The Sedgwick County Commission passed a motion, 3-2, to have "stay at home" order in Sedgwick County Monday late afternoon.
The order from the county commission is a recommendation to the Chief Health Officer of Sedgwick County, Dr. Garold Minns.
Three county commissioners say they expect Dr. Minns to sign it and it would begin 12:01 a.m. this Wednesday.
Essential services will continue and those who are essential services will still go to work. But the public is expected to stay at home.
Commissioners pointed out, under the order, you can still go to the grocery store and the doctor. There are 26 exceptions to the order.
"We need to get ahead of this, so that's why we are doing this," said county commission chair Pete Meitzner. "It is time."
Meitzner pointed out there is not state statute that allows officers to arrest you or make you go home if you are out and about.
"But this is a stay at home order," said Meitzner.
Exceptions to the order include grocery store workers and farmers markets and convenience stores that sell food.
Gas stations, cleaning services and the ag industry and the media services are considered essential.
Food process, social services, all media, gas stations and auto road service, banks, hardware stores, plumber and electricians and HVAC, mail and shipping, educational institutions and laundry and dry cleaning are on the list. Also included is restaurants for drive through or pickup, school lunch deliveries, supply products services, shipping and trucking and delivery persons, taxi and commercial aircraft workers and those who offer shelter to adults or kids are on the list. Also on the list is attorneys, realtors, insurance and title companies, child care facilities (up to ten kids) mortuaries, and manufacturing companies that supply products as well as clergy.
The order does not require those on the exemption list to carry written permission or credentials to be out and about doing daily tasks.
This is not considered a quarantine or isolation order.
The public is still allowed to be outside to go for walks, go for a bike ride or jog. The public can also go to parks but simple social distancing is required.
During the meeting, the Sedgwick County Manager Tom Stolz confirmed a third case of coronavirus in the county.
He then told about a teleconference he had with area hospitals Monday morning in which they expressed concern about limited supplies and limited coronavirus tests, plus the difficulty of getting child care for hospital workers.
Stolz said the hospitals were crystal clear about wanting a stay-at-home order for the county.
Stolz asked the commissioners to consider three options:
See if limitations on group size work
Close down interior dining rooms at restaurants, but allow restaurants to continue take-out services
Issue a stay-at-home order that includes a number of exceptions
Justin Waggoner, the assistant county counselor, went through the drafted stay-at-home order. He said it was patterned off of the Johnson County order that was approved Sunday.
Again, the drafted stay-at-home order would allow essential services to remain open. Some of the many essential services listed include healthcare, first responders, grocery stores, gas stations, public works, infrastructure, aerospace, national defense, water, sewer, gas, electrical services, oil refining, public transportation, solid waste collection and removal, internet and telecommunications, farming, newspapers, television, radio, banks and other similar financial institutions, plumbers, electricians, construction of housing, roads, plus food, shelter and other necessities for disadvantaged people.
Sedgwick County citizens would be able to leave their homes for various reasons, including healthcare, to obtain food, to care for or transport loved ones, and to engage in outdoor activities as long as social distancing is observed.
The commissioners are asking Waggoner specific questions about the draft. They have not voted on it yet.
Commissioners say there could be be more added to the essential services list.
"We just need to get in front of this now," said Meitzner. "We have to in order to keep our healthcare system from getting overwhelmed."
