Morning Medical Update Monday 7-12-21

The number of COVID-19 patients at The University of Kansas Health System continues to rise today. 26 patients with the active virus are being treated, up from 20 on Friday. Nine of those patients are in the ICU, up from six Friday, with two of those patients on ventilators, up from one Friday. 13 other patients are still hospitalized because of COVID-19 but are out of the acute infection phase, down from 15 Friday. That’s a total of 39 patients, up from 35 on Friday. Doctors noted 32 of those hospitalized patients have not been vaccinated. HaysMed has zero patients today, down from two Friday.

On today’s Morning Medical Update, Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control at The University of Kansas Health System and Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer at the health system, teamed up to answer community and media questions.

Before getting into today’s questions, Dr. Stites showed pictures from his Colorado fishing trip. He noted that when he visited the state back in April it seemed everyone was wearing a mask. Now, he says, nobody is wearing one. He thinks we’re seeing the effects of loosened mask restrictions and lack of vaccinations.

Here are the media and community questions in the order the panel addressed them, followed by the short answer. Time code for the question is in parentheses. See the video for their full answers and comments.

(5:00) The city of Independence is now requesting, not requiring, people wear masks indoors, regardless of whether they’ve been vaccinated. Do you see any benefits, and do you think other cities will follow? We have to be very thoughtful about this because we’re seeing a significant rise in hospitalized patients. The large number of people unvaccinated and those wanting to get “back to normal,” especially inside, could make this necessary. Places like Springfield need to resume mask mandates.
(11:50) The flu and RSV were virtually non-existent last winter. Are you seeing an uptick in cases now that masking is no longer required? Yes, there has been an uptick in RSV cases, which typically affects children.
(13:00) The CDC and FDA said Americans who are fully vaccinated don’t need a booster shot right now. Pfizer says boosters will be needed within 12 months. Is it too soon to recommend booster shots? Yes, it’s too soon. However, if you’re immunocompromised you may need a booster soon. Pfizer needs to show its data to the government as soon as possible.
(18:30) Compared to Southwest Missouri, many areas around us have only slightly higher vaccination rates, but nowhere near as many cases. Why is that? The delta variant, which spreads easier, is the dominant strain in Southwest Missouri, plus there’s much more tourism in that area. Also, much of that population is older and poorer without as much access to healthcare.
(20:25) Does the vaccine protect you from getting infected at all, or does it simply prevent symptomatic infection? It prevents the wide spectrum of the disease, particularly the kind that requires you to seek medical attention.
(21:35) Colorado made the top five list of states for COVID-19 deaths. Did Dr. Stites feel safe and how can people find the vaccination rates for places they want to visit? He felt safe, mostly because they were outdoors, and because his whole family is fully vaccinated. Many web sites, including the New York Times, update those rates daily and give free access to that information.
(23:35) The CDC updated guidelines for students returning to class in the fall saying that if students are fully vaccinated, they should have the option to not wear masks. Is that good guidance when this is all on the honor system? Yes, it is on the honor system, but the same advice for the whole public is true for schools. Those who are vaccinated do not need to wear a mask. But unfortunately, not everyone follows that.
(26:25) Why did the Department of Health and Human Services rebuke Pfizer for seeking FDA approval for its booster shot? Wouldn't a booster shot offer more protection? It wasn’t a rebuke as much as a criticism that Pfizer is talking about it publicly before sharing the data they say makes them nervous that a third booster will be needed soon.
(28:40) Many people are reporting the symptoms for the delta variant are different and mimic RSV. What is RSV? I always thought it was a children's disease. There is no published literature showing the symptoms mimic RSV. It is typically a children’s disease, with sneezing, coughing, wheezing and sore throat.
(31:20) What do you think of the research out of Scotland suggesting your risk of hospitalization with COVID-19 from the delta variant is twice the risk from the alpha variant? Why is that? The study showed that delta is more transmissible and those hospitalized patients who died were not vaccinated.
(32:55) The delta variant hit stateside in March. Should we expect the new lambda variant, which is confirmed in Canada, to spread the same as delta and be a big concern here by the holidays? Ito does not appear the lambda variant will be as big a problem as the delta variant.
(34:10) Is the Pfizer booster just for the variants or does it also protect against the alpha variant? If you get a booster, it will most likely be reconfigured to fight both variants.
(36:25) If a person is tested for COVID-19, does the test cover the delta variant? Our tests at the health system diagnose the variants.
(37:00) If we go back to masking, will it make the unvaccinated feel like there’s no point to getting the vaccine since they still have to wear a mask? You and those around you will be a whole lot safer with a mask and a vaccination. Many sick Springfield patients now wish they would have been vaccinated. Those resisting will always create their own narrative to support their opinion.
(39:00) How do you measure degrees of being immunocompromised? Much of it depends on the disease you have and the amount of medication you’re taking. Transplant and cancer patients have higher degrees of being immunocompromised.
(42:15) I have children and grandchildren who have horrible, horrible colds. Should they get tested for COVID-19? Yes!
(44:50) I’m over 60 and have not had my shingles shot yet. I had my last COVID-19 shot in March. I don’t want to overwhelm my immune system. Is it safe to get that shot now? Yes, it’s safe and your immune system will not be overwhelmed. Many vaccines, such as for measles, mumps and rubella, are given at the same time.

