COVID-19 variants could be on the rise in the future, according to the Tuesday morning media update at the University of Kansas Health System.
Already, the Delta variant is affecting Missouri outbreaks, and health officials are worried about a third wave, as in Britain and India.
“We don’t want to see a third wave,” Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at KU Health System, said. But they are concerned these outbreaks could turn into a third wave.
A rise in southwestern and northwestern Missouri has been seen recently, where the rate of new COVID-19 cases per capita is the highest in the country, he said. It’s all about the counties where people are not getting vaccinated, he said.
The Delta strain is predicted to become the dominant strain in the coming weeks in the United States, and it is affecting outbreaks in Missouri, he said.
“If you’re not vaccinated, the variants are here, trouble is at your doorstep,” he said.
No one wants to see a third wave, but this is beginning to look like a third wave, and it will affect those who are unvaccinated, Dr. Stites said, adding that is what happened in Britain and India.
People who are vaccinated can still get sick with COVID-19, it’s just that they are not likely to be severely sick or hospitalized with it, according to Dr. Stites.
Amanda Cackler, director of quality and safety at KU Health System, said having underlying chronic illnesses is even more of a reason to get the vaccine, protecting yourself and others.
She said COVID-19 numbers at KU Health System went down to about 10 a few weeks ago, but now have gone back up again, to around 14 active COVID-19 patients Tuesday, and a total of 25 COVID-19 patients at the hospital.
Dr. Stites said three factors – opening up society, seeing the rise of a new variant, with some people still unvaccinated – are concerning. They are still not sure whether people who have had COVID-19 naturally are protected against the variants, he added. COVID-19 vaccines are highly effective against the Delta strain and variants, he said.
Also at the Tuesday morning update, they heard about Scouts in Gladstone and Liberty who helped distribute personal protective equipment to their communities, working with Heart to Heart International.
UG Health Department offers free vaccines, prizes, gifts
Starting Tuesday, June 22, the Unified Government Health Department launched the #IHelpedConquerCOVID incentive program to encourage Wyandotte County residents to get vaccinated or tested. People who live in Wyandotte County and who get vaccinated at any UG Health Department vaccine clinic can receive an immediate gift to take home, or be entered to win a larger prize.
“We want to provide another reason for people to consider getting vaccinated or getting tested now,” said Nicole Garner, Health Department planning and operations manager. “We know not everyone is excited about the idea of getting vaccinated. For some people, maybe they have had bad experiences in healthcare settings before that make them not so eager to come in. For others, the possibility of side effects like headache or fatigue make them put off getting vaccinated. This is a way to encourage folks to consider making time to come in now, and thanking them for helping protect our community. Getting vaccinated helps protect you, but it also helps protect everyone around you. And testing is still important as well to help monitor and control the spread of COVID in our community.”
Current gifts and prizes available – while supplies last
Incentives for vaccinations
Beginning June 22, people who live in Wyandotte County who get vaccinated by the UG Health Department can receive one of the following:
• People age 12-17 can walk away with one of the following:
o Silver season pass to Worlds of Fun and Oceans of Fun, or,
o Dinner for four and game passes for Dave & Buster’s .
• People age 18 and older can get entered for:
o A chance to win a $500 Visa gift card – three winning entries will be drawn each day that the UG Health Department vaccinations are operating.
Incentives for COVID-19 testing also available
Also beginning June 22, people who live in Wyandotte County who come in to a UG Health Department site for a COVID-19 test will receive a $25 Visa gift card (one gift card per person, while supplies last). People coming in to get vaccinated may get tested at the same time and receive a gift both for their test and their vaccination. The UG Health Department primarily provides COVID-19 saliva tests (“spit tests” with no swab) but also has nasopharyngeal tests available (swab at the back of the nose/throat) for people who cannot produce enough saliva for the spit test.
Anyone age 12 and older who lives in Wyandotte County is eligible to get vaccinated and receive a gift. People of all ages who live in Wyandotte County are eligible to get tested and receive a gift. Minors should be accompanied by a parent or guardian.
Additional give-aways this summer
The UG Health Department is kicking off the #IHelpedConquerCOVID program with the prizes shown above, and will be offering different gifts and prizes in the coming months for people who live in Wyandotte County who choose to get vaccinated or tested.
There will be updates on available give-aways on the UG Health Department’s Facebook and Twitter (@UGHealthDept) or at WycoVaccines.org.
