Monday was the anniversary of the first COVID-19 patient being admitted at the University of Kansas Health System, and doctors reflected on changes since then.
“It’s been quite a ride,” said Dr. David Wild, vice president of performance improvement at KU Health System. He made his remarks during a Monday morning media update.
He said he was humbled and impressed by all the efforts of the workers at the health system and across the community. It was something no one expected and no one had experienced before, he added.
The COVID-19 inpatients now are below 40 at the KU Health System Monday, and that’s about the number it was last August, before a big surge in November, according to Dr. Wild. At the time, it seemed like 40 was a number almost impossible to manage, he added.
The last year’s challenges for them have been similar to those of the community, he said. There was quite a bit of fear in the community and among health care workers, and some fears are the same as now, he added.
There were a lot of unknowns and a lot of learning, he said. They had to pay attention to incomplete data, make decisions and then gradually modify their practices as more data become available. They had to deal with strong emotions from the community as well as in themselves.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, said there has been a lot more work, and more meetings. They’ve learned about new protocols and procedures to keep patients and employees safe, he said. People who weren’t paying attention to inequalities in society learned more about them with the pandemic.
“We’ve learned about other aspects of society,” he said. There also will be good things to come out of it, such as better infrastructures for public health.
Health leaders in the Kansas City area have worked together in ways that they didn’t before the pandemic, Dr. Wild said. More friendships developed among people who worked together.
Also discussed Monday morning were efforts to vaccinate teachers in Missouri and Kansas. Wyandotte County teachers have largely been vaccinated already.
Dr. Jennifer Watts, pediatric emergency medicine at Children’s Mercy, said mass vaccination clinics for teachers will start March 15 in Johnson County, Kansas, and in Jackson County, Missouri.
Dr. Kenny Southwick, executive director, Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City, also discussed teacher vaccinations, and he said the goal is to bring all students safely back to school. He was concerned about travel during spring break. He cautioned parents and students who travel during spring break to be careful so there’s not another outbreak, like the outbreaks after spring break last year.
Dr. Hawkinson also said people should be vigilant, as spring break will be coming up and virus variants could spread. People should wear masks and get the vaccine as soon as it’s offered, he said. Masking, distancing and vaccines will get kids back to school faster.
COVID-19 case numbers reported
KU Health System reported 14 active COVID-19 patients, a decrease of one from Friday, according to Dr. Hawkinson. Three of the patients were in the intensive care unit, no change since Friday, and two of the ICU patients were on ventilators Monday, an increase of one since Friday. There were another 23 COVID-19 patients in the hospital who were out of the acute infection phase, a decrease of eight since Friday. In all, there were 37 COVID-19 patients at KU Health System, a decrease of nine since Friday.
Wyandotte County reported an increase of 34 COVID-19 cases on Monday, March 8, since Friday, March 5, for a cumulative 17,770 cases. There was a cumulative total of 273 deaths reported, no change since Friday
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 161,395 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Monday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 75. Cumulative deaths in the nine-county area were 2,255.
The state of Kansas reported 296,451 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Monday, March 8, an increase of 590 cases since Friday. There were a total cumulative 4,816 deaths, an increase of four since Friday
The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Monday night reported 29,043,762 cases in the United States, with 525,752 total deaths nationwide.
COVID-19 tests scheduled Tuesday
Free COVID-19 tests are available from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday, March 9, at All Saints parish, 811 Vermont Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.
Appointments are not needed for the test at All Saints, and anyone can be tested, regardless of symptoms or exposure to COVID-19. For more information, or to see if there is any change to the schedule, visit https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept.
The Pierson Community Center COVID-19 testing site at 831 S. 55th is open at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 9. Tests are through WellHealth. Appointments are required, check with the website, www.gogettested.com/Kansas, for available appointment times.
Another COVID-19 testing site will be at Lowe’s, 6920 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, at 8 a.m. Tuesday, March 9. Tests are through WellHealth. Appointments are required, check with the website, www.gogettested.com/Kansas, for available appointment times.
Unified Government COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites are scheduled to be open on Tuesday, March 9. The Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 test site at the former Kmart building at 78th and State will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 9. Appointments are not needed for COVID-19 tests there on Tuesday. There is also another UG Health Department location for COVID-19 testing at the former Best Buy store, 10500 Parallel Parkway. Wyandotte County is adding a third clinic location on Tuesday. 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.
Walk-in vaccines available for those 85 and older
The UG Health Department is offering COVID-19 vaccines Monday through Friday for Wyandotte County residents who are over 65.
Those Wyandotte County residents who are 85 or older can walk in and do not need an appointment Monday through Friday at the vaccination sites at 7836 State Ave. and 10500 Parallel Parkway. A third location is being added Tuesday. The sites are open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Those who are 65 and older, as well as critical workers, still need appointments for vaccines.
All those 65 and older should bring an ID or other proof of age, such as a driver’s license, government ID or birth certificate, as well as something showing their Wyandotte County address, such as an ID or a piece of mail.
For more vaccine information, and to fill out a form expressing interest in getting a vaccine, visit WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1.
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 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=.
Cards and letters of encouragement for caregivers at KU Health System may be sent to Share Joy, care of Patient Relations, 4000 Cambridge St., Mailstop 1021, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160. Emails can be sent to [email protected].
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.