The University of Kansas Health System is caring for 137 total COVID patients today, up from 134 yesterday. Other significant numbers:
- 57 with active virus, 55 yesterday
- 11 in ICU, same as yesterday
- 6 on ventilators, same as yesterday
- 80 hospitalized but out of acute infection phase, 79 yesterday
Key points from today’s guests:
Dr. Doug Girod, University of Kansas chancellor
- Been successful at keeping campus open and majority of classes in person after shifting to 50-50 in first year of pandemic
- More than 80% of students, faculty and staff vaccinated
- KU basketball fans compliant with mask wearing after chancellor’s ultimatum, one of the only schools in the Big 12 to do so
- Campus community willing to do what they need to do to keep both KU and Lawrence safe
Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer
- Still a fairly high rate of COVID transmission in community
- As masks come off in schools, the decline in numbers will probably flatten out a little
- Proud how KU, The University of Kansas Health System, Lawrence Memorial Hospital and Douglas County collaborated to keep community safe
Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control
- Numbers may be falling, but still at some of the highest levels of the pandemic
- It’s vital to get fully vaccinated and boosted to keep the numbers decreasing
- Consult your doctor if you’re concerned about possible vaccine side effects
Wednesday, February 16 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. COVID denial is still real, especially in smaller communities. We'll take a look at why many are still trailing bigger cities when it comes to fighting 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.
