Month: November 2020

Doctors concerned about hospital capacity

Wyandotte County reported 16 additional COVID-19 cases on Monday, for a cumulative total of 8,476, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 webpage. There were no additional deaths reported, for a cumulative total of 165. (From UG COVID-19 webpage) (https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8781f01908d8403e9273d78e66e6219b)

Doctors from four hospitals in the Greater Kansas City area expressed concern about hospital capacity, including staffing, during a news conference on Monday morning at the University of Kansas Health System.

Doctors reported their numbers of COVID-19 patients had gone up recently.

According to the doctors, the increased number of COVID-19 patients has the potential to cause capacity problems, as sometimes hospitals are more full in the fall and winter anyway.

The doctors who participated in the news conference include Dr. Mark Steele, executive chief clinical officer, Truman Medical Centers; Dr. Raghu Adiga, chief medical officer, Liberty Hospital; and Dr. Larry Botts, Advent Health.

Liberty Hospital had increased COVID-19 patients both from long-term care facilities and from the community, as well as from rural areas to the north, according to Dr. Adiga.

Dr. Steele said the seven-day rolling average was the highest he’d seen. More infections generally result in more hospitalizations and more deaths, and he doesn’t want that to happen, he said.

He said he also was concerned about gatherings for the holidays. People should think about postponing gatherings, or keeping them very small.

Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer of the KU Health System, said hospitals are getting busier because it’s that time of year. With COVID-19, the hospitals are getting fuller than previously.

He mentioned he saw some large gatherings of parents of kids who were trick-or-treating on Halloween, and the parents were not wearing masks.

“We’ve bent the curve before, we can bend it again,” Dr. Stites said. To do that, people have to wear a mask, keep their distance and wash their hands, he said.

On a question about the safety of voting in person, Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at KU Health System, said those who are concerned about safety might wear both a mask and goggles. That is in addition to distancing six feet and washing or sanitizing hands frequently.

Turner High School and motor vehicle office closed temporarily because of COVID-19

COVID-19 cases have caused the temporary closure of Turner High School for in-person education and the Wyandotte County motor vehicle office for in-person services.

According to a Turner School District spokesman, Turner High School students who are enrolled in the blended model will make the transition to remote learning beginning Tuesday. Then they will return to the blended model afterThanksgiving, on Nov. 30.

According to the school district, the decision was made in coordination with the Unified Government Health Department because of a continued increase in COVID-19 cases among the Turner High School students.

“We hope this closure will slow the spread of COVID-19 in our community,” the spokesman stated.

Although cases have increased, there is no evidence of spread within the high scool, according to the spokesman. During the closure, Turner High School will be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected, and students will continue to learn through live virtual instruction with their teachers.

A Health Department letter sent to Turner stated that 26 students from Turner High School had tested positive to date. There were currently 14 cohorts quarantined at home to avoid virus spread, including about 130 students and 30 staff, according to the letter.

At the UG’s motor vehicle office at the courthouse annex, 82nd and State, COVID-19 cases have resulted in a temporary closure of the office to in-person services, according to UG spokesman Mike Taylor.

Although motor vehicle services cannot be conducted in person, they can continue to be conducted online, dropped off and through mail-only service, he said. This temporary closure for in-person services will go from Nov. 2 to Nov. 13.

Other services at the courthouse annex will remain open.

More information about motor vehicle services is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/10302020motorvehicleservicesannexlocation.pdf.

Cases in Wyandotte County, surrounding areas

The University of Kansas Health System reported 35 active COVID-19 patients on Monday, down from 37 on Friday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. There were 14 patients in the intensive care unit, the same number as Friday, and eight patients on ventilators, an increase from five on Friday. There were 31 other patients in the hospital because of COVID-19 but out of the acute infection phase, the same as Friday. HaysMed in Hays, Kansas, reported 17 total COVID-19 inpatients on Monday, down from 19 on Friday, and one of the patients in the recovery phase.

Wyandotte County reported 16 additional COVID-19 cases on Monday, for a cumulative total of 8,476, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 webpage. There were no additional deaths reported, for a cumulative total of 165. (https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/8781f01908d8403e9273d78e66e6219b)

The MARC Kansas City Region COVID-19 hub reported 58,019 total cumulative COVID-19 cases and 996 total deaths on Monday for the nine-county Greater Kansas City area. The average daily number of cases was 346, down from 427 last week. The average daily number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital was 398, down from 401 last week. (https://marc2.org/covidhub/)

Kansas reported its largest increase ever of COVID-19 cases on Monday. There were 4,046 additional cases reported on Monday, since Friday, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. There were 17 additional deaths reported statewide. In all, there were 89,227 total cumulative cases with 1,046 cumulative deaths on Monday morning, according to the KDHE.

