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All Kansas adult care homes to begin testing staff and residents for COVID-19; vaccines expected to start next week

Gov. Laura Kelly on Wednesday announced an executive order requiring COVID=19 testing in all adult care homes.

The order, which goes into effect Dec. 14, is aimed at keeping COVID-19 from entering and spreading through nursing homes, she said at the 4 p.m. news conference.

“By implementing uniform testing guidelines for nursing facilities statewide, we create clarity on the testing practices that will protect adult care home workers, residents, and communities from the spread of COVID-19,” Gov. Kelly said.

Already, nursing homes that are regulated by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services are under a federal order requiring tests for COVID-19.

The state order adds 473 state-licensed facilities such as adult care homes and assisted living centers that are not under the federal order to the list.

Facilities will be required to test residents and staff based on parameters and frequency contained in the executive order.

The frequency of tests will depend on the county’s positivity rates. Residents and staff at nursing homes that are in counties with a rate of 5 percent or less will test once a month; 5 to 10 percent will test once a week; and 10 percent or higher will test twice a week.

According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s nursing home metrics page, Wyandotte County had a 17.7 percent positivity rate in the most recent period, ending Dec. 5. Wyandotte County nursing homes would have to test twice a week.

Adult care homes may choose to test at higher rates than those that are required in the executive order.

“We thank Gov. Kelly for her continued support via this executive order to prioritize adult care home staff and residents in the state’s COVID-19 testing strategy,” KDADS Secretary Laura Howard said. “This action gives us an opportunity to ensure our most vulnerable citizens and the staff critical to their hands-on care are afforded every protection needed to slow down or stop the entrance of this virus into our facilities.”

There are 212 active COVID-19 clusters within long-term care facilities in Kansas, she said. There have been 418 total COVID-19 deaths in nursing homes.

All staff, residents and those entering the facilities should be regularly screened for signs and symptoms of COVID-19, in addition to the tests, according to the order.

As Kansans head into the peak of the pandemic, Gov. Kelly urged residents to take the necessary action to slow the spread of the virus. They need to wash hands, socially distance, wear masks and get tested.

The governor read a letter from a Kansas resident whose 97-year-old mother died of COVID-19 in a nursing home, and who was concerned that his mother’s life was just being swept aside by others who said she had lived a long life. Until COVID-19 hit, the resident had visited his mother every week, enjoying time with her. Unfortunately, COVID-19 ended the visits and her life.

To see the governor’s news conference, visit https://www.facebook.com/GovLauraKelly/videos/414166709765498.
The new executive order is online at https://governor.kansas.gov/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/EO-20-69-Adult-Care-Homes-Covid-Testing_Executed.pdf.

Vaccines expected to be given soon to front-line health care workers

COVID-19 vaccines are expected to be given soon, if Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is approved Thursday for emergency use authorization by the FDA.

Gov. Kelly said Kansas is expecting 24,000 doses from Pfizer first, then 49,000 Moderna vaccines the next week. They are currently working with stakeholder groups, solidifying the distribution plans, she said.

Front-line health care workers, along with long-term care staff and elderly nursing home residents, are at the top of the priority list in Kansas, Gov. Kelly said.

The second phase will include people 65 and older, while the third phase will include those younger than 65.

Dr. Lee Norman, Kansas secretary of health, said precautions are being taken, with the low temperature required for the Pfizer vaccine, to make sure none of it is wasted. He said they were not exactly aware of the timing of when the vaccine would arrive.

He said COVID-19 testing sites have been ramped up throughout the state, with 18 new sites, plus 15 more next week.

Seventy percent of the residents of skilled nursing and adult care homes will receive vaccines directly through a contract with Walgreens and CVS, he said. The other 30 percent of the adult care homes will receive the vaccines through providers who have made agreements with the state.

Dr. Norman said those health care workers who will be higher on the list to be vaccinated are dealing regularly with COVID-19 patients. These might include hospital workers, as well as clinic workers who see COVID-19 patients, health care workers in schools, and health care workers in correctional facilities with COVID-19 units.

