Month: November 2020

Some area officials offer congratulations to Biden

Area officials offered their congratulations to Joe Biden being declared the winner of the presidency by major news organizations on Saturday, while other officials seem to be waiting.

One local official, Unified Government Commissioner Christian Ramirez, wrote on social media: “A weight has been lifted off of our shoulders and we can finally breathe!!”

Major news organizations declared Joe Biden the winner of the presidency on Saturday, calculating that he had surpassed the number of electoral votes needed to win. His win will be official after the Electoral College meets and votes.

However, President Donald Trump did not concede, but planned lawsuits challenging the election results, with the help of the Missouri attorney general. (See https://www.supremecourt.gov/DocketPDF/20/20-542/160113/20201109134744257_2020-11-09%20-%20Republican%20Party%20of%20Pa.%20v.%20Boockvar%20-%20Amicus%20Brief%20of%20Missouri%20et%20al.%20-%20Final%20With%20Tables.pdf)

Biden, Kamala Harris and the Democrats put together a strategy during the campaign that won back much of the labor vote, turned out African-American and Hispanic voters, and garnered the support of college-age and suburban women.

Joe Biden visited Wyandotte County on Sept. 19, 2019, to support striking autoworkers. (File photo)

Visits to Wyandotte County by presidential candidates have been somewhat rare in recent years, but Biden made an appearance in Wyandotte County on Sept. 22, 2019, to support striking autoworkers. (See https://wyandotteonline.com/biden-visits-uaw-strikers-in-kck/)

Wyandotte County voted almost 2-to-1 for Biden and Harris. The vote here was 35,623 for Biden and Harris to 18,530 for Trump and Pence, according to unofficial results.

Biden gave a victory speech on Saturday evening, saying there was a need to heal the divisions in the nation.

With the projection of Biden as winner, also comes “firsts” for America’s vice president-elect – the first woman, and the first black woman, as well as the first woman with ancestors from India, as Kamala Harris was declared the winner of the vice presidency by several news organizations.

U.S. Rep. Sharice Davids, D-3rd Dist., who won re-election last Tuesday, sent out a message on social media about the election: “I know a lot of folks are exhausted by the heated rhetoric in our national conversation right now. We all have our principles. It’s fine if we have honest disagreements sometimes. But we should always remember that we are not Democrats or Republicans first. We’re all Americans first. This has to be a time to heal, find common ground whenever we can, and make government work for the people. Every person and every corner of our community deserves a government that works for them. Not special interests.”

State Rep. Pam Curtis, D-32nd Dist., offered a simple “Congratulations” to Biden and Harris on her social media site. The Wyandotte County Democrats social media site posted a congratulatory photo.

Unified Government Commissioner Christian Ramirez posted on social media: “Congratulations Mr. President-elect!!!! Joe Biden will turn this country around and bring back decency and honor back to the Office of the Presidency! Let’s get to work and bring our country back together!!
“Out of all the elections I’ve watched I’ve never cried before! I didn’t even cry with my election. A weight has been lifted off of our shoulders and we can finally breathe!!”

Former Kansas City, Kansas, Mayor Mark Holland pointed out in a social media analysis post, “Whites oust Trump, Trump attacks blacks,” that probably more people voted against Trump than for Biden. (See https://www.facebook.com/mark.holland.9237)

Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine 90 percent effective

COVID-19 hospitalizations up at KU Health System

Positive news about a COVID-19 vaccine was announced Monday morning by Pfizer.

In an announcement Monday morning, Pfizer said its COVID-19 vaccine is more than 90 percent effective in preventing COVID-19 in participants who had no evidence of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.

The Pfizer news release stated that there were 43,538 participants in a study, with 94 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in trial participants.

Pfizer stated in the release that it plans to submit its application for emergency use authorization to the FDA around the third week of November.

The clinical trial would continue to the final analysis to collect more data, according to the news release.

Distribution of the vaccine, after FDA approval, was expected to be at least a few months away, with health care workers and people at high risk among the first to receive it.

“Today is a great day for science and humanity. The first set of results from our Phase 3 COVID-19 vaccine trial provides the initial evidence of our vaccine’s ability to prevent COVID-19,” said Dr. Albert Bourla, Pfizer chairman and CEO, in the news release. “We are reaching this critical milestone in our vaccine development program at a time when the world needs it most with infection rates setting new records, hospitals nearing over-capacity and economies struggling to reopen. With today’s news, we are a significant step closer to providing people around the world with a much-needed breakthrough to help bring an end to this global health crisis. We look forward to sharing additional efficacy and safety data generated from thousands of participants in the coming weeks.”

Doctors at the University of Kansas Health System discussed the announcement briefly on Monday morning during a news conference.

Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at KU Health System, said a 90 percent rate was really effective.

“If it’s 90 percent that’s a game changer,” he said.

Until the vaccine is available, he encouraged people to continue wearing their masks, socially distancing and avoiding groups.

About 100 million doses have been ordered of the vaccine, due around the first of January, and it would probably be a year to get everyone vaccinated, he said.

The doctors said only sketchy information is available at this time, and they will be reviewing more detailed information in the future.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, said there is a distribution plan, and front-line health care workers, first responders such as police and fire, and essential workers would be at the front of the list. Very sick patients and nursing home residents also would get priority.

Dr. Hawkinson announced the highest ever number of COVID-19 inpatients this morning at KU Health System.

There were 68 COVID-19 patients with acute infections, with 26 in the intensive care unit, 14 on ventilators and another 28 in the recovery phase, with three of those on ventilators on Monday, he said.

On Friday morning, KU Health System reported 53 active COVID-19 patients. On Friday morning there were 18 in the intensive care unit and 10 on ventilators, along with an additional 28 COVID-19 patients not classified as active.

From HaysMed in Hays, Kansas, there were 17 COVID-19 patients, including 12 active and five in the recovery phase. On Friday morning, HaysMed reported 22 COVID-19 patients, with 19 active and three in recovery.

For more information on the Pfizer vaccine, visit https://www.pfizer.com/news/hot-topics/albert_bourla_discusses_covid_19_vaccine_efficacy_results and https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-and-biontech-announce-vaccine-candidate-against.

Police notes

Burglary reported to occupied vehicle

An aggravated burglary was reported at 9:45 a.m. Nov. 8 in the 1200 block of Ruby Avenue, according to a social media post by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department.

Officers responding to an aggravated burglary report call found a victim who had been sleeping in her vehicle when an unknown suspect entered the vehicle and removed personal property, according to the report.

No injuries were reported, according to the report.