WASHINGTON (AP) —COVID-19 vaccines finally are headed for more kids as U.S. regulators on Monday expanded use of Pfizer’s shot to those as young as 12, sparking a race to protect middle and high school students before they head back to class in the fall.

Shots could begin as soon as a federal vaccine advisory committee issues recommendations for using the two-dose vaccine in 12- to 15-year-olds, expected Wednesday.

Vaccinating children of all ages will be critical to a return to normalcy. Most COVID-19 vaccines rolling out worldwide have been authorized for adults. Pfizer’s vaccine is being used in multiple countries for teens as young as 16, and Canada recently became the first to expand use to 12 and up. Parents, school administrators and public health officials elsewhere are anxiously awaiting the shot to become available to more kids.

“This is a watershed moment in our ability to fight back the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Bill Gruber, a Pfizer senior vice president who’s also a pediatrician, told The Associated Press.

The Food and Drug Administration declared the Pfizer vaccine is safe and offers strong protection for younger teens based on testing of more than 2,000 U.S. volunteers ages 12 to 15. The study found no cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated adolescents compared to 18 among kids given dummy shots. More intriguing, researchers found the kids developed higher levels of virus-fighting antibodies than earlier studies measured in young adults.

The younger teens received the same vaccine dosage as adults and had the same side effects, mostly sore arms and flu-like fever, chills or aches that signal a revved-up immune system, especially after the second dose.

Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech recently requested similar authorization in the European Union, with other countries to follow.

The latest news is welcome for U.S. families struggling to decide what activities are safe to resume when only the youngest family members remain unvaccinated.

“I can’t feel totally comfortable because my boys aren’t vaccinated,” said Carrie Vittitoe, a substitute teacher and freelance writer in Louisville, Kentucky, who is fully vaccinated as are her husband and 17-year-old daughter.

The FDA decision means her 13-year-old son soon could be eligible, leaving only her 11-year-old son who would be unvaccinated. The family hasn’t yet resumed going to church, and summer vacation will be a road trip so they don’t have to get on a plane.

“We can’t really go back to normal because two-fifths of our family don’t have protection,” Vittitoe said.

Pfizer isn’t the only company seeking to lower the age limit for its vaccine. Moderna recently said preliminary results from its study in 12- to 17-year-olds show strong protection and no serious side effects. Another U.S. company, Novavax, has a COVID-19 vaccine in late-stage development and just began a study in 12- to 17-year-olds as well.

Next up is testing whether the vaccine works for even younger children. Both Pfizer and Moderna have begun U.S. studies in children ages 6 months to 11 years. Those studies explore whether babies, preschoolers and elementary-age kids will need different doses than teens and adults. Gruber said Pfizer expects its first results sometime in the fall.

Outside of the U.S., AstraZeneca is studying its vaccine among 6- to 17-year-olds in Britain. And in China, Sinovac recently announced it has submitted preliminary data to Chinese regulators showing its vaccine is safe in children as young as 3.

Children are far less likely than adults to get seriously ill from COVID-19 yet they still have been hard-hit by the pandemic. They represent nearly 14% of the nation’s coronavirus cases. At least 296 have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. alone and more than 15,000 have been hospitalized, according to a tally by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

That’s not counting the toll of family members becoming ill or dying -- or the disruption to school, sports and other activities so crucial to children’s overall well-being.

“Children right now are struggling,” Gruber said. Plus, “we need as many people in the country who have the potential to transmit the virus to be protected.”

Experts say children must get the shots if the country is to vaccinate the 70% to 85% of the population necessary to reach what’s called herd immunity.

