TOPEKA— Governor Laura Kelly has announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved a Kansas plan for crisis counseling under the individual assistance category of the Stafford Act, according to a media release from the governor's office.

Funding is provided by FEMA’s Crisis Counseling Program Immediate Services Program (ISP). ISP is a program supported by a grant that provides disaster relief assistance offered through specially trained providers and other supports for up to 60 days after a major disaster declaration. Funding was secured through partnership with Kansas Division of Emergency Management, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services and Kansas Department of Agriculture.

“Kansans have faced challenges and uncertainty since the beginning of this unprecedented health crisis," Kelly said. "We are developing a program with both virtual and person-to-person support offered with social distancing and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in mind. It is imperative to provide options for support during this time to let people know they are not alone, and help is available for those who need it.”

The first round of training was held on June 19 and 22 for providers to help support mental health initiatives designed to benefit Kansans affected by the pandemic. The initial Core Content Training is a two-day training developed by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that covers basic crisis counseling skills and services, data collection and stress management techniques. Over 40 individuals were trained during this session. This opportunity positions Kansas to address the complexities of COVID-19. Collaborating agencies are establishing an approach to provide outreach and services by telephone, virtually and through social media. The program will focus on providing crisis counseling and disaster recovery options, promoting the use or development of healthy coping strategies, connecting survivors with appropriate people and agencies that can assist them, and completing referrals to other disaster recovery programs or mental health providers.

Hotlines through this program with trained crisis counseling staff and online support and resources are available now.

The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), provides free 24/7, confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. A chat option is also available online at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsuicidepreventionlifeline.org%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cf6ff3486273b4a60fa7e08d81e9ee0af%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637293015001298825&amp;sdata=BpBBPvIenyukrtDzDG73vmbbSaPpLlyev2MUdjGYuLE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/</a>.

Additional support is available for citizens through the following resources:

The Kansas Ag Stress Resources website offers a variety of resources geared toward those involved in agriculture including a 24/7 hotline at 1-800-447-1985. This is a service through the Kansas Department of Agriculture found at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kansasagstress.org%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cf6ff3486273b4a60fa7e08d81e9ee0af%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637293015001298825&amp;sdata=JlJT%2BswLLCvL8pMPwbq1y8Y%2F2WJOHtHGwn6RGq7k2sM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.KansasAgStress.org</a>.

SAMHSA offers the Disaster Distress Helpline, 1-800-985-5990. The Helpline is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week and free resource that responds to people who need crisis counseling and support in dealing with the traumatic effects of a natural or human-caused disaster.

With Kansas: Stronger Together as a program motto and brand, this program will also provide toolkits with educational materials and general outreach information for citizens, businesses and providers. Materials are available for the public and encouraged to be used as needed and shared in locations such as grocery stores, churches, businesses, funeral homes, social media, medical clinics or other places where individuals may gather. Some topics addressed include grief and loss, financial stress, coping mechanisms, children and coping, anxiety related to COVID-19, possible suicidal ideation, general resource information, agriculture hardship and other topics.&nbsp; Information can be found online via Facebook at Kansas: Stronger Together.

"As we continue to find ways to proactively battle the ongoing mental health and social effects of this pandemic, I think it's important we recognize the impact puts us in uncharted territory in that it reaches every corner of our state," KDADS Secretary Laura Howard said. "This funding allows us to implement a program that can also reach every corner of our state and is designed to link those in need to crisis counseling and community supports as well as other resources, strategies and comforts as we face this together."

Kansas will be requesting ongoing crisis counseling assistance from FEMA with a request to extend crisis counseling services to Kansans through the Crisis Counseling Program Regular Services Program. The Regular Services Program (RSP) is a CCP grant program that provides disaster relief assistance for ongoing counseling services and support for up to nine months after a major disaster declaration. A website is currently being developed.

For additional resources visit the&nbsp;Kansas: Stronger Together Facebook page (<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKansas-Stronger-Together&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cf6ff3486273b4a60fa7e08d81e9ee0af%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637293015001308783&amp;sdata=mvtm8kjHaxswJOt6xhVAPbPN72rOORNsw4dRN1SGQBA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/Kansas-Stronger-Together</a>). Kansas residents can also dial 2-1-1 or 1-800-CHILDREN to learn about programs and services.

TOPEKA— Governor Laura Kelly has announced that the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has approved a Kansas plan for crisis counseling under the individual assistance category of the Stafford Act, according to a media release from the governor's office.Funding is provided by FEMA’s Crisis Counseling Program Immediate Services Program (ISP). ISP is a program supported by a grant that provides disaster relief assistance offered through specially trained providers and other supports for up to 60 days after a major disaster declaration. Funding was secured through partnership with Kansas Division of Emergency Management, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas Department of Aging and Disability Services and Kansas Department of Agriculture.“Kansans have faced challenges and uncertainty since the beginning of this unprecedented health crisis," Kelly said. "We are developing a program with both virtual and person-to-person support offered with social distancing and preventing the spread of COVID-19 in mind. It is imperative to provide options for support during this time to let people know they are not alone, and help is available for those who need it.”The first round of training was held on June 19 and 22 for providers to help support mental health initiatives designed to benefit Kansans affected by the pandemic. The initial Core Content Training is a two-day training developed by The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) that covers basic crisis counseling skills and services, data collection and stress management techniques. Over 40 individuals were trained during this session. This opportunity positions Kansas to address the complexities of COVID-19. Collaborating agencies are establishing an approach to provide outreach and services by telephone, virtually and through social media. The program will focus on providing crisis counseling and disaster recovery options, promoting the use or development of healthy coping strategies, connecting survivors with appropriate people and agencies that can assist them, and completing referrals to other disaster recovery programs or mental health providers.Hotlines through this program with trained crisis counseling staff and online support and resources are available now.The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline, 1-800-273-TALK (8255), provides free 24/7, confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones, and best practices for professionals. A chat option is also available online at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fsuicidepreventionlifeline.org%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cf6ff3486273b4a60fa7e08d81e9ee0af%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637293015001298825&amp;sdata=BpBBPvIenyukrtDzDG73vmbbSaPpLlyev2MUdjGYuLE%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/</a>.Additional support is available for citizens through the following resources:The Kansas Ag Stress Resources website offers a variety of resources geared toward those involved in agriculture including a 24/7 hotline at 1-800-447-1985. This is a service through the Kansas Department of Agriculture found at&nbsp;<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kansasagstress.org%2F&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cf6ff3486273b4a60fa7e08d81e9ee0af%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637293015001298825&amp;sdata=JlJT%2BswLLCvL8pMPwbq1y8Y%2F2WJOHtHGwn6RGq7k2sM%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">www.KansasAgStress.org</a>.SAMHSA offers the Disaster Distress Helpline, 1-800-985-5990. The Helpline is a 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a-week and free resource that responds to people who need crisis counseling and support in dealing with the traumatic effects of a natural or human-caused disaster.With Kansas: Stronger Together as a program motto and brand, this program will also provide toolkits with educational materials and general outreach information for citizens, businesses and providers. Materials are available for the public and encouraged to be used as needed and shared in locations such as grocery stores, churches, businesses, funeral homes, social media, medical clinics or other places where individuals may gather. Some topics addressed include grief and loss, financial stress, coping mechanisms, children and coping, anxiety related to COVID-19, possible suicidal ideation, general resource information, agriculture hardship and other topics.&nbsp; Information can be found online via Facebook at Kansas: Stronger Together."As we continue to find ways to proactively battle the ongoing mental health and social effects of this pandemic, I think it's important we recognize the impact puts us in uncharted territory in that it reaches every corner of our state," KDADS Secretary Laura Howard said. "This funding allows us to implement a program that can also reach every corner of our state and is designed to link those in need to crisis counseling and community supports as well as other resources, strategies and comforts as we face this together."Kansas will be requesting ongoing crisis counseling assistance from FEMA with a request to extend crisis counseling services to Kansans through the Crisis Counseling Program Regular Services Program. The Regular Services Program (RSP) is a CCP grant program that provides disaster relief assistance for ongoing counseling services and support for up to nine months after a major disaster declaration. A website is currently being developed.For additional resources visit the&nbsp;Kansas: Stronger Together Facebook page (<a href="https://gcc01.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKansas-Stronger-Together&amp;data=02%7C01%7C%7Cf6ff3486273b4a60fa7e08d81e9ee0af%7Cdcae8101c92d480cbc43c6761ccccc5a%7C0%7C0%7C637293015001308783&amp;sdata=mvtm8kjHaxswJOt6xhVAPbPN72rOORNsw4dRN1SGQBA%3D&amp;reserved=0" target="_blank">https://www.facebook.com/Kansas-Stronger-Together</a>). Kansas residents can also dial 2-1-1 or 1-800-CHILDREN to learn about programs and services.

Grant for mental health program benefits Kansans impacted by COVID-19  

The Saline County Commission announced today that it will conduct a special meeting Wednesday to consider a face cover resolution.

The meeting is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Wednesday in room 107 of the City-County Building, 300 West Ash Street. The meeting is scheduled to be recorded by Salina Media Connection.

The agenda for the meeting is as follows.

