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Phases 3 and 4 in Kansas vaccine plan to start Monday

Wyandotte County will start Phases 3 and 4 in the state’s vaccination plan on Monday, March 22.

People with certain underlying health conditions and other critical workers are in these phases. Those who are ages 16 to 64 with severe medical conditions, listed in the state’s plan, are in Phase 3, and those 16 to 64 with other medical conditions are listed in Phase 4.

The list includes cancer patients, chronic kidney disease, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, heart conditions, pregnant patients and some other categories. To view the list of the severe medical conditions in Phase 3 and other conditions in Phase 4, view the vaccine plan on the state’s website at https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/121/Vaccine-Prioritization-Slides-PDF.

Also in Phase 3 are “other critical workers,” according to the state plan. These workers were listed in the plan as:
• Agricultural and food workers not included in previous phases
• Workers performing in-person activities indoors, in critical manufacturing, not included in previous phases; this includes aviation, production of critical supplies for the COVID response
• Utility workers
• Social service and government workers not included in previous priority phases
• Logistics workers, such as truck transportation workers, couriers and others
• Water and wastewater workers
• Shelter and housing (e.g., construction) workers, finance (e.g., bank tellers)
• Information technology and communications workers.
Those who want to be vaccinated in Phases 3 and 4 should complete the UG Health Department’s vaccine interest form online at WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1, and they will be contacted to schedule appointments.

The Unified Government Health Department is still offering walk-in COVID-19 vaccines Monday through Friday for Wyandotte County residents who are 65 and older, and also for high-contact critical workers in Phases 1 and 2. The walk-in appointment are not for Phases 3 and 4.

Those Wyandotte County residents who are 65 or older, and critical workers in Phases 1 and 2, can walk in and do not need an appointment from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday at the vaccination sites at the former Kmart store at 7836 State Ave., the former Best Buy store at 10500 Parallel Parkway and the Kansas National Guard Armory at 100 S. 20th (near 18th and Ridge).

Those in Phases 1 and 2 who walk in to get vaccines should bring an ID and something showing their Wyandotte County address, such as mail. Critical workers should bring a work badge or a document showing they work in Wyandotte County.

Those Wyandotte County residents who are younger than 65, or are not eligible yet, may fill out a form expressing interest in getting a vaccine at WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1.

For more information about vaccines at the UG Health Department, visit https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-vaccines-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/.

There are also pharmacies giving COVID-19 vaccinations in Wyandotte County by appointment, when available. These include Price Chopper and Hen House pharmacy at 76th and State Avenue, and 81st and State Avenue (see https://www.ballsfoodspharmacy.com/), and Medicine Shoppe pharmacy at 65th and Parallel by appointment when available (see https://www.facebook.com/The-Medicine-Shoppe-Kansas-City-281548241870522). CVS pharmacy also has announced Thursday that it will offer COVID-19 vaccines at one of its stores in Kansas City, Kansas, beginning as early as March 21. Registration is at CVS.com.

Outbreaks

The UG Health Department’s outbreak map, shown on its COVID-19 hub webpage, listed four locations with outbreaks in the past month:

• Amazon warehouse, 6925 Riverview Ave., 219 cumulative cases, last known case reported Feb. 18.

• KCKCC basketball team, 7250 State Ave., 6 total cases, last known case reported March 16.

• KCKCC baseball team, 7250 State Ave., 5 total cases, last known case reported March 5.

• The Healthcare Resort of Kansas City, long-term care, 8900 Parallel Parkway, 7 total cases, last known case reported Feb. 18.

• Truck Insurance Mart, 10027 Woodend, Edwardsville, 6 total cases, last known case reported Feb. 20.

COVID-19 case numbers reported

The University of Kansas Health System reported eight active COVID-19 patients on Friday morning, a decrease of one since Thursday, according to Dr. Hawkinson. Of the eght patients, three were in the intensive care unit, the same number as Thursday. One patient was on a ventilator, the same as Thursday. There were another 15 COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized but are out of the acute infection phase, a decrease of two since Thursday. There is a total 23 patients, a decrease of three from Thursday.

Wyandotte County reported no change in COVID-19 cases on Friday, March 19, for a cumulative 17,941 cases. There was a cumulative total of 281 deaths reported, no change since Thursday. Case numbers are not updated on the weekend.

The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 162,820 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Saturday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 68. The number of cumulative deaths was 2,300. Some of the local health departments do not update their information on the weekends for this total.

The state of Kansas reported 299,510 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Friday, March 19, an increase of 606 cases since Wednesday. There were a total cumulative 4,842 deaths reported, an increase of five deaths. Kansas reported 967,877 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the state as of 9 a.m. March 19, including first and second doses. In all, 22.2 percent of the Kansas population was vaccinated with at least one dose. The state of Kansas updates its information on Mondays, Wednesday and Fridays.

The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Saturday night reported 29,783,723 cases in the United States, with 541,914 total deaths reported nationwide.

COVID-19 tests scheduled Monday

Unified Government Health Department COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites are scheduled to be open on Monday, March 22. The test site at the former Kmart building at 78th and State will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, March 2. Appointments are not needed for COVID-19 tests and vaccinations for those over 65 on Friday. There is also a UG Health Department location for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations at the former Best Buy store, 10500 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas. A third Health Department site, for vaccinations, is at the Kansas National Guard Armory at 100 S. 20th.

