Free COVID-19 vaccinations are now on the road, as the Unified Government Health Department announced it was expanding its mobile vaccination efforts.
Businesses, organizations and other groups in Wyandotte County now can request on-site vaccine clinics for groups, according to a Health Department spokesman. The mobile vaccine service and COVID-19 vaccinations are free, and no insurance is required.
“We recognize that coming to our vaccine sites doesn’t work for everyone, so now we are bringing vaccines to our community members,” said Juliann Van Liew, director of the UG Health Department.
“I feel very strongly that bringing vaccines to community spaces is the way forward to increase vaccine accessibility and get more of our community members vaccinated,” Van Liew said. “Any organization in WyCo can sign up for this free service – that could be a church offering vaccines for their members, a business getting their employees vaccinated, an apartment complex providing vaccines for their residents, or any other organization in the area that has a group of folks who want to be vaccinated.”
How to sign up
Organizations and groups can sign up by going to WycoVaccines.org, and clicking the Mobile Vaccine Request button to fill out the request form. Those without internet access can call 3-1-1 (or dial 913-573- 5311 if calling from outside of Wyandotte County) for assistance with arranging a mobile vaccine request.
Before you submit your request, you will need to know:
• How many people in your group want to be vaccinated.
• The address of where you want to host the mobile vaccine clinic.
• Contact information for the primary contact at your organization (this way the Health Department can reach out about logistics and scheduling).
In addition to offering vaccines to the group that has signed up, the Health Department is working to open up some of these mobile clinics to the public when it is feasible to do so. Information on additional vaccine locations or events open to the public will be posted at WycoVaccines.org or on the Health Department Facebook and Twitter pages (@UGHealthDept).
Mobile vaccines are not just for groups, but also for individuals who cannot come to the Health Department vaccine sites. The Mobile Vaccine Request is still accepting requests from individuals who are homebound who need to receive a vaccine in their home. The request works the same way – just fill out the form at WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1.
Adjusted hours at regular vaccines sites
Starting May 10, the Health Department is reducing some of its hours at the existing vaccination sites in order to provide more mobile vaccine opportunities.
The Health Department is reducing vaccine hours at the former Best Buy location and at the Armory. Additionally, due to lower demand, the former Best Buy site is closing after May 25, according to a spokesman.
Monday through Friday vaccine hours will continue at the former Kmart location at 78th and State Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas. Wednesday evening hours at the former Kmart have been extended to 7 p.m.
Anyone age 16 and older can get vaccinated with or without an appointment at these locations. See updated schedule below.
Help for those who need transportation
The Health Department also offers free transportation to a vaccination site for individuals, families and groups. To submit a request, go to WycoVaccines.org. Residents with no internet connection can call 3-1-1 to make their transportation or homebound vaccination request.
Additionally, bus access has been expanded for Saturday vaccine clinics in May at the Armory. Bus Routes 102, 103, and 118 now provide service to the Armory on Saturdays, every 30 minutes. There is also a special transfer stop between Route 106 and Route 118 at 18th and Quindaro, Kansas City, Kansas.
Greater Kansas City reaches half-million vaccinations
The Kansas City region hit a major milestone this week with 500,000 vaccinations completed, just four weeks after Comeback KC launched the metro-wide Two Million Arms KC campaign.
“We are in a race to get area adults vaccinated before another COVID-19 surge arrives, fueled by new virus variants and a loosening of public health restrictions,” according to Mark Logan, communications director for Comeback KC, which launched the regional education and communications campaign to help with that life-saving effort. “It is a real tribute to the commitment of our area’s citizens and the hard work of our health care professionals that we have reached 25% of our goal this quickly. But we have a lot more work ahead.”
The Two Million Arms KC campaign is designed to help the Kansas City region recover from COVID-19 by providing vaccine information and encouragement to help residents protect themselves, their families, and their communities.
Two Million Arms KC includes outreach through billboards, social media, and print and broadcast advertising, as well as posters and fliers for employers; community centers; churches, synagogues, and mosques; and retailers. The eye-catching, consumer-friendly graphic designs for the campaign were developed by Willoughby (www.willoughbydesign.com), the area’s prominent brand design firm.
Despite the cause for celebration, there are warning signs and challenges.
“Despite the fact that we’ve been having a public conversation about health inequities for the last year, we still haven’t achieved equity in the distribution of our vaccines,” Logan said. “We need to double down on our efforts to make the vaccines accessible to the communities that have been hardest hit by the pandemic.”
Another challenge: demand for vaccinations has slowed throughout the metro area and the country. Misinformation and hesitancy are slowing the pace of vaccinations and making it difficult to achieve population immunity.
Comeback KC believes that more targeted, smaller-scale efforts will be the keys to future progress.
In response to that need, the campaign also includes a vaccination van, which is available to KC region vaccinators to help close the “last mile” of vaccination efforts. The vaccination van will be used for small, community vaccination events and even to deliver vaccines to homebound individuals.
