Health Department: No River Festival Quarantine Plans

Though the state recommends quarantine for those who are unvaccinated and attend a mass gathering of 500 or more like the Smoky Hill River Festival, the Saline County Health Department says it will not issue a quarantine order for those who attend the event.

The agency says those who attend are strongly encouraged to practice social distancing if at all possible, wear a mask when it is appropriate, wash hands often, and the like.

This decision does not override guidelines set forth by the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s Travel & Exposure Related Isolation and Quarantine policy, any unvaccinated Kansan who attends a mass gathering of 500 or more, where individuals do not socially distance (6 feet) and wear a mask, needs to quarantine.

The length of quarantine varies depending on whether you have been tested for COVID-19.

  • If you get tested , its negative and you have no symptoms, the quarantine period is 7 days.
  • If you do not get tested, the quarantine period is 10 days provided you are symptom-free.

Those who have been vaccinated are advised to quarantine if they become symptomatic. In this case, the quarantine is 7 days.