COVID-19 case numbers have declined recently in the United States and in Wyandotte County, but they are on the rise in parts of Europe and Asia.
That is giving rise to questions about a fourth COVID vaccine in the future, a topic that health experts are currently studying.
At the University of Kansas Health System, Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, said on Wednesday that more data was needed before deciding on whether there should be a fourth COVID shot.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at KU Health System, said increasing numbers of COVID cases in Europe were concerning. Although it’s a positive sign that COVID numbers are down in the Greater Kansas City area, he urged residents to keep their guards up because COVID is still out there.
Brandi Dickerson, site lead for the Unified Government Health Department at the COVID-19 vaccination facility (the Kmart site) in Wyandotte County, said studies evaluating the efficacy of an additional booster shot are currently underway.
“Once completed those must be reviewed at the federal level before another booster shot is recommended by the CDC and FDA,” she said. “The UGPHD receives its guidance from the FDA, CDC and KDHE. If those entities eventually recommend another booster shot, we will let Wyandotte County residents know where and how to get one. Protection of our community has always been and always will be our number one priority.”
On Thursday, the countries with the highest increases in COVID cases, according to the Johns Hopkins COVID website, were South Korea, 387,280; Vietnam, 254,060; Germany, 205,570; and the United Kingdom, 75,051. The United States had 31,826 additional cases reported on Thursday.
On Thursday, the UG Health Department reported a cumulative total of 39,814 positive COVID cases in Wyandotte County, and 487 deaths. It was an increase of eight cases and three deaths since Tuesday.
Wyandotte County is currently listed by the CDC as a “high risk” county for COVID-19, and the CDC recommends that residents wear masks in indoor public spaces. Testing is recommended for persons who have symptoms. For more information, visit https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/covid-by-county.html.
The University of Kansas Health System reported 85 total COVID patients on Thursday, a slight increase of 13 from Wednesday. There were 18 patients with the active COVID virus, an increase of nine since Wednesday; one patient in the intensive care unit, an increase of one since Wednesday; and one on a ventilator, an increase of one since Wednesday. There were 67 other COVID patients who were in the hospital but were not in the acute infection phase, an increase of four from Wednesday.
For a list of COVID testing and vaccine sites, visit https://www.wycokck.org/covid-19.
For more sites where vaccines are available, visit www.vaccines.gov.