The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 42 COVID patients today, down from 46 yesterday. Other significant numbers:
- 19 with the active virus today, down from 20 yesterday
- 2 in ICU, down from 5 yesterday
- 2 on a ventilator, 1 yesterday
- 23 hospitalized but out of acute infection phase, down from 26 yesterday
Key points from today’s guests:
Rear Admiral Dr. Michael Iademarco, Assistant Surgeon General of the United States
- The driving force of long COVID research is patients – long COVID is real. It can be hard to recognize.
- Services need to be provided at federal, state, local and non-government entities to help.
- There is and will continue to be a significant added burden to our health system and we need to address the increase in resources needed – it’s not just one disease, it’s a myriad of conditions.
- There could be up to 40 different conditions of long COVID, and they often share symptoms among conditions and with other health conditions. It’s important to understand the basic causes of long COVID.
- The best way to battle long COVID is prevention. Vaccines are impactful not just for the individual, but also for the community.
- In thinking about the treatments for long COVID, I first think about preventing it, diagnosing it, and then thinking about all those conditions, which is it and what do we know from pre-existing medicine, and what we're learning currently about long COVID to customize an approach for an individual patient.
Catherine Satterwhite, Ph.D., Region 7 administrator, Health and Human Services
- We want to encourage people who are local to our four states here in Region 7, to help out in participating in our long COVID research. There are ways to figure out how you can access some of these studies to see if you're eligible. Each study has a unique protocol.
- We are trying to capture a lot of information from these studies, and we are looking at the data as we go so we can learn and adapt quickly.
- We continue to be focused on prevention.
- Common barriers to prevention of COVID is vaccine hesitancy – only 4 percent in our region has received the latest shot that protects against two different variant classes.
- Pay attention to reminders to stay home when you are sick and to wear masks if you are at risk.
Thursday, November 3 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update. Florist Bob Trapp knows the pain and suffering of varicose veins. He spends hours on his feet every day enduring the discomfort. But one day one of those veins ruptured in the shower. Bob and his doctors will join us to share the best time and treatment for varicose veins.
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