In the meantime, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says unvaccinated people -- including children -- should continue taking precautions such as wearing masks indoors and keeping their distance from other unvaccinated people outside of their households.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608677701818.png" alt="A worker at Truman Medical Center in Kansas City prepares doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine against the virus that causes COVID-19 -Photo courtesy Truman Medical Center" />
 <figcaption>A worker at Truman Medical Center in Kansas City prepares doses of Pfizer-BioNTech's vaccine against the virus that causes COVID-19 -Photo courtesy Truman Medical Center</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) —COVID-19 vaccines finally are headed for more kids as U.S. regulators on Monday expanded use of Pfizer’s shot to those as young as 12, sparking a race to protect middle and high school students before they head back to class in the fall.Shots could begin as soon as a federal vaccine advisory committee issues recommendations for using the two-dose vaccine in 12- to 15-year-olds, expected Wednesday.Vaccinating children of all ages will be critical to a return to normalcy. Most COVID-19 vaccines rolling out worldwide have been authorized for adults. Pfizer’s vaccine is being used in multiple countries for teens as young as 16, and Canada recently became the first to expand use to 12 and up. Parents, school administrators and public health officials elsewhere are anxiously awaiting the shot to become available to more kids.“This is a watershed moment in our ability to fight back the COVID-19 pandemic,” Dr. Bill Gruber, a Pfizer senior vice president who’s also a pediatrician, told The Associated Press.The Food and Drug Administration declared the Pfizer vaccine is safe and offers strong protection for younger teens based on testing of more than 2,000 U.S. volunteers ages 12 to 15. The study found no cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated adolescents compared to 18 among kids given dummy shots. More intriguing, researchers found the kids developed higher levels of virus-fighting antibodies than earlier studies measured in young adults.The younger teens received the same vaccine dosage as adults and had the same side effects, mostly sore arms and flu-like fever, chills or aches that signal a revved-up immune system, especially after the second dose.Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech recently requested similar authorization in the European Union, with other countries to follow.The latest news is welcome for U.S. families struggling to decide what activities are safe to resume when only the youngest family members remain unvaccinated.“I can’t feel totally comfortable because my boys aren’t vaccinated,” said Carrie Vittitoe, a substitute teacher and freelance writer in Louisville, Kentucky, who is fully vaccinated as are her husband and 17-year-old daughter.The FDA decision means her 13-year-old son soon could be eligible, leaving only her 11-year-old son who would be unvaccinated. The family hasn’t yet resumed going to church, and summer vacation will be a road trip so they don’t have to get on a plane.“We can’t really go back to normal because two-fifths of our family don’t have protection,” Vittitoe said.Pfizer isn’t the only company seeking to lower the age limit for its vaccine. Moderna recently said preliminary results from its study in 12- to 17-year-olds show strong protection and no serious side effects. Another U.S. company, Novavax, has a COVID-19 vaccine in late-stage development and just began a study in 12- to 17-year-olds as well.Next up is testing whether the vaccine works for even younger children. Both Pfizer and Moderna have begun U.S. studies in children ages 6 months to 11 years. Those studies explore whether babies, preschoolers and elementary-age kids will need different doses than teens and adults. Gruber said Pfizer expects its first results sometime in the fall.Outside of the U.S., AstraZeneca is studying its vaccine among 6- to 17-year-olds in Britain. And in China, Sinovac recently announced it has submitted preliminary data to Chinese regulators showing its vaccine is safe in children as young as 3.Children are far less likely than adults to get seriously ill from COVID-19 yet they still have been hard-hit by the pandemic. They represent nearly 14% of the nation’s coronavirus cases. At least 296 have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. alone and more than 15,000 have been hospitalized, according to a tally by the American Academy of Pediatrics.That’s not counting the toll of family members becoming ill or dying -- or the disruption to school, sports and other activities so crucial to children’s overall well-being.“Children right now are struggling,” Gruber said. Plus, “we need as many people in the country who have the potential to transmit the virus to be protected.”Experts say children must get the shots if the country is to vaccinate the 70% to 85% of the population necessary to reach what’s called herd immunity.In the meantime, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says unvaccinated people -- including children -- should continue taking precautions such as wearing masks indoors and keeping their distance from other unvaccinated people outside of their households.___

US children age 12-15 can now get Pfizer COVID shot 


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The death count attributed to COVID-19 in Reno County reached 140, so Hutch Post asked Reno County data analyst D.J. Gering to go back and let us know when each ten deaths were recorded by the county.

Those numbers are based on the reported date to the county rather than the official date of death.&nbsp; 

"For date of death numbers I cannot give the specific dates because it would risk identifying those persons if someone were to look up obituaries," Gering said in an email to Hutch Post. "We have to go off the date reported to the health department."

Because each month has multiple deaths, Gering was able to give us the deaths by month using the date of death measure:

There is not a specific graph for deaths on the dashboard due to the desire not to inadvertently identify individuals.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612786086400.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The death count attributed to COVID-19 in Reno County reached 140, so Hutch Post asked Reno County data analyst D.J. Gering to go back and let us know when each ten deaths were recorded by the county.10: October 17, 202020: November 8, 202030: November 14, 202040: November 20, 202050: December 1, 202060: December 7, 202070: December 11, 202080: December 15, 202090: December 23, 2020100: December 29, 2020110:&nbsp; January 12, 2021120: February 2, 2021130: February 8, 2021140: April 30, 2021Those numbers are based on the reported date to the county rather than the official date of death.&nbsp; "For date of death numbers I cannot give the specific dates because it would risk identifying those persons if someone were to look up obituaries," Gering said in an email to Hutch Post. "We have to go off the date reported to the health department."Because each month has multiple deaths, Gering was able to give us the deaths by month using the date of death measure:2020July: 1August: 1September: 4October: 15November: 39December: 512021January: 18February: 7March: 2April: 2There is not a specific graph for deaths on the dashboard due to the desire not to inadvertently identify individuals.

