Doctors at the University of Kansas Health System were enthusiastic on Friday about Kansas and Missouri expanding vaccinations to wider groups of people next week.
“I think it is all great news, and it just reflects the fact there’s a whole lot of vaccine coming into play, and as that happens, we’re all going to get safer,” said Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer for KU Health System.
Pretty soon, they’ll open it to everyone, with more vaccine available, he said during the Friday morning media update.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at KU Health, said England and Israel have shown significant improvement in the rate of spread of infection because of vaccinations.
As vaccinations are ramping up, case numbers were down on Friday at KU Health System. It hasn’t had an inpatient COVID-19 death in more than six days, according to Amanda Cackler, director of infection control at the health system.
An effort was made this week throughout the nation to open up vaccine clinics to more people. Wyandotte County’s vaccination clinics were opened up to residents in Phases 1 and 2 this past week for walk-in vaccinations. On Monday, Phases 3 and 4, including residents with specific underlying conditions and more critical workers, will begin in Kansas, widening the groups of people who are eligible to be vaccinated. Those Phase 3 and 4 vaccinations next week will be by appointment.
KU doctors said Friday they thought vaccines will prove important to ending the pandemic.
When compared to a baseball game, “we’re in the fifth or sixth inning,” Dr. Stites said. They’ve got to get everyone vaccinated, then figure out how to manage the chronicity of a little COVID-19 out there. Once they figure that out, the game will be over, he said. Until then, it will be necessary to practice infection prevention measures.
Cackler said there are still some unknowns, as they don’t know when the kids will be vaccinated yet. Trials are being held for children’s vaccinations, and they haven’t received emergency use authorization yet.
Dr. Hawkinson said he thought it was in the middle of the third inning currently.
“We’ve got to get some of these vaccine companies to pivot and create some of these vaccines against the variants, possible multi-strain or multi-variant vaccines,” Dr. Hawkinson said. As a comparison, he said there were four different strains in the influenza vaccine. He added he hopes the rest of the innings will move through quickly.
Society should get to about 80 percent of the population vaccinated before there is immunity, and currently, Kansas is about 22 percent, according to state figures.
COVID-19 case numbers reported
The University of Kansas Health System reported eight active COVID-19 patients on Friday morning, a decrease of one since Thursday, according to Dr. Hawkinson. Of the eght patients, three were in the intensive care unit, the same number as Thursday. One patient was on a ventilator, the same as Thursday. There were another 15 COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized but are out of the acute infection phase, a decrease of two since Thursday. There is a total 23 patients, a decrease of three from Thursday.
Wyandotte County reported no change in COVID-19 cases on Friday, March 19, for a cumulative 17,941 cases. There was a cumulative total of 281 deaths reported, no change since Thursday.
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 162,819 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Friday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 70. The number of cumulative deaths was 2,300.
The state of Kansas reported 299,510 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Friday, March 19, an increase of 606 cases since Wednesday. There were a total cumulative 4,842 deaths reported, an increase of five deaths. Kansas reported 967,877 doses of COVID-19 vaccine had been administered in the state as of 9 a.m. March 19, including first and second doses. In all, 22.2 percent of the Kansas population was vaccinated with at least one dose.
The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Friday night reported 29,729,968 cases in the United States, with 541,143 total deaths reported nationwide. The Johns Hopkins COVID-19 dashboard reported high new case numbers in California, New York, New Jersey, Florida and Texas. Countries with the highest numbers of new cases, besides the United States, included Brazil, India, France and Germany.
COVID-19 tests scheduled Saturday
A COVID-19 testing site will be at Lowe’s, 6920 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, at 8 a.m. Saturday, March 20. 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 Monday, March 22. The test site at the former Kmart building at 78th and State will be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, March 2. Appointments are not needed for COVID-19 tests and vaccinations for those over 65 on Friday. 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.
Vaccinations continue; Phases 3 and 4 start Monday
The UG Health Department is offering COVID-19 vaccines Monday through Friday for Wyandotte County residents who are 65 and older, and also for high-contact critical workers in Phase 2.
Those Wyandotte County residents who are 65 or older, and critical workers in Phases 1 and 2, can walk in and do not need an appointment from 9 a.m. to 3 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.
Wyandotte County will add Phases 3 and 4 on Monday, March 22. People with certain underlying health conditions and other critical workers are in these phases. Those who want to be vaccinated in Phases 3 and 4 should complete the UG Health Department’s vaccine interest form online at WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1, and they will be contacted to schedule appointments.
Those in Phases 1 and 2 who walk in to get vaccines should bring an ID and something showing their Wyandotte County address, such as mail. Critical workers should bring a work badge or a document showing they work in Wyandotte County.
Those Wyandotte County residents who are younger than 65, or are not eligible yet, may fill out a form expressing interest in getting a vaccine at WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1.
For more information, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/ug-health-department-expands-walk-in-vaccine-eligibility/.
There are also pharmacies giving 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 pharmacy also has announced Thursday that it will offer COVID-19 vaccines at one of its stores in Kansas City, Kansas, beginning as early as March 21. Registration is at CVS.com.
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.
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 Health System doctors’ morning media update is online at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/124540812901930.
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.