Two COVID-19 drive-through testing sites in Wyandotte County have been scheduled this week by Vibrant Health because of increased community demand.
Rapid antigen testing is provided free of charge until 5 p.m. today, Dec. 30, at Vibrant Health Wyandotte: Argentine. Advanced registration for testing is not required. For information, call 913-371-9298.
The Vibrant Health Argentine location is at 1428 S. 32nd St., No. 100, Kansas City, Kansas.
Patrick Sallee, Vibrant Health CEO, discussed the urgency of doing pop-up testing at community locations.
“With another holiday this weekend and lots of gatherings and people getting together, we urge caution and protection for the community. Vibrant Health has tested as many people daily this week as we were testing entire weeks earlier this fall,” Sallee said. “From the race and ethnicity data we have seen for our county, we know that COVID-19, as well as many chronic health conditions that increase risk with COVID-19, do not impact everyone in our community equally. This means it is especially important for us to make testing more accessible.”
The total number of COVID-19 testing administered by Vibrant Health from Dec. 27-29 was 642, resulting in 179 positive cases at 27%.
Upcoming testing events (first two weeks of January) are moving to Oak Ridge Baptist Church to accommodate increased demand and cold weather. Individuals will need to park and go inside to test or get vaccinated. Vaccines available include Moderna, Pfizer ages 12 and up, and boosters.
Oak Ridge Baptist Church is at 9301 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas.
Testing events at Oak Ridge include:
• Jan. 3, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Jan. 4, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Jan. 5, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Jan. 6, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. • Jan. 10, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Jan. 11, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Jan. 12, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. • Jan. 13, 2022, from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.
For more information, visit https://vibranthealthkc.org/events/month/2022-01/
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard showed COVID cases in the nine-county Kansas City area were trending up. (MARC COVID graphic from https://marc2.org/covidhub/) The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard showed COVID hospitalizations in the nine-county Kansas City area were increasing. (MARC COVID graphic from https://marc2.org/covidhub/)
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.
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 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.
The Kansas City, Kansas, Public Schools will offer two COVID-19 vaccine events in January for children ages 5 to 11.
The first vaccine event will be from 3:45 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Monday, Jan. 10, at Grant Elementary School, 1510 N. 4th St., Kansas City, Kansas.
The second event will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 12, at Gloria Willis Middle School, 1735 N. 64th Terrace, Kansas City, Kansas.
The “Strike Out Covid” vaccine events are held in conjunction with the Unified Government Health Department and the Kansas City Royals. More than 100 youth attended the first event Dec. 17 at Grant Elementary.
Youth who receive a COVID vaccination will get a free meal on-site and can receive other giveaways. There will be a chance to get two free tickets to a Royals game and a chance to win a new bicycle.
The UG Health Department will administer the Pfizer vaccines for ages 5 to 11. A parent or guardian must be present. Both first and second doses of the vaccine will be given to youth.
Those who are over 11 will not be eligible for vaccines at this event, and no vaccines will be available for those under 5. No booster shots will be available at this event. Masks will be required.
For more information on this event, visit kckps.org. For more information about vaccines in Wyandotte County, visit Wycovaccines.org.
