The Kansas Leadership Center, after getting individual Kansans involved in efforts to stop the spread of COVID-19, is currently getting the word out about vaccines.
How to convince the vaccine-hesitant to get the COVID-19 shot was one of the topics discussed on Monday at the University of Kansas Health System news conference.
Ed O’Malley, executive director of the center, and Claudia Amaro, who facilitates meetings, discussed the group’s efforts in Kansas.
Amaro said communication is important, and it is not true that Latinos do not get engaged with their communities.
Some of the vaccine hesitancy has to do with trust, and knowing the people who are presenting the information about vaccines, according to Amaro.
“We are continuing to engage with the community, especially listening,” she said.
At the beginning, some people say they don’t trust and don’t want to get the vaccine, she said. After a period of time and discussion, they understand how important it is for everyone in the community to get the vaccine, she said. But they’re not there yet because they don’t have the information, she added.
“They want leaders in the Hispanic community, out gathering, and presenting the information,” she said. They also want to see information in their own language, she added.
Amaro said there are already a lot of people out there trying to make connections, including Hispanic leaders, Spanish media reporters, hospital personnel and others in health care.
O’Malley said, as he sees it, there are three things that need to be done.
The first is listening, he said, and they have done more than 50 community listening sessions including diverse populations, just to hear thoughts, concerns and questions, he said.
Second is giving people something to be for, he said. With questions about masks, for example, they focused on what people can be for.
Third, is to give people a chance to be active. This may be a key to success in getting more people vaccinated, he said. It increases people’s commitment and can influence others, he said.
O’Malley said they have heard different vaccine-hesitant concerns during their 50 community meetings in the last eight weeks.
A lot of people just want more information, Amaro said.
“They need to listen to experts, from people they trust,” she said.
O’Malley said some people do not want others to listen and then tell them what to think, but they want to discuss their concerns.
He said in some towns in the western part of the state, people felt a sense of security because they were so isolated. “The sense of small town security has been one of the challenges,” he said.
They try to engage people, share information, let them ask questions, answer the questions, and get people they trust to help them think things through about the vaccine, he said.
In Wyandotte County, the Unified Government Health Department has its COVID-19 information in Spanish as well as English. Other resources in Spanish include some of the information on the Kansas Department of Health and Environment website.
Toward the end of 2020, the Kansas Leadership Center launched a campaign, Kansas Beats the Virus, and held 851 small group meetings with nearly 7,000 participants throughout the state, where residents discussed what they could do in their communities to stop the spread of the virus.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, said that in some countries abroad recently, they have had to go back to a lockdown because of COVID-19 variants spreading rapidly.
“It is down to individuals doing the right things,” he said. Going without masks and without distancing, as people did before the pandemic, could result in a surge of cases.
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at KU Health System, said he is a little nervous as the country heads into spring break. Having had COVID-19 does not protect against some of these variants, Dr. Stites said.
Not many young adults have been vaccinated yet, and some of them may be going to large gatherings in Florida. He added he is afraid a lot of people could get sick without the vaccine.
COVID-19 case numbers reported
The University of Kansas Health System reported 11 active COVID-19 patients on Monday morning, an increase of three from Friday. Of the 11 patients, three were in the intensive care unit, no change from Friday. One patient was on a ventilator, a decrease of one from Friday. There were another 20 COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized but are out of the acute infection phase, an increase of one from Friday. There is a total 31 patients, an increase of four from Friday.
Wyandotte County reported an increase of 30 COVID-19 cases on Monday, March 15, since Friday, for a cumulative 17,900 cases. There was a cumulative total of 278 deaths reported, no change since Friday.
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 162,148 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Monday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 72. The number of cumulative deaths was 2,291.
The state of Kansas reported 298,218 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Monday, March 15, an increase of 470 cases since Friday. There were a total cumulative 4,835 deaths reported, an increase of 11 deaths.
The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Monday night reported 29,492,616 cases in the United States, with 535,596 total deaths reported nationwide.
COVID-19 tests scheduled Tuesday
Free COVID-19 tests will be available from 8 a.m. to noon Tuesday, March 16, at the All Saints parish, 811 Vermont Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.
The tests are through the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force. Groceries will be given away to those who get tested, while supplies last. Appointments are not necessary. For more information, see https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.
COVID-19 testing will be at 9 a.m. Tuesday, March 16, at Pierson Community Center, 1800 S. 55th, Kansas City, Kansas. 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 16. Tests are through WellHealth. Appointments are required, check with the website, www.gogettested.com/Kansas, for available appointment times.
Unified Government Health Department COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites are scheduled to be open on Tuesday, March 16. The test site at the former Kmart building at 78th and State will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Tuesday, March 16. Appointments are not needed for COVID-19 tests and vaccinations for those over 65 on Tuesday. Walk-in vaccinations are open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Tuesday. There is also a UG Health Department location for COVID-19 testing and vaccinations at the former Best Buy store, 10500 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas. A third Health Department site, for vaccinations, is at the Kansas National Guard Armory at 100 S. 20th.
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 65 and older
The UG Health Department is offering COVID-19 vaccines Monday through Friday for Wyandotte County residents who are 65 and older.
Those Wyandotte County residents who are 65 or older can walk in and do not need an appointment from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday at the vaccination sites at the former Kmart store at 7836 State Ave., the former Best Buy store at 10500 Parallel Parkway and the Kansas National Guard Armory at 100 S. 20th.
Those who are 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.
Those Wyandotte County residents who are younger than 65, and any Wyandotte County resident, may fill out a form expressing interest in getting a vaccine at WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1.
UG vaccine information in Spanish is at https://vacunas-contra-el-covid-19-wyandotte-county-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/.
The Health Department’s general contact page is at https://www.wycokck.org/Health/Contact.aspx. The general Health Department phone number is 913-573-8855. Their general email address is [email protected]. 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.
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 new school health order is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/localhealthofficerschoolorder3.11.21.pdf.
The University of Kansas doctors’ morning media update is online at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/1936916469807706.
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=.
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.