Unified Command launches COVID Helpline for Douglas County

A new COVID Helpline – 785-864-9000 – is available for Douglas County. This phone number will be answered by trained staff who can help answer questions about vaccination, testing, symptoms, local public health orders and other COVID-19 related questions. The helpline will be available: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 8 a.m.-noon Saturday.

“We are thrilled to be able to launch this much-needed service in the Douglas County community,” Douglas County Emergency Management Director Robert Bieniecki said. “Unified Command agencies and partners have been overwhelmed with thousands of phone calls from citizens seeking information related to COVID. The COVID Helpline will help streamline this process and help provide answers.”

The University of Kansas has been using this phone number to help answer COVID-related questions since before the fall 2020 semester. Now, it has expanded the number of phone lines and employees available to answer calls with the help of Douglas County agencies. These agencies include: Senior Resource Center for Douglas County, LMH Health and Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health.

“We greatly appreciate KU Chancellor Doug Girod, KU Emergency Management Director Andrew Foster and their staff for their willingness to help provide this service in our community,” Bieniecki said. “They’ve been instrumental throughout the county’s COVID response and recovery efforts and this is just one example of how the university has stepped up in a big way.”