COVID-19 – Page 85 – Welcome to Wyandotte Daily!

Changes coming for Wyandotte County schools and COVID-19 rules

COVID-19 case rates in Wyandotte County are still higher, per 100,000, than surrounding areas. (UG Health Department chart)

Wyandotte County reported an additional 73 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, Oct. 29, for a cumulative total of 8,240, according to the UG COVID-19 webpage. There were no additional deaths, for a cumulative total of 165. (From UG COVID-19 webpage)

Some of Wyandotte County’s classrooms will be able to hold more students because of a change in the way that classroom capacity is determined.

At a report by the Unified Government Health Department to the UG Commission at Thursday night’s meeting, Dr. Allen Greiner, chief medical officer for Wyandotte County, said after discussions with local school officials, the Health Department will be changing the requirement for 50 percent of typical classroom capacity.

The capacity would be determined at 36 square feet per student in the future, he said. It would allow some larger classroom spaces to have more than 50 percent capacity, while still using social distancing, according to the Health Department. It would be an amendment to an existing health order, not a new order.

Dr. Greiner also said there will be winter sports guidance coming out in the next few days for school sports and activities. It will recommend against winter sports and activities. It will be a recommendation and not an order, he said. The school boards will decide whether to follow the Health Department’s guidance, he said.

He said it is likely to be similar to the recent Johnson County Health Department guidance that strongly recommended against winter sports and high-risk activities. Dr. Greiner said they would not want to have the ban on fall sports that was issued earlier, if it doesn’t fit well and would not be consistent with the new recommendations.

In addition, Dr. Greiner said COVID-19 saliva testing for the schools is now ready to go and available, and will be shipped as early as Monday to test students with symptoms.

Dr. Greiner said there will be no additional health orders issued currently.

He said COVID-19 fatigue seems to be setting in locally and national, and everyone is tired and wants it to get better. At the same time, “now is not the time to take our foot off the gas” in the COVID-19 response, he said.

He discouraged people from thinking that if enough people get COVID-19, they will all develop immunity. They are too far from where they need to be for that to work, he said.

A vaccine may be able to control the virus, and he hopes one is available soon, although it will probably be some time before it is here. The science is in favor of working toward behavior change, new therapies and finding a safe and effective vaccine, he said.

They have seen other countries get their increase in COVID-19 cases under control and they need the help of the community now as much as ever, he said.

According to the Health Department report, the mask-wearing and social distancing have been working in Wyandotte County.

The Health Department reported that from March to July, Wyandotte County made up 16 percent of all COVID-19 cases in Kansas and 25 percnet of all Kansas Covid-19 deaths.

That changed from August to October, when Wyandotte County had seven percent of all Kansas COVID-19 cases, and 10 percent of COVID-19 deaths, according to the Health Department.

Also, following a slight delay after the mask order being put in place, the case numbers began to drop, according to the Health Department.

According to the Health Department, the slight delay was due to a 14-day incubation period, where some people may have been exposed to the virus before the mask mandate went into effect.

According to the Health Department, cohorting students at school into the same small groups has limited the spread of COVID-19 among students in classrooms.

Also, the Wyandotte County contact tracing team now has worked through a backlog of cases after a spike and now has enough capacity to manage the caseload.

Also, testing capacity meets the current demand and can accommodate an increase, according to the Health Department.

The UG Health Department reported 79 COVID-19 student cases, 17 staff cases and nine sports-activities cases in Wyandotte County. (UG Health Department chart)

Dr. Greiner reported the COVID-19 case numbers at local schools that returned to hybrid and in-person education: The Piper school district had 18 student cases, four staff cases, and two sports team-activity cases; the Bonner Springs school district had seven student cases, two staff cases and two sports cases; the Turner school district had 59 student cases, 11 staff cases and four sports – activities cases; and the Archdiocese schools had five student cases, two staff cases and one sports case. The totals for the county were 79 student cases, 17 staff cases and nine sports cases, he said.

“When we have those cases, we have to quarantine other students,” he said. In one elementary school in Turner, that resulted in the school closing down temporarily because of the number of cases, he said. The school later reopened.

