The Kansas Department of Health and Environment will be sending out the first shipment of Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine this week, according to Dr. Lee Norman, Kansas health secretary.
Dr. Norman, who spoke during the Tuesday morning University of Kansas Health System news conference, said the state will receive more than 23,000 doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine this week. Combined with the other two COVID-19 vaccines, there will be about 145,000 doses of vaccine sent out this week in Kansas, compared to around 45,000 doses a week a few months ago, he said.
There will not be another Johnson and Johnson shipment until March 23.
Dr. Norman said he expected that with the third vaccine available, Kansas will be able to move through the rest of the phases of its vaccination plan more quickly.
Dr. Kevin Ault, who serves on the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, said the FDA gave its emergency use authorization for the vaccine at the end of last week, then the advisory committee met on Sunday to make a clinical recommendation and vote in favor of the vaccine.
Differences between the new vaccine and the other two are that the Johnson and Johnson is a single-dose vaccine, while the others are two-dose vaccines, he said. There were about 4 million doses available of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, he said.
Efficacy was measured a little differently, he said. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine prevents severe disease, 85 percent effective against severe disease globally, and 72 percent effective against moderate to severe disease, he said.
There was protection against severe cases and death from the South African variant, he said.
Comparing the different vaccines is like comparing apples and oranges, he said. Dr. Ault said the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is a vector vaccine similar to many other vaccines in medicine, and it doesn’t require quite as stringent cold storage recommendations.
When the vaccine supply increases toward the end of April, this might be the vaccine people get at their pharmacy and at their doctor’s offices, Dr. Ault said.
Dr. Ault said he didn’t have any preferences for one vaccine over another. “The best vaccine is the one you can get,” he said.
Side effects of the new vaccine appear to be milder, but there can be some mild side effects similar to the other vaccines, according to Dr. Ault.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson said there is some data now that shows the vaccines decrease asymptomatic disease in people. He hopes that will cause an overall reduction in the disease, and that will be the way to get back to normalcy. People should get a vaccine and he hopes that will decrease the spread of it.
Dr. Norman also reported that last weekend there were eight positive cases of the B-117 strain, also known as the UK variant, in Sedgwick County, the Wichita area. It was all in one multi-generational family, he said.
The state is doing some wastewater testing for the virus, and is also doing some genomic sequencing for variants, he said.
There are now 10 cases in Kansas identified from the B-117 variant, according to Dr. Norman, and none from other strains. Earlier B-117 strains were found in Ellis County and in Sedgwick County.
Dr. Norman urged people to continue to get tested for COVID-19, as he is afraid the disease could plateau. Testing, then isolating people who are positive, could help drive the numbers down further, he said. He said he is afraid people can be lulled into complacency about COVID-19.
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at KU Health System, said COVID-19 is still out there. Whether people have been vaccinated or not, they still need to follow the rules of infection control because that keeps each other safe.
People will be able to return to Kauffman Stadium and other sports events if they follow the rules of infection control, wear their masks, socially distance, and don’t go out if sick, he said.
COVID-19 case numbers reported
The total number of COVID-19 active and recovering COVID-19 patients at the University of Kansas Health System was 49 on Tuesday, an increase of one from Monday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. There were 15 active COVID-19 patients in the hospital, a decrease of one from Monday. Four of those patients were in the intensive care unit, a decrease of one from Monday. One of those was on a ventilator, a decrease of one since Monday. There were another 34 patients hospitalized because of COVID-19 who were out of the acute phase, an increase of two since Monday.
Wyandotte County reported an increase of four COVID-19 case on Tuesday, March 2, for a cumulative 17,690 cases. There was a cumulative total of 270 deaths reported, an increase of one since Monday.
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 160,492 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Tuesday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 96. Cumulative deaths in the nine-county area were 2,223. MARC also reported a delay in data verification from one of the nine counties, affecting data for cases, deaths and tests, but not for hospitalizations.
The state of Kansas reported 294,302 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Monday, March 1, an increase of 639 cases since Friday. There were a total cumulative 4,743 deaths, an increase of eight deaths since Friday, according to KDHE figures.
The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Tuesday night reported 28,717,588 cases in the United States, with 516.486 total deaths nationwide.
COVID-19 tests scheduled Wednesday
Free COVID-19 testing is available from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 3, at the Faith Deliverance Family Worship Center, 3043 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. No appointment is necessary for this test. Tests are available regardless of symptoms or exposure to COVID-19. The tests are in conjunction with the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force. To see if there is any change to the schedule, visit https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept.
The Pierson Community Center COVID-19 testing site at 831 S. 55th is open from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday, March 3. Tests are through WellHealth. Appointments are required, check with the website, www.gogettested.com/Kansas, for available appointment times.
Unified Government COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites are scheduled to be open on Wednesday.The Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 test site at the former Kmart building at 78th and State will be open Wednesday, March 3, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Appointments are not needed for COVID-19 tests there on Wednesday. There is also another UG Health Department location for COVID-19 testing at the former Best Buy store, 10500 Parallel Parkway. 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. To see if there is any change to the schedule, visit https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept.
The Health Department is offering saliva COVID-19 tests to the public. Tests from the Health Department are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County.
The tests 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.
Walk-in vaccines available for those 85 and older
The UG Health Department is offering COVID-19 vaccines for Wyandotte County residents who are over 65.
Those Wyandotte County residents who are 85 or older can walk in and do not need an appointment at the vaccination sites at 7836 State Ave. and 10500 Parallel Parkway. The sites are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Those who are 65 and older, as well as critical workers, need appointments for vaccines.
All those 65 and older should bring an ID or other proof of age, such as driver’s license, government ID or birth certificate, as well as something showing their Wyandotte County address, such as an ID or a piece of mail.
For more vaccine information, and to fill out a form expressing interest in getting a vaccine, visit WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1.
Testing sites are at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.
Saliva testing is now offered at the UG Health Department. For more information, visit https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/02042021-ugphd-saliva-testing-available.pdf.
The KU doctors’ news conference is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/187142076136053.
The University of Kansas Health System COVID-19 update page is at https://www.kansashealthsystem.com/patient-visitor/covid19-update.
A weekly vaccine report for the state of Kansas is at
https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/123/Vaccine-Historical-Document-22521?bidId=.
Cards and letters of encouragement for caregivers at KU Health System may be sent to Share Joy, care of Patient Relations, 4000 Cambridge St., Mailstop 1021, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160. Emails can be sent to [email protected].
Wyandotte County is under a mandatory mask and social distancing order.
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 Johns Hopkins Data in Motion, a presentation on critical COVID-19 data in the past 24 hours, is at https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/covid-19-daily-video.