Tuesday, July 13 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. The Kansas City Pink Warriors are back in the water and ready to compete. The pandemic has been hard on this group who knows all too well about overcoming medical challenges. They have some great personal insights about surviving cancer and COVID.

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

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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.

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(5:00) The city of Independence is now requesting, not requiring, people wear masks indoors, regardless of whether they’ve been vaccinated. Do you see any benefits, and do you think other cities will follow? We have to be very thoughtful about this because we’re seeing a significant rise in hospitalized patients. The large number of people unvaccinated and those wanting to get “back to normal,” especially inside, could make this necessary. Places like Springfield need to resume mask mandates.
(11:50) The flu and RSV were virtually non-existent last winter. Are you seeing an uptick in cases now that masking is no longer required? Yes, there has been an uptick in RSV cases, which typically affects children.
(13:00) The CDC and FDA said Americans who are fully vaccinated don’t need a booster shot right now. Pfizer says boosters will be needed within 12 months. Is it too soon to recommend booster shots? Yes, it’s too soon. However, if you’re immunocompromised you may need a booster soon. Pfizer needs to show its data to the government as soon as possible.
(18:30) Compared to Southwest Missouri, many areas around us have only slightly higher vaccination rates, but nowhere near as many cases. Why is that? The delta variant, which spreads easier, is the dominant strain in Southwest Missouri, plus there’s much more tourism in that area. Also, much of that population is older and poorer without as much access to healthcare.
(20:25) Does the vaccine protect you from getting infected at all, or does it simply prevent symptomatic infection? It prevents the wide spectrum of the disease, particularly the kind that requires you to seek medical attention.
(21:35) Colorado made the top five list of states for COVID-19 deaths. Did Dr. Stites feel safe and how can people find the vaccination rates for places they want to visit? He felt safe, mostly because they were outdoors, and because his whole family is fully vaccinated. Many web sites, including the New York Times, update those rates daily and give free access to that information.
(23:35) The CDC updated guidelines for students returning to class in the fall saying that if students are fully vaccinated, they should have the option to not wear masks. Is that good guidance when this is all on the honor system? Yes, it is on the honor system, but the same advice for the whole public is true for schools. Those who are vaccinated do not need to wear a mask. But unfortunately, not everyone follows that.
(26:25) Why did the Department of Health and Human Services rebuke Pfizer for seeking FDA approval for its booster shot? Wouldn't a booster shot offer more protection? It wasn’t a rebuke as much as a criticism that Pfizer is talking about it publicly before sharing the data they say makes them nervous that a third booster will be needed soon.
(28:40) Many people are reporting the symptoms for the delta variant are different and mimic RSV. What is RSV? I always thought it was a children's disease. There is no published literature showing the symptoms mimic RSV. It is typically a children’s disease, with sneezing, coughing, wheezing and sore throat.
(31:20) What do you think of the research out of Scotland suggesting your risk of hospitalization with COVID-19 from the delta variant is twice the risk from the alpha variant? Why is that? The study showed that delta is more transmissible and those hospitalized patients who died were not vaccinated.
(32:55) The delta variant hit stateside in March. Should we expect the new lambda variant, which is confirmed in Canada, to spread the same as delta and be a big concern here by the holidays? Ito does not appear the lambda variant will be as big a problem as the delta variant.
(34:10) Is the Pfizer booster just for the variants or does it also protect against the alpha variant? If you get a booster, it will most likely be reconfigured to fight both variants.
(36:25) If a person is tested for COVID-19, does the test cover the delta variant? Our tests at the health system diagnose the variants.
(37:00) If we go back to masking, will it make the unvaccinated feel like there’s no point to getting the vaccine since they still have to wear a mask? You and those around you will be a whole lot safer with a mask and a vaccination. Many sick Springfield patients now wish they would have been vaccinated. Those resisting will always create their own narrative to support their opinion.
(39:00) How do you measure degrees of being immunocompromised? Much of it depends on the disease you have and the amount of medication you’re taking. Transplant and cancer patients have higher degrees of being immunocompromised.
(42:15) I have children and grandchildren who have horrible, horrible colds. Should they get tested for COVID-19? Yes!
(44:50) I’m over 60 and have not had my shingles shot yet. I had my last COVID-19 shot in March. I don’t want to overwhelm my immune system. Is it safe to get that shot now? Yes, it’s safe and your immune system will not be overwhelmed. Many vaccines, such as for measles, mumps and rubella, are given at the same time.