Statewide 'stay-at-home' order follows county mandate

Shortly after Bourbon County’s stay-at-home order went into effect, on Saturday, Gov. Laura Kelly issued a statewide stay-at-home order.

The order, which went into effect at midnight Monday, supersedes the countywide stay-at-home order issued Thursday, March 26. The county order went into effect at 11:59 p.m. Friday, March 27.

The statewide order is in effect until April 19, unless the statewide disaster proclamation ends sooner. Local orders that expire after April 19 will resume enforce.

The Bourbon County’s order expires at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, April 26.

While the statewide order is in effect, local entities retain the authority to issue or enforce isolation or quarantine orders.

Both orders encourage citizens to stay home unless taking care of essential needs or working in an essential business.

But that doesn’t mean anyone has to be confined in their homes. Both orders state citizens are allowed to be outside as long as they continue to practice social distancing – 6 feet distance from other individuals.

The two orders also emphasize the importance of containing the virus before medical systems become overwhelmed with COVID-19 patients.

When the state order was written, there had been 202 reported confirmed COVID-19 cases in 31 states. As of Sunday, the number of confirmed cases rose to 268, with 6 deaths throughout the state.

Bourbon County has three confirmed cases and no deaths.

Bourbon County was one of several in Kansas that had issued local stay-at-home orders.

“In order to create uniformity in the State of Kansas, a state-wide order is necessary,” the Governor’s order reads.

The statewide order calls for all Kansans to remain in their homes except when performing essential activities such as:

“a. Obtaining food, medical or other household necessities;

“b. Performing, or going to or from work at a business or organization to perform an essential function as identified in the Kansas Essential Function Framework (KEFF)…;

“c. Seeking medical care;

“d. Caring for children (including daycare of childcare centers), family members or pets, or caring for a vulnerable person in another location;

“e. Engaging in an outdoor activity, provided individuals maintain a distance of 6 feet from one another and abide by the 10-person limitation on gathering size.

“f. Nothing in this order or any other executive order…prevents families from gathering privately.”

The order does not prohibit conducting “business, government or other operations or activities through telework, telecommunications, or other work-from-home capabilities that allow compliance” with the above requirements.

The order also states “No individual leaving their home in order perform (sic) an activity or function allowed under this order shall be required to carry or present any letter, identification card, or other paper providing that they are allowed to leave their home. Law enforcement officers enforcing this order should use their discretion and consider the totality of the circumstances as they determine appropriate enforcement action.”

Nor is any prior approval necessary for individuals to perform essential functions, the order states.

The order encourages individuals who perform essential functions to use telework capabilities when possible. Essential functions performed on-site or in person must follow appropriate safety protocols, including the 6-foot distance between individuals, hygiene, and other efforts to slow COVID-19.

Essential functions are listed as:

• Operate core information technology networks

• Provide cable access network services

• Provide internet based content information and communication services

• Provide internet routing, access and connection services – cyber security and infrastructure security agency

• Provide positioning, navigation, and timing services

• Provide radio broadcast access network service, including traditional television

• Provide satellite access network services

• Provide wireless and wireline access network services

• Distribute electricity

• Maintain supply chains for essential functions and critical infrastructure as defined by DHS

• Transmit electricity

• Transmit cargo and passengers by air, rail or road

• Manufacture, distribute, sell or maintain aircraft, trains, automobile or vessels or parts for aircraft, trains, automobile parts and vessels.

• Deliver mail, packages, food, groceries, beverages or other cargo

• Operate or maintain gas stations and associate convenience stores and restaurants

• Transport farm equipment, supplies, seed and personnel to farming operations

• Transport materials by pipeline

• Transport passengers by mass transit

• Conduct elections

• Operate media outlets

• Develop and maintain public works and support services for essential functions

• Educate and train essential functions personnel

• Enforce law

• Maintain access to medical records

• Manage hazardous materials and waste

• Manage wastewater

• Operate government

• perform the essential operations of state, county and municipal governments

• Operate state constitutional offices

• Perform cyber incident management capabilities

• Prepare for and manage emergencies

• Preserve constitutional or legal rights

• Protect sensitive information

• Provide and maintain critical infrastructure

–Produce or distribute construction materials

–Maintain specialized manufacturing or industrial equipment

• Provide capital markets and investment activities

– Perform accounting services

• Provide consumer and commercial banking services

• Provide funding and liquidity services

• Provide identity management and associated trust support services

• Provide insurance services

• Provide medical care and services, including mortuaiy services

¬¬– Provide pharmaceutical services

– Provide funeral or memorial services

• Provide payment, clearing and settlement services

• Provide public safety

• Provide wholesale funding

• Store fuel and maintain reserves

• Support community health and mental health services

– Operate laundry services

• Exploration and extraction of fuels

• Fuel refining and processing fuels

– Produce or deliver propane or natural gas

• Generate electricity

• Manufacture equipment used for essential functions or critical infrastructure (as defined by DHS)

• Produce and provide agricultural products and services

– Manufacture or maintain agricultural equipment

– Manufacture or distribute agricultural supplies such as seeds and chemicals

– Raise, process, or distribute poultry, livestock, or other animals for human consumption

– Prepare, till, plant, maintain, or harvest grains, fruits, or vegetables

• Produce and provide human and animal food products and services

– Manufacture or process food or food products

– Prepare or serve meals for takeout or delivery

– Sell groceries, including alcoholic beverages (not for on-site consumption)

• Produce chemicals

• Provide metals and materials

• Provide housing

– Operate or maintain rental property, student housing, long-term care or senior living facilities

– Construct, supply, clean, or maintain single family homes or other housing

– Provide real estate services

– Operate or maintain housing shelters or charities, animal shelters, hotels or motels

• Provide Information technology products and services

• Provide material and operational support to defense

• Research and development

• Supply water