Wyandotte County COVID-19 vaccinations lag behind state and national rates

COVID-19 vaccinations in Wyandotte County are still lagging behind state and national vaccination rates.

According to information released on Wednesday by the Unified Government Health Department on its vaccine webpage, about 25.6 percent of Wyandotte County residents, or 42,403 people, have received one dose of vaccine. About 17.3 percent, or 28,625, are fully vaccinated, the UG figures stated.

That’s less than the state of Kansas, which recorded 37 percent of residents had received at least one dose of vaccine, according to Kansas Department of Health and Environment statistics. There were 1,078,489 people in Kansas who had received one dose, according to the KDHE. Over 685,000 people have received two doses.

The CDC reported that 40.5 percent of Americans, more than 134 million, have received at least one dose, and 26.4 percent are fully vaccinated. Among those older than 18, there have been 51.5 percent who have received at least one dose. Eighty percent of those age 65 in the United States have received at least one dose, while 65 percent are fully vaccinated, according to CDC.

Some subgroups in Wyandotte County are doing much better at getting vaccinated than others. Dennis Dumovich, director of human resources at the Board of Public Utilities, reported at Wednesday night’s BPU board meeting that the BPU employees are almost 67 percent vaccinated, or about two-thirds of employees. BPU board member Rose Mulvany Henry said that she hopes the vaccination numbers continue to increase and improve.

Vaccine hesitancy has been an obstacle in some underserved communities, according to doctors at the University of Kansas Health System news conference on Wednesday.

Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at the health system, said he thinks there could be a change in vaccine hesitancy when the FDA gives full approval to the vaccines, as they now have emergency use approval.

At that time, many workplaces may require workers to be vaccinated against COVID-19, just as they do with the flu shot, he said. He thinks that may happen around the fall.

KU Health Services has given almost 72,000 vaccinations, with 12,000 currently available, Dr. Stites said. He invited patients to register on MyChart and others to visit at kansashealthsystem.com/vaccine or call 913-588-1227 to make an appointment for a vaccination.

The guest at the Wednesday KU Health System news conference was Dr. Gary Morsch, one of the founders of Heart to Heart International. He has started COVID Care Force to mobilize a group of volunteers to travel to areas in need of assistance because of COVID-19.

He described their efforts with the Navajo Nation, which was facing one of the highest death rates in the country, and how the situation was turned around with masking, stay-home orders and then vaccinations. The Navajo members respected their leaders and their community, and they were doing these measures for the greater good and for the community, he said. Now, they have stopped COVID-19 on their reservation, he said.

The COVID Care Force is looking for volunteers; visit https://covidcareforce.org/ for more information.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control at the health system, said COVID-19 numbers in the Kansas City area are creeping up and he is concerned about the trend. According to Dr. Hawkinson, there are more cases of young people getting multi-system inflammatory syndrome.

Dr. Hawkinson said although many young people have less severe infections, they can still spread the virus and get significant disease. Vaccinations will be the way out of the pandemic, and he said people who are unsure should seek information they need to make an informed decision.

Walk-in vaccinations available Thursday

Free walk-in vaccinations are available Thursday, April 22, for Wyandotte County residents and workers.Walk-in vaccinations available Thursday

Early morning hours are available Thursday. Wyandotte County residents and those who work in Wyandotte County may walk in for a COVID-19 vaccination from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday, April 22, at the former Best Buy store at 10500 Parallel Parkway, Kansas City, Kansas.

Also open for walk-in vaccinations from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, April 22, will be the former Kmart at 7836 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas.

Vaccinations also will be given from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday, April 22, at the Kansas National Guard Armory, 100 S. 20th St., (near 18th and Ridge), Kansas City, Kansas.

The vaccination sites will have either Moderna or Pfizer vaccines.

Appointments also are being scheduled for the Unified Government Health Department vaccine sites.

The Health Department has expanded vaccine access and starting this week, all Kansas residents can make an appointment to be vaccinated at any of the Health Department’s vaccination facilities on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The vaccination sites on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are open to Kansas residents who are 16 and older who have appointments. They also are open to Wyandotte County residents who can walk in for a vaccine without an appointment.

Kansas residents who wish to schedule an appointment or any Wyandotte County resident 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.

Wyandotte County residents 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. Walk-ins also are possible for Wyandotte County residents.

People coming in for an appointment may be asked to show they live in Kansas, such as showing a driver’s license, a piece of mail addressed to them, or similar paperwork.

