time to recover, and our community is going to take time to recover.”
Unfortunately, some County Commissioners this week seemed focused on a sooner-rather-than-later approach to reopening businesses, suggesting that widespread economic woes and higher rates of violent crime traced to the stay-at-home order could be worse than the disease.
Commissioner David Dennis even pondered a potential “herd immunity” approach to the coronavirus outbreak, possibly allowing the virus to “run its course” — a theory promptly and soundly rejected by state health officials.
Two orders by Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly — one banning gatherings of more than 10 people and another ordering the shutdown of businesses deemed non-essential — are both set to expire May 3 unless Kelly extends them.
She and most health experts say a key issue in lifting restrictions will be more widespread testing. Until Kansas is able to accurately gauge the virus’ spread, identify outbreaks and containin them quickly, we can’t push to get back to pre-pandemic habits.
And the state has struggled to get enough testing supplies, still ranking among the lowest in the nation for per-capita testing rates.
It’s fact, not political hyperbole, to say this decision is a matter of life and death. Curbing the spread of a pandemic takes swift action followed by patience and resolve.
A majority of Sedgwick County Commissioners showed commitment to protecting public health when they voted to issue a stay-at-home order March 23. They should stand by that commitment, heed advice from state and local health experts, and not endanger vulnerable residents by reopening too soon.