At the Wednesday morning news conference at the University of Kansas Health System, Dr. Catherine Satterwhite, regional health administrator for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, said the state health departments are working around the clock to figure out the best way to communicate with the public about when it will be their turn to get the vaccine. Information will become more specific in the future, she said.

The Pfizer vaccine is anticipated to be administered starting next week, she said, and will be shipped directly to facilities to distribute it.

She said they are aware that not enough vaccines are available immediately to vaccinate everyone. The state plans are working out the questions about supply, how many vaccinations can be administered in a given time period, getting the vaccinations to the right people and not wasting any, she said.

Recent news stories have discussed that a second group of Pfizer vaccines was not ordered previously.

Dr. Satterwhite said that all vaccine that is allocated to the states is being ordered. She said Pfizer’s orders had to be in lots of 975 and not fewer, while Moderna’s vaccines could be ordered in units of 100, which could be useful for smaller communities. A couple of other companies also are expected to have COVID-19 vaccines ready soon, and go through the FDA emergency use authorization process.

Dr. Satterwhite said the initial 6.4 million doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine will be available, and the federal government is holding half of them back in order that those who get the first 3.2 million shots can get a second shot. It is a two-shot vaccine, with the second shot coming a few weeks after the first.

She also said the federal government has a plan, addressing safety and claims, to protect those who get the vaccine and the companies that make the vaccine.

Psychologist Danielle Johnson said there could be a significant amount of persons in minority communities who do not trust the vaccine because of a past history of experimentation on minority populations. She recommended that people get their information not from social media, but from trusted news sources and from their trusted health care providers.

The doctors also discussed two persons in England who had a reaction to the Pfizer vaccine. According to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, University of Kansas Health System medical director of infection prevention and control, the two patients were reported to have a history of allergies and were carrying Epi pens. The UK health officials later said those with severe allergies shouldn’t get the vaccine.

Dr. Steven Stites, chief medical officer at KU Health System, said they will be monitoring patients for 15 minutes after they receive the vaccine to make sure they do not have an allergic reaction.

Dr. Stites said the hospitals have been getting ready for a surge of post-Thanksgiving COVID-19 cases, and currently, their COVID-19 patient numbers are steady, after experiencing an increase last week. There were 153 COVID-19 patients at KU Health System on Wednesday morning, down slightly from 156 on Tuesday. More than half of the 89 active COVID-19 patients were in the intensive care unit, a decline from 52 on Tuesday.

Dr. Lewis Satterwhite, a critical care physician, said the health system started with zero COVID-19 ICUs and increased to five ICUs. During the past few weeks, there has been an increased work load for the medical staff.

“We are dealing with more deaths daily in the ICU,” he said. “It takes its toll.”

While everyone is feeling its impact, at the same time they are trying to band together to support each other, he said.

He said on Tuesday, there were seven patients in their 40s in the ICU, slightly more in their 50s, with the majority of ICU patients in their 60s and 70s. The majority of the patients had significant comorbidities, sometimes multiple comorbidities, he said.

In the past they have had some patients in their 30s in the ICU, as well, he said.

Dr. Stites said they earlier had some patients 18 to 20 years old, including some who did not have underlying medical conditions, and they lost some of them. He said the young and asymptomatic who have COVID-19 may not know whether they lost a little part of their heart function or lung function, and may not notice it until much later.

He encouraged people to keep wearing their masks, social distancing and washing hands, and he believes the benefits of getting the vaccine far outweigh the risks.

As Kansas approaches a total 2,000 COVID-19 deaths, Dr. Catherine Satterwhite said although they’re doing better on a number of things, people are tiring of COVID-19 and cold weather is approaching, with people starting to stay indoors more. The way to have an impact is to take personal responsibility for protecting yourself, neighbors and family, and follow the lead of local health authorities, she said. People can still take steps to flatten the curve, she said.

Case numbers increasing

On Wednesday, Kansas reported 179,803 total COVID-19 cases, an increase of 5,778 from Monday. There were a total of 1,941 deaths, an increase of 85 deaths statewide since Monday, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.