Dr. Greiner said he believed most of the school cases were contracted in the community, not in the schools.

Overall in the county, the school cohorting was working well, according to the Health Department.

Health Department staff also discussed hospital capacity in the Greater Kansas City area, and said they were concerned about it. Within the past few weeks, there may have been an overestimation of intensive care unit beds and ventilators in the community, according to the Health Department. Some hospitals were counting ICU beds for the neonatal patients and pediatric patients in the totals, according to the Health Department.

Because of higher numbers of COVID-19 patients at the University of Kansas Health System, there have been issues with difficulty transferring patients into the hospital, and there were some patients that had to be transferred to different community hospitals, according to the Health Department. Rural Kansas had this issue as well.

The Health Department staff stated they were working to make the reporting on bed and ventilator capacity more accurate so they can plan for the future.

The county’s current seven-day average positivity rate is about 18 percent, according to health officials. In the last three or four weeks, the Health Department has started testing both symptomatic and asymptomatic persons. They have not seen a very big decrease in the positivity rate.

Indications are that there has been a tremendous amount of community spread within Wyandotte County, according to Dr. Erin Corriveau, Health Department deputy director.

According to Health Department officials, in the past few months they have seen a lot of cases associated with more than 100 gatherings such as weddings, funerals, birthday parties and showers. There have been quite a few outbreaks traced to gatherings of families and friends.

To successfully fight COVID-19, residents will need to limit social gatherings and holiday gatherings, according to the UG Health Department. (From UG Health Department)

The next few months will be a challenge for the community, as holidays and social gatherings, and spending more time indoors, result in a higher likelihood of transmission, according to Health Department staff.

People will need to limit the social gatherings as much as they can, according to the Health Department. This year it is not a good idea to bring the older generations together with the younger members of the family at the holidays, according to the Health Department.

Mayor David Alvey noted at the meeting that some places in Europe are now closing down again because of increased rates of spread of the coronavirus.

“Our goal is to accommodate as much activity as possible and yet protect people,” he said, adding it was difficult to balance.

Mitigation measures, including wearing a mask, staying away from large gatherings and keeping at least six feet away, work, he said.

Commissioner Tom Burroughs said it was important to keep the communication lines open with everyone in the community. He mentioned that superintendents had stepped up to the challenge of trying to provide the best environment for students, staff and the community.

Also, he noted that there is a rise in COVID-19 cases in Kansas, and that Illinois on Wednesday shut down bars because of the rise in cases. COVID-19 cases have been rising in the nation and also internationally.

He said they would make the decisions whether the decision are popular or not, as they have been charged with making decisions for the betterment of the community.

Wyandotte County reported an additional 73 COVID-19 cases on Thursday, Oct. 29, for a cumulative total of 8,240, according to the UG COVID-19 webpage. There were no additional deaths, for a cumulative total of 165.

The University of Kansas Health System reported the highest number of COVID-19 inpatients on Thursday morning, with 40 COVID-19 patients hospitalized, an increase from 36 on Wednesday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. There were 18 patients in the intensive care unit, an increase from 16 on Wednesday. An overflow ICU had to be opened to handle the number of COVID-19 patients. Six patients were on ventilators, an increase from four on Wednesday. There were 31 other COVID-19 patients who were in the recovery phase, but still in the hospital, a decrease from 35 on Wednesday. HaysMed in Hays, Kansas, reported 21 COVID-19 inpatients on Thursday, an increase from 18 on Wednesday, and two of the patients were in the recovery phase.

The KU doctors’ news conference on Thursday morning contained valuable information and tips on Halloween and safety, from the Mesner puppets, at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/781416145827941.

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 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 because of the weather or for other reasons. Bring something that shows that you live or work in Wyandotte County, such as a utility bill.

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

The UG Health Department report at the UG meeting Thursday is online at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HDpOvgPR-hE.

The KU doctors’ news conference is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/781416145827941.

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 Unified Government COVID-19 hub outbreak map is at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/.

