The University of Kansas Health System reports 118 COVID patients with the active virus today, down from 124 yesterday. 21 of those patients are in the ICU, down from 24 yesterday. 15 are on ventilators, down from 18 yesterday. 78 other patients are still hospitalized because of COVID but are out of the acute infection phase, up from 75 yesterday. That’s a total of 196 patients, compared to 199 yesterday.
Both Johnson and Wyandotte Counties are reporting record numbers of COVID cases. Today’s Morning Medical Update guests included Dr. Allen Greiner, Medical Officer for the Unified Government Public Health Department and Johnson County Public Health Officer Dr. Joseph LeMaster. They joined Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control to discuss the high COVID positivity rate in Johnson County and the low vaccination rate in Wyandotte County.
Here are the key points from each of today’s speakers:
Dr. Greiner
- Daily average number of COVID cases in Wyandotte County highest of the pandemic
- So many cases they can’t keep up with contact tracing
- Testing positivity rate 33% and 60-70% among those who have never had COVID before
- Vaccination rate very low. 58% with first dose, 49% with full dose and 16% with booster
- Mask mandates in counties need societal buy-in, similar to the way people agree to stop at a red light
- Must balance individual freedoms with what’s good for the collective
Dr. LeMaster
- Record number of cases in Johnson County, though wastewater testing starting to show decreases
- Way behind where we need to be with vaccinations in all age groups
- Starting to see staff come back from COVID absences
- Advises vaccine hesitant that 1-2 days of possible reaction is far better than six days in the hospital
- “Extremely good,” that three Johnson County cities have mask mandates and hopes others will follow
- How hospitals handle surge in the next few weeks will be key
Dr. Hawkinson
- Now is the time for a booster
- There is no need to test negative after testing positive
- Public health officials have a tough job and need our support
Friday, January 21 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. We take you to the morgue and the ICU to see the impact of this surge, plus we’ll update the CDC guidelines around masks and vaccinations. Guests are Amanda Cackler and Dr. Tim Williamson.
NOTE: Journalists should rejoin the Morning Medical Update at 8am as doctors are growing too busy again for individual interview requests. Please bring questions or send to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu until further notice. Thanks for all you do and helping to keep the community safe with your reporting.
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 1-312-626-6799, meeting ID: 782 897 8628.
The feed is also available via TVU grid. The TVU source is UoK_Health_SDI and is being made available to all with TVU service.
Feel free to send questions in advance to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu.
