Category: COVID-19

KDHE authorizes additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine for immunocompromised people

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced that effective Friday Kansas providers may now administer an additional dose of Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to individuals who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and have already been fully vaccinated with the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccines.

This follows Thursday’s expansion of the emergency use authorization (EUA) by the Food and Drug Administration for these mRNA vaccines, and Friday’s recommendation of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and acceptance by the CDC director.

This EUA does not apply to those who received the Janssen or J&J vaccine as there is currently not enough data to determine if an additional dose of Janssen or J&J vaccine will improve immune response in people who are immunocompromised.

“The data shows us that the vaccine efficacy in some people who are immunocompromised is significantly lower than in people who are not immunocompromised,” said Dr. Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. “Additionally, people who are immunocompromised make up to 44% of hospitalized breakthrough cases in the United States. This additional dose may enhance the immunity for those who need extra protection from COVID-19.”

This additional dose is recommended for people who are moderately and severely immunocompromised due to a health condition or medical treatment. This includes
• Active treatment for solid tumor and hematologic malignancies
• Receipt of solid-organ transplant and taking immunosuppressive therapy
• Receipt of CAR-T-Cell or hematopoietic stem cell transplant
• Moderate or severe primary immunodeficiency
• Advanced or untreated HIV infection
• Active treatments with high-dose corticosteroids, alkylating agents, antimetabolites, transplant-related immunosuppressive drugs, cancer chemotherapeutic agents classified as severely immunosuppressive, TNF blockers and other biologic agents that are immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory

KDHE continues to urge people who are immunocompromised, including those who receive an additional dose of mRNA vaccine, to continue to follow prevention measures including
• Wear a mask
• Stay six feet apart from others they don’t live with
• Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated indoor spaces

Close contacts of immunocompromised people are strongly encouraged to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

Medical professionals on a recent University of Kansas Health System medical update said they thought that those who are immunocompromised and want a third dose of vaccine should contact their own doctors.

Free vaccines available


Free COVID-19 vaccines will be available from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday through Friday at the Kmart vaccination site, 7836 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. Vaccines are free for people ages 12 and older. There are gifts available, and a “Spin to Win” promotion is ongoing for Wyandotte County residents, as supplies last.

For more information on the Unified Government Health Department’s vaccine schedule, see WycoVaccines.org.

Back-to-school childhood immunizations will be available from noon to 6 p.m. Wednesdays, Aug. 18, and Aug. 25 at the Kmart vaccination site, 7836 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. These free immunizations are for children without health insurance or for children who are insured through KanCare (Medicaid). Parents should bring children’s vaccination records.

Cross-Lines Community Outreach will hold a free vaccine and testing event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 19, at 736 Shawnee Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. Pfizer and Johnson and Johnson vaccines will be available. Another free vaccine and testing event will be held from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, at Cross-Lines, 736 Shawnee Ave. These events are being held in conjunction with the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Oak Ridge Baptist Church, 9301 Parallel Parkway, plans free testing and COVID vaccinations from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 22.

Mobile vaccines can still be requested online at WycoVaccines.org or by calling 3-1-1 (913-573-5311).

Other sites available for vaccinations

Some doctors’ offices offer COVID-19 vaccinations. If you haven’t received your vaccination yet, call your doctor’s office to see if it is available now.

Free 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

The University of Kansas Health System reported a slight drop in the number of COVID inpatients on Friday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. Forty-five patients with the active virus were inpatients on Friday, a decrease of two from Thursday. Six of the patients had been vaccinated. Seventeen COVID patients were in the intensive care unit, a decrease of two from Thursday. One of the ICU patients was on ECMO, a machine that helps the lungs work. Twelve patients were on ventilators, an increase of one from Thursday.

Wyandotte County reported a cumulative 21,183 cases on Friday, according to the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage. There was a cumulative total of 317 deaths reported.

On Wednesday, Aug. 11, the Unified Government Health Department reported that 43.63 percent of Wyandotte County residents had received at least one dose of vaccine. Those completing their vaccinations totaled about 36.61 percent.
The percentage of Wyandotte County residents who were age 12 and older who had received at least one dose was 53.7 percent.

The Mid-America Regional Council on Friday reported 186,435 cases in Greater Kansas City, a nine-county area. There were a total of 2,516 deaths. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 154.

The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 347,928 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Kansas on Friday, Aug. 13, an increase of 2,991 since Wednesday, Aug. 11. There was a total of 5,385 cumulative deaths reported statewide, an increase of 99 since Aug. 11.

The KDHE reported 66,044 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Johnson County on Aug. 13, an increase of 2,614 since Aug. 11. Leavenworth County had 8,500 cases, an increase of 98 since Aug. 11. Sedgwick County (the Wichita area) reported 62,589 cases, an increase of 543 since Aug. 11.

On Friday, there were a cumulative 36,597,745 COVID-19 cases in the United States, with cumulative 621,016 deaths, according to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center.

There were 654,350 vaccine doses reported administered Thursday in the U.S., with 51 percent of the population fully vaccinated.

