Kansas will be sponsoring a free raffle drawing and those who are eligible can drive two laps around the Kansas Speedway at the Race to End COVID-19 event.
According to Gov. Laura Kelly, anyone may enter the event by getting a free COVID-19 saliva test or a COVID-19 vaccine administered by the University of Kansas Health System and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment.
“It is critical to our state’s continued pandemic recovery efforts that every Kansan gets vaccinated,” Gov. Kelly said. “The Race to End COVID-19 is a great incentive to curb declines in vaccine demand and encourage Kansans to get tested for and vaccinated against COVID-19. I appreciate the Kansas Speedway for their partnership in making this event possible, and I encourage all unvaccinated Kansans to attend.”
The Race to End COVID-19 will be held at Kansas Speedway, 400 Speedway Blvd., Kansas City, Kansas, (enter via France Family Drive, near the Sporting KC stadium across from Nebraska Furniture Mart):
• Friday, June 4, from 5 to 8 p.m.
• Saturday, June 5, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The Kansas Speedway is the host of the event in partnership with Wyandotte County Unified Government, University of Kansas Health System, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, and Kansas Division of Emergency Management.
All vaccine recipients will be asked to review educational material about COVID-19 vaccines and sign a consent form. After receiving the vaccine, participants will wait 15 minutes for observation for any rare allergic reactions. Those receiving the Pfizer vaccine will need to make separate arrangements for their second dose.
Raffle drawing
Individuals who are tested or vaccinated will be entered into a free raffle drawing. Prizes include a set of two tickets to the Oct. 24, 2021, NASCAR Cup Series Race; a set of four tickets to the Oct. 24, 2021, NASCAR Cup Series Race; and gift cards for the NASCAR Racing Experience Ride Along.
Victory lap details
Anyone who is eligible can drive around the track. Track lap participants must have a valid driver’s license, car registration in their name, and proof of vehicle insurance. Track lap participants 16 to 17 years old with a valid driver’s license must have a parent or legal guardian in the vehicle to sign a minor release form. All track lap participants are required to remain in their personal vehicle at all times. Drivers and their riders will take two laps behind a track pace vehicle at highway speed. No motorcycles, tractor-trailers or recreational vehicles, may be used for track rides.
Additional information can be found at https://www.kansasspeedway.com/Vanity-Pages/Race-to-End-COVID-Laps.aspx.
At the KU Health System news conference on Tuesday morning, doctors discussed the effect of COVID-19 on Alzheimer’s patients.
According to Dr. Jeff Burns, co-director of the Kansas University Alzheimer’s Disease Center, COVID-19 has taken a toll on Alzheimer’s patients, as many of the residents in nursing homes were Alzheimer’s patients, and nursing homes had 30 to 40 percent of all COVID-19 deaths.
There also was an effect on the caregivers, he added.
With social isolation, Alzheimer’s patients saw greater and faster declines, he said. He also discussed a new drug that is being considered by the FDA for approval, Aducanumab. The discussion was about how, if it is approved, it may be the first drug that can slow changes in the brain. He went into more details about the various aspects the FDA may be looking at in this proposed medication.
Dr. Burns also said he believes that exercise can help reduce the effects of Alzheimer’s, and diet, exercise, sleep and stress reduction can help brain function.
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, said he doesn’t think large outdoor events will turn out to be super-spreader events.
He was encouraged by reports that Moderna is applying for full FDA approval of the COVID-19 vaccine and believes Moderna and Pfizer vaccines will be approved. He added by July they might know if the Johnson and Johnson vaccine will develop into two shots.
Free walk-in vaccinations available Wednesday
Free walk-in COVID-19 vaccinations will be available for everyone 12 and older from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 2, at the former Kmart store, 7836 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.
People may also schedule vaccinations at WycoVaccines.org.
Free childhood vaccinations, with other vaccines such as MMR or DTaP and others, are being offered from 1 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the Kmart location, 7836 State Ave. Those vaccinations are for children without health insurance or who have KanCare or Medicaid. For more details see https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-vaccines-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/.
The Unified Government Health Department schedule of vaccinations changed recently. To see the schedule and more information about vaccinations, visit WycoVaccines.org or https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept.
Those who receive COVID-19 vaccinations are asked to consider bringing an ID to make the process go faster.
The Health Department is doing more mobile COVID-19 vaccinations, and people may request vaccines to be given at different sites in the community by going to WycoVaccines.org and clicking on “mobile vaccine request.” People also may request a ride to vaccination sites on the same page.
