Category: Health

Hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients have increased from 10 to 18 in recent days at the University of Kansas Health System, according to a news conference on Thursday morning.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson said that the increase in COVID-19 patients was “pretty scary” and really concerning. Of the 18 patients, eight require critical care in the intensive care unit and three are on ventilators, he said. The hospital reported 14 COVID-19 patients on Wednesday morning and 11 on Tuesday. The increase is possibly due to Memorial Day activities.

Dr. Steve Lauer, a pediatrician at the University of Kansas Health System, said as society opens up, the numbers are going up. People have to continue to be aware of the risk that exists and to think of how to protect themselves, their children and families, he said. They will have to ask themselves what is the risk-benefit to activities.

Dr. Hawkinson, who participated in the news conference by a video link from Florida, talked about how to lessen the risks while traveling. He advocated wearing masks and goggles on planes, as well as frequent hand-washing or using hand sanitizer, and socially distancing. He said in his experience, the beaches were not dangerous as long as people were socially distancing and had space to do so. Those who are considering a trip should weigh the risks of traveling to the rewards.

He said he was not too worried about staying in a hotel or other vacation place, as there are a lot of health measures, such as extra cleaning, being taken. While the virus can live on surfaces, he said, as time goes by, the virus will break down.

Dr. Lauer said if a family is considering a trip to see relatives, parents might consider not going too far away. It is difficult to get children under age 2 to wear a mask.

If the trip involves seeing the grandparents or people who could be at risk, they might consider how important it is, he said. Also, when people return from certain parts of the country, the state could recommend that they need to be in quarantine.

He is not worried about swimming in a lake this year, any more than last year, he said. Chlorinated water in pools is effective in killing viruses. What is more of a problem is people standing in or around a pool, less than 6 feet from each other, he said.

Dr. Lauer said kids need to get their annual physicals and vaccinations this year. If they don’t they could see more cases of measles, polio and pertussis, he said.

When it comes to youth baseball, he said parents need to make sure that players stay 6 feet apart in the dugout, and that parents and families stay 6 feet apart from others in the stands. Parents need to make sure safety precautions are being followed because COVID-19 is still a risk, he said.

Wyandotte County reported 1,575 cases and 76 deaths at 1:30 p.m. Thursday, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 page. It was an increase of 24 cases since Wednesday. The number of deaths was the same.

The KU doctors’ news conference is online at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/.

The UG’s COVID-19 information page is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.

Wyandotte County is currently under Phase 3. See covid.ks.gov.

The state plan’s frequently asked questions page is at https://covid.ks.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Reopening-FAQ_5.19.2020_Final.pdf.

Test sites are listed at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.

The CDC’s COVID-19 web page is at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.

CVS Health has announced 10 new drive-through test sites for COVID-19 in Kansas, including two in Kansas City, Kansas.

The sites are scheduled to begin operating on Friday, June 12.

The new testing sites are at CVS Pharmacy, 950 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas; and CVS Pharmacy, 3750 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.

In addition, CVS is opening test sites in Lawrence, Leavenworth, Olathe, Overland Park, Shawnee, Topeka and Wichita, Kansas. The company has a goal of opening 1,000 test sites across the nation, according to a spokesman.

They will be self-swab tests. Clients will use the drive-through window, and stay in their vehicles, according to a spokesman. None of the tests will be done indoors. The clients will be given a test kit and instructions, while a pharmacy staff member will observe the process from the drive-through window to make sure it is done properly. The tests will be sent to an independent third-party lab for processing, with results available in about three days, according to the spokesman.

According to the spokesman, there are no out-of-pocket costs associated with the new test sites, for both insured and uninsured clients. The funding for testing was approved from the CARES Act, with costs for uninsured clients being funded through the Health and Human Services Department.

Clients should provide a photo identification card and insurance card if they have one. Residents with out-of-state identification cards should provide proof of residency.

Individuals can get a test if they meet Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Criteria, state and age guidelines, according to information on the CVS website. They do not need a doctor’s referral. Walk-up tests are not allowed.

Registration in advance will be necessary for the tests. Appointments can be made at https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19-testing.

CVS will list locations of drive-through clinics at https://cvshealth.com/covid-19/testing-locations.

Doctors at a news conference sponsored by the University of Kansas Health System on Wednesday morning wondered if they were seeing the first wave of patients exposed to COVID-19 from over the Memorial Day weekend.

KU Health System reported 14 patients in the hospital on Wednesday morning, up from 11 on Tuesday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, KU Health System medical director of infection prevention and control. Seven patients were in the intensive care unit, as compared to five on Tuesday, and three were on ventilators, an increase from two on Tuesday.

Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at KU Health System, said a number of states now are reporting spikes in hospitalizations, traced to Memorial Day weekend, May 25.

Dr. Hawkinson said symptoms usually appear one to two weeks after exposure, and an inflammation process might be seen three to four weeks after the infection, which is when they start to see hospitalizations.

Dr. Stites said hospitalizations here are still much below the earlier peak in the 40s. Doctors noticed the jump from 10 to 14 hospitalizations, but the coming days or weeks will tell if there will be a peak.

In Wyandotte County, the Unified Government COVID-19 website reported 1,551 total cumulative positive COVID-19 cases at 4:40 p.m. Wednesday, an increase of 31 cases since 4 p.m. Tuesday The number of deaths and hospitalizations saw no change since Tuesday.

In Kansas, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 10,812 cases and 240 deaths from 90 counties as of 9 a.m. Wednesday. It was an increase of 162 cases and four deaths since Monday.

During a discussion on Wednesday morning, doctors talked about isolation, loneliness, the effects of COVID-19 on Alzheimer’s patients, and also, helping adolescents cope with isolation.

Dr. Hawkinson joined the news conference by video, explaining that he was taking a vacation to the beach in Florida. He described his flight on a plane, how 80 to 90 percent of the passengers were wearing masks, how there was more space between passengers than usual, and he said he wore a mask and goggles. He said he washed his hands and used hand sanitizer frequently.

Dr. Danielle Johnson, psychologist, said isolation is harder for kids , especially teens. She encouraged families to spend time together, eat meals together, talk together and be aware if anyone is experiencing loneliness.

Dr. Jeff Burns, a neurologist who is co-director of the KU Alzheimer’s Disease Center, said a third of COVID-19 deaths in the nation have taken place in long-term care facilities. He recommended using technology to stay connected with residents in nursing homes and facilities.

Dr. Greg Nawalanic, psychologist, encouraged people to socialize using technology, to read, to write letters to residents in long-term care facilities, and to send pictures from the grandchildren. He suggested asking residents about times they weren’t in the long-term care facility, such as memories of family trips and stories that take them back. He said it’s beneficial to tell stories about the past that takes the resident out of their current experience and lets them be themselves.

Testing continues

COVID-19 testing continues on Thursday afternoon at the UG Health Department parking lot, 619 Ann Ave.; at the Swope Health testing at 21 N. 12th St., Suite 400, (Bethany office building); from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at La Fe en Jesucristo, 1500 Central Ave.; and from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Zotung Christian Church, 5010 Parallel Parkway.

More details about testing, such as hours and whether an appointment is needed, are available at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.

The KU doctors’ news conference is online at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/.

The UG’s COVID-19 information page is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/Coronavirus-COVID-19-Information.

Wyandotte County is currently under Phase 3. See covid.ks.gov.

The state plan’s frequently asked questions page is at https://covid.ks.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/Reopening-FAQ_5.19.2020_Final.pdf.

Test sites are listed at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.

The CDC’s COVID-19 web page is at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.