 This week’s edition of the Office of Recovery Newsletter highlights Sedgwick County as they implement their premium pay program. You can also read an update on the approval of COVID-19 vaccinations for children ages 5 to11 and COVID-19 booster shots for individuals 18 and over that have already received their vaccine. We have also included information about the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal passed by Congress and how it will impact Kansas.
For the latest information about resources available to Kansans, see the “Updates to Services and Support” section of this newsletter.
For the most up-to-date information, please visit the Office of Recovery website at:
COVID.ks.gov
 Sedgwick County Leverages CLFRF Funding to Provide Premium Pay to Essential Workers
When Sedgwick County received their American Rescue Plan Act funds, they recognized the opportunity to provide premium pay to those who have worked on the frontlines of the pandemic.
“We are thankful that we can do something to appropriately compensate our employees that worked on the frontlines of the pandemic,” said Anna Meyerhoff-Cole, Deputy Chief of Human Resources at Sedgwick County, “Many of our employees qualified for up to $10,000 in premium pay which makes a big difference in their lives, especially during these trying times.”
The American Rescue Plan Act enables local governments to identify eligible workers needed to maintain continuity of operations of essential critical infrastructure or other sectors needed to protect the health and well-being of residents. Those eligible for premium pay must be engaged in regular in-person interaction or the regular physical handling of items that were also handled by others (US Treasury Interim Rule).
Sedgwick County has allocated up to $20 million in Local Fiscal Recovery Funds for their premium pay program.
Premium pay is one of the four eligible uses of State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds, in addition to responding to the COVID-19 public health emergency or its negative economic impacts, provision of government services to the extent of reduction in revenue, or making investments in water, sewer, or broadband infrastructure.
Counties and cities across Kansas will receive almost $1 billion from ARPA Local Fiscal Recovery Funds.
“It’s a great way to reward our staff that provided essential services during the heightened period of COVID-19 pandemic. My advice to anyone that is thinking that a premium pay program is something they want to do should focus on what they can realistically do and build the program around that,” said Meyerhoff-Cole.
If you have any questions, please visit https://covid.ks.gov/ and click on “Contact Us” on the top right corner.
 FDA Approves Pfizer Vaccination for Children Ages 5 to 11 Years Old
Kansas has adopted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control’s (CDC) recommendations for administering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5-11 under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), making all Kansans 5 years and older eligible for the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine.
“With this new development, the tools we need to keep kids safe and in school – and finally return to normal – are more accessible than ever,” Governor Kelly said. “We’ve been preparing for this announcement for months – and we stand ready to distribute this vaccine quickly and efficiently to every Kansas community. The vaccine is safe, effective, and free – and I encourage all Kansas parents to get their kids aged 5 and older vaccinated as soon as possible.”
This vaccine dose was designed for children and underwent additional clinical trials specifically for people ages 5-11 to determine that the vaccine was safe, effective, and appropriately dosed to minimize any possible side effects.
The Pfizer vaccine formulation has already been administered more than 380 million times in the United States since it was first authorized in December 2020 and continues to prove effective while undergoing intensive safety monitoring.
All 5 to 11-year-old children can now receive their Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine from a large network of vaccine providers across Kansas, including doctor’s offices, retail pharmacies, local health departments, and clinics.
In addition, many community partners and schools may also offer the COVID-19 vaccine for Kansas children. Information on locations offering vaccines for children ages 5 to 11 will be available at https://www.vaccines.gov/, and we recommend calling your local provider to confirm availability as well.
Children under the age of 5 are not yet eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC and FDA will continue to monitor the safety and efficacy data of vaccines and consider expanding eligibility for vaccines at appropriate doses for children under the age of 5, pending further review. Additionally, the FDA and CDC have not yet provided approval or guidance on Moderna’s vaccine for children aged 5-11. Please refer back to KDHE’s website for up-to-date information as guidance on vaccines for children continues to evolve at https://www.kdheks.gov/.
 COVID-19 Booster Shot Available for Vaccinated Kansas Adults
Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) announced this week that all fully vaccinated Kansans over the age of 18 are now eligible for COVID-19 booster shots.
“The COVID-19 vaccine is free, safe, effective, and the best way to keep our communities protected from this virus,” said Governor Laura Kelly. “Expanding access to booster shots will help us put an end to this deadly pandemic. Whether you are considering your first shot or signing up for a booster, I urge everyone to get the facts and get vaccinated.”
All Kansans who meet the below criteria are now eligible and encouraged to receive a booster dose of the COVID-19 vaccine:
- The patient is at least 18 years old and has met the 6-month time period following the primary vaccination series for the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, or it has been at least 2 months since their Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
- The patient’s assessment of risk exposure may include, but is not limited to, those who work with the public or live with someone who works with the public, live or work with someone at high risk of severe impact of COVID, live in geographic areas that have been heavily impacted by COVID, reside in high transmission areas, live in a congregate setting, experience social inequity or other risk conditions as assessed by the individual. Currently, there is a high risk of community transmission in all Kansas counties. Vaccine providers should allow patients to self-determine their risk of exposure.
Available data indicates that all three of the COVID-19 vaccines approved or authorized in the United States continue to be highly effective in reducing risk of severe disease, hospitalization, and death, even against the Delta variant. Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself and reduce the spread of the virus and help prevent new variants from emerging. To find a COVID-19 vaccine clinic visit Vaccines.gov.
 Congress Passes Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal
On November 6, 2021 Congress passed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Deal (Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act). This bill will impact millions of Kansas residents by investing in roads, bridges and rails, expanding access to clean drinking water and high-speed internet, addressing the climate crisis, and investing in under-developed communities. This bill, although not directly related to the Office of Recovery, will provide funding to Kansas that when paired with CLFRF (which have many of the same eligible uses) dollars will help our state continue to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic.
This legislation promises to:
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Deliver clean water to all American families and eliminate the nation’s lead service lines.
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Ensure every American has access to reliable high-speed internet.
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Repair and rebuild our roads and bridges with a focus on climate change mitigation, resilience, equity, and safety for all users.
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Improve transportation options for millions of Americans and reduce greenhouse emissions through the largest investment in public transit in U.S. history.
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Upgrade our nation’s airports and ports to strengthen our supply chains and prevent disruptions that have caused inflation.
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Make the largest investment in passenger rail since the creation of Amtrak.
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Build a national network of electric vehicle (EV) chargers
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Upgrade our power infrastructure to deliver clean, reliable energy across the country and deploy cutting-edge energy technology to achieve a zero-emissions future.
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Make our infrastructure resilient against the impacts of climate change, cyber-attacks, and extreme weather events.
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Deliver the largest investment in tackling legacy pollution in American history by cleaning up Superfund and brownfield sites, reclaiming abandoned mines, and capping orphaned oil and gas wells
For information on the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill, follow this link: Fact Sheet
 Treasury Key Principles: Compliance Areas of Focus Webinar
On November 17, the Office of Recovery held a webinar that covered the compliance requirements laid out by Treasury for the Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (CLFRF), best practice application of the compliance requirements and correlating resources which may assist with understanding and applying the compliance requirements. You can find the Zoom recording and presentation slides from the webinar at this link: Webinar Materials
Compliance Resource Library
The Office of Recovery has also updated its website to include a Compliance Resource Library, which is meant to assist state agencies, local governments, and other stakeholders with receiving, expending and reporting American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding. Over the last few weeks several job aids have been added to the library:
The full Compliance Resource Library can be viewed here.
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