Look back at COVID-19 death count reveals slowdown in recent months


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
KDHE's mobile lab is back Monday, May 3 behind Planet Fitness at 401 E 4th Ave. You can stop by for a FREE COVID test, Hepatitis A vaccine, or Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID vaccine. This is their last scheduled visit.

The lab was originally deployed to Hutchinson due to the recent upswing in Hepatitis A cases in Reno County. 

Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable liver infection caused by the hepatitis A Virus (HAV). The hepatitis A virus is found in fecal matter and blood of those infected. The virus is usually spread through close personal contact with an infected person or through eating contaminated food or drink. Common symptoms of the disease include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, and fever. The best way to prevent hepatitis A is to be vaccinated with the full, two-dose series.

The mobile lab is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1614618511328.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
KDHE's mobile lab is back Monday, May 3 behind Planet Fitness at 401 E 4th Ave. You can stop by for a FREE COVID test, Hepatitis A vaccine, or Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID vaccine. This is their last scheduled visit.The lab was originally deployed to Hutchinson due to the recent upswing in Hepatitis A cases in Reno County. Hepatitis A is a vaccine-preventable liver infection caused by the hepatitis A Virus (HAV). The hepatitis A virus is found in fecal matter and blood of those infected. The virus is usually spread through close personal contact with an infected person or through eating contaminated food or drink. Common symptoms of the disease include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), dark urine, stomach pain, nausea and vomiting, and fever. The best way to prevent hepatitis A is to be vaccinated with the full, two-dose series.The mobile lab is open from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Final scheduled day for KDHE mobile lab in Hutchinson Monday


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
A risk-benefit analysis that guided nationwide recommendations regarding the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine doses starting up again suggested that it is much safer for women of childbearing age to get that vaccine than to not be vaccinated at all.

"If you have been vaccinated, you're saving over 297 COVID-19 related hospitalizations, 56 ICU admissions and 6 deaths would be prevented," said Karen Hammersmith with the Reno County Health Department. "That's why it's extremely important to get vaccinated."

Many of those most at risk have been vaccinated, but even more people need to roll up their sleeves.

"We need to protect everybody by getting more adults vaccinated," Hammersmith said. "I can look at that in a positive light. We have over 41% of the adult population that are eligible to be, vaccinated."

Will the COVID-19 vaccine be a one-time thing, or a yearly shot like the flu shot? It's too early to tell.

"We don't know yet," Hammersmith said. "The vaccine's been out, now, close to six months. They've been doing studies on that, but the medical side of things started getting vaccinated in late, late December and early January. By June they're going to decide, do we need a booster dose, that we're considered that you wouldn't have to quarantine, but then you're going to move forward from that."

Anecdotally, Hammersmith said that for those who use a two-shot series like the Moderna, if they've had the virus, typically there is an immune response to the first shot. If they haven't been exposed, then the larger response is to the second dose.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1604716965620.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
A risk-benefit analysis that guided nationwide recommendations regarding the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine doses starting up again suggested that it is much safer for women of childbearing age to get that vaccine than to not be vaccinated at all."If you have been vaccinated, you're saving over 297 COVID-19 related hospitalizations, 56 ICU admissions and 6 deaths would be prevented," said Karen Hammersmith with the Reno County Health Department. "That's why it's extremely important to get vaccinated."Many of those most at risk have been vaccinated, but even more people need to roll up their sleeves."We need to protect everybody by getting more adults vaccinated," Hammersmith said. "I can look at that in a positive light. We have over 41% of the adult population that are eligible to be, vaccinated."Will the COVID-19 vaccine be a one-time thing, or a yearly shot like the flu shot? It's too early to tell."We don't know yet," Hammersmith said. "The vaccine's been out, now, close to six months. They've been doing studies on that, but the medical side of things started getting vaccinated in late, late December and early January. By June they're going to decide, do we need a booster dose, that we're considered that you wouldn't have to quarantine, but then you're going to move forward from that."Anecdotally, Hammersmith said that for those who use a two-shot series like the Moderna, if they've had the virus, typically there is an immune response to the first shot. If they haven't been exposed, then the larger response is to the second dose.