Wyandotte County reported 11,929 total COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, an increase of 123 since Tuesday, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 webpage. There were no additional deaths reported, for a cumulative total of 184.

There was a total of 101,055 cumulative cases in the Mid-America Regional Council Kansas City Region, a nine-county area. A total of 1,190 COVID-19 deaths were reported, an increase of 16 in the nine-county area.

Johns Hopkins University’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 15,379,574 total COVID-19 cases in the United States, with 287,283 cumulative deaths.

Free COVID-19 testing available Thursday

Free COVID-19 testing will be available from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 10, at Vibrant Health Argentine location, 1428 S. 32nd St., Kansas City, Kansas.

This pop-up test is through Vibrant Health and the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force.

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/851614455632787.

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.

Coronavirus kept this Kansas man from holding his dying dad’s hand; strangers share in his grief

Courtney Farr slept on his father’s chest when he was a young boy, in 1979. (Photo submitted by Courtney Farr)

An obituary that Courtney Farr wrote for readers in his small hometown struck a nerve nationally. It was a message of mourning for his father, and a plea for people to respect medicine and science.

by Celia Llopis-Jepsen, Kansas News Service

Eudora, Kansas — In 1979, a young boy fell asleep on his father’s chest in their Scott City, Kansas, home. His mother snapped a photo.

A week ago, that father died of COVID-19 in the local nursing home. Marvin Farr’s son, Courtney Farr, penned an obituary.

It spread swiftly on social media. Within days, a stunned and grieving man saw the words he had meant for a community of 3,800 people in sparsely populated west Kansas get picked up by The Washington Post, Newsweek, USA Today.

Courtney Farr was swamped with comments and messages, some from people who never knew his father but saw their own grief reflected in the tribute to him. They shared those frustrations over the pandemic and the sense that some people don’t take it seriously enough.

On Friday, Courtney sat on the porch of his countryside home, off a gravel road near Eudora, to talk about the obituary that struck a nerve for so many people with its opening paragraph:

Dr. Marvin James Farr, 81, of Scott City, Kan., passed away Dec. 1, 2020, in isolation at Park Lane Nursing Home. He was preceded in death by more than 260,000 Americans infected with covid-19. He died in a room not his own, being cared for by people dressed in confusing and frightening ways. He died with covid-19, and his final days were harder, scarier and lonelier than necessary. He was not surrounded by friends and family.

Courtney saw his father hours before he died. A worker at the nursing home held up an electronic tablet for a video call. The dying man’s eyes were open, but Courtney doesn’t know how well his father could hear and understand him.

When his mother, Nancy Farr, died nearly two years ago at the same nursing home, Courtney was there in person.

“It was really good and meaningful to sit with her,” he said. “Doing this video call with Dad was so much harder. … You want to reach out and you want to touch him. You want to hold his hand.”

He was born into an America recovering from the Great Depression and about to face World War 2, times of loss and sacrifice difficult for most of us to imagine. Americans would be asked to ration essential supplies and send their children around the world to fight and die in wars of unfathomable destruction. He died in a world where many of his fellow Americans refuse to wear a piece of cloth on their face to protect one another.

The coronavirus pandemic has isolated nursing home residents, locking their loved ones out for much of its duration. When the virus slowed over the summer, Marvin’s home opened briefly and Courtney spent time at his side.

But this fall, COVID-19 surged across Kansas. More than 200 Kansas nursing homes and similar facilities are experiencing outbreaks. The number of homes that haven’t dealt with it yet are a dwindling minority.

It distresses Courtney that many Americans won’t heed the advice of public health experts to slow the disease’s march. For some, mask-wearing and social distancing became entwined with partisan politics instead.

To him, it flies in the face of common sense. Rural and urban America alike can’t thrive without medicine and other science.

Marvin was a farmer and a veterinarian. He graduated from Kansas State University in 1968. His careers filled his life with an understanding of the science of life: how to nurture it, how to sustain it. … The science that guided his professional life has been disparaged and abandoned by so many of the same people who depended on his knowledge to care for their animals and to raise their food.

