Eight COVID patients died over the weekend at The University of Kansas Health System. 171 total patients are being cared for today, down from 184 Friday. Other significant numbers:
- 78 with active virus, 95 Friday
- 20 in ICU, 23 Friday
- 11 on ventilators, 14 on Friday
- 93 hospitalized but out of acute infection phase, 89 Friday
Key points from today’s guests:
Dr. Ken Marshall, Emergency Department Physician
- COVID has complicated things for the Emergency Department
- Still have trauma cases, heart attack and strokes, and other life threatening conditions
- Come to the Emergency Department for conditions that threaten life or limb, seek Urgent Care for all else
- Patient’s vaccine status not a factor in determining who gets care
Tiffany Clark, Emergency Department Triage Nurse
- Not all who come to ER understand how triage works, in which the most serious illnesses and injuries needing immediate intervention are seen first.
- Don’t come to the ER seeking COVID testing. You’ll likely be waiting for hours.
- Every effort is made to separate COVID patients from others
- Stressful situations can lead to staff burnout. Please be kind to those doing their best in the ER to care for you.
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control
- Our daily numbers may be trending downward, but we’re still seeing effects of the great number of hospitalizations from the last few weeks.
- The reason more vaccinated patients are hospitalized is they have not had boosters
- So far there is no recommendation for a second booster shot
Tuesday, February 8 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Research is in that shows the risk for myocarditis from COVID is far greater than from the vaccine. Doctors will talk about that and the new guidelines for kids returning to sports after COVID.
ATTENTION: media procedure for joining:
Zoom link: https://kumc-ois.zoom.us/j/7828978628
Telephone Zoom link: 1-312-626-6799, meeting ID: 782 897 8628
TVU Grid link: UoK_Health_SDI
Restream links: Facebook.com/kuhospital
YouTube.com/kuhospital
Send advance questions to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu.
