Tag: COVID-19

People should get their COVID-19 vaccinations, practice good social distancing and wear their masks, Dr. Marissa Love, a specialist in allergies and immunology, said at Wednesday morning’s news conference at the University of Kansas Health System.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at the University of Kansas Health System, said that he is concerned that there could be another surge in COVID-19 cases.

Many states are already showing an increase in cases, but Kansas case rates continue to decline. As some states relax their COVID-19 rules, he is concerned that there may be another surge, he said.

Dr. Hawkinson urged people to get vaccinated as soon as they can. Those being vaccinated should be fever-free for 24 hours, otherwise it is all right to get the vaccination if you’re on antibiotics, he added.

“I hope we can vaccinate our way out of this pandemic,” he said.

This continues to be a disease affected by people’s behavior, he said. The doctors’ advice may be different in a month or in June, but right now people can’t let their guard down, he added.

People need to continue to be vigilant and continue to mask and socially distance, according to Dr. Hawkinson.

Dr. David Wild, vice president of performance improvement, said mitigation strategies remain just as important as before. Regardless of whatever policy decisions are made, people should remember they have some control themselves even if there is not a policy or a mask mandate, according to Dr. Wild. People can wear a mask even in places where there isn’t a mandate.

He said there are some areas that are seeing new variant cases, mostly the UK variant B 1.1.7. There is a growing concern there might be increased severity related to that strain in some areas, he added. Some wastewater tests have shown the variant is in Kansas.

From a state and county perspective, borders are artificial when it comes to how people travel and how disease spreads, he said.

“We should be worried about the impact,” he added.

They are seeing populations across the world, including France and South America, where variant cases are increasing rapidly, mirroring the previous surge, according to Dr. Wild.

“Definitely there is a level of concern there,” he said.

The doctors also discussed allergy season.

Dr. Love, an allergist, said with allergy season here, there are some ways to tell the difference between allergy symptoms and COVID-19 symptoms.

A few symptoms overlap, she said, and those include congestion, runny nose and potentially the loss of smell.

Allergic symptoms or hay fever often include itchy eyes, itchy nose, and sneezing along with symptoms, she said.

COVID-19 more commonly includes fevers, severe fatigue, really bad headaches especially in the back of the head, and diarrhea, she said.

She also said people taking antihistamines for allergies do not need to stop taking them when they get the COVID-19 vaccine. The antihistamines do not interfere with the immune response, she said. Those who have more questions about whether their illness is an allergy or something else may contact an allergist for information specific to them.

The doctors also discussed a news report that Pfizer vaccine is 100 percent effective in a trial involving kids between 12 and 16. While the doctors will be waiting to see the full data, Dr. Wild said the study group had no documented infection among those who received the vaccine, while there were 18 infections in those who didn’t get the vaccine.

It’s great news, he said, and he cautioned that people shouldn’t expect any vaccine to be 100 percent effective.

The percentage of children who get vaccinated will have to be more than 58 percent – a number suggested by a recent survey – in order to achieve herd immunity, he said.

Dr. Hawkinson said if there is any way to prevent the multi-inflammatory process in children, it will be good. The vaccine will need to go through data analysis, then be approved for emergency use authorization, before being available for children, he said. Vaccine supply is also important, he added.

The more people who are vaccinated, the better, he said. Children can spread the disease, too, he added.

COVID-19 case numbers reported

The University of Kansas Health System reported 10 active COVID-19 patients on Wednesday morning, an increase of three from Tuesday, according to Dr. Hawkinson. Of the 10 patients, two were in the intensive care unit, the same as Tuesday. One patient was on a ventilator, no change since Tuesday. There were another 13 COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized but are out of the acute infection phase, a decrease of two snce Tuesday. There is a total 23 patients, an increase of one from Tuesday.

Wyandotte County reported an increase of seven COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, March 31, from Tuesday, March 30, for a cumulative 18,070 cases. There was a cumulative total of 286 deaths reported, an increase of one since Tuesday. On Wednesday, Wyandotte County reported that 17.9 percent of the residents have received at least one dose of vaccine, for a total of more than 29,600. About 9.5 percent of Wyandotte County residents have completed their vaccinations.

The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 164,077 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 63. The number of cumulative deaths was 2,331.

The state of Kansas reported 302,372 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, March 31, an increase of 510 cases since Monday. There were a total cumulative 4,913 deaths reported, an increase of 11 deaths. According to the KDHE, there were a cumulative 56,159 cases in Johnson County, and a cumulative 54,799 cases in Sedgwick County on Wednesday.

