A slight drop in the number of active COVID-19 patients being treated at The University of Kansas Health System today. 89 people with the active virus are hospitalized, down from 94 yesterday. 47 patients are in the ICU, down from 52 yesterday. 26 of those ICU patients are on ventilators today, up from 25 yesterday. 64 other patients are still hospitalized because of COVID-19 but are out of the acute infection phase, up from 62 yesterday. That’s a total of 153 patients, down from 156 yesterday. In addition, HaysMed has a total of 33 COVID-19 inpatients, up from 28 yesterday, with 29 of those active patients and 4 in the recovery phase.
Doctors noted a high proportion of those in the ICU, more than half, are on ventilators. To date, the hospital in KCK has had 115 deaths out of just over 1500 admitted.
Joining the Morning Media Update today, the regional health administrator for the U.S. Department of health and Human Services Dr. Catherine Satterwhite, her husband and critical care physician Lewis Satterwhite and psychologist Dr. Danielle Johnson. They shared what they know about vaccine distribution, how medical staff on the ICU COVID-19 floors feel about a vaccine and what needs to happen and be said to get those most hurt by COVID-19 access to the vaccination.
Dr. Catherine Satterwhite discussed the vaccine’s availability and said new batches will be available every week. She said state health departments are working on a communication plan to let people know when it’s their turn to get the vaccine. She also said there are steps in place to make sure there is enough vaccine available to cover the two doses each person will need. She added when it comes to liability, there is protection in place to cover those who make the vaccine and those who receive it. She advises us all to keep up the fight by observing the pillars of infection prevention and that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Dr. Lewis Satterwhite explained how the health system went from zero COVID-19 ICU’s to the 5 that are in place today. He says the last few weeks have been difficult with more patient deaths and a lot more extra shifts and overtime for all medical staff. He discussed the age range of the patients and said the majority, but not all, have co-morbidities and most are in their 60’s and 70’s. He says the talk of vaccine is a whole lot better than talk of opening up another ICU.
Dr. Danielle Johnson believes it will be a challenge to overcome doubt among some people about getting the vaccination, especially from those most at risk. She says the way to be reassured that it’s safe is to listen to trusted physicians and trusted news sources, and for the medical community to be honest about possible side effects and to acknowledge the past in which some populations were used for experimental research without their knowledge. She stressed we must have no mass gatherings until it’s safe sometime next year. She says everyone needs support right now, both the public and caregivers, and there’s still a long fight ahead.
Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control at the health system, discussed reports of severe allergic reactions by two recipients of the Pfizer vaccine in the UK. He says for most people, any side effects will be mild, such as soreness at the injection site and the data shows the vaccine is very safe. He added that right now, there is widespread community transmission, mostly coming from small family gatherings. He stressed that it’s vital to get the second shot to make sure you have full protection.
Steve Stites, MD, chief medical officer at the health system, says the ICU’s are bracing for a post-Thanksgiving surge, but right now, “We’re coping with where we are.” He says even though it appears more people in the Metro area are wearing masks, it’s not good news that the death curve is accelerating. He warned us all to be very careful about social media rumors, which are mostly unsubstantiated. He advised us to think about the new era of COVID-19 as a scale. On one side of the scale are questions about vaccine safety. On the other side is COVID-19. He asks whether the risk lies with COVID-19 or the vaccine that’s 95 percent effective, which is how we wiped out polio and smallpox with very few risks. He says hope lies on the side of vaccines, distancing, masking and doing the things we know can keep us safe and get us back to normal.
Thursday, December 9 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Media Update. U.S. Senator Jerry Moran joins from Washington, D.C. to talk about the vaccine and answer questions. Send any questions you have for the Senator now to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu and we will get the list going.
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.