Two Million Arms KC has strong support from the area’s business and civic leaders, including endorsement from the Mid-America Regional Council (MARC); BioKansas; the Southern Christian Leadership Conference of Greater Kansas City (SCLC-GKC); the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce; Health Forward Foundation; El Centro; Kansas City, Missouri; Johnson County; Clay County; Platte County; and the Unified Government of Wyandotte County.
“This milestone of 500,000 Kansas Citians vaccinated is attributable to the hard work and commitment to vaccination across our community,” according to Qiana Thomason, president-CEO, Health Forward Foundation. “If we’re going to beat COVID-19, it will take all of us. Getting the vaccine not only protects you, it protects your family, your neighbors, and your community.”
Irene Caudillo, president and CEO of El Centro, agreed.
“Felicidades to our community’s 500,000 vaccinations! Though there is still a lot of uncertainty about the vaccines in our community, the partnership with the Two Million Arms KC campaign offers bilingual information debunking vaccine myths and helps our community access the vaccine,” she said. “El Centro is a trusted partner in the Latino community, and we appreciate the campaigns work to overcome inequities and provide access to vaccinations for us all. ¡Adelante a dos millones!”
“We’ve made good progress but there’s still plenty of work to do, especially in traditionally underserved areas,” said Dr. Jennifer Frost, interim chief medical officer for Swope Health. “We are trying to make access to vaccination as easy as possible and are working with our partners in Black and Hispanic communities to share the message about the importance of vaccination.”
“The efforts to mitigate and contain the spread of the virus needed to be regional because of the unique nature of interactions between our counties and communities,” said Dr. Sanmi Areola, director of the Johnson County, Kansas, Department of Health and Environment. “The results speak to how well this has worked. The results are encouraging and worth celebrating, even while we know there are a lot more arms that we need to get the vaccine into in order to reach our goals. This is a milestone for our residents and public health.”
“The Two Million Arms KC campaign has helped our region in raising awareness and educating persons on the importance of vaccinations, and we celebrate the campaign’s significant milestone this week,” said Mayor David Alvey, of Wyandotte County – Kansas City, Kansas. “We’re pleased to work with Comeback KC and others in a joint effort to ensure every population in our community, and around the region, has unfettered and immediate access to the vaccinations that are so critical to ending this pandemic.”
Comeback KC has launched a new website as part of the Two Million Arms KC project, www.VaccinateKC.com, that includes information in both English and Spanish about where, how, and why residents can get their shot.
Vaccinate KC is an initiative of Comeback KC (www.comebackkc.com), a collection of public entities, private organizations, and individuals dedicated to helping the Kansas City region make a fast and complete recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic. The group works closely with area public health departments, hospital systems, FHQCs, civic organizations, and regional leaders to provide information to the public about vaccines and material support for vaccination sites and events.
The nonprofit home of Comeback KC is KC Digital Drive (www.kcdigitaldrive.org). KC Digital Drive is a 501c3 nonprofit organization that works to make the KC region healthier and more prosperous by leveraging technologies to address pressing social and civic problems.
Wyandotte County vaccination rates increase slightly
The UG Health Department reported Wednesday that vaccination rates in Wyandotte County were 29.3 percent for residents receiving at least one dose, and 23.4 percent for residents who have completed their vaccinations. There were 48,544 who had received at least one dose, and 38,669 residents who completed their vaccinations.
Last week, the Wyandotte County resident vaccination rate was 26.6 percent for those receiving at least one dose and 17.3 percent for those completing their vaccinations. It was an increase of around three percentage points for the first dose and five percentage points for the second dose.
The Wyandotte County resident first dose vaccination rate this week is about 14 percentage points under the Kansas state vaccination rate.
The rate of Wyandotte County residents who are age 16 and older who have been vaccinated with at least one dose is 39 percent, according to Health Department information. The percentage of Wyandotte County residents 65 and older who have received at least one dose is 61.8 percent.
State reports 2 million doses of vaccine administered
The state of Kansas reported Wednesday that over 2 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered, more than doubling the number of doses administered in six weeks.
“Kansas is making measurable progress getting shots in arms across the state, but we have more work to do to reach herd immunity and ensure Kansans get back to work, back to school, and back to normal,” Gov. Laura Kelly said in a news release. “Cases of COVID-19 variants are rising across the state. To maintain our recovery efforts, we must ensure that every Kansan is vaccinated.”
About 43 percent of Kansas residents have received their first vaccine dose, while almost 33 percent are fully vaccinated.
“This is a great milestone for Kansas, but there is still more work to do,” Dr. Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, said. “We encourage all Kansans who have yet to be vaccinated to take that initial step to get vaccinated.”
“My administration is concerned with reports that some counties in Kansas are turning away vaccines due to vaccine hesitancy in some communities,” Gov. Kelly said. “I want to be clear. The vaccine is safe, it’s effective, and it’s free. I urge all Kansans to get vaccinated, and to encourage your families, friends, and communities to do the same.”