•Consideration of a county resolution that would parallel City of Salina Ordinance No. 20-11034.

On Thursday, the county commission went against County Health Officer Jason Tiller's recommendation and voted 4-1 to exempt Saline County from Governor Laura Kelly's face covering order.

READ: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/ede6458d-19e4-43cb-bda6-2ae74d21fc6b">Commissioners vote to exempt Saline County from mask order</a>

The Saline County Commission announced today that it will conduct a special meeting Wednesday to consider a face cover resolution.The meeting is scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. Wednesday in room 107 of the City-County Building, 300 West Ash Street. The meeting is scheduled to be recorded by Salina Media Connection.The agenda for the meeting is as follows.•Citizens input•Consideration of a county resolution that would parallel City of Salina Ordinance No. 20-11034.On Thursday, the county commission went against County Health Officer Jason Tiller's recommendation and voted 4-1 to exempt Saline County from Governor Laura Kelly's face covering order.READ: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/ede6458d-19e4-43cb-bda6-2ae74d21fc6b">Commissioners vote to exempt Saline County from mask order</a>

County to consider face covering resolution at special meeting Wednesday

ABILENE -- The Dickinson County Health Department today reported three additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county, bringing the total to 14.

The three new cases are a 62-year-old female, and 85-year-old female, and a 59-year-old male, according to the health department. 

"All individuals are currently maintaining in-home isolation and are stable. All contacts are being notified and will monitor for fever and respiratory symptoms," the health department reported.

ABILENE -- The Dickinson County Health Department today reported three additional confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county, bringing the total to 14.The three new cases are a 62-year-old female, and 85-year-old female, and a 59-year-old male, according to the health department. "All individuals are currently maintaining in-home isolation and are stable. All contacts are being notified and will monitor for fever and respiratory symptoms," the health department reported.

Dickinson County reports three new cases of COVID-19

Topeka –The Shawnee County Health Department (SCHD) has identified additional COVID-19 cases linked to the Topeka Service Area on Interstate 70 Turnpike just East of Topeka, according to public information officer Craig Barnes.

 The exposure is specifically designated to the food court and restrooms of the facility. This facility food court&nbsp; includes Dunkin Donuts, Hardees, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut. The facility is accessible going east and westbound on the I-70 Turnpike.&nbsp; 

Shawnee County Health officials issued a similar alert in early May.

People who have traveled to food court or used the restrooms of this facility between July 2, 2020 and July 4, 2020 are recommended to contact their primary care provider&nbsp;IF&nbsp;they develop any of the following symptoms within 14 days from the date of their visit including fever of 100.4 F or higher, chills,&nbsp;rigors, myalgia (muscle pain or aches), malaise, headache, sore throat, lower respiratory illness (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing), new olfactory and taste disorders,and diarrhea.

“It is important that the public be aware of this information in case they traveled and stopped at the Turnpike food court during their travels for the holiday weekend,” said Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino, Shawnee County Health Officer. 

“While the risk is most likely low for infection, it is not zero, and individuals should contact their healthcare provider if they begin to exhibit any symptoms related to COVID-19.”

As a reminder, human coronaviruses like the one that causes COVID-19 are most commonly spread through coughing and sneezing, personal contact like shaking hands, and touching a surface with the virus and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. There are simple steps everyone can take to help prevent spreading them:

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wear a mask when social and physical distancing is not possible.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid close contact with people who are sick.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stay home when you are sick and only leave home for essential items.

·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588891583149.png" alt="Topeka Service area on I-70 Google image" />
 <figcaption>Topeka Service area on I-70 Google image</figcaption>
 </figure>Topeka –The Shawnee County Health Department (SCHD) has identified additional COVID-19 cases linked to the Topeka Service Area on Interstate 70 Turnpike just East of Topeka, according to public information officer Craig Barnes. The exposure is specifically designated to the food court and restrooms of the facility. This facility food court&nbsp; includes Dunkin Donuts, Hardees, Taco Bell, and Pizza Hut. The facility is accessible going east and westbound on the I-70 Turnpike.&nbsp; Shawnee County Health officials issued a similar alert in early May.People who have traveled to food court or used the restrooms of this facility between July 2, 2020 and July 4, 2020 are recommended to contact their primary care provider&nbsp;IF&nbsp;they develop any of the following symptoms within 14 days from the date of their visit including fever of 100.4 F or higher, chills,&nbsp;rigors, myalgia (muscle pain or aches), malaise, headache, sore throat, lower respiratory illness (cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing), new olfactory and taste disorders,and diarrhea.“It is important that the public be aware of this information in case they traveled and stopped at the Turnpike food court during their travels for the holiday weekend,” said Dr. Gianfranco Pezzino, Shawnee County Health Officer. “While the risk is most likely low for infection, it is not zero, and individuals should contact their healthcare provider if they begin to exhibit any symptoms related to COVID-19.”As a reminder, human coronaviruses like the one that causes COVID-19 are most commonly spread through coughing and sneezing, personal contact like shaking hands, and touching a surface with the virus and then touching your eyes, nose or mouth. There are simple steps everyone can take to help prevent spreading them:·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Wear a mask when social and physical distancing is not possible.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Avoid close contact with people who are sick.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Stay home when you are sick and only leave home for essential items.·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces.

Coronavirus cases identified at I-70 service area food court

UPDATE: Story now includes information from the city concerning the date the ordinance is expected to go into effect.

On Monday night, the Salina City Commission passed Ordinance No. 20-11034 requiring the wearing of masks or other face coverings in public spaces.

The ordinance addresses the requirements of persons, businesses, organizations, and non-profit associations; outlines specific exemptions from the requirement of wearing masks or other face coverings; and addresses the penalties for a first, second, and any subsequent violations of the ordinance.

This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption and publication once in the official city newspaper, the Salina Journal, which is anticipated to be Thursday, July 9, according to a news release issued by the city Tuesday evening. The mask requirement will remain in place until repealed by the city commission, the news release noted.

Following is a copy of the ordinance. You also can read it on the city's website by clicking <a href="http://www.salina-ks.gov/news/?FeedID=5800">here</a>.

AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING THE WEARING OF MASKS OR OTHER FACE COVERINGS IN PUBLIC SPACES.

WHEREAS,&nbsp;securing the health, safety, and economic well-being of residents of the City of Salina is the priority of the City Commission; and

WHEREAS,&nbsp;the United States Departments of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency for COVID-19 beginning January 27, 2020, with now more than 2,580,000 cases of the illness and more than 126,000 deaths as a result of the illness across the United States; and

WHEREAS,&nbsp;the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020; and

WHEREAS,&nbsp;a State of Disaster Emergency was proclaimed for the State of Kansas on March 12, 2020; and

WHEREAS,&nbsp;on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States declared the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant an emergency declaration for all states, tribes, territories, and the District of Columbia pursuant to Section 50 1 (b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. § 5121-5207 (the "Stafford Act''); and

WHEREAS,&nbsp;on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States pursuant to Sections 201 and 301 of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. § 1601, et seq. and consistent with Section 1135 of the Social Security Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 1320b-5), declared a national emergency that the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States constitutes a national emergency beginning March 1, 2020; and

WHEREAS,&nbsp;as of this date, in Kansas there have been 14,990 reported positive cases of COVID-19 spread among 97 counties, including 272 deaths; and

WHEREAS, after a steady trend of decreasing metrics, recent weeks have seen the numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths spike in Kansas and across the nation; and

WHEREAS,&nbsp;in Saline County, there is a recent increase in cases as is reported; and

WHEREAS, this of increased COVID-19 spread is a danger to the health and safety of residents of Salina and also presents a serious threat to reopening and reviving the Salina economy; and

WHEREAS, wearing a mask in public is the easiest and most effective way to protect each other and help keep our businesses open and our economy running; and

WHEREAS,&nbsp;the City of Salina must remain flexible to account for the evolving nature and scope of the unprecedented public health emergency posed by COVID-19, while also simultaneously safely, strategically, and incrementally reopening business and facilitating economic recovery and revitalization; and

WHEREAS,&nbsp;for the aforementioned and other reasons, and in recognition and furtherance of our responsibility to provide for and ensure the health, safety, security, and welfare of the people of the City of Salina, requiring that masks or other face coverings be worn in public spaces is necessary to promote and secure the safety and protection of the civilian population,&nbsp;SO NOW, THEREFORE

BE IT ORDAINED&nbsp;by the Governing Body of Salina, Kansas:

Section 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Definitions.&nbsp;The following terms shall have the following meanings:

a. "Mask or other face covering" means a covering of the nose and mouth that is secured&nbsp;to the head with ties, straps, or loops over the ears or is simply wrapped around the lower face. A&nbsp;mask or other face covering can be made of a variety of synthetic and natural fabrics, including cotton, silk, or linen. Ideally, a mask or other face covering has two or more layers. A mask or other face covering may be factory-made, sewn by hand, or can be improvised from household items such as scarfs, bandanas, t-shirts, sweatshirts, or towels.

b. “Public space” means any indoor or outdoor space or area that is open to the public;&nbsp;this does not include private residential property or private offices or workspaces that are not&nbsp;open to customers or public visitors.

