Kansas Governor Laura Kelly has announced the creation of a Safer Classrooms Workgroup to protect students, teachers and staff in the state’s school districts from COVID-19.

The governor was in Wichita on Wednesday for an appearance at Wesley Children’s Hospital to mark its 5th anniversary.   She said the workgroup will be made up of skilled health professionals from across the state, and it will use the best available science to promote health and safety in schools.

The governor said children are catching the COVID-19 virus and they’re being hospitalized and dying from the virus at increasingly higher rates.   She said the state is seeing higher levels of cases than a year ago.  She said the workgroup will provide information and guidance to give parents, teachers, school boards and others the tools they need to make informed decisions to protect schools and communities.

The governor said “We got our kids back in school by listening to health professionals, wearing masks, implementing stringent public health protocol, and getting vaccinated.  We’ll keep them there by continuing to follow the best health practices. I encourage all Kansans to get vaccinated as soon as possible.”