Free COVID-19 testing available Tuesday

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 because of the weather or for other reasons. Bring something that shows that you live or work in Wyandotte County, such as a utility bill.

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

The KU doctors’ news conference is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/1321567304857986

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 Unified Government COVID-19 hub outbreak map is at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/.

To see an NEA list of schools that have had COVID-19 cases, visit https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=aa3f2ede7cb2415db943fdaf45866d2f.

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

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

85 percent of mail-in ballots returned in Wyandotte County

As of Monday, 85 percent of mail ballots had been returned to the Election Office, according to Wyandotte County Election Commissioner Bruce Newby.

Total votes cast were 36,385 as of Monday, according to Newby. That includes 20,105 mail ballots and 16,280 ballots cast in person at three early voting locations.

Election Day is Tuesday, Nov. 3, and polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. in Wyandotte County. Registered voters who have not voted yet should go to their assigned polling places and should bring an approved ID, such as a driver’s license or passport.

Mike Taylor, a Unified Government spokesman, said today that there has been a really great turnout in the election so far.

He said the election commissioner thinks that the highest voter turnout in recent years was in the 2008 presidential election, with about 65 percent, and this election may meet or exceed that. They may be on track to set a record, he said.

Kansas law allows any mail ballots still at home to be postmarked on Nov. 3, before 7 p.m., and arrive by Friday at the Election Office to be counted, he said. Voters also can use a ballot drop box by 7 p.m. Tuesday or drive the mail-in ballot to any Wyandotte County polling place while polls are open.

“At this point, I would use a drop box,” Taylor said. He encouraged people to put them in one of the five ballot drop box locations in Wyandotte County before 7 p.m. Tuesday. Those mail ballots also can be filled out and taken to any Wyandotte County polling place or the Election Office before 7 p.m. Tuesday.

If a person received an advance ballot in the mail and they show up in person to vote, they will be given a provisional ballot, Taylor said.. That is a safety check to make sure people don’t vote twice, he said.

There has been some discussion recently about whether guns can be taken into polling places. Guns should not be carried openly at the polls, and voter intimidation is against the law.

Taylor said, however, if a person has a concealed carry permit, he or she may go into a polling place with their gun concealed, unless the building where voting is held has posted a sign that says guns are not allowed.

Electioneering also is against the law, and no signs, clothes with political messages or campaign advocacy are allowed within 250 feet of the polls.

Early voting closed at noon Monday at the Election Office.

The voting totals for the three satellite early voting centers as of Monday: Election Office, 5,774; Amayo-Argentine Community Center, 3,151; and Eisenhower Recreation Center, 7,355.

The locations of the six mail ballot drop boxes: two drop boxes at the Election Office, 850 State Ave.; one each at Kansas City, Kansas, City Hall, 701 N. 7th St.; at the West Wyandotte Library, 1737 N. 82nd St.; at Bonner Springs City Library, 201 N. Nettleton Ave., Bonner Springs; and at Edwardsville City Hall, 690 S. 4th St., Edwardsville.

A voters’ guide is at https://wyandotteonline.com/voters-guide-for-the-2020-general-election/.

Candidate forums for the Kansas House and Kansas Senate seats in Wyandotte County, through KCKCC and Business West, are available for viewing on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMfeRPiOepX1DVWc9Tz2RISP4a-Hmxnpq.

For more information on voting on Election Day, the Wyandotte County Election Office at 850 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, has more information about voting questions at wycovotes.org, or email [email protected], or call the Election Office at 913-573-8500.

For locations of polling places on Election Day, see https://static1.squarespace.com/static/56606b47e4b0b9403ad6ff96/t/5f6b7c25dc536f0db2aa6dbe/1600879653285/Poll+Locations+-+November+3%2C+2020+General+Election+-+Alpha+Listing.pdf.

Ballot-tracking and how to find a polling place: The Voter View website can tell voters if they are registered, where their specific polling place is, and what is on their ballot. It will also tell voters if their ballots have been sent to them, and if the ballot has been received by the office. Voter View is at https://myvoteinfo.voteks.org/VoterView.

If you believe there has been an election violation, you can file a complaint online on the Kansas secretary of state’s website at https://www.sos.ks.gov/forms/elections/complaintform.pdf.

Jared Maag, a federal prosecutor, will be available to the public to respond to complaints of possible election fraud or voting rights violations in Kansas at 785-295-2858 while the polls are open on Nov. 3.

The ACLU of Kansas is encouraging voters to track their ballots and call the Election Protection Hotline at 866-OUR VOTE if they encounter any difficulties or see any irregularities.

For information about bus rides to the polls, visit https://ridekc.org/blog/voting-options.

Earlier stories about the election are at https://wyandotteonline.com/category/election-2020/.