This week marks a new phase of the coronavirus pandemic in the Kansas City metro as many restrictions on both sides of the state line begin to be relaxed.
Kansas City, Missouri’s stay-at-home order ends Friday, May 15, though Mayor Quinton Lucas began easing some restrictions on May 6, allowing many non-essential businesses to open with certain restrictions. Meanwhile, Jackson County in Missouri and Johnson and Wyandotte counties in Kansas have also set May 11 as the date their reopen plans begin to phase in.
Still, even as the local economy gradually inches back to a state of normalcy, health experts say the risk of spreading the coronavirus remains.
“The central thought for everyone is that we are still in the midst of this outbreak. The fact that we're opening communities doesn't mean it's gone, it just means that our hospitals have the capacity for you now,” says Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, dean of the UMKC School of Medicine.
As we all begin to return to our normal lives, or at least try to, Jackson says it’s better to err on the side of caution.
Though policies and precautions may change as the reopening continues, three public health experts who spoke to KCUR offer some do’s and don’ts for doing everyday activities going forward.
DO: Keep Social-Distancing
Jackson says the key to preventing another wave of infection is to keep functioning the way we've been under the shutdown.
That means continuing to practice all of the baseline measures that reduce the risk of spreading the virus, like maintaining at least six feet of distance from others in public, washing hands frequently, coughing into elbows and wearing a mask.
“We are still recommending you avoid large and small group gatherings. You're not going to a friend's house, you're not going to parks,” Jackson says.
Dr. Steven Stites, interim executive vice-chancellor of the KU School of Medicine, also worries that residents will misread the reopening as a signal the virus is gone. Hospitals could still become overwhelmed like they are in other parts of the country, he says.
“As a society reopens, if people think that that means they can go out and be really social, then we'll fill that capacity right up. So it's really about personal responsibility,” Stites says.
He says taking personal responsibility to follow these precautions will be important for a long time — at least until there’s a vaccine or large enough downward trend of infections in the area.
DONT: Go out if you’re at high-risk
While everyone is looking forward to getting out of the house again, those that are considered to be a part of a vulnerable population — like the elderly, or those with an underlying health condition — should still be staying at home to reduce their chance of infection. Jackson also recommends that those who have the opportunity to work from home should continue to do so.
Terry Rosell is a consultant at the Center for Practical Bioethics in Kansas City. He’s over 60 and says he doesn't plan to go back to his normal activities anytime soon.
“I just told my older neighbor on the phone, I think what you and I need to be doing, even as things open up, is that we need to still avoid situations that may be risky to us,” said Rosell.
He says it’s important that everyone, but especially those at risk, be patient before returning to business as usual.
DO: Wear a mask in public… correctly
The CDC announced its recommendation last month that everyone wear a cloth face covering when out in public. Some stores, like Costco and Hy-vee, are requiring customers to wear these masks in order to shop, but most retailers are leaving it up to individuals.
Stites says surgical masks and N-95 respirators are reserved for healthcare workers, but cloth face coverings or even homemade masks can still be effective for members of the general public.
“Those masks prevent your secretions from getting out, but they don't do as much for the secretions that you could be breathing in. So if you wear a cloth mask, which you should do in public, then you have to remember you still need to maintain that six feet of distance,” says Stites.
He says it’s also important that masks are worn correctly so they are effective. Whatever face mask you use should cover both your mouth and nose, and fit snugly. Masks also don’t need to be worn in some instances, like if you are alone in your vehicle.
DON’T: Let someone violate your boundaries
Metro residents have been given these guidelines to follow, but they are not technically laws. That has put into question for many what is one’s obligation to follow these guidelines, and perhaps more importantly, what to do if someone else isn’t following them.
If you believe someone is putting you at risk, such as ignoring six-foot markers while waiting in line at a grocery store, Rosell with the Center for Practical Bioethics believes it's within your rights to speak up.
“We have a right to bodily protection so if someone is not maintaining spatial distance with us, we have the right to ask them to please stay away and keep a distance that feels safe,” says Rosell.
This may offend the other person, but Rosell says it doesn’t have to be confrontational and can potentially start a more honest dialogue about staying safe during the pandemic.
DO: Lead by example
In some cases, you might see social-distancing guidelines being violated that don’t necessarily affect you directly. This could be someone coughing without covering their mouth, not wearing a mask in public, or being closer than six feet apart with others who are not in their group.
In these instances, Rosell says sometimes the best thing you can do to encourage others is to not lecture or say anything but to try to set an example.
“If I go to Menard's to pick up items from outside, I'm putting my mask on as soon as I drive into the supply yard. If the person who is tending the shack is not wearing a mask, I may set the example for him or her by wearing mine,” says Rosell.
Rosell says he’s also trying to follow these practices even at home by not having large groups over, and socially distancing even when with relatives or friends. He says wearing a mask and strictly following the rules in public might help those who feel too embarrassed to do so.
While all of these adjustments may be difficult to make, Jackson with the UMKC School of Medicine, says they’re not impossible.
“I think it will get easier as people get used to what this is going to be. And that is our new normal.”