Those who wish to schedule an appointment may use the Health Department’s self-scheduling tool at WycoVaccines.org and click on a blue button that says, “Click here to schedule an appointment online.” The page is available in Spanish by clicking at the top of the page. Walk-in appointments also are welcome.
Those who don’t have an internet connection may call 3-1-1 or 913-573-5311 for assistance in scheduling their vaccination appointment time and date.
To see more information about Health Department vaccinations and next week’s schedule, visit WycoVaccines.org.
Other sites available for vaccinations
Vaccinations at KU Health System are open to the public. Current patients may use MyChart to make an appointment. Others may call 913-588-1227 or visit kansashealthsystem.com/vaccine to make an appointment to get vaccinated. KU Health System currently is vaccinating residents of Kansas and Missouri who are 12 or older, by appointment only. Those under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian throughout the appointment.
There are also pharmacies giving free COVID-19 vaccinations in Wyandotte County by appointment, when available. These include Price Chopper and Hen House pharmacies, which are now also accepting walk-in vaccinations or appointments, and are starting vaccinations for age 12 and up at those pharmacies that are giving Pfizer vaccine (see https://www.ballsfoodspharmacy.com/).
CVS has announced walk-in appointments for COVID-19 vaccine at some of its stores. Those interested in getting a vaccination at a CVS pharmacy are asked to visit a CVS website in order to make sure there is vaccine available. The website is at www.cvs.com/. Walgreens and Walmart also were listed on www.vaccines.gov as giving vaccinations.
Other pharmacies and sites giving vaccines are listed at www.vaccines.gov. The website also tells whether vaccines are in stock at the locations.
Case numbers reported
There was a big drop in the number of active COVID-19 patients over the holiday weekend at the University of Kansas Health System, with some of the lowest numbers reported since COVID-19 cases were first seen, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. There were two active COVID-19 patients, a decrease of four since Friday. One of the patients was in the intensive care unit, no change from Friday. Eight other patients were hospitalized because of COVID-19 but were not in the acute infection phase, a decrease of four from Friday. The total is 10 patients, a decrease of eight from Friday.
Wyandotte County reported an increase of 20 COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, June 1, for a cumulative 18,750 cases, according to the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage. There was a cumulative total of 294 deaths reported, an increase of one since Friday.
The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 174,538 cumulative, COVID-19 cases on Tuesday, an increase of 116 cases since Friday in the Kansas City region. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 40.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported 313,997 cumulative COVID-19 cases in Kansas on Friday, May 28, an increase of 277 cases since Wednesday, May 26. There were a total cumulative 5,076 deaths reported statewide, an increase of nine. Updated figures are not available.
Johnson County had a cumulative 59,144 cases on Friday, an increase of 59 since Wednesday, according to the KDHE. Leavenworth County had a cumulative 7,255 cases on Friday, an increase of three since Wednesday. Sedgwick County had a cumulative 57,272 cases on Friday, an increase of 46 since Wednesday.
The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Tuesday night reported 33,286,422 cumulative COVID-19 cases in the United States, with 595,205 total deaths reported nationwide. There were 5,735 new cases nationwide and 138 new deaths nationwide.
States with rising numbers of new cases were Arizona, 984; New York, 529; Illinois, 522; Wisconsin, 417; California, 345.
Countries with rising numbers of new cases were India, 127,510; Brazil, 30,434; Argentina, 28,175; Colombia, 23,177; and U.S., 5,735, according to Johns Hopkins information.
Free testing available Wednesday
For details about free COVID-19 testing offered by the UG Health Department, visit https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19, https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept or call 3-1-1.
One of the WellHealth sites for free COVID-19 testing is open beginning at 8 a.m. Wednesday, June 2, at Lowe’s at 6920 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. Appointments are required. For more information, to see other testing sites and to make an appointment, visit https://www.gogettested.com/kansas.
The Health Department’s general contact page is at https://www.wycokck.org/Health/Contact.aspx. The department’s Facebook page is at https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept.
Testing sites are at https://wyandotte-county-covid-19-hub-unifiedgov.hub.arcgis.com/pages/what-to-do-if-you-think-you-have-covid-19. There are more test sites listed on this page.
Saliva testing is now offered at the UG Health Department. For more information, visit https://alpha.wycokck.org/files/assets/public/health/documents/covid/02042021-ugphd-saliva-testing-available.pdf.
The KU doctors’ news conference is online at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/842226236696973.
The University of Kansas Health System COVID-19 update page is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/330310795391910.
A vaccine report for the state of Kansas is at
https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/123/Vaccine-Historical-Document-22521?bidId=.
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.