Breaking down the stay-at-home orders in several Kansas counties
KANSAS (KSNT) – Stay-at-home orders go into effect for residents of four Kansas counties on Tuesday at midnight. Later in the week, two more Kansas counties will do the same.
Officials in Johnson, Wyandotte, Leavenworth, and Douglas Counties all ordered people to stay-at-home starting on Tuesday. Then at midnight on Wednesday, Miami County’s stay-at-home order goes into effect. In Doniphan County, people have to start staying home at midnight on Thursday.
Under the stay-at-home orders there are some essential errands that are allowed.
Some examples of what is allowed are:
- Getting medicine or medical supplies
- Healthcare appointments
- Getting groceries or take out food
- Outdoor activities (when you’re practicing social distancing)
- Essential jobs like first responders, health care workers, people in food service, journalists, bankers, plumbers and electricians.
Examples of things that aren’t allowed include:
- Dining inside of restaurants
- Going to entertainment venues like bars and nightclubs
- Going to gyms
- Barber shops, salons and tattoo parlors.
These lists are just examples and aren’t all inclusive.
Douglas County health officials said some specifics are being figured out still, partly because this is all new. Dan Partridge with Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health said the point of issuing stay-at-home orders is to encourage people to do their part to stop the spread of the virus.
“There’s exemptions in there, but I think the real ask is stay at home and honor the spirit of that law, rather than ‘am I in or am I out,'” Partridge said. “Regardless of whether you’re in or out, if you don’t need to be out stay at home.”
Officials in Lyon and Atchison counties tell KSNT News they’re considering stay-at-home orders, but as of now they haven’t issued them.
It’s a misdemeanor if officials catch you violating these orders.