An alarming local surge in COVID infections, deaths, and hospitalizations has prompted the Saline County Health Department to again call on area employers to do their part to help.

The Saline County Health Department formally requests that businesses and organizations adopt new policies and adapt existing ones around paid sick leave that will allow their employees to stay home when they are sick or
have been exposed to COVID-19 or other highly infectious diseases.

Earlier this year, the Saline County Health Department issued a notice to employers regarding their responsibility as an integral partner in public health.

According to the agency, positive and pro-active policies, and especially company cultures, that allow employees to stay home when they are sick are imperative to public health.

It is time for employers to think beyond masking, social distancing, testing, and vaccine policies and create viable options that allow their most valuable asset – their people – to exercise responsibility over their personal health.

Since Friday, December 3rd, there have been 341 new COVID cases and 8 COVID related deaths in Saline County. In the entire month of November there were 8 COVID related deaths and 690 total cases.