Month: December 2021

COVID-19 cases are currently on the increase, according to doctors at the University of Kansas Health System.

Doctors reported 10 more COVID inpatients from Tuesday to Wednesday at the KU Health System, for a total of 98 COVID inpatients.

Nationally and in the metro area, the numbers of COVID cases also are increasing.

“We are steeper than at any point during this pandemic,” said Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer of The University of Kansas Health System. He showed a graph illustrating the steep rise in national COVID-19 cases. “And it’s still going straight up.”

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at KU Health System, said the vaccine works at helping prevent hospitalizations and death. Boosters have shown a good response to the Omicron variant, with an increase in neutralizing antibodies, he said.

According to Dr. Stites, the main variant in the Kansas City area is still the Delta variant, with Omicron second.

The doctors discussed testing for COVID, and said that testing is necessary to distinguish between the common cold and COVID variants.

A recent challenge is that rapid antigen tests may have decreased sensitivity to detecting Omicron, according to a CDC summary, said Dr. Rachael Liesman, director of clinical microbiology at KU Health System.

If a rapid antigen test is positive for COVID, that information can be used to begin treating it, she said. False negatives also are positive with rapid antigen tests, she said. If people still feel ill after a negative test, they should get a PCR test to confirm if it is COVID-19, she said.

“The laboratories are as overwhelmed as the rest of the healthcare workers,” she said. “We are struggling to staff our laboratories and that is a nationwide shortage.”

Recently, CDC has issued revised guidance shortening isolation times for people without symptoms who tested positive. The isolation period was shortened from 10 days to five days.

Dr. Stites said the CDC recognized there was a shortage of essential workers, and the new guidance could help essential workers get back to work after five days if they do not show symptoms. Those who return should wear a mask, according to the CDC’s guidance.

Dr. Hawkinson added that the CDC still recommends wearing masks, and masks will prevent spread. Masks need to fit correctly, and while cloth masks may not be as effective as surgical masks, they still reduce the spread of the disease, Dr. Hawkinson said. He encouraged people to continue wearing masks.

To see more of this discussion, visit the video at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/1609131246093423.

Vaccines available

The Unified Government’s Kmart facility at 7836 State is on a new schedule, and is open until 6 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 29. The Kmart facility will be open from noon to 6 p.m. on Fridays only in January for free walk-in vaccines. The Kmart facility will be open for free PCR tests from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays in January. The Kmart site is closed Dec. 30 and 31. Free vaccines will be available at the UG Health Department offices at 619 Ann Ave. from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays in January, by appointment only. For more information, see WycoVaccines.org.

The Vibrant Health Argentine location, 1428 S. 32nd, is scheduled to be open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 30, for COVID free testing and vaccines. Appointments are not needed. Tests available include PCR saliva, rapid antigen and nasopharyneal swab. Free COVID vaccines also are available.

The Kansas National Guard Armory at 18th and Ridge also is open on Thursday for COVID testing, through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. More information is at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.

The vaccines.gov website was showing some vaccination sites open in Wyandotte County on Thursday, Dec. 30. Some of these included area pharmacies with slots still open. Some of the sites were taking appointments online, while others can be contacted by phone. Some of the sites were closed on Dec. 31.

COVID cases increasing

On Wednesday, KU Health System reported a total of 98 COVID inpatients, an increase of 10 patients from Tuesday, with 69 active COVID inpatients being treated, an increase of 11 from Tuesday. Five COVID patients were fully vaccinated. There were 13 COVID patients in the intensive care unit, a decrease of four from Tuesday, with 12 on ventilators, an increase of four. Twenty-nine other COVID patients were still in the hospital because of COVID but were out of the acute infection phase, an increase of two from Tuesday. The last inpatient death was Dec. 26.

On Wednesday, the Unified Government Health Department COVID information website reported 27,714 total cumulative COVID cases, an increase of 76 cases since Tuesday, and a cumulative total of 406 deaths, no change since Tuesday.

The UG Health Department reported 57.38 percent of Wyandotte County residents had at least one dose of the COVID vaccine on Wednesday, while 48.21 percent of Wyandotte County residents had completed their vaccinations.

The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID information dashboard reported 156 daily hospitalizations, and 20 newly reported deaths in the nine-county Kansas City area. There were 1,363 new cases.