Section 2.&nbsp;Requirements of persons.&nbsp;All persons in the City of Salina shall cover their mouths and noses with a mask or other face covering when they are in the following situations: a. Inside any indoor public space where distancing of 6 feet at all times is not possible; b. In line and waiting to enter an indoor public space; c. Obtaining services from the healthcare sector in settings, including but not limited to, a&nbsp;hospital, pharmacy, medical clinic, laboratory, physician or dental office, veterinary clinic, or blood bank, unless directed otherwise by an employee or healthcare provider; d. Waiting for or riding on public transportation or while in a taxi, private car service, or ridesharing vehicle; or e. While outdoors in public spaces and unable to maintain a 6-foot distance between individuals&nbsp;(not including individuals who reside together) with only infrequent or incidental&nbsp;moments of&nbsp;closer proximity.

Section 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Requirements of businesses, organizations, and non-profit associations. All businesses, organizations and non-profit associations in the City of Salina must require all employees,&nbsp;customers, visitors, members, or members of the public to wear a mask or other face covering when:

a. Employees are working in any space visited by customers, members of the public or co-workers, who are present at the time;

b. Employees are working in any space where food is prepared or packaged for sale or&nbsp;distribution to others;

c. Customers, members, visitors, or members of the public are in a facility managed by&nbsp;the business or organization; or

d. Employees are in any room or enclosed area where other people (except for individuals&nbsp;who reside together) are present and are unable to maintain a 6-foot distance except for&nbsp;infrequent or incidental moments of closer proximity.

Section 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;Exemptions. The following individuals are exempt from wearing masks or other face&nbsp;coverings in the situations described in Sections 2 and 3:

a. Persons age five years or under; children age two years and under in particular should&nbsp;not wear a face covering because of the risk of suffocation;

b. Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents&nbsp;wearing a face covering—this includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a&nbsp;face covering could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise&nbsp;unable to remove a face covering without assistance; c. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, or communicating with a person who is&nbsp;deaf or hard of hearing, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication;

d. Persons for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to&nbsp;their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines;

e. Persons who are obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary&nbsp;removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service; f. Persons who are seated at a restaurant or other establishment that offers food or&nbsp;beverage service, while they are eating or drinking, provided they maintain a 6-foot distance&nbsp;between individuals (not including individuals who reside together or are seated together) with&nbsp;only infrequent or incidental moments of closer proximity; g. Athletes who are engaged in an organized sports activity that allows athletes to&nbsp;maintain a 6-foot distance from others with only infrequent or incidental moments of closer&nbsp;proximity;

h. Persons who are engaged in an activity that a professional or recreational association,&nbsp;regulatory entity, medical association, or other public-health-oriented entity has determined&nbsp;cannot be safely conducted while wearing a mask or other face covering; i. Persons engaged in an activity or event held or managed by the Kansas Legislature; j. Persons engaged in a court-related proceeding held or managed by the Kansas&nbsp;Judiciary; and

k. Persons engaged in any lawful activity during which wearing a mask or other face&nbsp;covering is prohibited by law.

Section 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;Enforcement, violations and penalties.

a.&nbsp;&nbsp;Any person, business, organization, or non-profit association violating the provisions of this ordinance shall be guilty of misdemeanor, punishable by:

1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A fine of no less than twenty-five ($25.00) dollars upon a first violation.&nbsp;

2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A fine of no less than fifty ($50.00) dollars upon a second violation.

3.&nbsp;&nbsp;A fine of no less than one hundred ($100.00) dollars upon a third or subsequent violation

b.&nbsp;&nbsp;Each occurrence of a violation of this ordinance shall be considered a separate and distinct violation.

Section 6.&nbsp;&nbsp;Effective.&nbsp;&nbsp;This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption and publication once in the official city newspaper by the following summary:

Ordinance No. 20-11034&nbsp;Summary

On July 6, 2020, the City Commission passed Ordinance No. 20-11034.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Ordinance requires the wearing of masks or other face coverings in public spaces; addresses the requirements of persons, businesses, organizations, and non-profit associations; outlines specific exemptions from the requirement of wearing masks or other face coverings; and addresses the penalties for a first, second, and any subsequent violations of the Ordinance.&nbsp;&nbsp;A complete copy of the Ordinance can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.salina-ks.gov/">www.salina-ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or in the office of the City Clerk, 300 W. Ash, free of charge.&nbsp;&nbsp;This summary is certified by the City’s legal counsel.

UPDATE: Story now includes information from the city concerning the date the ordinance is expected to go into effect.On Monday night, the Salina City Commission passed Ordinance No. 20-11034 requiring the wearing of masks or other face coverings in public spaces.The ordinance addresses the requirements of persons, businesses, organizations, and non-profit associations; outlines specific exemptions from the requirement of wearing masks or other face coverings; and addresses the penalties for a first, second, and any subsequent violations of the ordinance.This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption and publication once in the official city newspaper, the Salina Journal, which is anticipated to be Thursday, July 9, according to a news release issued by the city Tuesday evening. The mask requirement will remain in place until repealed by the city commission, the news release noted.Following is a copy of the ordinance. You also can read it on the city's website by clicking <a href="http://www.salina-ks.gov/news/?FeedID=5800">here</a>.ORDINANCE NUMBER 20-11034AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING THE WEARING OF MASKS OR OTHER FACE COVERINGS IN PUBLIC SPACES.WHEREAS,&nbsp;securing the health, safety, and economic well-being of residents of the City of Salina is the priority of the City Commission; andWHEREAS,&nbsp;the United States Departments of Health and Human Services declared a public health emergency for COVID-19 beginning January 27, 2020, with now more than 2,580,000 cases of the illness and more than 126,000 deaths as a result of the illness across the United States; and WHEREAS,&nbsp;the World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020; and WHEREAS,&nbsp;a State of Disaster Emergency was proclaimed for the State of Kansas on March 12, 2020; and WHEREAS,&nbsp;on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States declared the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic of sufficient severity and magnitude to warrant an emergency declaration for all states, tribes, territories, and the District of Columbia pursuant to Section 50 1 (b) of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. § 5121-5207 (the "Stafford Act''); and WHEREAS,&nbsp;on March 13, 2020, the President of the United States pursuant to Sections 201 and 301 of the National Emergencies Act, 50 U.S.C. § 1601, et seq. and consistent with Section 1135 of the Social Security Act, as amended (42 U.S.C. § 1320b-5), declared a national emergency that the COVID-19 outbreak in the United States constitutes a national emergency beginning March 1, 2020; and WHEREAS,&nbsp;as of this date, in Kansas there have been 14,990 reported positive cases of COVID-19 spread among 97 counties, including 272 deaths; and WHEREAS, after a steady trend of decreasing metrics, recent weeks have seen the numbers of COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths spike in Kansas and across the nation; and WHEREAS,&nbsp;in Saline County, there is a recent increase in cases as is reported; and WHEREAS, this of increased COVID-19 spread is a danger to the health and safety of residents of Salina and also presents a serious threat to reopening and reviving the Salina economy; and WHEREAS, wearing a mask in public is the easiest and most effective way to protect each other and help keep our businesses open and our economy running; and WHEREAS,&nbsp;the City of Salina must remain flexible to account for the evolving nature and scope of the unprecedented public health emergency posed by COVID-19, while also simultaneously safely, strategically, and incrementally reopening business and facilitating economic recovery and revitalization; and WHEREAS,&nbsp;for the aforementioned and other reasons, and in recognition and furtherance of our responsibility to provide for and ensure the health, safety, security, and welfare of the people of the City of Salina, requiring that masks or other face coverings be worn in public spaces is necessary to promote and secure the safety and protection of the civilian population,&nbsp;SO NOW, THEREFOREBE IT ORDAINED&nbsp;by the Governing Body of Salina, Kansas:Section 1.&nbsp;&nbsp;Definitions.&nbsp;The following terms shall have the following meanings: a. "Mask or other face covering" means a covering of the nose and mouth that is secured&nbsp;to the head with ties, straps, or loops over the ears or is simply wrapped around the lower face. A&nbsp;mask or other face covering can be made of a variety of synthetic and natural fabrics, including cotton, silk, or linen. Ideally, a mask or other face covering has two or more layers. A mask or other face covering may be factory-made, sewn by hand, or can be improvised from household items such as scarfs, bandanas, t-shirts, sweatshirts, or towels. b. “Public space” means any indoor or outdoor space or area that is open to the public;&nbsp;this does not include private residential property or private offices or workspaces that are not&nbsp;open to customers or public visitors.Section 2.&nbsp;Requirements of persons.&nbsp;All persons in the City of Salina shall cover their mouths and noses with a mask or other face covering when they are in the following situations: a. Inside any indoor public space where distancing of 6 feet at all times is not possible; b. In line and waiting to enter an indoor public space; c. Obtaining services from the healthcare sector in settings, including but not limited to, a&nbsp;hospital, pharmacy, medical clinic, laboratory, physician or dental office, veterinary clinic, or blood bank, unless directed otherwise by an employee or healthcare provider; d. Waiting for or riding on public transportation or while in a taxi, private car service, or ridesharing vehicle; or e. While outdoors in public spaces and unable to maintain a 6-foot distance between individuals&nbsp;(not including individuals who reside together) with only infrequent or incidental&nbsp;moments of&nbsp;closer proximity. Section 3.&nbsp;&nbsp;Requirements of businesses, organizations, and non-profit associations. All businesses, organizations and non-profit associations in the City of Salina must require all employees,&nbsp;customers, visitors, members, or members of the public to wear a mask or other face covering when: a. Employees are working in any space visited by customers, members of the public or co-workers, who are present at the time; b. Employees are working in any space where food is prepared or packaged for sale or&nbsp;distribution to others; c. Customers, members, visitors, or members of the public are in a facility managed by&nbsp;the business or organization; or d. Employees are in any room or enclosed area where other people (except for individuals&nbsp;who reside together) are present and are unable to maintain a 6-foot distance except for&nbsp;infrequent or incidental moments of closer proximity. Section 4.&nbsp;&nbsp;Exemptions. The following individuals are exempt from wearing masks or other face&nbsp;coverings in the situations described in Sections 2 and 3: a. Persons age five years or under; children age two years and under in particular should&nbsp;not wear a face covering because of the risk of suffocation; b. Persons with a medical condition, mental health condition, or disability that prevents&nbsp;wearing a face covering—this includes persons with a medical condition for whom wearing a&nbsp;face covering could obstruct breathing or who are unconscious, incapacitated, or otherwise&nbsp;unable to remove a face covering without assistance; c. Persons who are deaf or hard of hearing, or communicating with a person who is&nbsp;deaf or hard of hearing, where the ability to see the mouth is essential for communication; d. Persons for whom wearing a face covering would create a risk to the person related to&nbsp;their work, as determined by local, state, or federal regulators or workplace safety guidelines; e. Persons who are obtaining a service involving the nose or face for which temporary&nbsp;removal of the face covering is necessary to perform the service; f. Persons who are seated at a restaurant or other establishment that offers food or&nbsp;beverage service, while they are eating or drinking, provided they maintain a 6-foot distance&nbsp;between individuals (not including individuals who reside together or are seated together) with&nbsp;only infrequent or incidental moments of closer proximity; g. Athletes who are engaged in an organized sports activity that allows athletes to&nbsp;maintain a 6-foot distance from others with only infrequent or incidental moments of closer&nbsp;proximity; h. Persons who are engaged in an activity that a professional or recreational association,&nbsp;regulatory entity, medical association, or other public-health-oriented entity has determined&nbsp;cannot be safely conducted while wearing a mask or other face covering; i. Persons engaged in an activity or event held or managed by the Kansas Legislature; j. Persons engaged in a court-related proceeding held or managed by the Kansas&nbsp;Judiciary; and k. Persons engaged in any lawful activity during which wearing a mask or other face&nbsp;covering is prohibited by law.Section 5.&nbsp;&nbsp;Enforcement, violations and penalties.a.&nbsp;&nbsp;Any person, business, organization, or non-profit association violating the provisions of this ordinance shall be guilty of misdemeanor, punishable by:1.&nbsp;&nbsp;A fine of no less than twenty-five ($25.00) dollars upon a first violation.&nbsp;2.&nbsp;&nbsp;A fine of no less than fifty ($50.00) dollars upon a second violation.3.&nbsp;&nbsp;A fine of no less than one hundred ($100.00) dollars upon a third or subsequent violationb.&nbsp;&nbsp;Each occurrence of a violation of this ordinance shall be considered a separate and distinct violation.Section 6.&nbsp;&nbsp;Effective.&nbsp;&nbsp;This ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its adoption and publication once in the official city newspaper by the following summary:Ordinance No. 20-11034&nbsp;SummaryOn July 6, 2020, the City Commission passed Ordinance No. 20-11034.&nbsp;&nbsp;The Ordinance requires the wearing of masks or other face coverings in public spaces; addresses the requirements of persons, businesses, organizations, and non-profit associations; outlines specific exemptions from the requirement of wearing masks or other face coverings; and addresses the penalties for a first, second, and any subsequent violations of the Ordinance.&nbsp;&nbsp;A complete copy of the Ordinance can be found at&nbsp;<a href="http://www.salina-ks.gov/">www.salina-ks.gov</a>&nbsp;or in the office of the City Clerk, 300 W. Ash, free of charge.&nbsp;&nbsp;This summary is certified by the City’s legal counsel.

