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 November Statewide Mask Mandate

During the regular Board of County Commissioners meeting on Tuesday, November 24th, Butler County Commissioners voted to adopt Resolution 20-41, which overturns the governor's latest masking mandate (EO 20-68) inside the county. Individual cities or businesses are still able to establish their own requirements with regards to masks/face coverings. NOTE: Any county facilities that fall inside a city that passes its own mask mandate will comply with that mandate. Copies of current orders, declarations, and other official documents can be found at the bottom of this page.  Click to view the county's November 24 press release. 

January 13, 2021 - COVID-19 Vaccine Update

PHASE ONE:
The Health Department has received another shipment of 600 doses of COVID-19 vaccine. They will be dispensing this shipment to people who work or live in Butler County who qualify under Phase 1 of KDHE’s vaccination plan. Health Department staff will be working hard over the next week to dispense all of the initial doses of the vaccine, as well as the planned 2nd doses. Those included in Phase 1 are as follows: Healthcare Associated Workers and workers critical to the pandemic response continuity. Long Term Care Facilities are being vaccinated through the federal pharmacy program. There are still several hundred Phase 1 individuals left to vaccinate in the county, and the Health Department cannot move on to Phase 2 until all Phase 1 vaccinations are complete. Additionally, KDHE has to give its approval to move to the next phase. 

PHASE TWO:
When Phase 2 vaccine becomes available, the county will widely share this information through all forms of media. Most of the registration for vaccine will be online through a link that will be made public once Phase 2 opens up. The Health Department will also have a phone line available for those that do not have access to the internet. In preparation for the next phase, please check on your family and friends who may not have access to the resources for registration. Make a plan to notify them and help them register for the vaccine. The Health Department encourages everyone to work together as a community to make sure everyone has the opportunity to receive the vaccine! Unfortunately, there is no definite answer as to when Butler County will be moving to Phase 2. KDHE suggests it may be late January but that is subject to change if the state has not completed Phase 1.

Click HERE to access the State of Kansas' vaccine information page (new site launched 1/7/2021).

Local COVID-19 Testing Sites

Below are some of the local testing options that are available to Butler County residents.  Some sites currently offer testing free of charge while others will bill insurance. For information on any associated fees or to learn about turn-around time on test results, please contact the site sponsor. 
As of 1/6/2021, the Health Department has ended its community testing program so that staff time can be redirected to administering COVID-19 vaccinations.
SPONSOR & LOCATION
DAYS
TO SCHEDULE
SBA Hospital
720 W. Central, El Dorado
Requires doctor's orders - 
schedule through primary care physician.
  
SBA's Augusta Immediate Care Clinic
401 W. 7th Ave, Augusta
Short-term FREE clinic in partnership with KDHE and WSU
January 7, 12, 14 and 19
(316) 251-5788
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
State-sponsored WellHealth testing sites
-multiple locations in Sedgwick and Harvey Co.
Daily time slots - register on the website
Link to website

Butler County COVID-19 Statistics

The COVID-19 Dashboard can also be viewed in full-screen mode by clicking here. This may improve the experience on some mobile devices.

Butler County Data

As of 1/15/2021. *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)		 4,637
Negative test results 42,286
Recovered cases* (updated Mondays) 3,905
Fatalities from COVID-19 42
2018 estimated population
(for reference)		 66,765
Recent Data Adjustments (UPDATED 1/6/2021):
Periodically there have been large jumps in county cases. While some of that is due to increased disease spread, some of those increases are also due to data corrections. Beginning in late October, issues were found with the state's EpiTrax system which prevented some of the county's positives from being reported correctly. Since that time, several lump-sum additions of historical cases have been made to the county's running total. So far, data corrections have caused an inflation to the daily increases on 10/23, 10/30, 11/6, 11/18, 12/23 and 12/28.  

On 1/6/2021, the county reported a 10-count increase in COVID-19 fatalities. While reconciling data with KDHE, the county Health Department found that the state had stopped notifying them of local deaths. This increase represented a data correction to add in deaths that had occurred over an extended time period -- it does not represent 10 new deaths since that last reporting period.
County/State Data Discrepancies (UPDATED 1/6/2021):
The county's COVID-19 case count tracks those cases that have been confirmed, investigated, and/or monitored by the county Health Department. This number differs considerably from the county total published by KDHE. Because KDHE staff are now working many of the cases for the counties, part of that discrepancy comes from delays in the local Health Department learning of these cases. However, a bulk of the difference comes from Department of Corrections inmate cases, which the county does not include in its reported numbers.  Since inmate cases do not represent individuals out circulating in the community, the Health Department does not add them to the official county count. For data consistency, the county also does not include inmate fatalities in its COVID-19 fatality 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. 

Kansas Data

As of 1/15/2020. Effective May 11th, KDHE will only update their data on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.
CATEGORY COUNTS
KDHE Reported COVID-19 Cases 256,134
Total Counties with Confirmed Cases 105
Fatalities from COVID-19 3,502
2019 estimated population 2,913,314
Modified Operations Image

County Alerts and Closures

COUNTY OPERATIONS AS OF FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4TH:
With the ending of statewide gathering orders and the gradual reopening of many business sectors, county government buildings and services also gradually re-opened to in-person access.  For the safety of both the public and our county employees, some modifications to operations remain in effect. 
  • **12/4 UPDATE:   Effective Monday, November 23rd, the Historic Courthouse was temporarily closed to public access due to staffing shortages. Public access will resume at 8:00 a.m. on Monday, December 7th. Click on the latest press release for more information.**
  • 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.
Exposure Mitigation

COVID-19 EXPOSURES AT WORK:


The county has put together a reference sheet to help employers and business owners navigate a COVID-19 exposure in their workplaces. And even though it's targeted at employers, this information is useful for anyone who has been exposed and isn't sure what to do next. The document can be accessed here and discusses the following mitigation steps:
1. Identifying Close Contacts
2. Quarantining Exposed Individuals
3. Conducting COVID-19 Testing at the Appropriate Time
4. Returning to Work
 

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
Releasing Cases and Contacts from Isolation and Quarantine - KDHE Graphic Click to view
Isolation and Quarantine FAQ - KDHE Guidance 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

COVID-19 Declarations, Orders and Official Notices

For reference, below are links to many of the important documents that have been issued during the COVID-19 pandemic. For assistance finding other related materials, contact Butler County Emergency Management.
NOTICE OR ORDER EFFECTIVE or RELEASE DATE DOCUMENT LINK
GOVERNOR'S OFFICE DOCUMENTS:    
Executive Order 20-68: Face Coverings Protocol November 25, 2020 Click to view
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 December 1, 2020 Link to Website
COUNTY DOCUMENTS:    
Resolution 20-41: Repeal of November Mask Mandate November 25, 2020 Click to view
Resolution 20-17: Repeal of Masking Mandate July 3, 2020 Click to view
CITY DOCUMENTS:    
City of El Dorado Ordinance G-1341: Mask Mandate December 18, 2020 Click to view
DECLARATIONS:    
Small Business Administration Disaster Declaration March 21, 2020 Link to Application
Butler County Public Health Declaration - Extension #9 January 12, 2021 Click to view
Butler County Public Health Declaration - Extension #8 December 15, 2020 Click to view
Butler County Public Health Declaration - Extension #7 November 10, 2020 Click to view
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 January 6, 2021 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.