COVID-19 Resource Page

As the novel coronavirus has progressed from an unusual disease in a city in China to a WHO-declared pandemic, a flood of information has spread through broadcast media, social media and coffee-shop conversations. Trying to sort out fact from fiction -- or to identify what is really applicable here in Butler County, Kansas -- has become increasingly difficult. This page attempts to gather together some of the information that is most relevant in our corner of Kansas.
BUTLER COUNTY'S RESPONSE TO MANDATORY MASKING ORDER:
During a special Board of Commissioners meeting on Thursday evening, July 2nd, Butler County Commissioners voted to adopt Resolution 20-17, which overturns the governor's masking mandate for the county.  Click to view the official press release.
7/29/2020 Update: The county is test-driving a new data dashboard. For the time being, statistics will be reported in both the original data table and the dashboard as we test this functionality.  If you are using a mobile device and struggling to view the dashboard details, you may try accessing it via this link instead. (Note: zip code level detail is scheduled to be updated every Monday.)

Butler County Data

As of 10/21/2020. *Recovered cases are those confirmed cases that are no longer requiring investigation / monitoring by Public Health.
CATEGORY COUNTS
Confirmed COVID-19 cases
(see notes on data discrepancies below)		 789
Negative test results 13,668
Recovered cases* 728
Fatalities from COVID-19 3
2018 estimated population
(for reference)		 66,765
*County/State Data Discrepancies (UPDATED 9/3/2020):
The county's confirmed number tracks those cases that are investigated and monitored by the county Health Department. Lately this number has varied significantly from KDHE's publicly reported numbers for Butler County.  The Health Department has researched and found that most of that difference is due to Dept of Corrections cases. Positive cases in the prison system are investigated and managed by the state. Since they do not represent cases out in the community, the Health Department currently does not add them to the official county count.

Board of County Commissioners:
Public Access to Weekly Meetings

The Butler County Board of Commissioners meetings are once again open for public attendance. However, participants and attendees are still encouraged to maintain safe social distancing while in the meeting room. If you would like to watch from the safety of your home, Commission meetings will continue to be available through live-stream. To access the current meeting or archived videos of previous meetings, click here. 

Symptom Self-Reporting

To self-report COVID-19 symptoms to the Butler County Health Department, click on the image below to access the online form:
COVID Symptom Report Link

Kansas Data

As of 10/21/2020. Effective May 11th, KDHE will only update their data on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
CATEGORY COUNTS
KDHE Reported COVID-19 Cases 74,456
Total Counties with Confirmed Cases 105
Fatalities from COVID-19 952
2019 estimated population 2,913,314
Modified Operations Image

County Alerts and Closures

COUNTY OPERATIONS AS OF MONDAY, JULY 20TH:
With the ending of statewide gathering orders and the gradual reopening of many business sectors, county government buildings and services have also been gradually opening to in-person access.  For the safety of both the public and our county employees, some modifications to operations remain in effect. 
  • Access to the Historic Courthouse will be through the west doors only. County staff will be monitoring the number of people entering, exiting and waiting in seating areas.  They will be helping to ensure that safe social distancing can be maintained.
  • Citizens visiting either of the two Motor Vehicle locations will be asked to check in using the QLess line management system -- this can either be completed online ahead of time or using a computer terminal on site. As space allows, patrons will be able to wait in designated seating areas. If seating becomes tight, some patrons may be encouraged to leave and return closer to their time to be served.
  • Driver's License renewals are now available for Butler County residents at the Historic Courthouse. This office will utilize the QLess system, as well. For a full list of services this location can provide, visit here.
  • The Butler County Health/Extension building is once again open for public access. Appointments are still recommended and masks are required in the building.
  • Most District Court offices continue to conduct business through modified means. Please contact the court for further information.