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.

Other COVID-19 testing sites are planned Monday. To see the sites affiliated with the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force, visit https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.

Other testing sites, through WellHealth, are at www.gogettested.com/Kansas. The WellHealth tests need appointments.

The Health Department’s general contact page is at https://www.wycokck.org/Health/Contact.aspx. Their 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.

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 new school health order is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/localhealthofficerschoolorder3.11.21.pdf.

The University of Kansas Health System doctors’ morning media update is online at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/124540812901930.

The University of Kansas Health System COVID-19 update page is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/265130208445513.

A weekly vaccine report for the state of Kansas is at
https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/123/Vaccine-Historical-Document-22521?bidId=.

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.

BPU comes out ahead after polar vortex; customers to see slight rate reduction on ERC charge

The Board of Public Utilities’ power plants made more money during the February polar vortex than during the previous three years, according to a report presented at Wednesday night’s BPU board meeting.

Some of that revenue, a $5 million energy rate component overcollection, will be going back to consumers with a lowered ERC charge, according to BPU officials.

The typical BPU residential customer who uses about 800 kilowatt hours of electricity a month could see a reduction of about $8 on the ERC charge on the utility bill, according to Lori Austin, BPU chief financial officer and chief administrative officer. There will be larger reductions among industrial and business customers that typically use more electricity, she said at the board meeting.

Austin added that if residents used more electricity, they may not see a reduction in the total amount, but if their usage stayed the same, they would see it. The ERC is just about 30 percent of the bill, she said.

The revenue from the Nearman power plant during the nine-day period in February was just under $74 million, about as much as that unit earned during the past three years, according to Andrew Ferris, director of electric supply planning for the BPU. The CTE plants are generally operated sparingly, only about 20 days a year, but during this period generated almost $40 million in revenue, which equated to almost 30 years of revenue in those nine days, he said.

Everything, including wind and alternative energy, performed really well, he added, generating revenue margins greater than they had ever seen.

Revenue generation, diverse fuel mix and fuel security in resources that were already on site at the BPU plant were very important, according to Ferris.

Bill Johnson, BPU general manager, said this was not simply about profits or money the BPU was making. ERC is cost-of-service based, he said.

“When we overcollect, we send that overcollection back to the public,” Johnson said. When they undercollect, they do the opposite.

From Feb. 12 to Feb. 20, the load needed here cost BPU a little under $121 million, Ferris said. That was more money than the BPU spent on its load for the past two years combined, he added.

“This just goes to show why it’s so important to make sure our plant is always available,” Ryan Eidson, a board member, said. “That’s a lot of money.” If they weren’t producing energy, they would have been paying a lot, he said.

According to Austin, the ERC is the BPU’s projected cost of fuel used to generate electricity, and the cost of power that is purchased from the market to meet the BPU’s load.

BPU has an agreement with the Southwest Power Pool to use all of the BPU’s resources to generate energy if necessary to support the grid, in times of emergency. The BPU purchases back what it needs to support its load, according to Austin.

The ERC is typically reviewed every three months, and adjustments are made by the BPU after they get the final costs for the quarter. Then customers’ bills are adjusted under the heading, “ERC” on the bills.

The costs of coal, natural gas and purchased power are variable, according to Austin, and the weather and plant availability can affect costs.

She said the BPU also has had to adjust the ERC for 2020 because of lower demand than projected when businesses shut down during the COVID-19 pandemic. That resulted in an $11.7 million ERC overcollection in 2020, she said.

Austin said the SPP reported that 73 percent of the mainland United States was covered in snow during the February severe weather event.

The last comparable cold snap that extreme in history was in 1905, she said.

During the nine days in February, energy prices were higher than forecast because of demand, the SPP explained, with record winter energy consumption.

Because BPU sold more energy into the marketplace than its customers used, there was a positive outcome for the BPU, according to officials.

Having a mixed fuel supply for generation helped the BPU because natural gas prices were high, but coal and oil prices were not as extreme, according to Austin.

According to Austin, the overcollection from the third quarter of 2020, about $9 million, is being adjusted in the first quarter of 2020 on the ERC charges on BPU bills.

The $7.7 combined overcollection, including $2.7 million from 2020 and $5 million from 2021, is being adjusted in the second quarter, according to Austin. The 2021 overcollection is being adjusted earlier than normal, she added.

The ERC rate on utility bills from the polar vortex event will go from the current 2.6-cent per kilowatt hour rate to 1.6-cent per kilowatt hour rate in the second quarter, according to Austin.

Southwest Power Pool has been undergoing a review of the event. Only the natural gas units are getting hit with the market monitor review, according to Ferris.

According to Glen Brendel, director of BPU’s electric production operations and maintenance, they will need to have a spring outage at Nearman to take care of maintenance. It will be a 15-day outage costing around $1.5 million for capital expenses and maintenance. Rebuilding a Nearman generator transformer will be one of the major projects.

An outstanding group of employees at Nearman is the reason it kept going during the extremely cold weather, according to Brendel.

To reach Mary Rupert, editor, email maryr@g3f.1db.myftpupload.com.