COVID-19 testing will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 7, in Wyandotte County, after a pause by the Health Department during the Labor Day holiday.
The former Kmart building at 7836 State Ave., a Unified Government Health Department vaccination site, will be open for testing from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and for COVID-19 vaccinations from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday. There are incentives being offered for Wyandotte County residents, while supplies last.
The Unified Government Health Department is expected to give an updated report on COVID-19 in Wyandotte County during a UG special meeting at 6 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 9. The meeting will be shown on UGTV and on YouTube, as well as accessible on Zoom and on the telephone.
Wyandotte County reported a cumulative 22,735 cases on Friday, Sept. 3, an increase of 224 over the five-day period since Monday, according to the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage. There were a cumulative total of 335 deaths on Friday, an increase of 10 deaths in the five-day period.
Kansas City, Kansas, celebrated Labor Day under a mask order that is in effect through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 16. This order, originally issued Aug. 6, applies to Kansas City, Kansas, indoor public spaces, including businesses and public gatherings.
The Unified Government Health Department also issued guidance on social gatherings on Aug. 25. This “guidance” was not an order, but was intended to help individuals and families who were making decisions about gatherings, according to a Health Department spokesman. Those who are not in the same households are being encouraged to take precautions.
This guidance document recommended the safest gatherings for people who were fully vaccinated were outdoor gatherings up to 25 people, and if people cannot maintain six feet of distance, they should wear a mask.
Those who are fully vaccinated who gather indoors should limit the gathering to 10 people, wear a mask and maintain six feet of social distancing, according to the guidance document. There were other guidelines for other situations in the document, which is online at https://www.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/wyco-gathering-guidance.pdf.
Organizations, businesses and groups that would like advice about their large events may contact the Health Department at [email protected] or call 913-573-6712.
Why the increase in cases?
An expert who was interviewed on Friday, Sept. 3, at the University of Kansas Health System’s morning update said that he thought some of the uptick in cases in the United States could be due to the change in behavior of the populace.
Dr. Vincent Racaniello, a professor in the microbiology and immunology department at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, said not enough research has been done to determine if the Delta variant is the cause of more deadly disease.
“I think unless we see masking in schools, we will see even more cases of children getting sick,” he said.
Dr. Racaniello said the COVID-19 vaccines were working to prevent people from getting seriously sick and dying from COVID-19. They prevent serious illness and death, even from the Delta strain, according to Dr. Racaniello. He urged people to get a COVID-19 vaccination and wear masks. To see more of his remarks, visit https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/912943792638183.
Vaccines, tests available
Mobile vaccines can be requested online at WycoVaccines.org or by calling 3-1-1 (913-573-5311). For more information on the Unified Government Health Department’s vaccine schedule, see WycoVaccines.org.
COVID-19 vaccines and tests are available at other locations in Wyandotte County, including some pharmacies. For locations and availability, visit www.vaccines.gov.
COVID-19 testing from WellHealth will be available from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 7, and through Friday at the Kansas National Guard Armory, 100 S. 20th. The site is open on Saturdays and Sundays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. It was closed for the Labor Day, Sept. 6, holiday.
Free vaccinations at KU Health System are open to the public, and appointments are required. Current patients may use MyChart to make an appointment. Others may call 913-588-1227 or visit kansashealthsystem.com/vaccine to make an appointment to get vaccinated. KU Health System currently is vaccinating residents of Kansas and Missouri who are 12 or older, by appointment only. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian throughout the appointment.
Free testing is also available from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Wednesdays at Vibrant Health Cordell D. Meeks Jr. Clinic, 4313 State Ave.
The Village Initiative, 3004 N. 27th St., Kansas City, Kansas, is sponsoring COVID-19 testing every other Wednesday. The next testing is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sept. 8. Along with the COVID-19 testing, there will be a food giveaway. There will be $20 gift cards to members of the community that receive the COVID-19 vaccination. Appointments are not required.
Case numbers reported
The University of Kansas Health System reported 103 total COVID-19 patients on Friday, Sept. 3, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. Fifty-five patients with the active virus were inpatients on Friday, an increase of one from Thursday. One patient died on Thursday, and that patient was not vaccinated. Sixteen COVID patients were in the intensive care unit on Friday. Twelve patients were on ventilators. Forty-eight other patients were still hospitalized from COVID, but were out of the acute infection stage, an increase of nine. Ten of the 55 active patients were fully vaccinated, but had significant health problems such as liver disease, organ transplant or cancer.
Wyandotte County reported a cumulative 22,735 cases on Friday, Sept. 3, an increase of 224 over the five-day period since Monday, according to the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage. There were a cumulative total of 335 deaths on Friday, an increase of 10 deaths in the five-day period.
On Wednesday, Sept. 1, the Unified Government Health Department reported that 46.66 percent of Wyandotte County residents had received at least one dose of vaccine. Those completing their vaccinations totaled about 39.84 percent.
The percentage of Wyandotte County residents who were age 12 and older who had received at least one dose was 57.4 percent.
The Mid-America Regional Council reported 202,286 cases in Greater Kansas City, a nine-county area. There were a total of 2,726 deaths. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 128.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 377,123 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Kansas on Friday, Sept. 3, an increase of 4,952 since Wednesday, Sept. 1. There was a total of 5,630 cumulative deaths reported statewide, an increase of 49 since Sept. 1.
The KDHE reported 70,526 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Johnson County on Sept.3, an increase of 465 since Sept. 1. Leavenworth County had 9,234 cases on Sept. 3, an increase of 72 since Sept. 1. Sedgwick County (the Wichita area) reported 68,486 cases on Sept. 3, an increase of 1,086 since Sept. 1.
On Friday, the KHDE reported 10,637 cumulative cases in Douglas County (the Lawrence area), an increase of 83 since Wednesday. Riley County (the Manhattan area) had 7,176 cumulative cases, an increase of 40. Shawnee County (the Topeka area) had 22,437 cumulative cases, an increase of 302 cases.
On Monday afternoon, there were a cumulative 39,973,912 COVID-19 cases in the United States, with a cumulative 648,714 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.
Visit gogettested.com/Kansas and https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19 for more testing sites.
Wyandotte County residents may contact the Health Department at wycohelp.org to sign up for a test to be delivered to their home.
For more details about free COVID-19 testing offered by the UG Health Department, visit https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept or call 3-1-1.
To view the mask order in Kansas City, Kansas, visit https://www.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/mask-mandate-resolution-r-47-21-effective-august-6-through-september-16-2021.pdf and https://www.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/ug-issues-mask-order-for-kck-and-other-portions-of-wyco.pdf.