TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas reported Monday that more than 2 million coronavirus vaccine shots have been administered in the state, as the federal government detailed plans to distribute nearly $1 billion in aid to the state’s cities and counties.
The state health department said nearly 1.15 million people or 39.5% of the state’s 2.9 million residents had received at least one vaccine shot, with those made by Pfizer and Moderna requiring two doses.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Treasury Department spelled out for the first time how it would distribute a majority of aid Kansas expects to receive from a federal coronavirus relief measure that became law in March. The department’s allocations cover about $2.6 billion of the $4.8 billion in federal aid that Kansas expects to see.
The state will receive $1.6 billion from the allocation. Its 105 counties will receive a total of $566 million, distributed $194 per resident. Another $427 million go to cities, with 10 major cities sharing $260 million.
Meanwhile, Kansas State University is altering its mask policy for outdoor settings, citing recent guidance from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that Americans don’t need to cover their faces anymore when they’re outdoors unless they are in a big crowd.
WIBW-TV reported that starting May 17, people who are fully vaccinated can participate in outdoor campus activities and recreation without a mask, except in crowded settings and venues. The university said masks still will be required in all indoor spaces on university property.
