Tag: COVID-19

With authorization received, preparations underway for COVID-19 vaccine, as cases soar in area

Kansas COVID-19 case rates are higher than surrounding states, while hospitalization rates, right, are high in many states. This illustration is from the COVID Tracking Project.

The FDA granted emergency use authorization for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Friday night, as COVID-19 cases continued to soar in Wyandotte County and the Kansas City area.

According to an FDA news release Friday night, the authorization is a “significant milestone in battling this devastating pandemic,” Dr. Stephen Hahn, FDA commissioner, said. He said it was an open and transparent process including input from independent scientists and a thorough evaluation to ensure the vaccine met the agency’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality.

The vaccine can now be given in the United States. For more information, see https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-takes-key-action-fight-against-covid-19-issuing-emergency-use-authorization-first-covid-19.

On Friday morning, doctors at the University of Kansas Health System said they anticipated the vaccine arriving in Kansas sometime next week, probably between Monday and Wednesday.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at KU Health System, said as they saw the first reports of the efficacy of the vaccines, they became more optimistic. After more detailed reports came out, he’s become a lot more optimistic about the safety of the vaccine, he said.

“This is going to be a game-changer,” said Dr. Tim Williamson, vice president of quality and safety at KU Health System. He added they can’t let their guards down, as there is still a lot of work to do.

According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, Kansas should receive nearly 24,000 doses in the first shipment. More than 150,000 doses are expected in Kansas by the end of the month.

Health care workers who have direct contact with COVID-19 patients are slated to be the first persons to receive the vaccine, according to the doctors.

Nursing home residents and staff also are in the first phase. After that essential workers and those who are high-risk are next, Dr. Williamson said. That would probably be in late winter or early spring, he said.

National coronavirus task force members have said it could be fall of 2021, at the earliest, when everyone receives the vaccine, according to the doctors.

Dr. Hawkinson said how much supply they get would affect the timeline. He’s hoping there will be no problems with production.

Another COVID-19 vaccine, made by Glaxo Smith Kline, is being delayed, which will have an effect on the timing of other vaccines that come on board, Dr. Williamson said.

Dr. David Wild, vice president of performance improvement, said the administration purchased the vaccine, so it will be no cost, except for an administrative fee. The administrative fee is usually paid by insurance. Dr. Williamson said that no one will be unable to get the vaccine because of inability to pay.

The doctors were confident of the vaccine’s safety, and Dr. Williamson said he would take the vaccine and recommend it because he believes it’s safe,

Dr. Williamson said the vaccine would probably take effect about a month after receiving the first dose. With the second dose, it would be more effective, so the amount of time of optimal effectiveness would be a couple of months after receiving the first dose.

Dr.Wild reminded everyone that the vaccine not only protects the person getting it, it also protects those others that the person comes into contact with. The overall goal is to protect the population through many people getting the vaccine. The doctors estimate that 70 percent of the population would need to be vaccinated to reach immunity for the population.

Dr. Williamson said it is a misconception that people could get two vaccines and be done with it, running around without a mask. It is still possible to have a mild form of the disease and transmit it, he said. That is why for the next two years or so, people will have to continue to distance, wear a mask and not gather in crowds, he said.

“This is a game-changer but we cannot quickly stop our behaviors,” he said. “We can’t let our guard down in the short term because of the long-term problems.”

Dr. Wild discussed rising numbers of COVID-19 cases. The seven-day average of cases has increased in the nation, and is likely to rise more in the next few weeks to reflect more virus spread at Thanksgiving gatherings, according to Dr. Wild.

Kansas has the highest hospitalization rate in the Midwest, Dr. Wild said, higher than Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas.

Dr. Hawkinson reported an increase in COVID-19 patients at the KU Health System on Friday morning. There were 101 active COVID-19 patients in the hospital, an increase from 93 on Thursday. There were 45 patients in the intensive care unit, a decrease of two since Thursday, and 27 of the ICU patients were on ventilators, a decrease of one since Thursday. There were 66 additional COVID-19 patients who are in the recovery phase but still in the hospital, an increase of four from Thursday. The total number of COVID-19 patients at KU Health System was 167, a jump from 156 on Thursday.

HaysMed in Hays, Kansas, reported 32 COVID-19 inpatients, a decrease of one from Thursday. Twenty-nine were active patients and three were in the recovery phase.

COVID-19 case numbers increasing

Kansas reported a cumulative 185,294 cases on Friday. (KDHE graphic)

Wyandotte County reported an additional 154 COVID-19 cases on Friday, for a cumulative total of 12,285, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 webpage. There were no additional reported deaths, for a cumulative total of 184.

