Tag: COVID-19

The “pause” on the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine has been lifted, according to a CDC and FDA news release on Friday night.

Immunizations of this vaccine can now resume in the United States, according to the announcement from the CDC.

A safety review was conducted by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, the FDA and the CDC.

Six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot in women resulted in the pause of the Johnson and Johnson (also called Janssen) vaccine. There were a total of 6.8 million doses given. FDA and CDC medical and scientific teams examined data to assess the risk of thrombosis involving the cerebral venous sinuses, as well as large blood vessels of the abdomen and veins of the legs, and low blood platelet counts. They also reached out to providers and clinicians to make sure they were aware of the potential for adverse events and could manage and recognize these events.

The investigation found a total of 15 cases of thrombosis reported to the Vaccine Adverse Effect Reporting System, including the original six. All the cases were in women from 18 to 59 years old. Symptom onset was between six and 15 days after vaccination.

The FDA and CDC’s determination:

• Use of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine should be resumed in the United States.
• The FDA and CDC have confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19.
• The FDA has determined that the available data show that the vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older.
• At this time, the available data suggest that the chance of TTS occurring is very low, but the FDA and CDC will remain vigilant in continuing to investigate this risk.
• Health care providers administering the vaccine and vaccine recipients or caregivers should review the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Fact Sheet for Healthcare Providers Administering Vaccine (Vaccination Providers) and Fact Sheet for Recipients and Caregivers, which have been revised to include information about the risk of this syndrome, which has occurred in a very small number of people who have received the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine.

“Safety is our top priority,” Dr. Janet Woodcock, acting FDA commissioner, said in the news release. “This pause was an example of our extensive safety monitoring working as they were designed to work—identifying even these small number of cases. We’ve lifted the pause based on the FDA and CDC’s review of all available data and in consultation with medical experts and based on recommendations from the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. We have concluded that the known and potential benefits of the Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older. We are confident that this vaccine continues to meet our standards for safety, effectiveness and quality. We recommend people with questions about which vaccine is right for them have those discussions with their health care provider.”

“Above all else, health and safety are at the forefront of our decisions,” said CDC director, Dr. Rochelle P. Walensky. “Our vaccine safety systems are working. We identified exceptionally rare events – out of millions of doses of the Janssen COVID-19 administered – and we paused to examine them more carefully. As we always do, we will continue to watch all signals closely as more Americans are vaccinated. I continue to be encouraged by the growing body of real-world evidence that the authorized COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and they protect people from disease, hospitalization, and death. I urge anyone with questions about the COVID-19 vaccines to speak with their healthcare provider or local public health department.”

Walk-in vaccinations available Monday

Walk-in vaccinations will be available for Wyandotte County residents from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday, April 26, at two Unified Government Health Department locations: the former Kmart store at 78th and State, and the Kansas National Guard Armory at 18th and Ridge, Kansas City, Kansas. The former Best Buy location will be closed on Monday, April 26.

Wyandotte County residents 18 and older and those who work in Wyandotte County may walk in for a COVID-19 vaccination during open hours. Appointments also are being scheduled for the Health Department vaccine sites.

All Kansas residents can make an appointment to be vaccinated at any of the Health Department’s vaccination facilities on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Kansas residents who wish to schedule an appointment or any Wyandotte County resident 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.

Wyandotte County residents 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.

People coming in for an appointment may be asked to show they live in Kansas, such as showing a driver’s license, a piece of mail addressed to them, or similar paperwork.

To see more information about Health Department vaccinations and next week’s schedule, visit WycoVaccines.org.

Other sites available for vaccinations

KU Health System offers vaccinations seven days a week at different locations. Appointments are required. Current patients may use MyChart to make an appointment. Others may call 913-588-1227 or visit kansashealthsystem.com/vaccine to see if vaccines are available.

The University of Kansas Health System also has vaccinations for Wyandotte and Johnson county residents. Any residents of Kansas can call to get an appointment whether they are patients or not at the health system.

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 that it will offer COVID-19 vaccines at one of its stores in Kansas City, Kansas. Registration is at CVS.com.

Case numbers reported

Wyandotte County reported an increase of 14 COVID-19 cases on Friday, April 23, for a cumulative 18,357 cases, according to the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage. There was a cumulative total of 290 deaths reported, an increase of one since Thursday. The numbers are not updated on Saturday.

The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 169,156 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Saturday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 66. The number of cumulative deaths was 2,377.

The state of Kansas reported 307,372 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Friday, April 23, an increase of 489 cases since Wednesday. There were a total cumulative 4,968 deaths reported statewide, an increase of seven. The numbers will not be updated until Monday.