To see an NEA list of schools that have had COVID-19 cases, visit https://app.smartsheet.com/b/publish?EQBCT=aa3f2ede7cb2415db943fdaf45866d2f.

The KC Region COVID-19 Hub dashboard is at https://marc2.org/covidhub/.

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

COVID-19 results in changes to Halloween plans

The Unified Government Health Department has issued guidelines on how to safely celebrate Halloween. (UG Health Department graphic)

Because of COVID-19, it will be a different kind of Halloween this year.

Some of the traditional Halloween parties for kids that have been held for years have been canceled because of the risk of COVID-19.

Other groups have found ways to celebrate Halloween in a safe way, in drive-through events or virtual contests. And Halloween guidelines have been issued by the local Unified Government Health Department, as well as the state health department and the CDC.

While parents are weighing the risks in taking kids anywhere during COVID-19, a few organizations have announced events to replace the traditional parties.

Honkin’ Halloween event

The Rosedale Development Association has changed its usual Halloween event for kids, according to Alissa Workman, RDA development director.

They have been holding a Halloween event for about a decade, but this year it has been changed to a way that will be safe for community members, she said.

It will look a little different, and kids will still have a lot of fun, she said.

RDA’s Honkin’ Halloween event at 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, will start with a line up for a Halloween car caravan at the Boulevard Drive-in Theatre at 1051 Merriam Lane. The caravan will leave the drive-in at 3:30 p.m., drive up the boulevard to 8th Street, where volunteers will load car trunks with family activity kits, pumpkins and healthy snacks.

In keeping with the previous 10 years, when the event was known as Healthy Halloween, the RDA event will not give away candy. Everyone will be encouraged to dress in a costume and decorate their cars.

Blood pressure screenings will be available to the public at the event. Those who don’t want to participate in the parade may go to 1401 Southwest Blvd. to receive the activity kits and healthy snacks.

People will be expected to stay in their cars. However, participants, especially if they get out of their car for blood pressure screening or anything else, are asked to wear masks, she said.

They’re not sure how many people will participate this year, Workman said. In previous years, they had as many as 300 or 400, but things are different this year, and they’ll be happy if they have 50.

This year’s Halloween event was a challenge, as they wanted to keep everything safe for community members, especially as COVID-19 numbers are going up again. This past summer, RDA delivered activity boxes, food and meals in a summer drive-through style, and they are using the same idea for this event, she added.

Others that went ahead with their Halloween events, in a changed way, included the Turner Recreation Commission, which held a Trunk or Treat last weekend.

Many usual Halloween parties canceled this year

Many of the neighborhood groups that sponsor Halloween events for kids inside Wyandotte County’s recreation centers aren’t holding an event this year.

Besides the recreation centers, also canceling its event this year is the Alcott Arts Center, according to Chuck Green.

Alcott has held a Halloween event for the past 17 years, and a message the center sent out said that it couldn’t do the event this year without putting its volunteers and patrons at risk.

Green said if they had done an event, they might have been one of the few in Kansas City, Kansas, holding a public event, and might have been overrun, without enough volunteers and enough candy to give away.

They also had some concerns about a drive-through and whether people would drive safely, he said, as that might incur some risk.

The Alcott has held a couple of outside events so far this year, he said. It is about the usual time the center closes for the winter, and they will be planning for the future. Next year, they will try to put together some outside and inside programs, and possibly start a new podcast out of the arts center for local artists, he said.

Other events planned

While the Kansas City, Kansas, Public Library has been closed to in-person use, it has several Halloween activities online and curbside at the various branches.

Among those activities are activity bags and free books at some of the library branches, as well as craft kits and other Halloween-themed events that are not in person. The libraries also held an online costume contest earlier this week.

For a list of the library activities, visit https://kckpl.librarymarket.com/ and https://kckplprograms.org/.

Other Halloween or weekend events we have heard of include:

Friday, Oct. 30

Drive-through Trunk or Treat sponsored by the Kansas City, Kansas, Police Department, Community Police Unit, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at 6601 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas. Candy and treats will be given out in a drive-through event. Kansas Maderos Property is providing one free scoop of ice cream to the first 100 children under the age of 16. Face masks and social distancing are required for kids and adults.