The Mid-America Regional Council Kansas City Region COVID-19 dashboard reported 103,931 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Friday, an increase of 1,307 since Thursday. The average number of new hospitalizations was 177, up slightly.

Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 15,842,789 cumulative COVID-19 cases in the United States on Friday, and 295,450 cumulative deaths.

Kansas reported an additional 5,491 COVID-19 cases from Wednesday to Friday, for a cumulative total of 185,294. An additional 131 deaths were reported statewide from Wednesday to Friday, for a cumulative total of 2,072.

Flags at half-staff

With state COVID-19 deaths surpassing the 2,000 mark, Gov. Laura Kelly ordered flags to be flown at half-staff in commemoration of the Kansans who have lost their lives to COVID-19. The flag order will continue through sundown Monday, Dec. 14.

“While COVID-19 has impacted each Kansas community differently, we all share this collective loss of our family, friends, and neighbors. We can all honor their memory by protecting each other and working together to slow the spread of this virus,” Gov. Kelly said.

According to Kansas Department of Health and Environment figures, the Kansas counties with the highest cumulative COVID-19 cases on Friday included:

Sedgwick County, 32,709
Johnson County, 32,163
Wyandotte County, 13,156
Shawnee County, 9,623
Reno County, 6,138
Douglas County, 5,279
Ford County, 4,894
Finney County, 4,516
Leavenworth County, 4,347
Butler County, 4,219
Saline County, 3,218
Riley County, 3,133
Seward County, 3,069
Lyon County, 3,012
Ellis County, 2,845
Crawford County, 2,815
Harvey County, 2,161
Cowley County, 2,009
Barton County, 1,900
McPherson County, 1,814
Montgomery County, 1,480
Cherokee County, 1,377
Geary County, 1,365
Franklin County, 1,363
Miami County, 1,339
Labette County, 1,246
Nemaha County, 1,219
Norton County, 1,100
Sumner County, 1,060
Atchison County, 1,040

Free COVID-19 testing and free groceries available at two sites Saturday

Free COVID-19 tests will be given from 8 am. to 11 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 12, at the First Baptist Church of Kansas City, Kansas, 500 Nebraska Ave.

There also will be seasonal flu vaccines for people ages 4 to 64 years old, and free groceries, while supplies last.

This event is sponsored by the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force, Swope Health, the Unified Government Health Department and a number of other groups.

A second free COVID-19 test site on Saturday morning will be from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday, Dec. 12, at the Beatrice Lee Community Center, 1310 N. 10th St., Kansas City, Kansas. A turkey or chicken will be given to those who get a flu shot or COVID-19 test, while supplies last.

Besides COVID-19 tests and flu shots, there will be free groceries, while supplies last.

This event is sponsored by the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force, Vibrant Health and other organizations.

Tests are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County.

The tests now 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.

For more details, visit https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.

For more information about other test sites in Wyandotte County, visit https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.

For more information about the testing site at the former Kmart location, visit https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/10092020_newtestingsitewyco.pdf.

The KU doctors’ news conference is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/171212931367136.

The KDHE vaccine report is at https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1664/COVID-19-Vaccine-Updates-1292020-.

Cards and letters of encouragement for caregivers at KU Health System may be sent to Share Joy, care of Patient Relations, 4000 Cambridge St., Mailstop 1021, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160. Emails can be sent to [email protected].

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.

Wyandotte County is under a mandatory mask and social distancing order. Also, the Wyandotte County health order with a limit of 10 persons to a gathering, and a closing time of 10 p.m. for restaurants and bars, with other new restrictions, is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/11162020localhealthorderexecuted.pdf.

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 CDC’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.

Vaccines seen as ‘beginning of end’ of COVID-19

Vaccines are seen as perhaps the “beginning of the end” for COVID-19, according to U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas.

Sen. Moran spoke at a news conference Thursday morning at the University of Kansas Health System. He added that as statistics demonstrate, they’re not close to being over with COVID-19.

The Pfizer vaccine received an intent to proceed for emergency use authorization message after receiving a committee recommendation for an EUA on Thursday, with vaccines expected to start soon for health care workers at the University of Kansas Health System.

Earlier this year, Congress believed it was just trying to fill in the gap for a couple months until the end of COVID-19, he said, but it has lasted longer than many expected.

The success of the vaccine process in significant part is the result of the CARES Act in the spring, which provided $10 billion for the development and manufacturing of the vaccine, he said.

“It seems to me that this is a rapid response,” he said. Although never quick enough, science and medicine is coming through with assistance for combatting COVID-19, he said.

“It’s one of the smart things that this Operation Warp Speed provided was, in addition to the science and medicine of developing the vaccine, if we get something that looks promising, let’s start manufacturing so if it’s proven, it’s available,” he said.

