More mixed news today on the number of COVID-19 patients at The University of Kansas Health System. 25 patients are being treated for the virus, the same as yesterday. But 12 of those patients are in the ICU, up from 11 yesterday and 8 are on ventilators, up from 6 yesterday. Doctors say there are more discharges than admissions, which has brought the daily number down from 36 last week. But they stress there are still plenty of newly diagnosed patients admitted daily.
We get a lot of unanswered questions throughout the week. Steve Stites, MD, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health System and Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of infection prevention and control at the health system, tackled those going into the weekend and reminded folks to maintain the pillars of infection prevention and control. They also showed another Sunnye Says video that shows kids ways to visualize safe social distancing.
Before answering the viewer questions, Dr. Stites reminded everyone that wearing a mask is not telling you what to do or taking away your rights. He says it’s a sign you’re trying to protect the community and yourself. Dr. Hawkinson cited studies that show countries with mask mandates have safely opened both society and their schools. They also answered a news media question and explained why COVID-19 is not the flu. They say there have been six times as many deaths so far as there have ever been in any flu season. They also pointed out we have a vaccination and treatment for the flu but none for this virus.
Here are the questions in the order the doctors addressed them, followed by the short answer. See the video for their full answers and comments.
- What are the underlying conditions that are predictors of more serious illness with COVID-19? Diabetes, COPD, asthma, obesity, cancer, heart and lung disease are the most common.
- What is the definition of high and low exposure? Do I need to quarantine with both? Yes.
- What happens to our bubbles when school starts? Our bubbles change and they collide with other bubbles.
- Professional sports teams are struggling to stay on the field. How can high schools do fall sports successfully? This will be hard to do with the continued spread of the disease.
- Headaches, fever, trouble breathing were the frequent symptoms early on. What are the most common symptoms now? Fever, cough, shortness of breath, loss of taste and smell. Sometimes gastrointestinal problems and stomach pain.
- How long do the debilitating COVID-19 symptoms last? With mild to moderate disease, some symptoms can last up to 60 days.
- How soon after feeling symptoms should I get a test? Sooner rather than later.
- How accurate are rapid COVID-19 tests? The gold standard is still the nasal swab, which is 99% effective. Saliva testing is close, at 96%.
Doctors again showed their newest freezer video demonstration which dramatically illustrates how the disease is spread through your breath cloud.
Monday, August 10 at 8:00 a.m. is the next daily briefing call and marks our 100th Morning Update. Changes in communication driven by COVID-19 are profound and long-lasting. Changes in healthcare, both good and bad, are even more profound. What is the impact of this pandemic over the next ten years? Tom Bell, KHA President and CEO together with MHA President and CEO Herb Kuhn have answers.
ATTENTION: media procedure for calling in:
The meeting is available by Zoom, both video and by phone. To join the Zoom Meeting by video, click https://kumc-ois.zoom.us/j/7828978628
Telephone dial-in Participants:
For those without Zoom, call 1-253-215-8782, meeting ID: 782 897 8628.
The feed is also available via TVU grid. The TVU source is UoK_Health and is being made available to all.
Feel free to send questions in advance to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu.