The Health Department also is adding late afternoon and early morning hours this week, and will have these special days for the next three or four weeks.

Early morning hours will be available at the former Best Buy vaccination site from 7 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Thursday.

Later afternoon hours will be from noon to 5:30 p.m. Wednesdays at the former Kmart location.

The Armory will continue with Saturday hours from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 24.

To see more information about Health Department vaccinations, visit WycoVaccines.org.

Other sites available for vaccinations

KU Health System offers vaccinations seven days a week at different locations. Appointments are required. Current patients may use MyChart to make an appointment. Others may call 913-588-1227 or visit kansashealthsystem.com/vaccine to see if vaccines are available.

The University of Kansas Health System also has vaccinations for Wyandotte and Johnson county residents. Any residents of Kansas can call to get an appointment whether they are patients or not at the health system.

There are also pharmacies giving COVID-19 vaccinations in Wyandotte County by appointment, when available. These include Price Chopper and Hen House pharmacy at 76th and State Avenue, and 81st and State Avenue (see https://www.ballsfoodspharmacy.com/), and Medicine Shoppe pharmacy at 65th and Parallel by appointment when available (see https://www.facebook.com/The-Medicine-Shoppe-Kansas-City-281548241870522). CVS pharmacy also has announced that it will offer COVID-19 vaccines at one of its stores in Kansas City, Kansas. Registration is at CVS.com.

Case numbers reported

The University of Kansas Health System reported COVID-19 cases have dropped slightly since Tuesday. There were 10 active COVID-19 patients on Wednesday morning, a decrease of three since Tuesday, according to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control. Of the 10 patients, six were in the intensive care unit, a decrease of one from Tuesday. Three patients were on a ventilator, the same number as Tuesday. There were another 10 COVID-19 patients who were hospitalized but are out of the acute infection phase, an increase of two from Tuesday. There is a total 20 patients, a decrease of one since Tuesday.

Wyandotte County reported an increase of 14 COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, April 21, for a cumulative 18,327 cases, according to the Unified Government Health Department’s COVID-19 webpage. There was a cumulative total of 289 deaths reported, no change.

The Mid-America Regional Council’s COVID-19 dashboard reported 168,860 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Wednesday. The daily average of new hospitalizations was 69. The number of cumulative deaths was 2,373.

The state of Kansas reported 306,883 cumulative COVID-19 cases on Wednesday, April 21, an increase of 593 cases since Monday. There were a total cumulative 4,961 deaths reported statewide. According to KDHE, Johnson County had 57,317 cases, an increase of 181 since Monday; Leavenworth County, 7,145 cases, an increase of four; Sedgwick County (Wichita area), 55,659, an increase of 126; and Shawnee County (Topeka area), 17,275 cases, an increase of 32.

The Johns Hopkins University COVID-19 dashboard on Wednesday night reported 31,862,080 cumulative cases in the United States, with 569,401 total deaths reported nationwide.

Case numbers reported

Free COVID-19 testing is available from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Thursday at Vibrant Health, Argentine location, 1428 S. 32nd St., Kansas City, Kansas. The tests are in conjunction with the Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force. Appointments are not needed.

COVID-19 testing is scheduled beginning at 8 a.m. Thursday, April 22, at Lowe’s, 6920 State Ave., Kansas City, Kansas. The tests are through WellHealth and appointments are required to www.gogettested.com/kansas.

Unified Government Health Department COVID-19 free testing sites at the former Best Buy store, 10500 Parallel Parkway, the former Kmart building at 78th and State, and the Kansas National Guard Armory, 100 S. 20th (18th and Ridge), are scheduled to be open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday, April 22. 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. To see if there is any change to the schedule, visit https://www.facebook.com/UGHealthDept. Appointments are not needed.

Tests from the Health Department are free for those who live or work in Wyandotte County. They are saliva tests.

The tests 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.

The Health Department’s general contact page is at https://www.wycokck.org/Health/Contact.aspx. Their 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/1162054610925859.

The University of Kansas Health System COVID-19 update page is at https://www.facebook.com/kuhospital/videos/292961702392386.

A weekly vaccine report for the state of Kansas is at
https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/DocumentCenter/View/123/Vaccine-Historical-Document-22521?bidId=.

Wyandotte County has a local mask and social distancing ordinance approved by the UG Commission. 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 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.