UPDATE: Here's the City of Salina's face covering ordinance

WASHINGTON (AP) — The government on Monday identified roughly 650,000 mostly small businesses and nonprofits that received taxpayer money through a federal program that was designed to soften job losses from the coronavirus but also benefited wealthy, well-connected companies and some celebrity owned firms.

The Treasury Department’s Payroll Protection Program approved applicants from a broad swath of industries. Some that were less directly impacted by the pandemic, such as manufacturing and construction, received a greater proportion of the loans than the hard-hit restaurant and hotel industries. Many law firms and private equity companies also obtained loans.

Businesses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b9544ec851527b8712ff63adf9180b47">owned by politicians&nbsp;</a>also borrowed from the program, including a minor league baseball team owned by the family of the governor of Ohio. A large franchisee of Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut restaurants, whose CEO is a major donor to President Donald Trump, received loans totaling $15 to $30 million.

Other recipients included Kanye West’s clothing and sneaker brand Yeezy, Ice Cube’s professional basketball league, Planned Parenthood clinics in more than two dozen states, the nonprofit arm of the anti-tax group headed by Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform, as well as Rosenblatt Securities, one of the biggest names on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

As of June 30, the program had handed out $521 billion. The Treasury Department identified just a fraction of the total borrowers Monday, naming only companies that got more than $150,000. Those firms made up less than 15% of the nearly 5 million small companies and organizations that received loans.

Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican and chairman of the Small Business Committee that crafted the program, said the release of the data provided “much needed transparency.” He called the program “a historic lifeline” for small businesses during the pandemic.

Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer described the data release as a “good start” but lamented that it took so long and “so much pressure from Democrats” to make the information public. He said more transparency was needed ”to ensure that these taxpayer dollars went where Congress intended — to the truly small and underbanked small businesses.”

Economists generally credit the program with helping prevent the job market meltdown from being much worse. Employers added 7.5 million jobs in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/cddec060d38eacbb708a47120d34af51">May and June</a>, a solid increase that was probably driven in part by the PPP. The economy still has nearly 15 million fewer jobs than before the pandemic.

Research by the Federal Reserve&nbsp;<a href="https://bfi.uchicago.edu/working-paper/2020-58/" target="_blank">found that</a>&nbsp;companies with fewer than 50 workers before the pandemic saw their hiring rise 12% in May, while jobs grew just 5% in larger firms, suggesting PPP helped fuel rehiring.

But the program was only intended to carry the economy through a short interruption from the pandemic, which is now threatening to have a longer-lasting impact. The Treasury Department initially required the loans to be spent within eight weeks of being received, though that was later extended to 24 weeks.

Many small businesses have already run through their PPP money and still face sharply smaller demand, as consumers remain wary of returning to previous habits of shopping, visiting gyms, or eating out. Texas, Florida, California, New York and others states have reversed their reopenings, closing down bars and delaying the onset of indoor dining.

“The biggest issue is that PPP is short-term help,” said Adam Ozimek, chief economist at Upwork, a freelancing platform. “And now we’re dealing with a mid- to long-term problem.”

A survey by the National Federation of Independent Business found that as of mid-June, 14% of small businesses that borrowed from the PPP expected they would have to lay off some workers when their loan ran out.

The program provided loans of up to $10 million for small businesses to help them recover from the government-ordered shutdowns and revenue losses caused by the virus. The average loan amount for the entire program was $107,000, the Treasury Department said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/PPP-Results-Sunday.pdf" target="_blank">broad summary</a>&nbsp;of the program.

The loans can be forgiven if businesses mostly use the money to continue paying workers. The program initially was set to expire June 30 but was extended last week to Aug. 8, with $132 billion still available.

The recipients employed 51 million people before the pandemic began, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. That amounts to about 85% of all workers at companies with fewer than 500 employees. The government will not know how many of these jobs were actually saved until companies apply to have the loans forgiven, a process that is just beginning.

A senior administration official said Monday that some small companies “will need additional support” in the coming months.

The public may never know the identity of more than 80% of the nearly 5 million beneficiaries to date because the administration has refused to release details on loans under $150,000. That secrecy spurred a lawsuit by news organizations including The Associated Press.

The Treasury Department has released only dollar ranges for the loan amounts, rather than exact figures.

High-profile evangelical megachurches, including several with pastors who have backed Trump, also received loans after religious entities were permitted to seek aid even if they performed only faith-based functions.

Among the Trump-linked churches that received PPP loans was First Baptist Dallas, the Texas megachurch where senior pastor and White House ally Robert Jeffress hosted Vice President Mike Pence for a pre-July 4 service. Jeffress’ church reported retaining nearly 300 jobs with its loan of between $2 million and $5 million.

