Families on Thursday were asked to get ready for possible school closures in the Kansas City, Kansas, Public School district because of COVID-19.
A message was sent to parents that also advised them that school buses may be running late by 15 or 20 minutes on Friday.
“Start getting a child care plan in place now,” the message sent to parents stated.
The KCK district, along with others in the Kansas City area, has been experiencing high numbers of COVID-related illnesses recently. It also experienced staff shortages and transportation shortages.
The Bonner Springs-Edwardsville school district called off school on Thursday and Friday because of COVID, and students will return to classes on Tuesday.
The KCK district is not returning to remote learning and online learning because this is not an option allowed under Kansas law, according to the message to staff and parents.
The district’s leaders are continually evaluating the COVID situation at each of the district’s buildings, according to the message.
Parents also were asked to keep students home if they are experiencing any COVID symptoms. Masks are required at all KCK public schools.
The school district’s COVID dashboard, reflecting cases from Jan. 1 to Jan. 7, showed 110 students quarantined and 227 confirmed student cases; four staff quarantined and 155 confirmed staff cases.
Boys and girls basketball games between Schlagle and Harmon, scheduled on Friday, have been postponed, according to a social media announcement. Also, the Schlagle boys basketball game with NKC was canceled.
Monday, Martin Luther King Day, is a federal holiday and also a school district holiday. For more information, see www.facebook.com/kckschools.
In other school news, the Piper Board of Education met on Thursday night and decided to require masks for all students and staff in all district facilities, effective immediately. In addition, the quarantine period was reduced to five days after a positive test, and the district also updated protocols for those who were exposed to a positive case, according to a district social media post.
The Piper district was seeing an increased number of COVID cases recently, and also an increased absentee number, district officials said during the Zoom meeting. The vote was 6-1 on the mitigation measures. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8w3vKBppdZc)
COVID case numbers
On Thursday, the University of Kansas Health System reported 115 active COVID inpatients, a decrease of eight since Wednesday. Only 14 of the current 119 COVID inpatients are fully vaccinated. One patient died since Wednesday, and the number of deaths in January was 18. There were 24 COVID patients in the intensive care unit, a decrease of one since Wednesday. Nineteen patients were on ventilators, a decrease of one since Wednesday. Another 51 patients were hospitalized because of COVID but were out of the acute infection phase, an increase of four since Wednesday. There was a total of 166 COVID patients at the hospital, a decrease of four since Wednesday.
On Thursday, the Unified Government Health Department COVID information website reported 32,812 total cumulative COVID cases, an increase of 376 cases since Wednesday, and a cumulative total of 424 deaths, an increase of two deaths since Wednesday.
On Wednesday, the UG Health Department reported that 58.63 percent of Wyandotte County residents had at least one dose of COVID vaccine, and 48.87 percent of Wyandotte County residents had completed their vaccinations. There are 63.6 percent of Wyandotte County residents age 5 and up who have at least one dose. Of those who are 65 and older, 82.7 percent have had at least one dose.
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID dashboard reported Thursday that there were 8,604 newly reported COVID cases in the Greater Kansas City area, a nine-county area. The average number of new hospitalizations was 246, and there were 11 newly reported deaths in the nine-county area.
The Johns Hopkins COVID-19 map reported 1.2 million vaccine doses were given out in the United States on Wednesday, in a seven-day average figure. The U.S. population is 63 percent vaccinated. Total COVID cases in the United States were at 64 million. Total deaths were at 846,459.
Vaccines and tests available
The Unified Government’s Kmart facility at 7836 State is on a new schedule, and is open for testing from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
The Kmart facility is open for free vaccines from noon to 6 p.m. on Fridays. Walk-ins are welcome. For more information, see WycoVaccines.org.
Free COVID vaccines also are available by appointment only at the Health Department building at 6th and Ann Avenue from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
Free COVID testing also is available from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays at the Kansas National Guard Armory, 18th and Ridge.
There also are vaccines and tests available at mobile events.
The vaccines.gov website shows some other vaccination sites open in Wyandotte County.