Hammersmith: Vaccination still 'extremely important'


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County schools remain in the yellow for next week. The case count and positive test rate numbers improved somewhat over last week.

According to the county's dashboard, the 14-day positive test rate is at 11.7% as of April 26, with 62 new cases in the past 14 days.

The case count numbers are slightly up from a week ago, with 39 active cases as of Thursday. 7,874 people have had the virus, with 7,696 recoveries.

The Reno County vaccination numbers have been updated for the week, as well. As of Wednesday, 21,803 Reno County residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. That's 34.92% of residents.

The county has had 139 deaths attributed to the virus. One of those has occurred in the last 30 days. Three people are in the hospital.

The health department is taking walk-ins for the Moderna vaccine for those 18 and older, or you can find the other types of vaccine at <a href="https://vaccinefinder.org/search/">vaccinefinder.org</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612955384439.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County schools remain in the yellow for next week. The case count and positive test rate numbers improved somewhat over last week.According to the county's dashboard, the 14-day positive test rate is at 11.7% as of April 26, with 62 new cases in the past 14 days.The case count numbers are slightly up from a week ago, with 39 active cases as of Thursday. 7,874 people have had the virus, with 7,696 recoveries.The Reno County vaccination numbers have been updated for the week, as well. As of Wednesday, 21,803 Reno County residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. That's 34.92% of residents.The county has had 139 deaths attributed to the virus. One of those has occurred in the last 30 days. Three people are in the hospital.The health department is taking walk-ins for the Moderna vaccine for those 18 and older, or you can find the other types of vaccine at <a href="https://vaccinefinder.org/search/">vaccinefinder.org</a>.

Positive test rate number down, schools remain in yellow


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Reno County schools are now in the yellow for next week. The case count and positive test rate numbers are continuing to climb over last week.

According to the county's dashboard, the 14-day positive test rate is up to 17.3% as of April 19, with 63 new cases in the past 14 days.

The case count numbers are down from a week ago, with 37 active cases as of Thursday. 7,831 people have had the virus, with 7,655 recoveries.

The Reno County vaccination numbers have been updated for the week, as well. As of Wednesday, 21,046 Reno County residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. That's 33.70% of residents.

The county has had 139 deaths attributed to the virus. Two of those have occurred in the last 30 days. One person is in the hospital.

The health department is taking walk-ins for the Moderna vaccine for those 18 and older, or you can find the other types of vaccine at vaccinefinder.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612786086400.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Reno County schools are now in the yellow for next week. The case count and positive test rate numbers are continuing to climb over last week.According to the county's dashboard, the 14-day positive test rate is up to 17.3% as of April 19, with 63 new cases in the past 14 days.The case count numbers are down from a week ago, with 37 active cases as of Thursday. 7,831 people have had the virus, with 7,655 recoveries.The Reno County vaccination numbers have been updated for the week, as well. As of Wednesday, 21,046 Reno County residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. That's 33.70% of residents.The county has had 139 deaths attributed to the virus. Two of those have occurred in the last 30 days. One person is in the hospital.The health department is taking walk-ins for the Moderna vaccine for those 18 and older, or you can find the other types of vaccine at vaccinefinder.org.

Schools in yellow for next week

NEW YORK (AP) — How long does protection from COVID-19 vaccines last?

Experts don’t know yet because they’re still studying vaccinated people to see when protection might wear off. How well the vaccines work against emerging variants will also determine if, when and how often additional shots might be needed.

“We only have information for as long as the vaccines have been studied,” said Deborah Fuller, a vaccine researcher at the University of Washington. “We have to study the vaccinated population and start to see, at what point do people become vulnerable again to the virus?”

So far, Pfizer’s ongoing trial indicates the company’s two-dose vaccine remains highly effective for at least six months, and likely longer. People who got Moderna’s vaccine also still had notable levels of virus-fighting antibodies six months after the second required shot.

Antibodies also don’t tell the whole story. To fight off intruders like viruses, our immune systems also have another line of defense called B and T cells, some of which can hang around long after antibody levels dwindle. If they encounter the same virus in the future, those battle-tested cells could potentially spring into action more quickly.

Even if they don’t prevent illness entirely, they could help blunt its severity. But exactly what role such “memory” cells might play with the coronavirus -- and for how long -- isn’t yet known.