Some major supporters of Trump also benefited. Muy Brands Inc., a San Antonio, Texas-based franchisee with more than 750 Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut restaurants, received between $15 million and $30 million between three entities. Muy Brands CEO James Bodenstedt is a major donor to the president. He has given $300,000 to the Trump Victory PAC since the start of this year, according to federal campaign finance records.

The hardest-hit restaurant and hotel industries lost nearly half of their pre-pandemic jobs in March and April. They ranked fifth on a list of recipients. Health care, professional and business services, construction and manufacturing received a greater share of loans.

And according to an analysis by Beth Ann Bovino, U.S. chief economist at Standard &amp; Poor’s, some states with the smallest increases in unemployment from the pandemic got more loans than harder-hit states.

“It didn’t reach the industries that needed it, and it looked like it didn’t reach the states that were hardest hit,” Bovino said.

Media companies, including Newsday and American Media, former owner of the National Enquirer, got loans of up to $5 million.

The data gave few details about loans to minority-owned businesses. Companies were not required to supply demographic data on their applications, and many entries about race and gender contained “unanswered.”

However, many minority-owned businesses are run by the owner, with few, if any, employees, so their loan amounts likely were under $150,000 and therefore not part of the data release. Senior administration officials who briefed reporters before the release said they hoped to get more information when owners submit applications for loan forgiveness over the next few months.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593545192155.png" alt="Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin prior to his testimony before the House Financial Services Committee&nbsp; June 30-photo courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin prior to his testimony before the House Financial Services Committee&nbsp; June 30-photo courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The government on Monday identified roughly 650,000 mostly small businesses and nonprofits that received taxpayer money through a federal program that was designed to soften job losses from the coronavirus but also benefited wealthy, well-connected companies and some celebrity owned firms.The Treasury Department’s Payroll Protection Program approved applicants from a broad swath of industries. Some that were less directly impacted by the pandemic, such as manufacturing and construction, received a greater proportion of the loans than the hard-hit restaurant and hotel industries. Many law firms and private equity companies also obtained loans.Businesses&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/b9544ec851527b8712ff63adf9180b47">owned by politicians&nbsp;</a>also borrowed from the program, including a minor league baseball team owned by the family of the governor of Ohio. A large franchisee of Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut restaurants, whose CEO is a major donor to President Donald Trump, received loans totaling $15 to $30 million.Other recipients included Kanye West’s clothing and sneaker brand Yeezy, Ice Cube’s professional basketball league, Planned Parenthood clinics in more than two dozen states, the nonprofit arm of the anti-tax group headed by Grover Norquist, Americans for Tax Reform, as well as Rosenblatt Securities, one of the biggest names on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1588075781384.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>As of June 30, the program had handed out $521 billion. The Treasury Department identified just a fraction of the total borrowers Monday, naming only companies that got more than $150,000. Those firms made up less than 15% of the nearly 5 million small companies and organizations that received loans.Sen. Marco Rubio, a Florida Republican and chairman of the Small Business Committee that crafted the program, said the release of the data provided “much needed transparency.” He called the program “a historic lifeline” for small businesses during the pandemic.Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer described the data release as a “good start” but lamented that it took so long and “so much pressure from Democrats” to make the information public. He said more transparency was needed ”to ensure that these taxpayer dollars went where Congress intended — to the truly small and underbanked small businesses.”Economists generally credit the program with helping prevent the job market meltdown from being much worse. Employers added 7.5 million jobs in&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/cddec060d38eacbb708a47120d34af51">May and June</a>, a solid increase that was probably driven in part by the PPP. The economy still has nearly 15 million fewer jobs than before the pandemic.Research by the Federal Reserve&nbsp;<a href="https://bfi.uchicago.edu/working-paper/2020-58/" target="_blank">found that</a>&nbsp;companies with fewer than 50 workers before the pandemic saw their hiring rise 12% in May, while jobs grew just 5% in larger firms, suggesting PPP helped fuel rehiring.But the program was only intended to carry the economy through a short interruption from the pandemic, which is now threatening to have a longer-lasting impact. The Treasury Department initially required the loans to be spent within eight weeks of being received, though that was later extended to 24 weeks.Many small businesses have already run through their PPP money and still face sharply smaller demand, as consumers remain wary of returning to previous habits of shopping, visiting gyms, or eating out. Texas, Florida, California, New York and others states have reversed their reopenings, closing down bars and delaying the onset of indoor dining.“The biggest issue is that PPP is short-term help,” said Adam Ozimek, chief economist at Upwork, a freelancing platform. “And now we’re dealing with a mid- to long-term problem.”A survey by the National Federation of Independent Business found that as of mid-June, 14% of small businesses that borrowed from the PPP expected they would have to lay off some workers when their loan ran out.The program provided loans of up to $10 million for small businesses to help them recover from the government-ordered shutdowns and revenue losses caused by the virus. The average loan amount for the entire program was $107,000, the Treasury Department said in a&nbsp;<a href="https://home.treasury.gov/system/files/136/PPP-Results-Sunday.pdf" target="_blank">broad summary</a>&nbsp;of the program.The loans can be forgiven if businesses mostly use the money to continue paying workers. The program initially was set to expire June 30 but was extended last week to Aug. 8, with $132 billion still available.The recipients employed 51 million people before the pandemic began, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin said. That amounts to about 85% of all workers at companies with fewer than 500 employees. The government will not know how many of these jobs were actually saved until companies apply to have the loans forgiven, a process that is just beginning.A senior administration official said Monday that some small companies “will need additional support” in the coming months.The public may never know the identity of more than 80% of the nearly 5 million beneficiaries to date because the administration has refused to release details on loans under $150,000. That secrecy spurred a lawsuit by news organizations including The Associated Press.The Treasury Department has released only dollar ranges for the loan amounts, rather than exact figures.High-profile evangelical megachurches, including several with pastors who have backed Trump, also received loans after religious entities were permitted to seek aid even if they performed only faith-based functions.Among the Trump-linked churches that received PPP loans was First Baptist Dallas, the Texas megachurch where senior pastor and White House ally Robert Jeffress hosted Vice President Mike Pence for a pre-July 4 service. Jeffress’ church reported retaining nearly 300 jobs with its loan of between $2 million and $5 million.Some major supporters of Trump also benefited. Muy Brands Inc., a San Antonio, Texas-based franchisee with more than 750 Wendy’s, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut restaurants, received between $15 million and $30 million between three entities. Muy Brands CEO James Bodenstedt is a major donor to the president. He has given $300,000 to the Trump Victory PAC since the start of this year, according to federal campaign finance records.The hardest-hit restaurant and hotel industries lost nearly half of their pre-pandemic jobs in March and April. They ranked fifth on a list of recipients. Health care, professional and business services, construction and manufacturing received a greater share of loans.And according to an analysis by Beth Ann Bovino, U.S. chief economist at Standard &amp; Poor’s, some states with the smallest increases in unemployment from the pandemic got more loans than harder-hit states.“It didn’t reach the industries that needed it, and it looked like it didn’t reach the states that were hardest hit,” Bovino said.Media companies, including Newsday and American Media, former owner of the National Enquirer, got loans of up to $5 million.The data gave few details about loans to minority-owned businesses. Companies were not required to supply demographic data on their applications, and many entries about race and gender contained “unanswered.”However, many minority-owned businesses are run by the owner, with few, if any, employees, so their loan amounts likely were under $150,000 and therefore not part of the data release. Senior administration officials who briefed reporters before the release said they hoped to get more information when owners submit applications for loan forgiveness over the next few months.

Small business virus relief went beyond hard-hit companies, data show

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas set a new record Monday for its worst two-week spike in reported coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, prompting its Democratic governor to issue a stern public warning meant to push the public and local officials in her red state into accepting masks in public as necessary.

Gov. Laura Kelly said the state has seen at least seven new clusters of two or more reported cases in the past five days directly related to bars and restaurants. She recommended during a Statehouse news conference that counties delay lifting their last restrictions on public gatherings.

Kelly issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200702093130003.pdf" target="_blank">an order</a>&nbsp;requiring people to wear masks in public and in their workplaces, and it took effect Friday. But Kansas counties can opt out, and some have done so. Commissioners in Shawnee County, home to the state capital of Topeka, adopted a less restrictive mask mandate Monday.

“Kansas is at a make-it or break-it moment,” Kelly said.

The state Department of Health and Environment reported 982 more confirmed coronavirus cases since Friday, an increase of 6% that brought the total to 16,901. It also reported another three COVID-19-related deaths to bring the total for the pandemic to 280.

During the past two weeks, Kansas reported an average of 317 new coronavirus cases a day. That was nearly 15% higher than the 276 for the two weeks that ended Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f492431f603ac1ad9610ccc32bb2c0c2">previously the largest spike.</a>&nbsp;The state had seen its average number of new cases decline from mid-May through mid-June until cases began to surge again.

“I’m fully aware it’s going in the wrong direction,” Kelly said after her news conference Monday.

The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.

Mask mandates are in place in three of the state’s most populous counties, Johnson and Wyandotte counties in the Kansas City area, and Douglas County in northeast Kansas, home to the main University of Kansas campus. Sedgwick County commissioners opted out of a mandate, but the city of Wichita, where 76% of the county’s residents live, voted to impose one.

