The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 33 COVID patients today, the same as Friday. Other significant numbers:

• 18 with the active virus today, 20 Friday
• 1 in ICU, 1 Friday
• 0 on a ventilator, 0 Friday
• 15 hospitalized, but out of acute infection phase, 13 Friday

Key points from today’s guests:

Kathy Sudeikis, travel agent, Acendas Travel

• Practice with the kids before flying – the TSA checkpoint line, where to go on the plane, etc.
• Be sure to have enough batteries or plugs for every child’s device. Also, items like coloring books are useful.
• Travel insurance can be helpful for bigger trips if they are cancelled. If you are stuck at an airport and need a hotel, but the airline hasn’t provided a voucher, you can ask the hotel for a “distressed passenger rate.”
• Be sure to take advantage of apps to help with rebooking and alternative travel arrangements, however, a travel agent has access to other tools as well to help.

Dr. Jessica Hamilton, psychologist, The University of Kansas Health System

• There is a baseline stress associated with holidays, and the potential for illness with COVID or RSV can add to the stress.
• Planning is so important -- we really want to make sure that the things you can control you're optimizing.
• Make sure you're looking at the things that you can do ahead of time, so that that way when something does happen, you have the ability to still be a little bit flexible and recover.
• Spend some time being mindful -- remind yourself we're doing this so that we get to spend time with our family and enjoy one another this the holiday season.
• The point is not to get all of the things exactly right. The meal doesn't have to be perfect. Remember that you are doing this to get family and friends together.
• Try to use the three Ps -- People, Pleasure and Productive every day -- one small thing every day in each of these areas that really can help you feel good about where you are.

Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control, The University of Kansas Health System

• As part of Antibiotic Awareness Week, we are looking at how antibiotics are used.
• We are still probably prescribing antibiotics way more than needed, especially for those things like those viral illnesses.
• Antibiotics are just like other medicines. We want to prescribe them if you need them. But if you don't need them, we don't want to use them on you because they do have potential for adverse events as well
• If you think you do need antibiotics, it's vitally important to go see a medical professional and get evaluated.

Tuesday November 22 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. How prevalent is COVID, the flu and RSV in our community? We’ll show you how widespread the three diseases have become. We’ll also see where we’re headed for those three by examining the wastewater.  

ATTENTION MEDIA: Please note access is with Microsoft Teams:

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