UG Health Department vaccine clinic hours
The UG Health Department mass vaccination site hours will be changing in July. Based on what the UG Health Department is seeing with vaccination activity in Wyandotte County, the UG Health Department has decided to reduce to one stationary vaccination site (Kmart location) and to continue with a heavy focus on mobile vaccinations around the community.
Hours now through July 2:
• Kmart site (7836 State Ave, Kansas City, Kansas)
o Tuesday and Wednesday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. – vaccine and testing incentives available.
• Armory site (100 S. 20th St, Kansas City, Kansas)
o Thursday and Friday, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m. – vaccine and testing incentives available.
o Saturday, June 26, 9 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
This is the last Saturday vaccination clinic at the Armory. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine will be provided on Saturday, and is authorized for people ages 18 and older. Saturday clinics are provided in partnership with Donnelly College.
Hours beginning the week of July 5:
• Kmart site (7836 State Ave, Kansas City, Kansas)
o Wednesday through Friday, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. – vaccine and testing incentives available.
• Closed: Armory site (100 S. 20th St, Kansas City, Kansas
Mobile vaccines can still be requested online at WycoVaccines.org or by calling 3-1-1 (913-573-5311).
Other sites available for vaccinations
Vaccinations at KU Health System are open to the public. 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.
There are also pharmacies giving free COVID-19 vaccinations in Wyandotte County by appointment, when available. These include Price Chopper and Hen House pharmacies, which are now also accepting walk-in vaccinations or appointments, and are starting vaccinations for age 12 and up at those pharmacies that are giving Pfizer vaccine (see https://www.ballsfoodspharmacy.com/).
CVS has announced walk-in appointments for COVID-19 vaccine at some of its stores. Those interested in getting a vaccination at a CVS pharmacy are asked to visit a CVS website in order to make sure there is vaccine available. The website is at www.cvs.com/. Walgreens and Walmart also were listed on www.vaccines.gov as giving vaccinations.
Other pharmacies and sites giving vaccines are listed at www.vaccines.gov. The website also tells whether vaccines are in stock at the locations.
Case numbers reported
There were 14 active COVID-19 patients on Tuesday morning at the University of Kansas Health System, a decrease of three from Monday, according to Amanda Cackler, director of quality and safety at the University of Kansas Health System, Eleven other COVID-19 patients were still hospitalized but were out of the acute phase, an increase of four from Monday. There were a total of 25 COVID patients, an increase of one from Monday. Only two of the 14 patients were fully vaccinated, one who had multiple chronic conditions of heart and lung disease and some history of cancer, while the other was actively on chemotherapy.
Wyandotte County reported an increase of six COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, June 22, for a cumulative 18,990 cases, according to the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage. There was a cumulative total of 299 deaths reported, no change.
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 176,418 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Tuesday in the Kansas City region. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 51. There were 2,525 cumulative deaths.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 316,695 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Kansas on Monday, June 21, an increase of 156 cases since Friday. There was a total of 5,129 cumulative deaths reported statewide. There was a cumulative 10,980 hospitalizations, an increase of 21 since Friday.
According to KDHE figures, Johnson County had a cumulative 59,604 COVID-19 cases on Monday, June 21, an increase of 54 since Friday. Sedgwick County had a cumulative 57,780 COVID-19 cases on Monday, June 21, an increase of 48.
The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Tuesday night reported 33,565,289 cumulative COVID-19 cases in the United States, with 602,462 total deaths reported nationwide. There were 12,388 new cases nationwide and 268 new deaths nationwide.
States with high numbers of new cases were California, 1,452; Illinois, 809; North Carolina, 776; Texas, 755; and Louisiana, 686.
Countries with high numbers of new cases were India, 42,640; Brazil, 38,903; Colombia, 23,239; Russia, 17,114; and U.S., 12,388, according to Johns Hopkins information.
Free testing available
Besides Health Department sites, free COVID-19 testing is available at several locations in Wyandotte County.
Visit gogettested.com/Kansas for more 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://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19, https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept or call 3-1-1.
The Health Department’s general contact page is at https://www.wycokck.org/Health/Contact.aspx. The department’s Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept.
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. There are more test sites listed on this page.
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 University of Kansas Health System morning media update is online at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/2951732551779132.
The University of Kansas Health System COVID-19 update page is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/330310795391910.
A vaccine report for the state of Kansas is at
https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/123/Vaccine-Historical-Document-22521?bidId=.
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.