Shawnee County commissioners last week opted out of Kelly’s mandate and voted 2-1 Monday to impose looser rules allowing people to wear face shields instead of cloth coverings. The commission heard complaints from business owners that in summer, it will be too hot for many people to wear masks.

The county has seen a 60% increase in reported cases in the past two weeks, and county health officer Gianfranco Pezzino told commissioners that if the same surge had happened at the beginning of the pandemic in March, “it would be a lockdown.”

“As unpleasant as this measure is, I think at this point in time, this is necessary,” Pezzino said. “Is it going to be two weeks? Is it going to be two months? I cannot tell you.”

Meanwhile, one of the state’s largest public school districts, Shawnee Mission in Johnson County, canceled in-person graduation ceremonies it had set for July 14-16 because of a surge in coronavirus cases,&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/shawnee-mission-school-district-cancels-in-person-graduation-amid-surge-in-coronavirus-cases/" target="_blank">WDAF-TV reported.</a>

The state’s 105 counties have been setting the rules for businesses and public gathering since May 26, when Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a5e30a0ec7a5943ada9f03af22ee1970">lifted statewide restrictions.</a><a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020s/b2020s/measures/documents/summary_hb_2016_2020special" target="_blank">The state law</a>&nbsp;allowing counties to opt out of her health orders was enacted last month and resulted from a compromise between Kelly and the Republican-controlled Legislature, which had complained that she was too slow to reopen the state’s economy.

State and local officials across the U.S. have faced resistance to mask requirements from conservative Republicans, particularly President Donald Trump’s supporters. Some GOP lawmakers in Kansas have suggested that Kelly’s order infringes on personal liberties.

Some legislators and local officials also have questioned how a mask mandate will be enforced. Kelly’s order allows local officials to pursue fines of up to $2,500 for violations. However, she said Monday that she expects counties largely to educate violators about the importance of wearing masks.

In eastern Kansas, Anderson County’s GOP chairman, who owns a weekly newspaper, posted a cartoon Friday on its Facebook page equating Kelly’s order to the mass murder of Jews during the Holocaust. He removed the cartoon Sunday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/14c464d55ec75051a29358c1a58f8403">and apologized</a>&nbsp;publicly for unintentionally using “deeply hurtful” imagery.

Patrick Miller, a University of Kansas political scientist, said Republican officials’ rhetoric on masks has shifted in recent weeks, so that many encourage wearing masks but oppose a mandate. GOP officials are less likely to mock mask-wearing now, Miller said.

Texas is among states with Republican governors that have imposed mask mandates.

“It could be very indicative of where we’re going,” Miller said. “Some politicians are going to evolve on this. I think we’re still seeing that evolution occur.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594062014716.png" alt="Photo courtesy Office of Governor Laura Kelly" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Office of Governor Laura Kelly</figcaption>
 </figure> By JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas set a new record Monday for its worst two-week spike in reported coronavirus cases since the pandemic began, prompting its Democratic governor to issue a stern public warning meant to push the public and local officials in her red state into accepting masks in public as necessary.Gov. Laura Kelly said the state has seen at least seven new clusters of two or more reported cases in the past five days directly related to bars and restaurants. She recommended during a Statehouse news conference that counties delay lifting their last restrictions on public gatherings.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F285653772527001%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Kelly issued&nbsp;<a href="https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/20200702093130003.pdf" target="_blank">an order</a>&nbsp;requiring people to wear masks in public and in their workplaces, and it took effect Friday. But Kansas counties can opt out, and some have done so. Commissioners in Shawnee County, home to the state capital of Topeka, adopted a less restrictive mask mandate Monday.“Kansas is at a make-it or break-it moment,” Kelly said.The state Department of Health and Environment reported 982 more confirmed coronavirus cases since Friday, an increase of 6% that brought the total to 16,901. It also reported another three COVID-19-related deaths to bring the total for the pandemic to 280.During the past two weeks, Kansas reported an average of 317 new coronavirus cases a day. That was nearly 15% higher than the 276 for the two weeks that ended Friday,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/f492431f603ac1ad9610ccc32bb2c0c2">previously the largest spike.</a>&nbsp;The state had seen its average number of new cases decline from mid-May through mid-June until cases began to surge again.“I’m fully aware it’s going in the wrong direction,” Kelly said after her news conference Monday.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594055033998.png" alt="Monday July 6, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday July 6, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>The number of infections is thought to be far higher because many people have not been tested, and studies suggest people can be infected with the virus without feeling sick.Mask mandates are in place in three of the state’s most populous counties, Johnson and Wyandotte counties in the Kansas City area, and Douglas County in northeast Kansas, home to the main University of Kansas campus. Sedgwick County commissioners opted out of a mandate, but the city of Wichita, where 76% of the county’s residents live, voted to impose one.Shawnee County commissioners last week opted out of Kelly’s mandate and voted 2-1 Monday to impose looser rules allowing people to wear face shields instead of cloth coverings. The commission heard complaints from business owners that in summer, it will be too hot for many people to wear masks.The county has seen a 60% increase in reported cases in the past two weeks, and county health officer Gianfranco Pezzino told commissioners that if the same surge had happened at the beginning of the pandemic in March, “it would be a lockdown.”“As unpleasant as this measure is, I think at this point in time, this is necessary,” Pezzino said. “Is it going to be two weeks? Is it going to be two months? I cannot tell you.”Meanwhile, one of the state’s largest public school districts, Shawnee Mission in Johnson County, canceled in-person graduation ceremonies it had set for July 14-16 because of a surge in coronavirus cases,&nbsp;<a href="https://fox4kc.com/news/shawnee-mission-school-district-cancels-in-person-graduation-amid-surge-in-coronavirus-cases/" target="_blank">WDAF-TV reported.</a>The state’s 105 counties have been setting the rules for businesses and public gathering since May 26, when Kelly&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/a5e30a0ec7a5943ada9f03af22ee1970">lifted statewide restrictions.</a><a href="http://www.kslegislature.org/li_2020s/b2020s/measures/documents/summary_hb_2016_2020special" target="_blank">The state law</a>&nbsp;allowing counties to opt out of her health orders was enacted last month and resulted from a compromise between Kelly and the Republican-controlled Legislature, which had complained that she was too slow to reopen the state’s economy.State and local officials across the U.S. have faced resistance to mask requirements from conservative Republicans, particularly President Donald Trump’s supporters. Some GOP lawmakers in Kansas have suggested that Kelly’s order infringes on personal liberties.Some legislators and local officials also have questioned how a mask mandate will be enforced. Kelly’s order allows local officials to pursue fines of up to $2,500 for violations. However, she said Monday that she expects counties largely to educate violators about the importance of wearing masks.In eastern Kansas, Anderson County’s GOP chairman, who owns a weekly newspaper, posted a cartoon Friday on its Facebook page equating Kelly’s order to the mass murder of Jews during the Holocaust. He removed the cartoon Sunday&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/14c464d55ec75051a29358c1a58f8403">and apologized</a>&nbsp;publicly for unintentionally using “deeply hurtful” imagery.Patrick Miller, a University of Kansas political scientist, said Republican officials’ rhetoric on masks has shifted in recent weeks, so that many encourage wearing masks but oppose a mandate. GOP officials are less likely to mock mask-wearing now, Miller said.Texas is among states with Republican governors that have imposed mask mandates.“It could be very indicative of where we’re going,” Miller said. “Some politicians are going to evolve on this. I think we’re still seeing that evolution occur.”

🎥  Record COVID-19 spike prompts warning from Kansas governor

Following is the Saline County COVID-19 update for Monday.

There are 29 new positive COVID-19 cases in Saline County that have been identified since the Friday, July 3 report. The total for the county is now 173, with 101 cases that are actively being monitored by the Health Department and 70 that have recovered. *KDHE is reporting 151 positives for Saline County, which is incorrect. The total for Saline County is 173.

According to the Kansas Department of Health &amp; Environment, there are now 16,901 cases and 280 deaths statewide. This information can be found at <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/">https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/</a>.

Saline County Board of County Commissioners would like to thank the public for the overwhelming interest that was received through expression of interest forms with citizens interested in serving on the Coronavirus Relieve Fund Advisory Committee. The Commissioners will appoint members to that committee at their meeting tomorrow.

Health Officer, Jason Tiller wants to remind citizens that masks are a good idea and asks for citizens to make the right choice and wear a mask in public settings, continue to practice social distancing, avoid socializing in large groups, and wash your hands frequently. “All of us have the choice to do what is right, please mask up.”