The Armourdale Renewal Association will sponsor a drive-through Trunk or Treat from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30, at the Armourdale Community Center, 730 Osage, Kansas City, Kansas. Those participating will stay in their vehicles. Face masks and social distancing are required.

The Legends Outlets, I-435 and I-70 in Kansas City, Kansas. It is not a Halloween celebration, but an early Day of the Dead celebration. A movie will be shown on the Legends Lawn from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 30. There will be a special movie showing of “Coco,” a Disney movie, plus complimentary tacos for the first 60 guests starting at 5:30 p.m. from El Toro Loco and the KCK Convention and Visitors Bureau. There will be sugar skull photo props for kids. Those attending may bring their own blankets or lawn chairs. Social distancing will be required. (https://legendsshopping.com/events/family/movie-on-the-lawn/)

Nebraska Furniture Mart, 1601 Village West Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas, plans a free drive-in showing of “Minions” in the NFM parking lot from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30. There are free bags of treats for kids. Also from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, kids can get a free bag of treats at the store. Face masks and social distancing will be required.

Halloween, Saturday, Oct. 31

The “Take a Book” children’s event will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, Oct. 31, at The Merc grocery store parking lot, 501 Minnesota Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The free outdoor event is sponsored by Altrusa International of Greater Kansas City, partnering with The Merc. The free outdoor event for families with children will include reading books aloud, then each child will select one new book to take home and add to the home library. The event is geared toward pre-kindergarten through sixth grade children. The program is made possible through a $4,000 grant from Altrusa International Foundation to improve the economic well-being and quality of life in communities that host an Altrusa Club. In addition, The Merc will provide a treat in the store for any child wearing a Halloween costume. (https://www.facebook.com/altrusa.kc)

The Bonner Springs Library annual Boo Bash will take place from noon to 2 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31, outside the library at 201 N. Nettleton, Bonner Springs. Spooky stories on the back lawn, music, crafts and a treat are part of the events. Masks are required, and costumes are encouraged. Social distancing is required.
You can give and receive at the Bonner Springs City Library, 201 N. Nettleton, Bonner Springs, on Halloween, Oct. 31. Visit the library in your costume on Halloween and get a treat at the desk. Bring in canned goods or boxed food items and get two treats at the desk. Also, anyone who has overdue fines can bring in a can to donate to the food drive and receive $1 off the fine per can (but not for lost items). Even if you don’t have a fine, you can still donate to the food drive. Also, the final Farmers’ Market from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Oct. 31 in Bonner Springs is accepting canned goods for the food drive. The food will be donated to Vaughn-Trent in Bonner Springs. (https://bonnerlibrary.org/)

All QuikTrip stores will be giving away a free vanilla cone to trick-or-treaters age 12 and younger between 4 p.m. and 10 p.m. on Oct. 31. Children must be dressed in costume and trick-or-treat inside any Quik Trip to receive the free snack.

Advice for safely celebrating Halloween

The Wyandotte County Health Department has issued guidelines to safely celebrate Halloween.

Recommended activities

Some of the activities with lower COVID risk that the UGPHD recommends include:

• Online parties or contests (such as online costume contests, pumpkin carving, etc.)
• Drive-through events where individuals remain in vehicles. This could include events where individuals receive a treat bag (containing commercially packed, non-perishable treats) or activities like drive-in Halloween movies
• Decorating yards and homes with Halloween-themed decorations, and driving or walking to enjoy other Halloween decorations in local neighborhoods

Safer Trick or Treating, and ‘Trunk or Treating’ activities

Many typical Halloween activities pose more COVID-19 risk than the recommended activities above, including “Trunk or Treat” events and trick or treating. As many community members may choose to engage in their usual Halloween traditions, the Health Department urges people to take precautions to enjoy those activities in a safer way.