All Kansans are encouraged to visit Vaccines.gov to find the nearest location.
CVS announces walk-in vaccination appointments
CVS on Wednesday announced walk-in vaccination appointments at its pharmacies that are participating in giving COVID-19 vaccines.
According to a spokesman, persons can go online to schedule a vaccine appointment the same day. This can be as early as one hour from the time the person goes online to schedule an appointment.
CVS stores here participating include 950 Minnesota Ave., 3750 State Ave., 4300 Rainbow Blvd. and 10900 Stadium Drive (inside Target store). Those interested in getting a vaccination are asked to visit a CVS website in order to make sure there is vaccine available. The website is at www.cvs.com/.
The www.vaccines.gov/ website found 50 places within 25 miles of Wyandotte County where vaccines were available, including pharmacies, health department, medical offices and other providers.
KU doctors say hospital system has plenty of vaccine
Doctors at the University of Kansas Health System on Wednesday morning said the health system has plenty of vaccine available to give to patients and the public.
Dr. David Wild, vice president of performance improvement at KU Health System, encouraged anyone hesitant about getting a vaccine to talk to their primary care doctor to get the answers they need to help with their decision to get vaccinated.
According to Dr. Wild, all but two area hospitals have reported increases in COVID-19 patients in the past few weeks, and one hospital went from two patients to 30.
Also, he said he expected emergency use authorization for the Pfizer vaccine for age 12 to 15 may come any day. Vaccines for those under 12 could be available by the fall, he said.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at the University of Kansas Health System, said they might have seen a plateau in the number of COVID-19 cases around the metro area, but they need to see what happens in the next few weeks on the effects of looser restrictions on masking and gatherings.
At the news conference, Dr. Steven Simpson, a pulmonologist and critical care physician who is an expert on sepsis, talked about links between severe COVID-19 and sepsis. Treatment is more difficult because COVID-19 doesn’t respond to antibiotics, he said.
Dr. Simpson said it is important to treat sepsis, including that caused by COVID-19, early. Some of the symptoms are a rapid heart rate and fast breathing. He also discussed the importance of getting a COVID-19 vaccine to prevent the disease from getting to the point where hospitalization is necessary. A pneumonia vaccine also is recommended, especially for older people.
Dr. Hawkinson says nobody wants to have COVID-19 sepsis, and the way out of that and to protect yourself and the community is to get vaccinated.
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.
Free vaccinations available Thursday
Free walk-in vaccinations will be available for everyone over age 16 Thursday, May 6, at three Unified Government Health Department locations: from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the Kansas National Guard Armory, 100 S. 20th St., (near 18th and Ridge), Kansas City, Kansas; from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the former Kmart, 7836 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas; and from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. at the former Best Buy, 10500 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas.
To see more information about vaccinations, visit WycoVaccines.org or https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept.
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
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).
Other pharmacies and sites giving vaccines are listed at www.vaccines.gov.
Case numbers reported
KU Health System reported slightly lower numbers of COVID-19 patients on Wednesday morning. There were 22 active COVID-19 patients on Wednesday morning, a decrease of three, according to Dr. Hawkinson. Seven of these were in the intensive care unit, an increase of one since Tuesday. Five patients were on ventilators, no change from Tuesday. There were another 10 COVID-19 patients who were still in the hospital but are no longer in the acute phase, no change from Tuesday. There was a total of 32 patients, a decrease of three from Tuesday.
Wyandotte County reported an increase of eight COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, May 5, for a cumulative 18,515 cases, according to the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage. There was a cumulative total of 291 deaths reported, no change from Tuesday.
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 171,072 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, an increase of 32 since Tuesday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 62.
KDHE reported 310,115 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Kansas on Wednesday, May 5, an increase of 470 cases since Monday, May 3. There were a total cumulative 4,999 deaths reported statewide, an increase of 14.
KDHE reported that Johnson County had 58,134 cumulative cases on Wednesday, an increase of 102 cases since Monday. Leavenworth County had 7,212 cumulative cases, an increase of 12 cases since Monday. Sedgwick County (the Wichita area) reported 56,361 cumulative cases on Wednesday, an increase of 103 cases since Monday
The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Wednesday night reported 32,557,440 cumulative COVID-19 cases in the United States, with 579,276 total deaths reported nationwide. There were 40,733 new cases nationwide and 933 new deaths nationwide.
States with the highest number of new cases were Florida, 3,682; Michigan, 3,120; Pennsylvania, 2,641; Texas, 2,385; and California, 2,243.
Countries with the highest number of new cases were India, 382,146; Brazil, 77,359; U.S., 40,733; Turkey, 28,997; and Argentina, 26,238, according to the Johns Hopkins information.
Free testing available Thursday
One of the sites for free COVID-19 testing is open beginning at 8 a.m. Thursday, May 6, 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.
Free COVID-19 testing will be available at UG Health Department testing sites. 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.
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/2945102662477229.
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.