Every individual has a responsibility and a choice to do what they feel is right. Here is what you can do to help us to stop the spread:

•Stay home if you’re sick

•Wear masks in public settings

•Maximize physical distance (6 feet or more) in public settings

•Avoid socializing with large groups

•High-risk individuals should only leave the house for essential needs

•Wash your hands frequently

Only follow official sources to obtain information: <a href="http://www.saline.org">www.saline.org</a> or <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov">www.kdheks.gov</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594073252105.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Following is the Saline County COVID-19 update for Monday.There are 29 new positive COVID-19 cases in Saline County that have been identified since the Friday, July 3 report. The total for the county is now 173, with 101 cases that are actively being monitored by the Health Department and 70 that have recovered. *KDHE is reporting 151 positives for Saline County, which is incorrect. The total for Saline County is 173.According to the Kansas Department of Health &amp; Environment, there are now 16,901 cases and 280 deaths statewide. This information can be found at <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/">https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/</a>.Saline County Board of County Commissioners would like to thank the public for the overwhelming interest that was received through expression of interest forms with citizens interested in serving on the Coronavirus Relieve Fund Advisory Committee. The Commissioners will appoint members to that committee at their meeting tomorrow.Health Officer, Jason Tiller wants to remind citizens that masks are a good idea and asks for citizens to make the right choice and wear a mask in public settings, continue to practice social distancing, avoid socializing in large groups, and wash your hands frequently. “All of us have the choice to do what is right, please mask up.”Every individual has a responsibility and a choice to do what they feel is right. Here is what you can do to help us to stop the spread:•Stay home if you’re sick•Wear masks in public settings•Maximize physical distance (6 feet or more) in public settings•Avoid socializing with large groups•High-risk individuals should only leave the house for essential needs•Wash your hands frequentlyOnly follow official sources to obtain information: <a href="http://www.saline.org">www.saline.org</a> or <a href="http://www.kdheks.gov">www.kdheks.gov</a>.

Saline County: 29 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since Friday 

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly held a press briefing Monday to discuss the rising COVID-19 case numbers in Kansas and the importance of wearing a mask to protect friends, family members and neighbors from the virus.&nbsp; She said the Kansas Department of Health recommends the state stay in Phase 3 of the <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/ad-astra-a-plan-to-reopen-kansas/">Ad Astra reopening plan.</a>

Kansas has set another record for its worst two-week spike in reported coronavirus cases since the pandemic began.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 982 to a total of 16,901, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA –&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly held a press briefing Monday to discuss the rising COVID-19 case numbers in Kansas and the importance of wearing a mask to protect friends, family members and neighbors from the virus.&nbsp; She said the Kansas Department of Health recommends the state stay in Phase 3 of the <a href="https://covid.ks.gov/ad-astra-a-plan-to-reopen-kansas/">Ad Astra reopening plan.</a><div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F285653772527001%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>Kansas has set another record for its worst two-week spike in reported coronavirus cases since the pandemic began.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1588354966337.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 982 to a total of 16,901, the state health department reported Monday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 280<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1594055033998.png" alt="Monday July 6, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Monday July 6, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥  Gov. Kelly: Kansas should stay in Phase 3 reopening plan

Heartland Early Education Center received confirmation today that a second staff person who&nbsp;has&nbsp;not&nbsp;been working with students&nbsp;tested positive for COVID-19, Salina USD 305 reported this afternoon. 

This individual was directly connected to the case announced last week. The Saline County Health Department is in the process of contacting anyone who needs to be notified.

Ensuring the health and safety of children at Heartland Early Education Programs is foremost. The building has enhanced measures including deep cleaning and disinfecting procedures. Masks and social distancing are a part of how the district staff operate. Employees and families are expected to self-screen before coming to work and school. It is critical that anyone who is not feeling well not come to school.

Salina USD 305 continues to communicate regularly with and follow the guidance of the Saline County Health Department. In addition, the Saline County Health Department is working with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for additional guidance. The district's goal is to provide safe learning environments for our students and ensure the well-being of both students and staff.

Heartland Early Education is a multi-county program that serves eligible children birth to five and their families.

Heartland Early Education Center received confirmation today that a second staff person who&nbsp;has&nbsp;not&nbsp;been working with students&nbsp;tested positive for COVID-19, Salina USD 305 reported this afternoon. This individual was directly connected to the case announced last week. The Saline County Health Department is in the process of contacting anyone who needs to be notified.Ensuring the health and safety of children at Heartland Early Education Programs is foremost. The building has enhanced measures including deep cleaning and disinfecting procedures. Masks and social distancing are a part of how the district staff operate. Employees and families are expected to self-screen before coming to work and school. It is critical that anyone who is not feeling well not come to school.Salina USD 305 continues to communicate regularly with and follow the guidance of the Saline County Health Department. In addition, the Saline County Health Department is working with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment for additional guidance. The district's goal is to provide safe learning environments for our students and ensure the well-being of both students and staff.Heartland Early Education is a multi-county program that serves eligible children birth to five and their families.

Second Heartland employee reported positive for COVID-19

The City of Salina is seeking applications for the 2020 Emergency Solutions Grant -- Coronavirus (ESG-CV).

Application materials are due by 5 p.m. on July 10. Application materials should be submitted to <a href="mailto:humanrelations@salina.org">humanrelations@salina.org</a>. Applications will be reviewed and notification sent regarding application status by 5 p.m. on July 15.

The Emergency Solutions Grant is a federal block grant authorized by subtitle B of the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act and is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The primary focus of this grant program is homelessness prevention and facilitation of permanent, stable housing. Additionally in 2020, due to the Corona Virus Pandemic additional monies are being allocated to the ESG grant program.

HUD awards grant funds to the State of Kansas Housing Resource Corporation (KHRC) and they, in turn, award funds to local recipient agencies, via the local municipality in which the agencies operate. In order to be considered for these grant funds, the City of Salina, working closely with the local agencies, prepares and submits a consolidated grant application on behalf of the sub-award recipient agencies. The City of Salina has been successful in applying for and receiving grant awards for the Emergency Solutions Grant for the past 20 years. These funds directly benefit individuals and families in our community.

To learn more about eligibility and how to apply as a local agency, visit the city’s <a href="http://www.ci.salina.ks.us/">homepage</a>&nbsp;and click the “2020 Emergency Solutions Grant – Corona Virus (ESG-CV)” link under the “Featured Items” tab. There you will find application materials, guidelines, and additional information.

Questions about the grant and how to apply can be directed to <a href="mailto:humanrelations@salina.org">humanrelations@salina.org</a> or (785) 309-5745.

The City of Salina is seeking applications for the 2020 Emergency Solutions Grant -- Coronavirus (ESG-CV).Application materials are due by 5 p.m. on July 10. Application materials should be submitted to <a href="mailto:humanrelations@salina.org">humanrelations@salina.org</a>. Applications will be reviewed and notification sent regarding application status by 5 p.m. on July 15.The Emergency Solutions Grant is a federal block grant authorized by subtitle B of the McKinney-Vento Homelessness Assistance Act and is administered by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The primary focus of this grant program is homelessness prevention and facilitation of permanent, stable housing. Additionally in 2020, due to the Corona Virus Pandemic additional monies are being allocated to the ESG grant program.HUD awards grant funds to the State of Kansas Housing Resource Corporation (KHRC) and they, in turn, award funds to local recipient agencies, via the local municipality in which the agencies operate. In order to be considered for these grant funds, the City of Salina, working closely with the local agencies, prepares and submits a consolidated grant application on behalf of the sub-award recipient agencies. The City of Salina has been successful in applying for and receiving grant awards for the Emergency Solutions Grant for the past 20 years. These funds directly benefit individuals and families in our community.To learn more about eligibility and how to apply as a local agency, visit the city’s <a href="http://www.ci.salina.ks.us/">homepage</a>&nbsp;and click the “2020 Emergency Solutions Grant – Corona Virus (ESG-CV)” link under the “Featured Items” tab. There you will find application materials, guidelines, and additional information.Questions about the grant and how to apply can be directed to <a href="mailto:humanrelations@salina.org">humanrelations@salina.org</a> or (785) 309-5745.

City seeks applications for Emergency Solutions Grant

MCPHERSON -- The McPherson County Health Department reported today a new confirmed case of COVID-19.

The new case is a symptomatic male in his 20s with known exposure and is recovering at home, according to the health department.

The latest case brings the McPherson County total to 82 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the health department reported. Additionally, 52 of the total confirmed cases have met Kansas Department of Health and Environment recovery guidelines, the health department noted. So far, there have been no COVID-19 related deaths in McPherson County and currently none of the cases are hospitalized, the health department added.

The health department provided the following.

McPherson County continues to have a tremendous uptake in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases. An alarming amount of cases are asymptomatic, meaning they do not have any signs or symptoms. A portion of these positive cases report attending gatherings at local lakes, parties, or traveling sport tournaments while contagious. These are events both inside and outside of McPherson County. If you are notified by the Health Department of being a contact of someone who is positive for COVID-19, you MUST quarantine at home for 14 days. This means that a negative test will not return an exposed person to work/sports/daycare/etc. sooner than 14 days. If you are a contact, decide to be tested, and it comes back negative, you STILL have to finish your 14-day period because you may become contagious anytime during the rest of the 14 days. We do NOT routinely recommend testing contacts unless symptoms arise or a high risk individual is involved. People who have not had direct exposure to someone with COVID-19 do not need to quarantine and are not excluded from work/sports/daycare/etc.

If you are being tested for COVID-19, you are considered a Person Under Investigation (PUI). The PUI MUST isolate while waiting on results. The PUI should isolate away from anyone in their household. If they are not able to isolate away from the household members by staying in their own room, the entire household must quarantine while awaiting results to reduce exposure.

