Johnson County Board of County Commissioners held their regularly scheduled meeting on Thursday, May 28.

Among other items discussed, commissioners took up the following topics:

The BOCC received updates regarding COVID-19 and took action to renew our local disaster emergency declaration, required for the county to request emergency assistance from the state and federal government. The BOCC also voted to support a message from Johnson County Local Health Director Dr. Joseph LeMaster and Johnson County Department of Health and Environment Director Dr. Sanmi Areola strongly recommending that Johnson County residents and businesses continue to adhere to the Ad Astra plan, plus approved the creation of a Johnson County guidance plan (effective today and lasting through June 11), which is reflective of the guidance in Phase 3 of the state’s plan. 

Watch a rebroadcast of the May 28 meeting. Read a summary of today's meeting.

Johnson County residents over 18, with or without symptoms can get a free COVID-19 test from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., on Friday, May 29, or or until supplies run out, at the College Boulevard Activity Center, 11031 S. Valley Rd., Olathe.

The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment is offering the drive-thru testing clinic on a first-come, first-served basis. Residents should bring a driver's license, but it is not required to be tested. Participants should be in line no later than 1 p.m. Traffic should enter the testing clinic off Lone Elm Road and 107th Street. Follow the signs.

Those who arrive for testing should remain in their vehicles with the windows rolled up until it's time for their test. Testing involves using a swab to take a sample from inside the nose.

Drive-thru testing is offered at the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment Olathe office, 11875 S. Sunset Dr.

Residents over the age of 18 with symptoms of coronavirus can get a free COVID-19 test by making an online appointment. You should seek testing from your primary health care provider first before making an appointment at JCDHE. Supplies and appointment times are limited.

Learn more about this testing option. Read details of the county's testing plan.

On JoCo on the Go, episode #42, hear from Johnson County leaders and experts about the CARES Act, what it is and what kind of federal stimulus relief it’s providing. Also find out how the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment is expanding its contact tracing capacity to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Look for JoCo on the Go where you regularly listen to podcasts. Learn more about JoCo on the Go and get a complete transcript of this episode.

As our community joins together in the fight against COVID-19, the Johnson County Museum is seeking to inspire the community through its new temporary exhibit titled “Rising to the Challenge: Suburban Strength in Difficult Times.” The exhibit is filled with stories of our community rallying together in the face of economic hardship, natural disasters, war and health crises.

In addition to highlighting past examples of community resiliency, the exhibit also connects to the museum’s recently launched collecting initiative, “Collecting COVID-19.” Artifacts already collected are part of the exhibit, as is a call for the public to submit stories and ideas for documents, photographs, and objects at www.jcprd.com/collecting.

The Governor did not hold a news conference on Thursday, May 28.

Watch a rebroadcast of the Wednesday, May 27 news conference.

No new data is provided by KDHE for May 28.

Get the latest data from the state.

If you've traveled out of state, visit the Kansas Department of Health and Environment Travel & Exposure Related Isolation/Quarantine webpage for guidance on remaining home for a period of time.

The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment encourages the use of face masks when physical distancing of 6 feet or more cannot be avoided and supports state and CDC guidance:

State: Individuals are strongly encouraged to wear cloth masks in public settings, as appropriate.

CDC: Recommends wearing cloth face coverings in public settings where other physical distancing measures are difficult to maintain (e.g., grocery stores and pharmacies).

Learn more about cloth mask recommendations. Get information from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment on the use of masks.

Call Johnson County Customer Service at

913-715-5000

TDD: 800-766-3777

We're available 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

You can also submit your comments and questions through an online email form. Please direct health-related questions to the COVID-19 hotline. Details below. Johnson County Customer Service is available to answer questions about timing of Johnson County's reopening. Questions about businesses included in phases should be directed to covid.ks.gov.

The Johnson County Community Hotline is for virus-related questions ONLY. All questions regarding the state's emergency public orders, including phased reopening, should be directed to [email protected].

 

Johnson County Community Hotline

913-715-CV19 (2819)

8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday

Spanish language available through same number

 

You can also call the Kansas Department of Health and Environment at 877-427-7317, after business hours. You can also email questions to [email protected] or use a chat bot at kdheks.gov/coronavirus.

We've created a webpage for the common questions surrounding COVID-19. Topics include which county buildings are opening and when, which phase of business reopening we're in and much more. As more questions come in, we'll continue to update answers.