• Wear a cloth face covering over the nose and mouth when trick or treating or when answering the door for trick or treaters.
• Carry hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol and use it at regular intervals.
• Consider disinfecting candy wrappers or other items accepted from homes.
• Leave at least 6-feet between yourself and people not in your household. Do not crowd sidewalks, driveways, or porches. At “Trunk or Treat” events, cars should be spaced at least 6 feet apart.
• Practice routine hand hygiene with soap and water or hand sanitizer.
• Clean frequently-touched items and surfaces regularly, such as door knobs.
• Consider spacing items 6-feet apart on your porch, in your yard or on a table in your driveway with a sign advising trick or treaters to “Take 1.”
• Opt out of these activities if you are over 60 years old or have a compromised immune system.
• If you currently are sick, have recently tested positive for COVID-19, are awaiting COVID-19 results, or are quarantining, you should opt out of all trick or treating activities.

For the full “Wyandotte County Guidance for Celebrating Halloween and Fall Gatherings 2020,” go to http://bit.ly/WyCoHalloween2020 or go to wycokck.org/COVID-19, and click on the COVID Hub, which includes a section on Halloween guidance.

Governor, legislators to meet with local leaders to encourage local mask orders

Wyandotte County reported 34 additional COVID-19 cases on Wednesday afternoon, for a cumulative total of 8,167, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 webpage. There was one additional COVID-19 death, for a cumulative total of 165, according to the webpage. (From UG COVID-19 webpage)

Taking the initiative to get more Kansas residents to wear masks, Gov. Laura Kelly said Wednesday she would meet with local leaders to try to get them to implement local mask orders.

Kansas COVID-19 deaths reached over 1,000 on Wednesday, with cases rising in the state and in the Midwest. The governor said case rates and hospitalizations are spiking in counties that opted out of a July mask requirement.

Gov. Kelly, in a news conference Wednesday, said she had met Tuesday with a bipartisan group of legislators to request a special session on a statewide mask requirement. Republican legislators asked her to meet with county leaders to encourage local mask orders before taking statewide action, and she said she and the legislators will meet with local leaders.

The Republican leaders earlier in the year had challenged the governor’s mandatory mask order, and changed it to allow individual counties to opt out, which most counties did.

Some of the larger populated areas, such as Wyandotte County, kept the mask mandate.

The governor said Wednesday they need to move as quickly as possible on mask mandates.

“We can’t afford to wait another moment to begin this process,” Gov. Kelly said.

If they aren’t able to convince communities to voluntarily pass their own mask mandates, the governor said she would move quickly to find another way to implement a statewide requirement.

On Wednesday Kansas reported 82,045 total cases with 1,007 deaths, she said. There were an additional 3,369 cases and an additional 31 deaths in Kansas since Monday, according to the KDHE. The governor has ordered flags to fly at half-staff in honor of those Kansans who have died from COVID-19.

Gov. Kelly said the state’s seven-day rolling average test positivity rate was 10.54 percent last week, just above the 10 percent threshold recommended to open schools and businesses.

Kansas broke the state’s record for the highest number of new cases of any reporting period at nearly 2,500 on Monday, and broke the record again on Wednesday at more than 3,300, she said.

The governor said she was concerned about hospitals, particularly in the rural area, that are seeing rising numbers of COVID-19 patients, putting a strain on bed capacity and staff.

“There is still time to turn our virus response around,” Gov. Kelly said.

Mitigation efforts such as mask-wearing work, Gov. Kelly said. A study conducted by researchers at the University of Kansas has found that counties with mask mandates have effectively stopped virus transmission from increasing, she said, while counties without mask mandates have seen infection rates climb.

Another report, from the University of Washington, found that adherence to mask orders could save 130,000 American lives by the end of February, Gov. Kelly said, and if not, the U.S. death toll could reach 500,000.

Until a vaccine is available and widely deployed, wearing a mask is one of the most important strategies to keep Kansas school and businesses open, she said.

The governor also discussed increasing testing capacity, identifying those who have been in close contact and communicating the importance of quarantining to keep communities safe.

A new unified testing strategy has been developed, she said, that will expand testing to include regular screening for the virus before it spreads, she said. Efforts will be coordinated across Kansas

Gov. Kelly said there would be more routine testing in schools and nursing homes to stop community spread before it starts. The state will go from the current 600,000 COVID-19 tests to more than 1 million by the end of 2020, she said.

