The University of Kansas Health System is treating a total of 46 COVID patients today, up from 35 Friday. Other significant numbers:

• 36 with the active virus today, 23 Friday
• 4 in ICU, 2 Friday
• 1 on ventilator, 0 Friday
• 10 hospitalized but out of acute infection phase, 12 Friday

Key points from today’s guests:

Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, The University of Kansas Health System

• COVID numbers are back to levels last seen in February and March
• Heat map of country shows more COVID spread across America
• Johnson and Wyandotte Counties now in red zone, suggesting a return to masking in public spaces. If you have any concerns about your own health or being in public, it may be time to start masking up again.
• With less public testing now than during surge, we may be having a much larger spike of new cases than we are able to measure

Dr. Ryan Smith, pediatrician, The University of Kansas Health System

• Children are becoming more and more infected with the latest COVID variant, contracting the perception they are not affected like adults
• Now that kids 5 and under are eligible, the recommendation is they get vaccinated for COVID as soon as possible, along with all of the standard childhood vaccinations
• Children who get vaccinated must wait 15 minutes afterwards to monitor for any severe, but rare, allergic reactions
• Parents need to be reassured that the vaccine has been fully tested and is safe for their children

Dr. Danielle Johnson, clinical psychologist, The University of Kansas Health System

• Brought her three children, Isabella 9 and Ian 7 for their booster shots and younger sister Sophia who is 5 for her first shot today live on the program
• As both a parent and a doctor, she had her children vaccinated as soon as it was available because she trusts the science and is confident it is safe
• Explained to her children that this is no different from wearing their seatbelts in the car, and that it is one more measure to keep them safe
• Discovered that many pediatricians’ offices are running out of vaccine almost as soon as they get new supplies, which she says is a good sign that the demand is there for the shots

Wednesday, July 20 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Open Mics With Dr. Stites. High school students are getting a wonderful opportunity to try out different medical careers in the hospital. We’ll hear what they’re learning, including the one time they all got to hold a real human brain!

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.