Local COVID-19 Testing Sites

SPONSOR & LOCATION
DAYS
TO SCHEDULE
Butler County Health Department 
(Operating test sites in 2 locations)
El Dorado: Tuesday, Thursday
Andover: Wednesday
(316) 321-3400
SBA Hospital
720 W. Central, El Dorado
Requires doctor's orders - 
schedule through primary care physician.
  
Augusta Family Practice
1306 State St, Augusta
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
(316) 775-9191
Xpress Wellness, 
231 S. Andover Rd, Andover 
Limited daily time slots - preregistration required
Link to website

Official Information Sources

One of your best defenses is to know the facts. To better protect yourself and your family, go straight to the source. Refer to these links for the most current guidelines, recommendations, and virus data:

Fact Sheets for Individuals in Quarantine or Isolation

FACT SHEET TOPIC DOCUMENT LINK
Home Isolation Information for Patients Click to view
Home Isolation Information for Household Members and Caregivers Click to view

Local sources of information:

AGENCY PHONE EMAIL
Butler Co. Health Dept (316) 321-3400 Email
Butler Co. Emergency Management (316) 733-9796 Email
KDHE Hotline (866) 534-3463 Email
United Way Information Line 2-1-1 n/a
Kansas Dept of Labor:
COVID-19 Unemployment Information		 (316) 383-9947 Website

MENTAL HEALTH DURING COVID-19
COVID-19 is taking a toll on more than just physical and economic health. For many people, it is also causing a significant mental health impact. While a lot of the resources out there seem to be targeted toward protecting you physically, please know that a wealth of information and resources are available to support your mental health needs, too. Click here to access a resource list assembled by our local Health Department. Below are contact numbers for mental health services in Butler County:

RESOURCE NAME FACILITY LOCATION PHONE NUMBER
South Central Mental Health Andover Office (316) 733-5047
  Augusta Office (316) 425-0073
  El Dorado Office (316) 321-6036
  After-Hours Crisis Line (855) 773-6686
Andover Family Counseling Andover (316) 247-3063
Phase 3__Ad Astra


Current phase in the governor's reopening plan:  PHASE THREE (extended again)

Earliest possible date to move to the next phase:  TBD (not announced yet) 

*Effective 5/27/2020, this plan became state guidance, rather than an executive order.

Click to access the full plan

Declarations, Orders and Official Notices

NOTICE OR ORDER EFFECTIVE or RELEASE DATE DOCUMENT LINK
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE DOCUMENTS:    
Executive Order 20-52: Requiring Masks / Face Covering July 3, 2020 Click to view
Governor's Plan to Reopen Kansas Updated May 26, 2020 Link to Website
Kansas Office of the Governor: All Executive Orders  Continually updated Link to Website
KDHE DOCUMENTS:    
KDHE: Travel Related Quarantine Updated October 21, 2020 Link to Website
COUNTY DOCUMENTS:    
Resolution 20-17: Repeal of Masking Mandate July 3, 2020 Click to view
DECLARATIONS:    
Small Business Administration Disaster Declaration March 21, 2020 Link to Application
Butler County Public Health Declaration - Extension #6 October 13, 2020 Click to view
Butler County Public Health Declaration - Extension #5 September 22, 2020 Click to view
Butler County Public Health Declaration - Extension #4 June 14, 2020 Click to view
Butler County Public Health Declaration - Extension #3 June 9, 2020  Click to view
Butler County Public Health Declaration - Extension #2 June 2, 2020 Click to view
Butler County Public Health Declaration - Extension #1 May 19, 2020 Click to view
Butler County Public Health Emergency Declaration March 19, 2020 Click to view
State Emergency Declaration - Extension September 16, 2020 Click to view
Major Disaster Declaration for KS: FEMA-4504-DR March 29, 2020 Click to view
Facebook

For more information about the virus or about safety precautions you and your loved ones should be taking, visit the Butler County Kansas Health Department Facebook page. You can also find local updates on the Butler County, Kansas Government page or the Butler County, Kansas Emergency Management page.