The number of COVID-19 patients The University of Kansas Health System is holding steady today. 22 people with the active virus are being treated, down from 23 yesterday. Of those patients, eight are in the ICU, down from 11 yesterday. Three of those patients are on ventilators, the same as yesterday. 12 other patients are still hospitalized because of COVID-19 but are out of the acute infection phase, up from 11 yesterday. That’s a total of 34 patients, the same as yesterday. HaysMed has one active and one recovering patient, the same as yesterday.
On today’s Morning Media Update, KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman, Vice Chair of clinical and translational research at KUMC Dr. Mario Castro and Research Director of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at Children's Mercy Dr. Barbara Pahud joined to answer more vaccine questions, especially about the Pfizer vaccine, just approved for 12-15- year-olds.
Dr. Norman reported there’s been an uptick in Kansas nursing homes of new COVID-19 cases, not among the residents but of unvaccinated staff members. He also says wastewater testing continues to show an increase in the variants throughout the state. He advises that Kansas is ready to start vaccinating those younger patients starting today with weeks of inventory available and says they have even had to return some due to lack of demand. The state has given 2.17 million doses so far, but he’s seen a decline in younger people 20-45 wanting the vaccine. He described mobile units visiting places like schools and parks to offer the vaccines. He says it will be vital to get the vaccine to doctor’s offices, but so far the extreme cold storage requirement has been an obstacle. He thinks smaller vials and single dose syringes will make a difference. He believes getting the younger kids vaccinated this summer, along with their regular school shots, will be the key to having a normal school year with everyone back in classrooms. He also says those parents around the state who are suing their school districts over mask wearing requirements are “pretty ill founded.” He says there are 160,000 children in Kansas 12 to 15 who can now get the vaccine but adds his department doesn’t care what state a person is from in order to get the first or second shot.
Dr. Pahud says it’s not necessary for parents to stagger their children’s vaccinations and it’s perfectly okay to get the Pfizer shot at the same time as other back-to-school vaccines. She also says research and trials are going on right now into extending the vaccine age all the way down to two-year-olds and thinks we may see that happen by this fall. She has “zero concerns” with giving the vaccine to 12 to 15-year-olds, even though it’s under emergency use authorization, because one billion doses have now been given around the world and the data proves it’s safe. She’s very excited, as are many pediatricians across the country, to have the luxury of this vaccine for our children, especially when many countries don’t even have enough for adults.
Dr. Castro says we expect to hear soon from the National Institutes of Health the consequences of having a natural COVID-19 infection, which are huge. It’s contributed to many patients with long-term impacts on their brain, heart and lungs. He’s overseeing several clinical trials at the KU Medical Center for treating COVID-19 patients not sick enough to go to the hospital. He suggests calling Christina Pantalunan at 913-588-3851 to see if you qualify for any of those trials. He’s also been helping reach out to Hispanic communities, both here and in other countries, with information to help the vaccine hesitant. He pointed out that in the clinical trials of the Pfizer vaccine among 12 to15- year-olds, there were no cases of COVID-19. He says the vaccine is the way to get back to normal for those kids.
Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control at The University of Kansas Health System, said his two kids, 12 and 14, will be getting the Pfizer vaccine. He points out that the vaccine provides much better immunity than a natural COVID-19 infection and without the risks from the virus. He’s excited the vaccine is now available for younger people and strongly urges parents to get it done as soon as possible to keep their whole families and their communities safe.
Steve Stites, MD, chief medical officer at The University of Kansas Health System, believes we will have fully approved vaccines in the near future, but says there’s no reason to wait until then to get vaccinated against COVID-19. He says we’ve never had a vaccine that’s been so widely given and proven as safe while still under emergency use authorization. He says, “Please don’t wait. Please don’t hesitate to get vaccinated before it’s too late.”
Friday, May 14 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Media Update. It’s follow up Friday and joining us to help answer community and media questions is Amanda Cackler, director of quality and safety.
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
Telephone dial-in Participants: For those without Zoom, call 1-312-626-6799, meeting ID: 782 897 8628.
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.