That meant there would be only a couple of days between the vaccine receiving FDA emergency use authorization and the vaccine being available for use, he said.

“This seems to be a success story,” he said.

He also said he would expect Congress between now and next week to pass Phase 4, a legislative effort that would help Kansans and Americans to meet the continuing challenge of COVID-19. That package is still under discussion, and might include assistance for businesses and individuals, although all of the details had not been completed yet.

He thought it was possible that there could be additional help provided in testing, personal protective equipment and the logistics of vaccines, as well as trying to help Kansans and Americans keep their employment.

He also thanked health care providers and personnel on the front lines.

Sen. Moran also said it was important for people to get over the political discussions about masks and recognize the value of wearing masks.

Doctors continued to emphasize the importance of wearing masks, social distancing, washing hands and staying home when sick.

To see more of the discussion at the news conference, visit https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/263900601823997.

There were 93 active COVID-19 patients on Thursday morning at the University of Kansas Health System, an increase from 89 on Wednesday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. Forty-seven of the active patients were in the intensive care unit, the same as Wednesday, with 28 on ventilators, an increase from 26, he said. There were an additional 62 patients who were out of the acute phase, a decrease from 64 on Wednesday. The total number of COVID-19 patients in the hospital was 155, down one from Wednesday.

HaysMed in Hays, Kansas, reported 31 total COVID-19 patients Thursday, a decrease of two from Wednesday, with 28 active patients and three in the recovery phase, he said.

COVID-19 cases increasing

Wyandotte County reported a cumulative 12,131 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, an increase of 202 since Wednesday, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 webpage.

There were no additional deaths reported, for a cumulative 184 deaths.

The Mid-America Regional Council’s Kansas City Region COVID-19 Data Hub reported 102,624 cases in the nine-county Greater Kansas City area on Thursday. The average daily number of hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients in the nine-county area was 174 on Thursday.

COVID-19 cases in the United States totaled a cumulative 15,611,078 on Thursday, according to Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 dashboard.

Free COVID-19 testing available Friday

The Unified Government Health Department has moved its COVID-19 testing from the 6th and Ann location to the former Kmart at 78th and State Avenue in Kansas City, Kansas. The hours are 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Tests are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County. The tests are now saliva COVID-19 tests.

The tests now 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.

For more information about other test sites in Wyandotte County, visit https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19.

For more information about the testing site at the former Kmart location, visit https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/10092020_newtestingsitewyco.pdf.

The KU doctors’ news conference is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/263900601823997.

Cards and letters of encouragement for caregivers at KU Health System may be sent to Share Joy, care of Patient Relations, 4000 Cambridge St., Mailstop 1021, Kansas City, Kansas, 66160. Emails can be sent to [email protected].

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.

Wyandotte County is under a mandatory mask and social distancing order. Also, the Wyandotte County health order with a limit of 10 persons to a gathering, and a closing time of 10 p.m. for restaurants and bars, with other new restrictions, is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/11162020localhealthorderexecuted.pdf.

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 CDC’s COVID-19 webpage is at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-nCoV/index.html.

Extra financial assistance for small businesses not coming soon enough for some

The Frontier Steakhouse, a small family restaurant at 9338 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas, announced online on Dec. 8 that it is closing.

More federal help is on the way for small businesses, but it may not be soon enough for some.

In Wyandotte County, the latest small family business to announce a closure was the Frontier Steakhouse at 9338 State Ave., which has been operating there for 60 years.

The restaurant has already closed and sold off some of the kitchen equipment and furnishings, and is planning a sale, according to its announcement.

“Kansas City, Kansas, will never be the same without them,” said Lou Braswell, who has been a customer there, even writing about the restaurant previously in a business column for the Wyandotte Daily.

“It’s a great loss because they’ve been there forever, and started out with a little building, and grew it into a very well-known restaurant, a much-loved restaurant,” Braswell said.

Braswell, who is also executive director of the Leavenworth Road Association, said she was relieved to hear that the closing wasn’t due to a serious illness.

The restaurant has been up for sale previously. While as of yet, she was unaware of anything else locating at the site, any new business on that corner would have to put a lot of work into it to come up to the standard that the Laffoons have created at that location, Braswell said.

Braswell said the pandemic has been difficult for small businesses. Another small family business in Wyandotte County, a retail store, is still open but has had to trim its hours to about half of what it had before, she said.

Another bar and grill here has told Braswell that they’ve lost about half of the revenue they had the previous year, she said. That’s understandable when you think that some of them were closed previously for a considerable amount of time, and when they reopened, it wasn’t at full capacity, she said.

“If I was going to get out to go get curbside, I’d stop and think before I got in my car to go, is it worth it to get in the car and go,” she said. “It was easier just to cook. It’s just been such a strange year.”

