A big drop in the number of active COVID-19 patients being treated at The University of Kansas Health System today. 82 people with the active virus are hospitalized, down from 101 Friday. 37 patients are in the ICU, down from 45 Friday. 24 of those ICU patients are on ventilators today, down from 27 Friday. 76 other patients are still hospitalized because of COVID-19 but are out of the acute infection phase, up from 68 Friday. That’s a total of 158 patients, down from 167 Friday. In addition, HaysMed has a total of 26 COVID-19 inpatients, down from 32 Friday, with 21of those active patients and 5 in the recovery phase.
On the Morning Media Update today we heard expert advice on how to have crucial conversations about COVID-19 mask wearing and vaccinations. Our guests were from KU in Lawrence. Professor Donna Ginther offered a research perspective while Communications Professor and nationally ranked debater Brett Bricker coached us on how to talk to those who reject science over personal or political convictions.
Dr. Ginther’s latest research shows masks prevent cases of COVID-19 and reduce hospitalizations and deaths by 50%. She stresses that mask wearing and vaccinations are the way out of the pandemic. She says some people are reluctant to admit there’s a problem and those same people will be reluctant to get a vaccine. She explains there is a “big schism” between rural and city thinking about COVID-19 and many won’t be convinced until it hits them or a loved one directly. She feels we won’t see a return to a robust economy until the disease is under control and says there is a big mistrust of medicine in minority communities. She says the way to overcome that is to engage with community and thought leaders. The best way, she adds, is to tell stories and that people are not convinced by numbers and data alone. To those who are hesitant about the vaccine and feel the process was rushed, she says the best scientists in the world developed the vaccine and it was fast because technology is better than ever.
Dr. Bricker thinks it’s helpful to be right with your facts when trying to convince someone to wear a mask and get the vaccine. But he says it’s a lot more than convincing them the science is accurate. Many people choose not to saying it’s about individual freedom, especially if they are young and healthy and don’t see themselves at risk. He says there are three types of people when trying to convince others to wear a mask and get the vaccine. The first are those who are ready to roll up their sleeves and will be there when it’s their turn for the shots. Any fears they have are dramatically outweighed by support for their community and their health. The second audience is the vaccine hesitant. They have legitimate questions and are rational and persuadable, open to having a conversation. They are the largest group in the country. The third group are the anti-vaxxers, who believe conspiracy theories and don’t trust science, getting their information from fringe web sites and blogs. He says they are not as large a population as the other two groups. He says we need to look for areas of agreement with the vaccine hesitant. He explained past vaccination campaigns have taught us how to be persuasive now. First, he says pro-vaccine messaging must provide evidence and a defense of the studies that produced the evidence. Second, he said we need to find trusted people to deliver the message, like the three former presidents who will get the vaccine when it’s their turn. Third, show individual stories, like Anil Gharmalkar for example, and others with long-term effects from the virus. And finally, he says the campaigns need to prepare for the unknown and negative results.
Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control at the health system, said the health system expects its first shipment of the vaccine this week, and there is a plan for distribution administered by the KDHE. He said there are plenty of sources for the general public to check to see for themselves the safety of the vaccine. He says any side effects will be mild, and include pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache and fever, the same as with a flu shot. He reminded us that the vaccine does not contain a live virus and for now it’s only for adults. He also says you’ll have full immunity after the second dose.
Steve Stites, MD, chief medical officer at the health system, says it will be another four to six months before everyone in the country will be able to get the vaccine. He says you can convince others to wear a mask and get the vaccine by making it personal. Anger doesn’t persuade, he says, it only alienates others. He says the vaccine is the beginning of the end of COVID-19 and it is about hope and science…two great Christmas gifts we all need now.
Tuesday, December 15 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Media Update. Kansas Governor Laura Kelly and Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Dr. Lee Norman join with updates on vaccination and the virus spread. Send questions now to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu and make sure to tune in.
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: PLEASE NOTE NEW PHONE NUMBER
For those without Zoom, call 1-312-626-6799, 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.