Gov. Laura Kelly unveiled her administration’s plan to reopen Kansas during a live broadcast earlier today.
The plan comes in three phases and will begin on May 4 when the statewide stay-at-home order is allowed to expire.
“It’s an effort to balance nonnegotiable public-health considerations with jaw-dropping, unsustainable economic realities,” Kelly said.
Each phase will last at least two weeks depending on public-health data and trends.
According to Kelly, the plan will be subject to change as it progresses and local governments will be able to take additional safety measures as they deem necessary.
While some businesses will be allowed to open with restrictions in place during phase one, many will remain closed.
Businesses required to remain closed during phase one include bars and night clubs (except for carry-out and curbside services), nontribal casinos, museums, theaters, fitness centers, gyms, barber shops, hair salons, nail salons, tanning salons, tattoo parlors and various other businesses where close contact is likely unavoidable.
Other venues and activities not allowed to be open or take place during phase one include community centers, indoor and outdoor entertainment venues that have a capacity of at least 2,000 people, fairs, carnivals, festivals, parades, graduations, swimming pools (not including backyard pools), sporting facilities, organized sports and summer camps.
Kelly encourages people to begin seeking or rescheduling nonemergent and non-COVID-19 related procedures during this phase.
Phase two will begin on May 18 at the earliest and businesses such as fitness centers and barber shops will be allowed to open along with bars and night clubs at 50 percent capacity.
During this phase, activities and venues such as indoor and outdoor entertainment venues with a capacity of at least 2,000 people, carnivals, festivals, fairs, parades, graduations and summer camps must remain closed.
The social-gathering limit will increase to 30 individuals during phase two.
Phase three on June 1 at the earliest and will include an increase in the social-gathering limit to 90 individuals as well as a lifting of all business, venue and activity bans, as long as they comply with certain regulations.
This phase will end with a phase out of most state restrictions as soon as June 15.
Kelly emphasizes that this plan is just the beginning of a transition back to the way life was before the COVID-19 pandemic began.
“Even if Kansans do everything perfectly for the next couple of months, new outbreaks are almost inevitable until a vaccine is developed, manufactured and made widely available,” Kelly said.
To view the full plan for reopening Kansas, visit covid.ks.gov.