The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Wednesday night reported 30,459,874 cases in the United States, with 552,072 total deaths reported nationwide. According to the Johns Hopkins COVID-19 website, total cases were trending slightly down on Wednesday, while total deaths were trending slightly up. The states with the largest case increases on Wednesday were Michigan, New York, Pennsylvania, Florida and New Jersey.

Vaccinations available Thursday

The Unified Government Health Department has launched a new self-scheduling tool for COVID-19 vaccinations, and people are now able to schedule their own vaccinations at their own convenience online.

The self-scheduling tool is at https://vaccines.wycokck.org/, or people may call 3-1-1 to make an appointment. More information is at https://wyandotteonline.com/ug-health-department-launches-new-self-scheduling-tool-for-covid-19-vaccinations/.

Residents 16 and older may either walk in to get a free vaccine or may schedule an appointment. There are three Unified Government Health Department vaccination clinics.

The vaccination sites are open from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday 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 (near 18th and Ridge).

Those Wyandotte County residents in Phases 1 to 4 also may walk in to a Health Department vaccination site, or may sign up for a vaccination at WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1.

Those who walk in to get vaccines should bring an ID and something showing their Wyandotte County address, such as mail. For more information about vaccines at the UG Health Department, visit https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-vaccines-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/.

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.

COVID-19 tests scheduled

Free COVID-19 tests are available from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday, April 1, at Vibrant Health, Argentine location, 1428 S. 32nd St., Kansas City, Kansas. Appointments are not needed. This is part of the Wyandotte County Health Care Task Force initiative. People may get tested whether or not they have symptoms. Free groceries are given to those who get tested, while supplies last.

Unified Government Health Department COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites are scheduled to be open on Thursday, April 1. 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.

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.

COVID-19 testing also is available at 8 a.m. Thursday at Lowe’s, 6920 State Ave., by appointment. The tests are listed on the Go Get Tested site
at www.gogettested.com/Kansas. The WellHealth tests need appointments, which can be made at the website.

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 doctors’ news conference is online at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/491334295228632.

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=.

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 Unified Government Health Department has launched a new self-scheduling tool for COVID-19 vaccinations.

According to a spokesman, people now can schedule their COVID-19 vaccination at their convenience with this new online tool.

The county currently is in Phase 5 of the state’s COVID-19 rollout plan, which allows anyone 16 and older who lives in Wyandotte County to be vaccinated here. Residents can either make an appointment or can walk in and get a vaccination at three vaccination sites, according to the spokesman.

The new online form to schedule appointments is one more tool the Health Department is offering to make it easier for people to get vaccines.

“We want to remove any barriers that keep people from getting a vaccine,” said Juliann Van Liew, cirector of the Health Department. “If it’s easier for them to walk in, they can walk in, if they choose to schedule their appointment they can. We also have resources to help community members who need
transportation to get their vaccine or who are homebound. We want anyone living in Wyandotte County who wants to be vaccinated to have ready, equal access to COVID-19 vaccinations.”

How to schedule a vaccine appointment online

1. Go to WycoVaccines.org, and click on the blue button that says, “Click here to schedule an appointment online.”
2. Fill out pertinent contact information.
3. Select a preferred vaccination site. A calendar will then be displayed with available dates.
4. Select a date to see available appointment times, then click the time you would like to schedule.
5. Once the vaccination appointment is scheduled, the application shows a confirmation, along with any additional instructions.
6. When coming in for your appointment, you will be asked to show proof of that you live in Wyandotte County, such as a piece of mail addressed to you, driver’s license, or similar.

When users book an appointment using the self-scheduling tool, that means they will be vaccinated within the hour of their appointment time, according to the Health Department. For example, if a user selects “10 a.m.” as his or her appointment time, he or she will be vaccinated between 10 a.m. and 11 a.m. on his or her selected date.

How to schedule a vaccine appointment by phone

Wyandotte County residents who don’t have an internet connection can call 3-1-1 (913-573-5311) for assistance in scheduling their vaccination appointment time and date.

Vaccinations also available without an appointment

Wyandotte County residents 16 years of age and older can also get vaccinated without an appointment at any of the Health Department’s three vaccination facilities, the spokesman stated. The goal of the Health Department is to provide the public with a variety of options when it comes to getting their vaccinations, so that anyone who wants a COVID-19 vaccination can get one at a date, time and location convenient for them.

