Kansas COVID-19 deaths now have surpassed 5,000, and flags in Kansas have been lowered to half-staff In their honor through sundown Sunday, May 9.
Gov. Laura Kelly said in a statement that this gesture honors the lives and memories of the 5,016 persons in Kansas who have died from COVID-19.
“We cannot become numb to the significance of this number,” Gov. Kelly said. “That’s 5,000 mothers and fathers, daughters and sons, loved ones and neighbors who we’ve lost to virus-related deaths.
“The best way we can honor their memories is by getting vaccinated and continuing to practice the proper health protocol we know protects our communities from the threat of COVID-19,” Gov. Kelly said.
Deaths are still occurring from COVID-19 in Kansas, but the rate of deaths is down dramatically since last November.
At the University of Kansas Health System, the number of deaths and hospitalizations has decreased in the past few weeks, just as it has in the rest of the country, according to Lance Williamson, infection prevention and control nurse supervisor.
The rates have been reduced especially since the peak in November, Williamson said at the KU Health System news conference on Friday.
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, said there haven’t been as many deaths because there haven’t been as many positive patients.
The reduction in deaths and hospitalizations is a function of the vaccinations, Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, said.
He said they are using monoclonal antibodies for those who test positive for COVID-19, within the first seven days.
Only 3 percent of the people who received monoclonal antibodies had to come to the emergency department or be hospitalized, he said. The monoclonal antibodies are available in the infusion clinic and also in the emergency department. There is a system in place to determine who receives the antibodies, he said, and since supplies are now greater, monoclonal antibodies are more available than they were last year.
“If you haven’t been vaccinated and you get sick, get tested, because those antibodies do work,” Dr. Stites said.
Free vaccinations available Saturday at Armory
Free walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations will be available for everyone over age 18 from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 8, at the Kansas National Guard Armory, 100 S. 20th St., (near 18th and Ridge), Kansas City, Kansas.
The schedule of vaccinations will be changing next week. To see the new schedule and more information about vaccinations, visit WycoVaccines.org or https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept.
The Health Department will be doing more mobile vaccinations, and people may request vaccines to be given at different sites in the community by going to WycoVaccines.org and clicking on “mobile vaccine request.” People also may request a ride to vaccination sites on the same page.
UG Health Department vaccinations are now open to people from other counties and states. People may walk in for vaccinations or can schedule them.
Those who wish to schedule an appointment may use the Health Department’s self-scheduling tool at WycoVaccines.org and click on a blue button that says, “Click here to schedule an appointment online.” The page is available in Spanish by clicking at the top of the page. Walk-in appointments also are welcome.
Those who don’t have an internet connection may call 3-1-1 or 913-573-5311 for assistance in scheduling their vaccination appointment time and date.
To see more information about Health Department vaccinations and next week’s schedule, visit WycoVaccines.org.
Other sites available for vaccination
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.
There are also pharmacies giving free 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 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/.
Other pharmacies and sites giving vaccines are listed at www.vaccines.gov.
Case numbers reported
KU Health System reported higher numbers of COVID-19 patients on Friday morning. There were 24 active COVID-19 patients on Friday morning, an increase of four, according to Dr. Hawkinson. Eleven of these were in the intensive care unit, an increase of four from Thursday. Nine patients were on ventilators, an increase of two. There were another nine COVID-19 patients who were still in the hospital but are no longer in the acute phase, no change from Thursday. There was a total of 33 patients, an increase of four from Thursday.
Wyandotte County reported an increase of 13 COVID-19 cases on Friday, May 7, for a cumulative 18,552 cases, according to the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage. There was a cumulative total of 292 deaths reported, an increase of one.
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 171,602 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Friday, an increase of 193 since Thursday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 65.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 310,582 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Kansas on Friday, May 7, an increase of 467 cases since Wednesday, May 5. There were a total cumulative 5,016 deaths reported statewide, an increase of 17.
KDHE reported that Johnson County had 58,253 cumulative cases on Friday, an increase of 119 cases since Wednesday. Leavenworth County had 7,224 cumulative cases, an increase of 12 cases since Wednesday. Sedgwick County (the Wichita area) reported 56,475 cumulative cases on Friday, an increase of 114 cases since Wednesday
The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Friday night reported 32,651,025 cumulative COVID-19 cases in the United States, with 580,886 total deaths reported nationwide. There were 47,366 new cases nationwide and 789 new deaths nationwide.
States with the highest number of new cases were Florida, 4,504; Michigan, 4,113; Pennsylvania, 3,273; Texas, 2,714; New York, 2,643.
Countries with the highest number of new cases were India, 414,188; Brazil, 73,380; U.S., 47,366; Argentina, 24,086; and Turkey, 22,388.
Free testing available Saturday
Free COVID-19 testing will be available from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, May 8, at the Kansas National Guard Armory, 100 S. 20th, (near 18th and Ridge), Kansas City, Kansas. For information about UG Health Department COVID-19 testing sites and hours, visit 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. Appointments are not needed.
One of the sites for free COVID-19 testing is open beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, May 8, at Lowe’s at 6920 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The tests are through WellHealth. Appointments are required. For more information, to see other testing sites and to make an appointment, visit https://www.gogettested.com/kansas.
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. There are more test sites listed on this page.
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 KU doctors’ news conference is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/155539623177194.
The University of Kansas Health System COVID-19 update page is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/292961702392386.
A weekly vaccine report for the state of Kansas is at
https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/123/Vaccine-Historical-Document-22521?bidId=.
Information about the new mask ordinance passed April 29, which loosened restrictions in Wyandotte County, is online at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/updatedwycomaskorder04302021.pdf.
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.