Andrew Bair, chief executive officer of the Ellsworth County Medical Center, had good news at the May 28 meeting of the county’s local emergency planning committee.

As of June 1, the hospital will start allowing one visitor, family, per patient on the inpatient side.

“They will be screened every time they come in and out the door,” Bair said. “We’ll be taking their temperature and all of those things.”

Bair also said Dr. Ronald Whitmer is now seeing patients in Ellsworth and that things are a little busier at ECMC now that more and more patients are being seen by providers.

In other business:

• Kerianne Ehrlich, supervisor of the Ellsworth County Health Department, gave an update on COVID-19. “As of yesterday (May 27), Ellsworth County does not have any official orders in place,” she said.

Instead, she has several of what she described as strong recommendations.

First, there should not be gatherings of more than 30 people.

Second, people should wear masks while in public if they don’t feel they can do social distancing appropriately.

Third, continue the social distancing.

Fourth, stay home if you are sick.

Ehrlich noted Dr. Whitmer, the county’s health officer, has said if the county does see an increase in COVID-19 cases with the restrictions being lifted, some restrictions will more than likely be put back into place.

“We will reassess the gathering size on June 8, when Phase 3, technically, is supposed to start,” Ehrlich said.

Ehrlich said the Kansas Department of Health and Environment still has mandated travel restrictions for New York, New Jersey, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Maryland and Illinois.

“They also strongly recommend that industries and businesses continue on with their guidelines and cleaning guidelines,” she added.

Ehrlich said she has been talking to the organizers planning festivals in Ellsworth County this summer and she is still strongly discouraging conducting the normal big events such as those seen in past summers.

“It makes me nervous having people come in from all over to these large events where there is no crowd control or anything,” she said.

Ehrlich said she forewarned the festival organizers that if the county sees an increase in COVID-19 cases, restrictions could be put back into place.

“I would hate to see them be out of money and all that time and effort into their planning and not be able to have the event,” she added.

Ehrlich said state health officials are concerned not only about a second wave of COVID-19 spreading across Kansas this fall — but that wave possibly coming sooner because restrictions are being lifted.

“We’ll see what summer brings,” she said.

Ehrlich said the county’s emergency order remains in place for another two weeks.

She said that is important to have in place so the county can continue to receive supplies of personal protective equipment through the national stockpile and also to use the National Guard if necessary.

• Sheriff Murray Marston asked Ehrlich if having an emergency order in place is a requirement for the county health officer and the county health department to put restrictions in place.

“No,” Ehrlich said.