Total COVID patient numbers are trending higher at The University of Kansas Health System, 207 today, 200 yesterday
- 109 with active virus, 100 yesterday
- 28 in ICU, 20 yesterday
- 16 on ventilators, 11 yesterday
- 98 hospitalized but out of acute infection phase, 100 yesterday
Key points from today’s guests:
Kelli Kidd, husband died from COVID
- Kelli and husband Rob caught disease before vaccines were available in late 2020
- She survived, he did not. Died January 2, 2021
- Kelli was able to get vaccinated two days later
- She made a public service announcement to help save lives
Jamie Copaken, Turning Point counselor
- Seeing much higher level of anxiety in patients during COVID
- We expect things in life to go a certain way, and when they don’t, the process of change and getting used to it is grief.
- It’s necessary to deal with grief. Can’t “stuff it” in for a long time.
- When helping kids deal with grief, talk with them at a level they can understand. Ask if they have questions.
- There’s no right or wrong way to grieve. Seek help from family, friends, clergy, or therapist
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control
- Good news that Pfizer may soon seek EUA for vaccine for young kids.
- New variants of coronavirus will always come, just like different strains of the flu. We will learn to adapt and things will get better
- Getting vaccine helps you and others. Keeps you from serious illness and keeps you from spreading the virus
Wednesday, February 2 at 8:00 a.m. we will present another special live news and community briefing with 17 chief medical officers from the metro and across the state. Since last week when we were together, Although cases and hospitalizations are showing slight decreases in the Metro region, they remain higher than any previous wave in the pandemic, putting the entire healthcare system under great stress.
ATTENTION: media procedure for joining:
PLEASE NOTE SPECIAL ZOOM AND TELEPHONE LINKS FOR THIS CONFERENCE ONLY
Zoom link: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87267028258
Telephone Zoom link: 1-312-626-6799, meeting ID: 872 6702 8258
TVU Grid link: UoK_Health_SDI
Restream links: Facebook.com/kuhospital
YouTube.com/kuhospital
Send advance questions to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu.
