Month: November 2020

Doctors urge mask-wearing, distancing to avoid future restrictions

Is the Kansas City area headed for a total lockdown?

That was one of the topics discussed at Wednesday morning’s University of Kansas Health System’s news conference.

Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer for the health system, said as numbers in the Kansas City area keep rising, he’s more concerned that a total lockdown might be necessary.

Beds are in short supply now in the Kansas City area, and if residents don’t follow the rules of infection prevention, it could get worse, especially after Thanksgiving, he said. Large gatherings inside homes for the holiday could turn into superspreader events.

There are new COVID-19 restrictions going into effect Friday in Wyandotte County and Jackson County, and statewide in Kansas on the day before Thanksgiving, however. (See story about statewide mask mandate at https://wyandotteonline.com/governor-issues-new-mask-mandate-other-steps-to-slow-spread-of-covid-19/.)

With positive news this week that vaccines are on track, Dr. Stites urged people to keep wearing masks, socially distance and avoid crowds.

“Help is almost here, and we need people to still be good to get to the other side,” he said.

The KU doctors also talked with Anil Gharmalker, a COVID-19 patient who caught COVID-19 in April, was on a ventilator and now has had several surgeries. On Tuesday he was in the hospital for a procedure related to being on a ventilator.

Gharmalker has had to cut back on his work, running a trucking business, and still suffers from shortness of breath and fatigue. His time on the ventilator and a tracheotomy has affected his speaking.

He asked people not to be complacent about COVID-19 as he was previously. Because he was young and living in a small town, he never thought he would be seriously ill with it.

“I used to give lip service to being careful. I wish I would have been more careful,” Gharmalker said. COVID-19 didn’t care who he was or what he believed, he said. It scared him to think that if enough people like him showed up at the hospital now, there might not be enough services to keep them alive.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, said in any small gathering, even a group of four, it’s possible at least one has the virus without knowing it. When it comes to schools, he says the classrooms themselves are safe, it’s what the students do outside of class that’s the problem. He noted the upcoming vaccines are proving to be 90 to 95 percent effective, which is much better than the annual flu vaccine.

Dr. Hawkinson reported there were 85 acute COVID-19 patients in the hospital Wednesday, up from 84 on Tuesday, with 32 in the intensive care unit, up from 31 on Tuesday, and 13 on ventilators, up from 12 on Tuesday. Another 41 COVID-19 patients are still in the hospital but were out of the acute infection phase, a decrease from 42 on Tuesday. The total of COVID-19 patients was 126, the same number as Tuesday.

HaysMed in Hays, Kansas, reported 30 total COVID-19 inpatients, with three in the recovery phase, up from 27 on Tuesday.

Wyandotte County reported an additional 70 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, for a cumulative total of 9,695, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 webpage. No increase in deaths was reported, for a total of 167.

Kansas reported an increase of 5,853 COVID-19 cases from Monday to Wednesday, according to statistics from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. There is a cumulative total of 128,594 cases. There were an additional 60 deaths reported on Wednesday, for a cumulative 1,326 deaths, according to the KDHE figures.

The Kansas City region, a nine-county area, reported 72,720 total COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, according to the Mid-America Regional Council’s Kansas City Region COVID-19 resource hub. Average daily new cases were trending down over the last week. Testing was down in the nine-county area, and there were almost half as many new COVID-19 tests this week as there were last week. Hospitalization rates for COVID-19 were trending up in the nine-county area, according to the resource hub.

The number of COVID-19 cases in the United States increased to 11,527,440 on Wednesday, according to Johns Hopkins University figures.

Free COVID-19 testing available on Thursday

A free COVID-19 pop-up test will continue from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, at Vibrant Health Argentine location, 1428 S. 32nd St., Kansas City, Kansas.
The pop-up test is through Vibrant Health and the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force.


The Unified Government Health Department has moved its COVID-19 testing from the 6th and Ann location to the former Kmart at 78th and State Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas. The hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Tests are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County. The tests are now saliva COVID-19 tests.


The tests now are open to asymptomatic people as well as those who have symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19. Check with the UG Health Department’s Facebook page to see if there have been any changes in the schedule. Bring something that shows that you live or work in Wyandotte County, such as a utility bill.


For more information about the testing site at the former Kmart location, visit https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/10092020_newtestingsitewyco.pdf.

To see an earlier story about the governor’s new mask mandate, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/governor-issues-new-mask-mandate-other-steps-to-slow-spread-of-covid-19/.

The KU doctors’ news conference is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/1093495401106934.

The new Wyandotte County health order with a limit of 10 persons to a gathering, and a closing time of 10 p.m. for restaurants and bars, with other new restrictions, is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/11162020localhealthorderexecuted.pdf.

The UG COVID-19 webpage is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.

The KDHE’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/.

The KC Region COVID-19 Hub dashboard is at https://marc2.org/covidhub/.

The Wyandotte County page on the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 website is at https://bao.arcgis.com/covid-19/jhu/county/20209.html.

The CDC’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.

Winter sports in Kansas schools could be delayed

The Kansas State High School Activities Association Executive Board today unanimously supported delaying the start of winter games until mid-January.

The proposal will go to the full KSHSAA Board of Directors for consideration, according to a news release. That board will meet at 1 p.m. Nov. 24 in a virtual meeting.

