The University of Kansas Health System reports lower numbers all around today for COVID-19 patients. 23 are in the hospital, compared to 25 yesterday. Seven of those patients are in the ICU, down from 10 yesterday, with three on ventilators, down from six yesterday.
Pediatrician Stephen Lauer returned to discuss what his parents are saying about their students going back to school and continued concerns around vaccines. Also joining the group was Dr. David Smith, medical director of Youth Sports Medicine. A special guest, Emmy, who’s headed to KU for her freshman year, joined by phone to talk about her experience with COVID-19 this summer. The doctors also showed a new video from KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman’s series called The Faces of COVID, in which he focuses on Shannon and Scott Bruegge. Scott described his harrowing experience and tough recovery from COVID-19 after being hospitalized with the virus on a ventilator.
Emmy, who plans to become a teacher, described her symptoms of the virus. She says, “It wasn’t horrible,” but combined with mono that she’d had earlier this year, it forced her to quarantine for a couple of weeks. Her advice for fellow students who may not be too worried is to take this seriously, wear a mask and keep proper distancing. She says seven months of not being in school have taken a toll, and everyone is eager to get back to school. She’s beginning sorority rush today…all online.
The news that several Johnson County school districts are shifting gears at the last minute and going to online only classes was a big part of the discussion. The decisions came after the Johnson County Health Department advised against in-person classes because of the high number of COVID-19 cases in the community. Dr. Smith said there’s no one solution for each district, and that each must do what’s best for their own students, families and staff. He believes it’s possible to be safe in school with the right infection prevention measures. He says when it comes to youth sports, those schools who are going ahead with them have completely bought into the necessary precautions. He hopes they will be a model for college and pro-level sports.
Dr. Lauer says the absence from school for the past several months has caused a lot of anxiety, depression and even suicide among youth. He’s worried of long-term effects and educational challenges of missing so much school and says some students might be as much as a year behind. He says each family has to make the decision that’s right for them about in-person or online classes. He’s encouraged to see families getting caught up on their back-to-school visits and vaccinations, and says it’s more important this year than ever that both kids and adults get a flu shot.
Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of infection prevention and control at The University of Kansas Health System, described how the health system will be helping oversee the mass testing of everyone returning to the KU campus soon. He thinks with the commitment shown by everyone from Chancellor Doug Girod on down, KU will be able to avoid shifting to all online classes as some universities have already done. He agrees it’s important to get kids back to school and hopes no more schools have to switch to online only classes. He also reminded everyone of the precautions the hospital and medical offices have taken to keep safe and says there has been no transmission of the disease in either one.
Steve Stites, MD, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health System, urged us not to give in to what he calls COWS, or COVID Weary Syndrome. Using a Chiefs Super Bowl metaphor, he says “You don’t need a third and 15 Wasp play,” to beat COVID-19. “What you need is a mask,” and to “play smart.”
Thursday, August 20 at 8:00 a.m. is the next morning media update. Archbishop Joseph Naumann of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas and Bishop Susan Candea of the Central States Synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America offer hope and resiliency for the community during this pandemic.
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.