Sedgwick County’s Local Health Officer has signed a new local health order that will open the community, removing curfews and restrictions on gatherings.   The order still requires the use of masks and social distancing.

Sedgwick County commissioners will have a special meeting Tuesday on issues relating to the pandemic and they will talk with the health officer, Dr. Garold Minns, during that meeting.   The new order will go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Sunday March 21st and it will be in effect through Friday, April 30th.

All businesses and organizations in Sedgwick County will have to make reasonable efforts to inform the public of the mask requirement and to require all employees, customers, visitors, and members to wear a mask.   They must also maintain six feet of social distancing between individuals and groups unless they reside together or fall under an exception.

Sedgwick County Manager Tom Stolz told reporters Monday that the county has received over 130,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine and has administered about 85,000 shots.  He said the vaccination process has been going well, and the problem now will be filling appointments.   The county now has thousands of appointments with two mass vaccination sites operating at the former downtown library and the Extension Center at 21st and Ridge Road.    Stolz said there is supply on hand for ten days at the two sites, so there is no imminent threat of a shortage, and the state will be providing more doses of vaccine in the coming weeks.

The county has opened vaccinations to everyone under Phase Two of the state vaccination plan.   That includes people 65 and older, public safety workers, grocery store workers, food service workers, education workers and higher education employees.    More information is available at the county’s web site at www.sedgwickcounty.org