Courtney got a phone call on Thanksgiving Day, his late mother’s birthday, that Marvin had tested positive.

For more than a day, Marvin was asymptomatic. Then the disease progressed fast. Fluid in the lungs. Low oxygen levels. Six days after the diagnosis, he died.

He was a devout Episcopalian who believed he would see lost loved ones again after death.

The family won’t hold a memorial until it’s safe, even if that means waiting till vaccines bring herd immunity. Then they will celebrate his life.

“I don’t want to do anything,” Courtney said, “that could possibly add to the burden that the health care workers in Scott City are already dealing with.”

He would look after those who had harmed him the deepest, a sentiment echoed by the healthcare workers struggling to do their jobs as their own communities turn against them or make their jobs harder. He would also fail those who needed him the most at times, as he was still human, with his flaws and limits.

Marvin was on hospice when COVID-19 struck. He had advanced dementia. Even absent the pandemic, Courtney thinks his father likely would have died in a matter of months.

“One of the things I see brought up from people who won’t take this seriously is, ‘It’s only the really elderly mostly who are dying,’” he said. “‘It’s only people who were probably going to die anyways.’”

Marvin Farr was a farmer and veterinarian. (Submitted by Courtney Farr)

“It mattered how he died,” he said.

That is, Marvin lay isolated in the quarantine wing of a nursing home trying to control a dangerous outbreak, without family nearby to comfort him.

“The tragedy there and the trauma there is not just his or mine or my family’s. It’s also the health care workers taking care of him,” his son said. “It’s traumatic for them because they’re dealing with the quarantine ward and the isolation … It’s awful for everyone.”

Courtney’s mother and father both had the same hospice nurse.

“Her primary focus is making sure that people can pass in comfort and with dignity,” he said. “Right now, we as a society are failing that in so many ways. For hundreds of thousands of people.”

Celia Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health and education for the Kansas News Service. You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia (at) kcur (dot) org. The Kansas News Service is a collaboration of KCUR, Kansas Public Radio, KMUW and High Plains Public Radio focused on health, the social determinants of health and their connection to public policy.
Kansas News Service stories and photos may be republished by news media at no cost with proper attribution and a link to ksnewsservice.org.

See more at https://www.kcur.org/news/2020-12-08/coronavirus-kept-this-kansas-man-from-holding-his-dying-dads-hand-strangers-share-in-his-grief

Businesses encouraged to contact Health Department about COVID-19 regulations

During a town hall meeting Tuesday morning, Wyandotte County businesses were encouraged to contact the Unified Government Health Department with any questions they may have about health orders relating to COVID-19.

Private businesses as well as nonprofit and public entities fall under the health order issued Nov. 20, according to Health Department officials.

Closing times of 10 p.m. for bars and restaurants along with capacity limits were added on Nov. 20. While drive-through and delivery services are allowed after 10 p.m., no “takeout” orders are allowed after 10 p.m. Guests are required to leave at 10 p.m.

Also, Wyandotte County still has a mandatory mask order and social distancing order in place.

Hailey Shoemaker, a UG Health Department epidemiologist, explained that 50 percent capacity applies to entertainment and recreation venues. A 10-person limit applies to weddings, parties, competitions and other group gatherings. It does not allow multiple groups of 10 that can intermingle.

Some events may fall under the 50 percent capacity rule, and allow more than 10 persons, if people are, for example, just crossing paths in the hallway, Shoemaker said. One of those places that is allowed to have 50 percent capacity is the gym, where there can be more than 10 people if social distancing is taking place, she added.

The Health Department is not encouraging people to gather in any size groups outside of their own households, but if it must be done, the Health Department is limiting gatherings to 10 people, she said.

In restaurants and bars, seated parties are limited to eight persons, and individuals must be at least six feet apart. Individuals should wear masks when they are not eating. Capacity is 50 percent of the fire marshal’s capacity number.

Shoemaker also discussed contact tracing, and the length of quarantines. Wyandotte County is keeping the mandatory 14-day quarantine for those who have been exposed to COVID-19.

