Kansas widens criteria to get tested for COVID-19; Kelly says lifting stay-at-home order on May 3 is ‘still the goal’

Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly speaks at a daily COVID-19 briefing on Tuesday, April 21, 2020.

Kansas state health officials have expanded the criteria to qualify for a COVID-19 test, Gov. Laura Kelly announced Tuesday.

Previously, a person had to exhibit a fever, as well as two symptoms of the respiratory virus before a doctor could order a test. Now, Kelly said, a person only has to have two symptoms of the virus to get tested.

The expansion in testing criteria is a sign the state is widening its testing capacity — which has long been an issue both in Kansas and across the United States — and working toward more thorough studies of who does and doesn’t have the infectious disease.

“We want to get more testing done quickly so that treatment can be initiated earlier and contact tracing can be more efficient,” Kelly said in her daily COVID-19 press briefing.

Kelly also announced that the Department of Labor has completed the expansion of unemployment benefit eligibility from 16 to 26 weeks in the state’s system. The department is still on pace to begin issuing an extra $600 in benefits this week as part of federal stimulus aid, she said.

One day after revenue estimates for Kansas showed the state facing a $1.27 billion deficit over the next two fiscal years, Kelly said she and state budget director Larry Campbell have “incredibly difficult” decisions looming. The two will meet within the next week to discuss the next steps for the state, then Kelly will begin having conversations with state lawmakers, she said.

While the state’s financial future is in limbo, Kelly said she’s already instructed government agencies to freeze non-COVID-19 related hires and identify cost-saving steps going forward.

“We are cautiously optimistic that we can make strategic decisions to offset painful cuts to critical services,” she said.

Before Kelly’s briefing, Kansas reported a markedly smaller increase of confirmed cases of the respiratory virus on Tuesday. The Kansas Department of Health and Environment registered 39 new cases, bringing the state’s cumulative caseload to 2,025. By comparison, the state saw an increase of nearly 400 cases between April 16 and 20, with many days seeing over 100 new cases reported.

The state also confirmed seven more COVID-19 related deaths, bringing the state total to 107.

The 2,025 cases are out of 19,101 total tests, meaning 10.6% of Kansans are currently testing positive for the virus. That rate has been consistent over the past two weeks.

KDHE has also confirmed 419 hospitalizations from the virus out of 1,684 cases where data is available, a 24.9% hospitalization rate. That rate continues to fall from its peak of just over 30% several weeks ago.

Kelly concluded Tuesday’s briefing by saying that it is still the state’s goal to be able to lift the mandatory stay-at-home order on midnight of May 3. Phase one of the state’s plan to begin reopening the economy will be ready to announce next week, Kelly said, but before those steps can be taken, the state still needs assistance in key areas.

“KDHE has begun beefing up contact tracing (of those infected with the virus), but we still really need help from the federal government, particularly on the testing,” Kelly said. “As I’ve said all along, there’s no guarantee of the May 3 stay-at-home order being lifted.”

Confirmed COVID-19 cases in Kansas

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