Countries with rising numbers of COVID-19 cases included U.S., 116,550; India, 40,120; Brazil, 39,982; Iran, 39,049; and United Kingdom, 32,885.

Free testing available

Free COVID-19 testing is available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday at the UG Health Department’s central location, the former Kmart, 7836 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. Free gift cards are available to those who get a test, while supplies last.

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.
Free COVID tests also are being held at the Kansas National Guard Armory, including tests from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at 100 S. 20th St., Kansas City, Kansas. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept.

Besides Health Department sites, COVID-19 testing is available at several locations in Wyandotte County.

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 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.

To view the new 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.

Some UG commissioners say they want to make sure help for needy residents is included in UG’s ARPA funding plan

After Unified Government staff went over proposed “immediate needs” funding for federal ARPA funding Thursday night, commissioners began to talk about what was not there.

Commissioner Gayle Townsend said when she looked at the report, she saw a lot of UG staffing requests that would be needed to run the UG’s programs. She didn’t see much direct assistance to residents.

“I am very concerned and want to focus on those people who are in need getting the assistance,” she said at the 5 p.m. Thursday UG Commission meeting.

‘I am very concerned and want to focus on those people who are in need of getting the assistance.’

Commissioner Gayle Townsend

How much of the money would actually funnel down to the people who need a roof over their head, need food, or have unpaid electric bills, she asked. Is any stipend available to members of the community who were going through a difficult time, with food insecurity or utility and transportation problems, she added.

The UG’s ARPA American Rescue Plan Act funding plan that the commission heard on Thursday night did not have a provision for direct financial help for those having problems with basic needs, she was told. The CARES Act funding earlier did have such a provision, with money funneled through the United Way to local agencies that then helped individuals.

Commissioner Jane Philbrook took the UG to task for not including direct assistance for needy residents.

In her view, “immediate need” would include residents who need food, funds for housing and other assistance.

‘At least 50 families have hit the bricks in the last couple weeks that are homeless, and a lot more are on that list.’

Commissioner Jane Philbrook

“At least 50 families have hit the bricks in the last couple weeks that are homeless, and a lot more are on that list,” Commissioner Philbrook said.

There are more than 2,000 children in schools in Wyandotte County who do not have homes, and they’re trying to help them, but it is not always funded, she said.

For many, the eviction moratorium is a sort of “wishful thinking,” Commissioner Philbrook said. Some people who got assistance through KERA, the Kansas Emergency Rental Act, did not get their leases extended, she said. As soon as some landlords got a chance, they evicted them, she said.

People jumped through the hoops, community partners helped them get assistance, “but they’re still getting evicted right and left,” Commissioner Philbrook said.

“Don’t be living in a bubble and think we’re not going to have a tent city in Wyandotte County, because we’re going to and it’s going to be much worse if we don’t address some of this stuff,” she said.

“I can’t tell you how upset I am,” Commissioner Philbrook said. “I am deeply disappointed in our approach.”

Although the UG staff said it has had some community conversations, including a public hearing, many community members feel totally left out of that conversation, she said.

“I am heartbroken with what we are throwing out here and expecting the community to genuflect over what you have given us,” she said.

Commissioner Melissa Bynum also said the amount of money set aside for human services in this proposal did not seem to be nearly enough. In the past, allocations to community nonprofit agencies were about $3.6 million under the CARES Act funding in Wyandotte County, according to UG officials.

In answer to her question, UG officials said they had $90 million in requests from the community that had come in already. That included conversations with nonprofit agency representatives, public hearings, internal UG requests, as well as requests to address public facility needs at the UG, stormwater needs and broadband needs in the community, according to UG officials.

UG Commissioner Mike Kane asked about more funding for the front-line police officers and firefighters. He wanted UG staff to meet with union members to talk about the needs. UG Administrator Doug Bach said they could work on it in a few weeks.

More funding is needed for front-line police officers, firefighters and public safety employees.

Commissioner Mike Kane

UG officials said they were presenting the “immediate needs” proposal as an idea, and wanted the UG commissioners to add anything else to it that they wanted.

Some of the ideas in the proposal were more indirectly assisting residents. One idea contained in their proposal, for example, would be to hire a person to help people with their applications for energy and rental assistance, from the KERA program. Another idea would help with programs to reduce violence. Another idea provided funds for the Dotte mobile grocery, to get fresh foods to areas without grocery stores. The proposal also contained funding to help with food delivery at congregate meal sites here. There also was funding for legal assistance for those facing evictions, health care issues and other COVID-related crises.

Also, there was $500,000 set aside for small business support.

Doug Bach, UG administrator, said they were looking for the UG Commission’s input, and if they would like to add an amount to human services, they could.

He said he could talk with the United Way, or similar agency, to help administer funds for basic needs assistance, including funding for the homeless.

Commissioner Philbrook recommended talking to the United Way, which handled some CARES Act funding for the UG, and some other agencies to find out the amount of the need and how much money would be needed.

Commissioner Christian Ramirez said he supported some of what Commissioner Philbrook suggested and they could put more into it than what was originally proposed.

Also, Commissioner Ramirez said all the socio-economic issues were deeply rooted in the community and country. While he supports more funding for individuals, he said they could not fix all the problems here and now. There would not be a change unless there is a change in society, he said.