People living in Wyandotte County can choose any of the Health Department vaccination sites for their vaccination, with or without an appointment. These sites are open from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

West location
Former Best Buy
10500 Parallel Parkway
Kansas City, Kansas

Central location
Former Kmart
7836 State Ave.
Kansas City, Kansas

East location
The Kansas National Guard Armory
100 S. 20th St.
Kansas City, Kansas

While walk-in patients are welcomed at any of the sites, walk-in patients will not be accepted after 2:30 p.m., according to the spokesman.

All Wyandotte County residents who want a vaccination (whether by appointment or walk-in) must bring proof of residence with them, such as a piece of mail, driver’s license, or similar document.

According to a spokesman, the Health Department is exploring the possibility of some alternate hours later this month, such as Saturday hours (that will not be available this weekend, but may be on some upcoming weekends). They may have more information on it next week.

Help for homebound or those who need transportation

The Health Department also offers assistance for people who need transportation to a vaccination site, or for those who are homebound and want a free COVID-19 vaccination. To submit a request, go to WycoVaccines.org. Click on the yellow and black button that says, “Do you need a ride to get a COVID-19 vaccine?” and fill out the request form. Residents with no internet connection can call 3-1-1 to make their transportation or homebound vaccination request.

Tips for getting your vaccine

When it’s time for you to get your COVID-19 vaccine, keep these tips in mind:
• Eat something (even a snack) before getting your vaccination.
• Be prepared to wait in the recovery area for 15-30 minutes after your vaccination.
• Wear a short-sleeved or sleeveless shirt so you can be vaccinated more easily (if it’s chilly out, wear a sweater or jacket over your short-sleeved shirt).

Volunteer opportunities

The Health Department is seeking additional volunteers to help with COVID-19 vaccine efforts. Volunteers are needed in both clinical and non-clinical roles. People interested in joining the volunteer team are invited to fill out the volunteer application: ughealth.info/volunteer.

About 1.3 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been given to Kansas residents, according to Dr. Lee Norman, Kansas secretary of health.

Dr. Norman on Tuesday morning said that Kansas became the eighth state to open the vaccines to everyone 16 or older, regardless of age, medical conditions or essential work status. He spoke at the University of Kansas Health System news conference.

The move into Phase 5 reflected the fact that Kansas was effective in getting vaccine coming into the state, he said. The state’s health departments also had open appointments in many counties and cities, and the way to take care of them was to go into Phase 5, he said. It was a little earlier than they had thought it would be, but Kansas is ahead of schedule especially when considering that it has vaccinated teachers and many high-risk populations, he said.

Dr. Norman said Kansas has taken a different approach than some states. Some have not taken all the vaccine they can because they don’t want to any left over, he said. Kansas has received all the vaccine it can, and if there is a little remaining, it gives them flexibility, he said.

About 43 out of every 100 Kansans now have received a COVID-19 vaccine, he said.

Kansas currently is OK in that trend lines for cases and deaths are going down, he said, but the number of hospitalizations is not decreasing currently, but is leveling off.

While some people have expressed concern about a shortage of vaccine if anyone can get the shot, Dr. Norman said he was not that concerned, and he think the state will be fine.

In some areas, some people who have had a hard time getting in because of mobility or other reasons, there will still be problems but not because others have taken their spots, he said. What that means is they need to double down on the challenges that already existed among the hard-to-reach population, minority groups and those having trouble finding transportation, he said.

The state had more than 158,000 doses delivered into Kansas this week, with 16,500 Johnson and Johnson, he said. President Biden is now talking about increasing the number of pharmacies that get direct allocations from the federal government, he said.

He recommended the www.vaccinefinder.org website, run through CDC. The CDC has the ability to match up allocation of doses to places that have it in stock, he said. If people enter a Zip Code on that webpage, it tells them where pharmacies are that have the vaccine in stock, he added.

The doctors also discussed vaccine hesitancy. Dr. Norman said there has been some vaccine hesitancy in Kansas, including among some who will not take the Johnson and Johnson vaccine for religious reasons.

“It takes an incredible amount of customizing,” Dr. Norman said.

They try to find a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine for that particular population, he said.

Some minority populations are vaccine hesitant, and the KDHE has community leaders and primary care physicians from those communities working to get the message out. People tend to believe others that they know have similar life experiences, he said. The Kansas Leadership Center is doing hundreds of forums involving community leaders, he said.