If a person in quarantine does not develop any COVID-19 symptoms, then they are released from quarantine at the end of 14 days. If symptoms do develop during those 14 days, the person is to contact their primary provider for further evaluation and/or testing. People who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 may be released from isolation at the direction of the Health Department when it has been 10 days since the onset of symptoms AND 72 hours since symptoms have resolved. This symptom-based method of returning people to work is preferred to a testing-based method of returning people to work because tests can still remain positive long after the virus is no longer active.

These are challenging days for groups and businesses. They are responsible for providing a safe environment for their employees and participants. They are severely affected when their employees and participants are excluded due to exposure. Much of this exposure is occurring outside of work. The best way to keep our businesses open and functional and keep our social interactions available is to maintain a 6-foot physical distance between people and wear a mask when in public when physical distancing may be difficult to maintain.

MCPHERSON -- The McPherson County Health Department reported today a new confirmed case of COVID-19.The new case is a symptomatic male in his 20s with known exposure and is recovering at home, according to the health department.The latest case brings the McPherson County total to 82 confirmed cases of COVID-19, the health department reported. Additionally, 52 of the total confirmed cases have met Kansas Department of Health and Environment recovery guidelines, the health department noted. So far, there have been no COVID-19 related deaths in McPherson County and currently none of the cases are hospitalized, the health department added.The health department provided the following.McPherson County continues to have a tremendous uptake in coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases. An alarming amount of cases are asymptomatic, meaning they do not have any signs or symptoms. A portion of these positive cases report attending gatherings at local lakes, parties, or traveling sport tournaments while contagious. These are events both inside and outside of McPherson County. If you are notified by the Health Department of being a contact of someone who is positive for COVID-19, you MUST quarantine at home for 14 days. This means that a negative test will not return an exposed person to work/sports/daycare/etc. sooner than 14 days. If you are a contact, decide to be tested, and it comes back negative, you STILL have to finish your 14-day period because you may become contagious anytime during the rest of the 14 days. We do NOT routinely recommend testing contacts unless symptoms arise or a high risk individual is involved. People who have not had direct exposure to someone with COVID-19 do not need to quarantine and are not excluded from work/sports/daycare/etc.If you are being tested for COVID-19, you are considered a Person Under Investigation (PUI). The PUI MUST isolate while waiting on results. The PUI should isolate away from anyone in their household. If they are not able to isolate away from the household members by staying in their own room, the entire household must quarantine while awaiting results to reduce exposure.If a person in quarantine does not develop any COVID-19 symptoms, then they are released from quarantine at the end of 14 days. If symptoms do develop during those 14 days, the person is to contact their primary provider for further evaluation and/or testing. People who have been diagnosed with COVID-19 may be released from isolation at the direction of the Health Department when it has been 10 days since the onset of symptoms AND 72 hours since symptoms have resolved. This symptom-based method of returning people to work is preferred to a testing-based method of returning people to work because tests can still remain positive long after the virus is no longer active.These are challenging days for groups and businesses. They are responsible for providing a safe environment for their employees and participants. They are severely affected when their employees and participants are excluded due to exposure. Much of this exposure is occurring outside of work. The best way to keep our businesses open and functional and keep our social interactions available is to maintain a 6-foot physical distance between people and wear a mask when in public when physical distancing may be difficult to maintain.

McPherson County reports additional COVID-19 case

UPDATE: The Ellsworth County Health Department reported an additional confirmed case of COVID-19 this afternoon, bringing the total for the county to 10. The latest case is&nbsp; a female over the age of 60.

ELLSWORTH -- The Ellsworth County Health Department on Friday reported five new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county, bringing the county total to nine.

The new cases were described as follows in a letter to Ellsworth County residents from the health department.

A male over the age of 50 with known travel history

A female over the age of 50 with known travel history

A male under the age of 20 with known travel history

A female under the age of 20 with known travel history

A female over the age of 40 with known contact to another positive case

"All of the individuals are currently maintaining in-home isolation and are stable. The Ellsworth County Health Department is working diligently to identify any close contacts of the individual and those who were exposed will be contacted as soon as possible. Close contacts will be monitored for fever and respiratory symptoms," the health department noted in the letter.

Of the nine confirmed cases in the county, three have recovered, the health department reported.

UPDATE: The Ellsworth County Health Department reported an additional confirmed case of COVID-19 this afternoon, bringing the total for the county to 10. The latest case is&nbsp; a female over the age of 60.ELLSWORTH -- The Ellsworth County Health Department on Friday reported five new confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the county, bringing the county total to nine.The new cases were described as follows in a letter to Ellsworth County residents from the health department.A male over the age of 50 with known travel historyA female over the age of 50 with known travel historyA male under the age of 20 with known travel historyA female under the age of 20 with known travel historyA female over the age of 40 with known contact to another positive case"All of the individuals are currently maintaining in-home isolation and are stable. The Ellsworth County Health Department is working diligently to identify any close contacts of the individual and those who were exposed will be contacted as soon as possible. Close contacts will be monitored for fever and respiratory symptoms," the health department noted in the letter.Of the nine confirmed cases in the county, three have recovered, the health department reported.

UPDATE: Ellsworth County reports six new cases of COVID-19

LAWRENCE — New information emerges about the novel coronavirus on a daily basis, sometimes confirming, other times contradicting what we thought we knew the day before. Our reaction to this constant information flow depends not only on our understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic but also our sources, environment and how we estimate risk.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593644529174.png" alt="A graph from the University of Kansas&nbsp;study shows the information sources survey respondents trusted. The scores range from 1, least trusted, to 5, most trusted." />
 <figcaption>A graph from the University of Kansas&nbsp;study shows the information sources survey respondents trusted. The scores range from 1, least trusted, to 5, most trusted.</figcaption>
 </figure>KU News ServiceLAWRENCE — New information emerges about the novel coronavirus on a daily basis, sometimes confirming, other times contradicting what we thought we knew the day before. Our reaction to this constant information flow depends not only on our understanding of the COVID-19 pandemic but also our sources, environment and how we estimate risk. A recent University of Kansas study found that while Kansas survey participants relied on multiple sources about reliable COVID-19 information, they tended to prefer local authorities and distrust social media.Mugur Geana, associate professor of journalism &amp; mass communications and director of KU’s Center for Excellence in Health Communications to Underserved Populations, wrote the study, which will be published in the June issue of the&nbsp;<a href="https://journals.ku.edu/kjm/article/view/13821">Kansas Journal of Medicine.</a>&nbsp;The study showed responses consistent with the state’s status, at the time, as an area with relatively few cases.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1593641032679.jpeg" alt="Mugur Geana" />
 <figcaption>Mugur Geana</figcaption>
 </figure>“When we did this survey in April, information was changing very fast,” Geana said. “We wanted to make sure we captured a window in which data available to people did not vary widely.”More than 130 Kansans submitted answers to the social media survey, open only for a 96-hour window.No respondents reported having COVID-19. Only 8% said they had family members diagnosed, while 41% said they knew someone in their community or place of work with COVID-19. Respondents appraised their knowledge of the pandemic as above average, and their responses to questions about the virus confirmed that.“We wanted to understand what their concept of risk was. We were pleasantly surprised, but we also need to take it with a grain of salt, because the sample skewed toward highly educated participants,” Geana said.Those results are consistent with online surveys, which tend to be answered more by highly educated people and women, Geana said.Among the significant findings was where people reported getting information about the pandemic. The top source was Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly's daily media briefings, which were also rated as the most trustworthy. Information from search engines such as Google or Bing was second in terms of usage, with 60% of respondents saying they used them daily. National newspapers such as The New York Times or The Wall Street Journal were third in terms of use, while discussions with family, friends and co-workers followed.As far as mediated sources of information, public television and national newspapers were the most trusted media sources, while local or regional papers, commercial television, cable news, liberal and conservative media sources followed. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Instagram were the least trusted source of information.A high level of knowledge among respondents was not surprising, but the lack of trust in social media was, Geana said.“We somewhat expected that (high level of knowledge) because it was a salient issue. People had to stay at home because of COVID-19, so they were watching a lot of TV because of it, reading a lot of news because of COVID-19, etc. That was very surprising,” Geana said of the observed lack of trust in social media. “In addition to media, in terms of trust, medical professionals are the most trusted people, but co-workers, family and friends are important, because you talk with them more, often through social media channels. Well, we found that they are not as trusted as we expected. Probably a lot of the recent scandals involving social media influenced the trust that people have in it nowadays.”The findings also showed a relationship between people’s level of knowledge and their willingness to take precautions to protect themselves and others. Those who reported strong feelings about precautionary measures put in place by the state government to slow the spread were also less likely to take precautionary measures. That was also in line with previous findings that people’s risk perceptions were related to the severity of the outbreak in their community.“If I believe a mask will not help me, I am more likely not to wear one, even though I have access to information that tells me that is dangerous and I could get COVID-19,” Geana said of the findings.The study is the first of two, and the second part will include further information on the perception of risk about contracting COVID-19 as states started to reopen, with survey data taken in May.

Coronavirus Update