Businesses may call or email the Health Department at [email protected], 913-573-6733, or may fill out a form requesting information about the health orders at https://us.openforms.com/Form/e8a0065e-a919-4599-a029-77f18c8de4a3.

Individuals or groups may fill out a form requesting to hold an event of more than 10 persons at https://us.openforms.com/Form/6465c596-4bee-4adc-86ab-e70620e3f548.

Individuals may make complaints about violations of the health orders at
https://us.openforms.com/Form/c31a2197-43fd-41f9-9ffd-c9f34c492f56?fbclid=IwAR0kRXPxdcgAZ3ynN3xvCEMrpD7DstTvRjuRRJHObQh4Wy7Xgp72Js4qWKY.

Two new health and safety inspectors are visiting four to five businesses a day, responding to complaints and inquiries, she said. Most of the visits have been to restaurants, gas stations, groceries and retail stores, she said.

Most of time, only one visit was needed to explain the rules to the businesses, she said. There were 95 first visits, six second visits and one third visit so far.

The inspectors have found that employee screening is poor and could be improved with questions and temperature screenings, she said. Also mask compliance is moderate, she said. In 28 percent of the cases, there was at least one employee not wearing a mask. Also, in 25 percent of the businesses, there was at least one customer with no mask, she said.

Social distancing was good in the businesses, and the Health Department has stickers or markers available to show customers where to stand, she said. Only 30 percent were using floor markers so far.

Shoemaker said the Health Department currently is engaging in “educational” enforcement, explaining the rules to businesses and organizations. The health order includes $500 fines and 30 days in jail as penalties; however, they haven’t had to write any citations yet, she said.

Chandra Green, director of Alive and Thrive – Wyandotte County, explained how to use a trauma-informed approach to address concerns or conflict among employees and customers.

She encouraged businesses to be up-front with their employees and customers, have meetings, inform them where the business stands, and have signs stating these policies.

Also, offer choices whenever possible, she said. If a customer doesn’t want to comply with the mask order, offer them an opportunity to go to the website and order online, she said.

Many times, those who work in businesses do not realize they are overwhelmed, and may not see all the other options around them, she said. That is when it helps to pull all the employees in and consider different options and approaches to problems.

Green encouraged businesses and organizations to call or write her for further assistance at [email protected]. She has training materials available, and also $3,000 grants available supporting COVID-related community initiatives.

More information about the health orders is at https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/11202020newlhostarts.pdf.

Case numbers increasing

Wyandotte County reported 11,806 total cumulative COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, with an increase of 61 since Monday, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 webpage. There were 184 deaths, no change from Monday.

On Tuesday morning, KU Health System reported an increased number of COVID-19 inpatients. There were 94 active COVID-19 cases in the hospital, up from 82 on Monday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. There were 52 patients in the intensive care unit, an increase from 47 on Monday, and 25 of the ICU patients were on ventilators, a decrease from 28 on Monday. There were another 62 patients still in the hospital and out of the acute infection phase, up from 59 on Monday, for a total of 156 COVID-19 patients, an increase from 141 on Monday.
HaysMed in Hays, Kansas, reported a total 28 COVID-19 inpatients, an increase from 25 on Monday. Twenty-four were active patients and four were in the recovery phase.

The Mid-America Regional Council’s Kansas City Regional COVID-19 Resource Hub reported 98,414 total cases on Tuesday, with 1,174 total deaths in the nine-county region. The average daily number of COVID-19 daily new hospitalizations in the nine-county area was 171.

Kansas reported 174,025 cumulative cases on Monday, an increase of 5,730 cases since Friday, according to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. There were an additional 70 deaths reported, for a cumulative 1,856.

The Johns Hopkins COVID-19 dashboard reported 15,164,886 cumulative cases in the United States on Tuesday, an increase of 215,657 cases since Monday. There were 283,703 cumulative deaths reported, an increase of 2,526 deaths since Monday.

Free COVID-19 testing available Wednesday

Free COVID-19 testing will be available from 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Dec. 9, at Faith Deliverance Family Worship Center, 3043 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.