The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Saturday night reported 32,044,974 cumulative cases in the United States, with 571,920 total deaths reported nationwide. There were 62,399 new cases in the United States and 852 new deaths reported in the United States.

According to the Johns Hopkins data, states with the highest number of new cases included Michigan, 5,640 new cases; Florida, 5,464; New York, 4,847; Pennsylvania, 4,029; and Illinois, 3,363. Countries with the highest number of new cases included India, 346,786 new cases; Brazil, 69,105; U.S., 62,399; Turkey, 49,438; and France, 32,340.

Free testing available Monday

Free COVID-19 testing will be held from 8 a.m. to noon Monday, April 26, at Oak Ridge Baptist Church, 9301 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas. The test is in conjunction with the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force.

Unified Government Health Department COVID-19 will have two free COVID-19 testing sites open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday, April 26. For more information on which ones are open, 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.

Tests from the Health Department are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County. They are saliva tests.

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.

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 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=.

Wyandotte County has a local mask and social distancing ordinance approved by the UG Commission. 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.

A clinical trial is underway at Children’s Mercy Hospital to determine the correct dose of COVID-19 vaccine for children.

Dr. Barbara Pahud said the phase 1 clinical trial was started about two weeks ago for children 6 months to 11 years old. The trial will determine if children should get a different sized dose than adults.

Dr. Pahud is research director of pediatrics infectious diseases at Children’s Mercy Hospital and clinical associate professor of pediatrics at the KU School of Medicine. She spoke at the University of Kansas Health System news conference Friday morning.

They are trying to find a vaccine dose for children that is immunogenic and does not have many side effects, she said.

They are still enrolling children in the phase 1 study, according to Dr. Pahud, and they are close to finding the correct dose for children. About six places in the world are running phase 1 clinical trials for children, she said.

As soon as these six centers find the correct dose for children, that dose will get locked in, and then they will begin doing the clinical trials that have been seen everywhere around the world for adults.

They will enroll more children in the trials at that point, she said.

Dr. Pahud said that quite often, vaccines given to children are in smaller doses than those given to adults. For example, the varicella vaccine for children is a much smaller dose than the zoster vaccine given to adults, she said. The vaccine protects children from getting varicella. Once people get varicella, they can get it again as an adult as zoster or shingles, she said.

Dr. Pahud said Pfizer has already finished acquiring the data they need to submit to the FDA for the emergency use authorization for the COVID-19 vaccine for children 12 and older. The FDA is busy reviewing the data for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, and as soon as it is completed, they will be able to review the data for the vaccine for children over 12.

The study currently underway at Children’s Mercy is for 6 months to 11 years old, and the major trial hasn’t started yet, Dr. Pahud said.

“At Children’s Mercy, we are trying to make uncomfortable situations as comfortable as we can,” Dr. Pahud said.

They will be given numbing agents to the children before they get blood draws, she said. However, it’s possible some children may be upset not because they are hurting but because they are afraid, she said.

On another topic, Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at KU Health System, said studies have shown that the risks are much greater of not getting the COVID-19 vaccine than getting the vaccine. Those who get the disease have a higher risk of medical complications than those who get the vaccine. Data coming out recently showed the vaccine is safe for pregnancy.

Dr. Hawkinson said about 20 percent (or one out of five) of the people who get COVID-19 get blood clots in their legs or lungs. The risk shown in the Johnson and Johnson vaccine for blood clots in the brain was about one in a million, he said.

New data has shown the risk of mortality increases in the six months following getting COVID-19 because of the long hauler syndrome, he said.

“There’s a risk-benefit in everything we do,” Dr. Pahud said. Even Tylenol, an over-the-counter medication, can cause liver failure in a very small number of people, she said. People just need to weigh the benefits versus the risks, she said.

Dr. Hawkinson said they have seen an overwhelming benefit from getting these vaccines.

Walk-in vaccinations available Saturday

Free walk-in vaccinations are available Saturday, April 24, for Wyandotte County residents and workers.

One Unified Government Health Department vaccination site, at the Kansas National Guard Armory, 100 S. 20th St., (18th and Ridge), Kansas City, Kansas, will be open from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 24. Wyandotte County residents 18 and older may get a vaccine.

The other UG Health Department vaccination sites will be closed on Saturday, and will reopen on Monday, April 26.

Wyandotte County residents and those who work in Wyandotte County may walk in for a COVID-19 vaccination during open hours. Appointments also are being scheduled for the Health Department vaccine sites.

All Kansas residents can make an appointment to be vaccinated at any of the Health Department’s vaccination facilities on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

Kansas residents who wish to schedule an appointment or any Wyandotte County resident 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.

Wyandotte County residents 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.