Not just diagnostic, but also screening and surveillance testing will be added, she said.

She said KDHE will work with the private sector to expand labs and supplies, enhance data and reporting, provide support for isolation and quarantine, and increase public communications about controlling the spread of the virus.

It will be important for high-risk populations and also for businesses that are worried about keeping their workforces safe and their doors open, she said.

The state would continue investigating outbreaks in populations at the highest risk, and also would be regularly screening these populations for the virus, isolating those who test positive, she said.

For medium-risk populations, health officials would investigate outbreaks, and also use surveillance testing, which uses methods such as testing wastewater for signs of COVID-19, she said..

Kansas also now is part of a collaborative effort funded by the National Institutes of Health to improve COVID-19 testing for underserved and vulnerable populations, she said.

The University of Kansas Medical Center is one of 32 institutions across the United States that will focus on increased testing in populations disproportionately affected by the pandemic, she said. A university research team will work with 10 counties to build a learning collaborative to help the most vulnerable populations.

“We need comprehensive, accurate data that health officials can analyze to determine our most vulnerable populations or locations so that the state can respond accordingly,” Gov. Kelly said.

She also said they need access to labs with sufficient testing capacity, and reliable transportation for moving samples from health facilities to labs.

Gov. Kelly said health experts have learned a lot over the past several months, and a unified testing strategy can provide businesses with the certainty they can continue operating this winter and beyond.

The testing strategy, along with wearing masks, social distancing and avoiding mass gatherings, can contain the virus until a vaccine is developed to allow residents to resume their normal lives, she said.

Wyandotte County reported 34 additional COVID-19 cases on Wednesday afternoon, for a cumulative total of 8,167, according to the Unified Government COVID-19 webpage. There was one additional COVID-19 death, for a cumulative total of 165, according to the webpage.

KU Health System reported 36 active COVID-19 patients on Wednesday morning, the same number as Tuesday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. There were 16 patients in the intensive care unit, an increase from 14 on Tuesday, with four patients on ventilators, four less than on Tuesday. An additional 35 COVID-19 patients were in the hospital in the recovery phase, reduced from 41 on Tuesday. HaysMed in Hays, Kansas, reported 18 total COVID-19 inpatients on Wednesday, down from 20 on Tuesday, with three patients in the recovery phase.

KU campus has low COVID-19 rates

At the KU Health System news conference, Dr. David Wild, vice president of performance improvement, said the Midwest continued to have high rates for COVID-19 spread, with Kansas and Missouri behind North Dakota and Nebraska, and Utah joining the list of states with increases.

Dr. Wild said the number of COVID-19 cases among young adults in Johnson County is almost double the rest of the population.

The University of Kansas campus in Lawrence, and Douglas County, have succeeded in holding down COVID-19 case numbers, in comparison, according to Dr. Wild.

KU Chancellor Doug Girod said the KU campus has had very good compliance with mask wearing and other measures that have helped KU case numbers to fall, while the rest of the state’s cases have increased. Some of the coursework was remote, while other classes were in person. After a few problems early in the semester in mask compliance with Greek members who lived off campus, the community has been compliant with the mask and health requirements.

University officials currently are discussing plans that would allow fans into Allen Field House to watch KU basketball, he said. There is a good level of ventilation there and substantial airflow.

According to Chris Wilson, vice president of system integration and innovation at the health system, KU now is making plans for handling the holiday break. Students will go from a community on campus that has very low rates, and in some cases will be in a home community with higher rates. Currently the Lawrence campus has only about two or three cases a day, he said. To start the spring semester, they are planning for mass testing, according to Wilson.

Cooperative efforts among the university, the county health department, students, faculty, staff, the local hospital and KU Health System were all important in achieving the low rate on campus, according to the doctors.

Free COVID-19 testing available Thursday

A free COVID-19 pop-up test will continue from 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 29, at Vibrant Health Argentine location, 1428 S. 32nd St., Kansas City, Kansas.

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