One approach does not fit all, he said, and they have marketing campaigns for different groups, in different languages.

“The approach has been good, the uptake has been a little slower than what I thought it would,” he said. He added he hoped that success would garner more success.

Dr. David Wild, vice president of performance improvement at KU Health System, said the Health System has been working with its experts on campus to connect with Wyandotte County to address vaccine hesitancy. Wyandotte County recently reported 14.8 percent of its residents had received at least one dose of vaccine.

The question of a university mandating vaccines for its students is under discussion in other states. Dr. Norman said the state Legislature in Kansas is taking steps to prevent employers or universities from mandating vaccinations.

Dr. Norman said he thinks flexibility should be given, and employers need to match the safest thing for their workplace with the safest thing for the people who come to them.

With COVID-19 vaccines, he doesn’t see mandatory vaccinations anytime soon. He doesn’t want to see it complicate getting vaccinations to people right now, but it could be a question for the future, he said.

About the Kansas Legislature, Dr. Norman said, “This has not been easy sledding since May of 2020 with the Attorney General and the Legislature progressively trying to, by statute, curtail what have been century-long public health successful practices by interfering with case investigations and contact tracing. And then in this session, of course, taking away the authorities of the state health officials such as myself and the county health officials and leaving it to untrained medical people to make those decisions I think is very short-sighted and ill-advised.”

While these actions are being taken about COVID-19, people should remember there is a big syphilis outbreak in Kansas, and the state also had 400 hepatitis A cases in less than a year when they usually have 10, Dr. Norman said. These are diseases that take the same measures of case investigation and contact tracing, he said.

“It’s not a time to throw a bunch of obstacles in front of public health officials,” Dr. Norman said. It also makes it hard to recruit and retain public health workers, who are the backbone of disease prevention in communities, he added.

“I think the Legislature should stay involved, have conversations, but not derail long-standing, very successful public health interventions,” Dr. Norman said.

COVID-19 case numbers reported

The University of Kansas Health System reported seven active COVID-19 patients on Tuesday morning, a decrease of one from Monday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. Of the seven patients, two were in the intensive care unit, the same as Monday. One patient was on a ventilator, no change since Monday. There were another 15 COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized but are out of the acute infection phase, the same as Monday. There is a total 22 patients, a decrease of one from Monday.

Wyandotte County reported an increase of six COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, March 30, from Monday, March 29, for a cumulative 18,063 cases. There was a cumulative total of 285 deaths reported, no change since Monday.

The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 163,917 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Tuesday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 64. The number of cumulative deaths was 2,327.

The state of Kansas reported 301,862 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Monday, March 29, an increase of 429 cases since Friday. There were a total cumulative 4,902 deaths reported, an increase of 11 deaths.

The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Tuesday night reported 30,393,002 cases in the United States, with 550,967 total deaths reported nationwide.

Vaccinations available Wednesday

The Unified Government Health Department has posted a new vaccine sign-up form on its website at https://vaccines.wycokck.org/.

On Monday, Wyandotte County started Phase 5 in the state’s vaccination plan, that allows everyone 16 and older to get a vaccination. Wyandotte County residents may walk in to the three vaccination centers or may make an appointment. Visit WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1.

The vaccination sites are open from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Monday through Friday 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 (near 18th and Ridge).

Those Wyandotte County residents in Phases 1 to 4 also may walk in to a Health Department vaccination site, or may sign up for a vaccination at WycoVaccines.org or call 3-1-1.

Those who walk in to get vaccines should bring an ID and something showing their Wyandotte County address, such as mail. For more information about vaccines at the UG Health Department, visit https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-vaccines-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/.

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.

COVID-19 tests scheduled

Free COVID-19 tests are available from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, at Faith Deliverance Family Worship Center, 3043 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. Appointments are not needed. This is part of the Wyandotte County Health Care Task Force initiative. People may get tested whether or not they have symptoms. Free groceries are given to those who get tested, while supplies last.

Unified Government Health Department COVID-19 testing and vaccine sites are scheduled to be open on Wednesday, March 31. 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.

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.

COVID-19 testing also is available at 8 a.m. Wednesday at Lowe’s, 6920 State Ave., by appointment. The tests are listed on the Go Get Tested site
at www.gogettested.com/Kansas. The WellHealth tests need appointments., which can be made at the website.

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 doctors’ news conference is online at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/491334295228632.

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=.

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.