People coming in for an appointment may be asked to show they live in Kansas, such as showing a driver’s license, a piece of mail addressed to them, or similar paperwork.

To see more information about Health Department vaccinations and next week’s schedule, visit WycoVaccines.org.

Other sites available for vaccinations

KU Health System offers vaccinations seven days a week at different locations. Appointments are required. Current patients may use MyChart to make an appointment. Others may call 913-588-1227 or visit kansashealthsystem.com/vaccine to see if vaccines are available.

The University of Kansas Health System also has vaccinations for Wyandotte and Johnson county residents. Any residents of Kansas can call to get an appointment whether they are patients or not at the health system.

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 that it will offer COVID-19 vaccines at one of its stores in Kansas City, Kansas. Registration is at CVS.com.

Case numbers reported

The University of Kansas Health System reported COVID-19 cases are staying level. There were 10 active COVID-19 patients on Friday morning, the same as Thursday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. He said it was encouraging that they were under 20 COVID-19 patients heading into the weekend. Of the 10 patients, five were in the intensive care unit, a decrease of one since Thursday. Three patients were on a ventilator, the same number as Thursday. There were another eight COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized but are out of the acute infection phase, the same number as Thursday. There is a total 18 patients, no change since Thursday.

Wyandotte County reported an increase of 14 COVID-19 cases on Friday, April 23, for a cumulative 18,357 cases, according to the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage. There was a cumulative total of 290 deaths reported, an increase of one since Thursday.

The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 169,156 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Friday, an increase of 223 cases. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 69. The number of cumulative deaths was 2,377.

The state of Kansas reported 307,372 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Friday, April 23, an increase of 489 cases since Wednesday. There were a total cumulative 4,968 deaths reported statewide, an increase of seven.

The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Friday night reported 31,991,750 cumulative cases in the United States, with 571,197 total deaths reported nationwide.

Free testing available Saturday

COVID-19 testing is scheduled beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, April 24, at Lowe’s, 6920 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The tests are through WellHealth and appointments are required to www.gogettested.com/kansas.

Unified Government Health Department COVID-19 free testing site at the Kansas National Guard Armory, 100 S. 20th (18th and Ridge), Kansas City, Kansas, is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 24. The other Health Department sites will be closed on Saturday.

For more information, 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.

Tests from the Health Department are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County. They are saliva tests.

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.

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 online at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/753514495334868.

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=.

Wyandotte County has a local mask and social distancing ordinance approved by the UG Commission. 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.

The University of Kansas Health System marked a milestone recently with its 200,000 COVID-19 test.

A year ago the hospital was doing about 100 to 150 COVID-19 tests a day, and felt overwhelmed.

Because of demand, it began running around 1,200 tests a day, according to Dr. Rachael Liesman, director of microbiology in pathology and laboratory. They went from one machine to about a dozen. More staff was added, tripling the former numbers in the lab. The peak number was 1,400 COVID-19 tests a day in the past year, she added.

With the drop in the number of people seeking COVID-19 testing, they are now doing around 400 to 600 a day, according to Dr. Liesman.

The lab continues to run 24-7 to get results back as soon as possible, according to Dr. Liesman. There was a concern about a fourth wave, and they maintained their capacity for testing in case it happened.

There were a total of 4.2 million lab tests run at their lab during this time, including many different kinds of tests, according to Dr. Liesman.

Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, said people are not getting tested as often, and they are probably seeing a little less spread.

Now the positivity rate of tests is about 2 percent, Dr. Liesman said. The majority of people testing are asymptomatic screening, she said, and some are pre-procedure tests. They also are doing a lot of tests for nursing homes, and those individuals are mostly vaccinated. They have an artificially low rate based on who they are testing, she added.

There may be less community spread, or people who are sick are not coming in to get tested, Dr. Stites said.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control, said he thought there was a little bit of COVID-19 weariness in people not getting tested. People may not be getting tested unless they are told to for work, he said.

Marissa Larson, supervisor of the new molecular microbiology section, said COVID-19 tests were all she had done in the past year. Now that volumes have dropped, they are thinking about how to provide more support to the community and to patients.

Dr. Liesman said in the future the lab will focus on other tests as the level of COVID-19 testing goes down.

She said some antibody tests target the spike, while others target the N protein, she said.

Antigen tests are not as sensitive as PCR tests, she said. There are rapid PCR tests but they are a little more expensive, she said. Rapid tests at pharmacies are usually antigen tests, and won’t be as sensitive, she added.

Dr. Stites said until more people are vaccinated, he is nervous about repealing mask mandates, especially indoors. If you are outdoors within 6 feet of the same person for any amount of time, a mask is advised, he said.

