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
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.