One of the Frontier restaurant’s owners and family member, Dennis Laffoon, mentioned in his online closing announcement Dec. 8 that it was a tough year for small businesses and restaurants, along with the challenges that go with having an older building.

He said there was a whole list of reasons why the business closed.

“We had a heck of a run,” he said in his video. “It’s beyond hard.”

He mentioned economics, the building getting old, repairs, taxes, and the pandemic as among the reasons they are officially gone.

The Frontier Steakhouse, a small family business at 9338 State Ave. for 61 years, announced its closing this week.

When it opened, the area near 94th and State Avenue was still somewhat semi-rural. Starting in 1959 as a small gas station and a very small restaurant with eight motel units, it gradually developed into a medium-sized sit-down family restaurant featuring home-style cooking. They added occasional live musical entertainment in the past few decades.

Laffoon said in the video it would have been great to have gone out with a big bang, an event, but with COVID-19, they just couldn’t do it.

“The thing I’m going to miss the most is doing a Christmas show,” Laffoon said, adding that he might try to do a Christmas show video from home.

The Frontier restaurant also now sits on a piece of potentially valuable real estate, just east of the Schlitterbahn property that is being redeveloped into the Homefield youth sports complex, and also is next to other property under development.

In his video, Laffoon mentioned that foremost in the family’s decision-making was the well-being of their mother, who will be 100 this month and is currently in a nursing home. She worked many years at the restaurant. According to Laffoon, the proceeds from the sales of these restaurant items were going to take care of their mother, one of the founders of the family business, who worked there into her 90s.

More federal funding on the way for small businesses

COVID-19 vaccines are on the way, and more federal funding appears to be on the way for small businesses, according to U.S. Sen. Jerry Moran, R-Kansas.

Sen. Moran said Thursday, Dec. 10, during a news conference at the University of Kansas Health System, that they are in the process of developing a new funding package and it is getting to the point of words on paper.

Sen. Moran said he would expect the Paycheck Protection Program to be a continued program in any stimulus package that is passed. It worked pretty well for Kansas businesses and employees previously, he said. In the Small Business Administration program, businesses can borrow money in order to keep their employees on the payroll, then hire them back, and the loan then becomes a grant.

Depending on the version of the bill that passes, there is interest to do more with unemployment insurance, he said. The bonus previously approved with it has created some problems with businesses in rehiring people, but there is general sentiment among his colleagues that it should be included, he said. The President and administration also are negotiating with Congress to include a payment to individuals, he said. The individual payments could be the least certain of being included, he added.

“My view is we ought to focus a lot of effort on the health care side, and we ought to focus a lot of effort on the businesses, particularly small businesses that have slipped through the cracks. In my world, that’s restaurants, it’s motels, it’s commercial property, retail establishments, a theater, places that have to draw a crowd that simply can’t draw a crowd today,” Sen. Moran said at the news conference today. “We do not want their employees (to be laid off), we do not want the business to go out of business.”

As he sees the consequences of the spread of COVID-19 in many Kansas communities, if they lose a business or a hospital because of COVID-19 and the costs associated with it and the inability to conduct business, those businesses don’t come back, he said.

“It’s pretty likely in many communities across Kansas if the local café closes because of COVID or the hardware store goes out of business, they don’t come back,” he said.

“So we need to do more in regard to keeping people employed and keeping businesses open,” he said. “We cannot afford to have a shutdown in which people are isolated at home and can’t go about doing business. We need kids in the classroom learning and parents able to go to work because their kids are in the classroom.”

The health measures, vaccine and testing are all designed to get people healthier, help them get well and avoid getting sick, he said, and in addition, it’s to keep businesses going so people can continue to be employed, Sen. Moran said.

Doctors at the KU Health System added that following the rules of infection control, such as wearing masks, washing hands, socially distancing and staying home when sick, also would be the key to keeping businesses open.

“We don’t have to shut down the economy if we follow the rules,” Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, said at the news conference.

Wyandotte County small businesses and organizations have already received more than 100 loans and grants during 2020, it was reported on Nov. 30 to the Unified Government Commission. Local officials have previously said it has been harder for small businesses to get loans. (See https://wyandotteonline.com/wyandotte-county-businesses-receive-loans-and-grants/)

Some of the loans went through the federal government, while other loans and grants were from the UG’s existing programs. The UG awarded $50,000 in economic development grants to small businesses in April. Federal CARES Act funding provided another $825,000 to small businesses in the latter half of the year. In addition, there was $266,616 awarded in loans to Wyandotte County businesses through a regional loan fund.

Dennis Laffoon’s video of his closing announcement was posted on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/1482556325394492.

The KU doctors’ news conference is online at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/263900601823997.