Dr. Hawkinson said data overwhelmingly show that masking and distancing reduce spread of COVID-19 in a community, and also reduce hospitalizations and deaths. Contact tracing and other measures also contribute, he said.

Dr. Stites said society isn’t back to normal yet. Vaccines haven’t reached the level of herd immunity. He advised people to be very careful to wear their masks in public places.

Walk-in vaccinations available Friday

Free walk-in vaccinations are available Friday, April 23, for Wyandotte County residents and workers.

Wyandotte County residents and those who work in Wyandotte County may walk in for a COVID-19 vaccination from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Friday, April 23, at three Health Department vaccination sites. These include the former Best Buy store at 10500 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas; the former Kmart at 7836 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas; and the Kansas National Guard Armory, 100 S. 20th St., (near 18th and Ridge), Kansas City, Kansas.

The vaccination sites will have either Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.

Appointments also are being scheduled for the Unified Government Health Department vaccine sites.

The Health Department has expanded vaccine access and starting this week, all Kansas residents can make an appointment to be vaccinated at any of the Health Department’s vaccination facilities on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The vaccination sites on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are open to Kansas residents who are 16 and older who have appointments. They also are open to Wyandotte County residents who can walk in for a vaccine without an appointment.

Kansas residents who wish to schedule an appointment or any Wyandotte County resident 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.

Wyandotte County residents 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. Walk-ins also are possible for Wyandotte County residents.

People coming in for an appointment may be asked to show they live in Kansas, such as showing a driver’s license, a piece of mail addressed to them, or similar paperwork.

The Health Department also is adding late afternoon and early morning hours this week, and will have these special days for the next three or four weeks.

Early morning hours will be available at the former Best Buy vaccination site from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday.

Later afternoon hours will be from noon to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the former Kmart location.

The Armory will continue with Saturday hours from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 24.

To see more information about Health Department vaccinations, visit WycoVaccines.org.

Other sites available for vaccinations

KU Health System offers vaccinations seven days a week at different locations. Appointments are required. Current patients may use MyChart to make an appointment. Others may call 913-588-1227 or visit kansashealthsystem.com/vaccine to see if vaccines are available.

The University of Kansas Health System also has vaccinations for Wyandotte and Johnson county residents. Any residents of Kansas can call to get an appointment whether they are patients or not at the health system.

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 that it will offer COVID-19 vaccines at one of its stores in Kansas City, Kansas. Registration is at CVS.com.

Case numbers reported

The University of Kansas Health System reported COVID-19 cases are staying level. There were 10 active COVID-19 patients on Thursday morning, the same as Wednesday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. Of the 10 patients, six were in the intensive care unit, the same as Wednesday. Three patients were on a ventilator, the same number as Wednesday. There were another eight COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized but are out of the acute infection phase, a decrease of two from Wednesday. There is a total 18 patients, a decrease of two since Wednesday.

Wyandotte County reported an increase of 16 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, April 22, for a cumulative 18,343 cases, according to the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage. There was a cumulative total of 289 deaths reported, no change.

The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 168,933 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Thursday, an increase of 73 cases. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 71. The number of cumulative deaths was 2,376.

The state of Kansas reported 306,883 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, April 21, an increase of 593 cases since Monday. There were a total cumulative 4,961 deaths reported statewide. According to KDHE, Johnson County had 57,317 cases, an increase of 181 since Monday; Leavenworth County, 7,145 cases, an increase of four; Sedgwick County (Wichita area), 55,659, an increase of 126; and Shawnee County (Topeka area), 17,275 cases, an increase of 32.

The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Thursday night reported 31,928,507 cumulative cases in the United States, with 570,321 total deaths reported nationwide. There were 62,857 new cases in the United States, and 842 new deaths. States with the highest number of new cases were Michigan, 5,973; Florida, 5,571; Pennsylvania, 4,537; Texas, 4,427; and New York, 4,292. Countries with the highest number of new cases were India, 314,644; Brazil, 79,719; United States, 62,857; Turkey, 61,967; and France, 34,798.

Free testing available Friday

COVID-19 testing is scheduled beginning at 8 a.m. Friday, April 23, at Lowe’s, 6920 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The tests are through WellHealth and appointments are required to www.gogettested.com/kansas.

Unified Government Health Department COVID-19 free testing sites at the former Best Buy store, 10500 Parallel Parkway, the former Kmart building at 78th and State, and the Kansas National Guard Armory, 100 S. 20th (18th and Ridge), are scheduled to be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Friday, April 23. For more information, 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.

Tests from the Health Department are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County. They are saliva tests.

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.

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 online at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/908014510046332.

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=.

Wyandotte County has a local mask and social distancing ordinance approved by the UG Commission. 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.