The KSHSAA Executive Board reviewed data including elevated positivity rates of COVID-19, the effect of other illnesses on top of COVID-19 on the overburdened health care system, and moving activities indoors, according to the announcement.

Under the proposal, high school competitions for all winter activities would be delayed until Friday, Jan. 15; winter activity practice could continue where appropriate through Dec. 22; and a winter moratorium would be extended from Dec. 23 to Jan. 3, with practices resuming Jan. 4.

Also, the proposal supports no fans for competition from Jan. 15 to 28; limited fans from Jan. 29 through the rest of the winter competitions; and mandatory masking except for athletes in competition and officials during live action. There would be no invitational tournaments.

The proposal also has competition maximum limits on the number of games or events per team.

There also were proposed restrictions for middle school, including no competition in December, and also none from Jan. 1 through Jan 14; no events with more than three schools; intramural play only strongly encouraged; and limit of two fans per player starting Jan. 15.

The Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools board on Nov. 10 voted to start practices Jan. 4, with games beginning Jan. 18. (See https://wyandotteonline.com/kck-school-board-approves-winter-sports/)

Governor issues new mask mandate, other steps to slow spread of COVID-19

Kansas reported an increase of 5,853 COVID-19 cases from Monday to Wednesday, according to statistics from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. There is a cumulative total of 128,594 cases. There were an additional 60 deaths reported on Wednesday, for a cumulative 1,326 deaths, according to the KDHE figures. (KDHE graphic)

Gov. Laura Kelly this afternoon announced a new mask mandate and other steps to slow the spread of COVID-19 and reduce hospitalizations and deaths.

The new steps are being taken as COVID-19 cases have risen dramatically in Kansas. Kansas reported an increase of 5,853 COVID-19 cases from Monday to Wednesday, according to statistics from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. There is a cumulative total of 128,594 cases. There were an additional 60 deaths reported on Wednesday, for a cumulative 1,326 deaths, according to the KDHE figures.

The mask mandate, to take effect 12:01 a.m. Nov. 25, includes an option for counties to tailor mask-wearing to their own communities’ needs. They would have one week to write and implement their own mask orders, or they would automatically be under the statewide order.

Counties that already have mask mandates, such as Wyandotte County, will keep their own rules, according to the governor.

Other parts of the new plan are community engagement conversations and a public health campaign, according to the governor.

“As COVID-19 continues to spread through Kansas communities and hospitalizations increase at concerning rates, it is clear we must take action to protect our communities and our economy,” Gov. Kelly said. “Today’s actions are a bipartisan package of recommendations from legislators, health professionals, and business leaders to increase participation in commonsense COVID-19 prevention practices.”

“My administration recognizes that each Kansas county is faced with unique challenges – and a one-size-fits-all approach can be difficult for some communities to navigate,” Gov. Kelly said. “The order allows local officials one week to craft and implement their own version of a face covering ordinance that works for them and their communities.”

Under the order, Kansans shall wear face coverings when inside public spaces, or in situations where physical distancing of 6 feet cannot be maintained. Guidance regarding specific locations or situations in which face coverings should be worn is outlined within the order.

Kansans under 5 years of age, those with medical conditions, and others outlined in the order are exempt from face covering protocol.

A Kansas law still remains in effect allowing county commissions to opt out of the governor’s emergency orders.

In addition to the face-covering protocol, the Kelly administration is partnering with The Leadership Center to mobilize its alumni base, which is nearly 12,000 strong, to mobilize and lead virtual non-partisan convenings across Kansas beginning the week of November 17 and concluding by late December. The project will dramatically increase the number of local leaders – pastors, coaches, neighborhood leaders, business owners, community officials, and others to use their influence to combat the virus.

This week, Gov. Kelly also approved CARES Act funding to assist a coalition of stakeholders including the Kansas Hospital Association, Kansas Chamber of Commerce, Kansas Farm Bureau, and others, to create a statewide public health campaign to begin next week. The campaign will encourage Kansans to follow the best practices, encourage voluntary testing, avoid mass gatherings, and use face-coverings.

The governor’s announcement Wednesday received support from the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce and from U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist.

Rep. Davids’ statement: “With coronavirus cases surging in Kansas and across the country, I commend Governor Kelly for taking proactive, common sense steps to help us get this virus under control and keep our communities safe. Wearing masks, social distancing and limiting gatherings are among the best tools we have to stop the spread of this virus before vaccines are distributed. It’s also how we keep our economy running and our kids in school. While it’s not always easy, especially during the holidays, we all need to do our part and follow public health guidelines right now.”

The Greater Kansas City Chamber’s statement: “The Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce supports Kansas Governor Laura Kelly’s decision to enforce mask-wearing in Kansas. Science has proven that masks work in reducing the spread of COVID-19. Data shows wearing a mask is the best way to support small businesses across our region. A reduced spread means businesses have a better chance of keeping their doors open. Frontline medical workers are dealing with a surge of new cases. Hospitals are running low on staff and ICU beds to treat those cases. We must all do our part to slow the spread and protect our community – especially our frontline medical workers.”

The new state mask order is at https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/11/EO-20-68-Face-Coverings-protocol-Executed-1.pdf.

The governor’s news conference is online at https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/videos/854182115434980.