Socio-economic issues are deeply rooted in the community and country, and all the problems could not be fixed.

Commissioner Christian Ramirez

How the UG’s ARPA funds are being divided

In a lengthy presentation, UG staff presented a proposal for “immediate needs” spending of its ARPA funds. Much of the basic information is online at https://dashboards.mysidewalk.com/american-rescue-plan-act/immediate-needs.

Of the UG’s $87 million from ARPA, $55 million will go to the city of Kansas City, Kansas, and $32 million was to Wyandotte County.

Of the city’s funds, $31 million was proposed to replace city revenue loss from the pandemic period and $24 million would be available for other ARPA expenditures.

Of the county’s funds, $11 million was proposed to replace county revenue loss in the pandemic, with $21 million available for other ARPA categories.

The “immediate needs” expenditures would total $11.74 million, with $5.95 million going to public health, $2.38 million to reduce negative economic impacts of the pandemic, $1.07 million for disproportionately impacted communities assistance, $422,000 for ARPA grant support and $1.93 million for online processing and technology investment.

Juliann van Liew, director of the UG Health Department, in an appearance at the UG meeting Aug. 12, said funding was needed immediately at the Health Department in order to continue its fight against COVID.

According to UG staff, the UG was proposing to fund positions such as a grant writer and a person to work with KERA applicants, that would result in the community getting extra federal or state dollars for individuals and programs in the community.

But Bach said funds can be added for direct assistance to needy individuals if the commission would like to see that.

Commission could vote on ‘immediate needs’ on Aug. 26

Bach said the UG staff was planning to bring a revised proposal back to the UG Commission for a vote on Aug. 26.

He also said the UG is not under a tight deadline to spend all the ARPA funds right away. They have a few years to consider options on it. They were considering a smaller portion of the $87 million for “immediate needs.”

Commissioners Townsend and Philbrook discussed getting more community input on how to spend the funding.

Mayor David Alvey suggested that since the charter lays out a representative government process, that people should reach out to their commissioners to bring forward their ideas on what should be done.

A written report on the UG’s proposed “immediate needs” uses of the ARPA funds is at https://dashboards.mysidewalk.com/american-rescue-plan-act/immediate-needs.


There was a public hearing held previously on the ARPA funds. More public comments can be made online at https://dottetalk.mindmixer.com/, and also by emailing [email protected] .


Much more detail about the UG’s proposed uses of ARPA funds was covered in the UG meeting, which is online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=26KV6wqb5rk.

FDA authorizes two COVID-19 vaccines for third dose for some immunocompromised persons

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced late Thursday night that the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines would both be authorized for an additional dose for certain immunocompromised persons.

According to an FDA news release, those who are solid organ transplant recipients or those who are diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromise could receive additional doses.

The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to meet Friday to discuss further clinical recommendations on immunocompromised persons.

According to the FDA, their action does not apply to people who are not immunocompromised.

“The country has entered yet another wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the FDA is especially cognizant that immunocompromised people are particularly at risk for severe disease. After a thorough review of the available data, the FDA determined that this small, vulnerable group may benefit from a third dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna Vaccines,” said acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock. “Today’s action allows doctors to boost immunity in certain immunocompromised individuals who need extra protection from COVID-19. As we’ve previously stated, other individuals who are fully vaccinated are adequately protected and do not need an additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine at this time. The FDA is actively engaged in a science-based, rigorous process with our federal partners to consider whether an additional dose may be needed in the future.”

It is recommended that immunocompromised individuals discuss monoclonal antibody treatment options with their health care provider should they contract or be exposed to COVID-19, according to the FDA. The FDA has authorized monoclonal antibody treatments for emergency use during this public health emergency for adults and pediatric patients (ages 12 and older weighing at least 40 kilograms or about 88 pounds) with positive results of direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing, and who are at high risk for progressing to severe COVID-19 or hospitalization. One authorized product includes use for preventative (prophylaxis) treatment after being exposed to SARS-CoV-2; however, this product is not a substitute for vaccination, according to the FDA.

The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is currently authorized for emergency use in individuals ages 12 and older, and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is authorized for emergency use in individuals ages 18 and older. Both vaccines are administered as a series of two shots: the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine is administered three weeks apart, and the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine is administered one month apart.

The authorizations for these vaccines have been amended to allow for an additional, or third, dose to be administered at least 28 days following the two-dose regimen of the same vaccine to individuals 18 years of age or older (ages 12 or older for Pfizer-BioNTech) who have undergone solid organ transplantation, or who are diagnosed with conditions that are considered to have an equivalent level of immunocompromised, according to the FDA.

At the Friday morning medical update at the University of Kansas Health System, Dr. Kevin Ault, a member of the federal advisory panel for vaccine distribution, said the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices was meeting at 10 a.m. Friday to discuss these booster shots for immunocompromised people.

Dr. Ault is an obstetrician and gynecologist at the KU Health System, as well as a member of the ACIP.

The ACIP is expected to make a clinical recommendation after discussing the issues, he said.