Gov. Kelly urges Kansans not to gather in groups on Thanksgiving

TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) - During a press conference Wednesday to update Kansans on what the state is doing to mitigate the coronavirus spread, Governor Laura Kelly said Kansas remains in the red zone.

As of Monday, Kansas has 5,738 new cases, and 47 new deaths.

Kansas has had a total of 147,797 cases, 4,921 hospitalizations and 1,503 deaths.

Kelly said her administration has released the first of many Stop the Spread announcements.

"If there is one thing we have learned in the last six months, it is that slowing the spread is a team effort," Kelly said.

"Strict adherence to these protocols will be more important than ever," said Kelly.

Kelly urged families not to get together with people outside their household for Thanksgiving. But, if families do get together, she urged Kansans to wear a face covering and practice all CDC protocols.

"We can not return to a semblance of normal until this virus is over," Kelly reminded Kansans.

Dr. Lee Norman, Secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), called treatments, "somewhat hopeful" but insisted hospitals are being stretched too thin, and are looking for solutions to the rising coronavirus clusters.

For the frontline workers who see patients daily, Norman said they are "pushed to the brink," and urged Kansans to take precautions to help slow the spread that is taxing doctors and nurses and hospital organizations.

Dr. Norman said the virus will continue to be a problem without a vaccine. Norman said only 4.9% of the population is immune from naturally occurring disease, and herd immunity would need to be 90%, he said. "That's why masks are so important," Norman said before closing the press conference.