While the current COVID-19 vaccines will likely last for at least about a year, they probably won’t offer lifelong protection, as with measles shots, said Dr. Kathleen Neuzil, a vaccine expert at the University of Maryland.

“It’s going to be somewhere in the middle of that very wide range,” she said.

Variants are another reason we might need an additional shot.

The current vaccines are designed to work against a particular spike protein on the coronavirus, said Mehul Suthar of the Emory Vaccine Center. If the virus mutates enough over time, vaccines might need to be updated to boost their effectiveness.

So far, the vaccines appear protective against the notable variants that have emerged, though somewhat less so on the one first detected in South Africa.

If it turns out we need another shot, a single dose could extend protection of the current shots or contain vaccination for one or more variants.

The need for follow-up shots will also depend partly on the success of the vaccination push globally, and tamping down transmission of the virus and emerging variants.

By CANDICE CHOI, Associated PressNEW YORK (AP) — How long does protection from COVID-19 vaccines last?Experts don’t know yet because they’re still studying vaccinated people to see when protection might wear off. How well the vaccines work against emerging variants will also determine if, when and how often additional shots might be needed.“We only have information for as long as the vaccines have been studied,” said Deborah Fuller, a vaccine researcher at the University of Washington. “We have to study the vaccinated population and start to see, at what point do people become vulnerable again to the virus?”So far, Pfizer’s ongoing trial indicates the company’s two-dose vaccine remains highly effective for at least six months, and likely longer. People who got Moderna’s vaccine also still had notable levels of virus-fighting antibodies six months after the second required shot.Antibodies also don’t tell the whole story. To fight off intruders like viruses, our immune systems also have another line of defense called B and T cells, some of which can hang around long after antibody levels dwindle. If they encounter the same virus in the future, those battle-tested cells could potentially spring into action more quickly.Even if they don’t prevent illness entirely, they could help blunt its severity. But exactly what role such “memory” cells might play with the coronavirus -- and for how long -- isn’t yet known.While the current COVID-19 vaccines will likely last for at least about a year, they probably won’t offer lifelong protection, as with measles shots, said Dr. Kathleen Neuzil, a vaccine expert at the University of Maryland.“It’s going to be somewhere in the middle of that very wide range,” she said.Variants are another reason we might need an additional shot.The current vaccines are designed to work against a particular spike protein on the coronavirus, said Mehul Suthar of the Emory Vaccine Center. If the virus mutates enough over time, vaccines might need to be updated to boost their effectiveness.So far, the vaccines appear protective against the notable variants that have emerged, though somewhat less so on the one first detected in South Africa.If it turns out we need another shot, a single dose could extend protection of the current shots or contain vaccination for one or more variants.The need for follow-up shots will also depend partly on the success of the vaccination push globally, and tamping down transmission of the virus and emerging variants.

Experts unsure how long protection from COVID vaccine lasts


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Durable medical equipment is something a lot of patients don't think about until they need it. However, Health E-Quip did have more demand during the pandemic.

"During COVID, obviously, we saw, definitely a really large uptick in the number of patients requiring oxygen therapy," said Bill Giersch, Chief Administrative Officer. "As a matter of fact, our patient load, we're serving about 500 patients. During COVID peak, we were serving probably closer to 650."

Respiratory Therapist Todd Hawk knows his job is to increase a patient's peace of mind.

"We had no idea how much it would change our role," Hawk said. "My role as a respiratory therapist for somebody getting equipment, it's to make them more comfortable with that equipment when they go home withit than when they came. It's scary when you get diagnosed and you say this is going to change every step of my sleep, every thing that I do."

Respiratory Therapist Kristen Yoder notes that it is the responsibility of Health E-Quip to make sure that your equipment is working as designed and according to the doctor's prescription.

"When it comes to oxygen, there is a specific oxygen requirement," Yoder said. "We can do portable testing, which is a whole other ballgame to address."

Health E-Quip is the only medical equipment company in Central Kansas with a certified repair center.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618589009694.jpeg" alt="Health E-Quip Building Photo Courtesy Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System" />
 <figcaption>Health E-Quip Building Photo Courtesy Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System</figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Durable medical equipment is something a lot of patients don't think about until they need it. However, Health E-Quip did have more demand during the pandemic."During COVID, obviously, we saw, definitely a really large uptick in the number of patients requiring oxygen therapy," said Bill Giersch, Chief Administrative Officer. "As a matter of fact, our patient load, we're serving about 500 patients. During COVID peak, we were serving probably closer to 650."Respiratory Therapist Todd Hawk knows his job is to increase a patient's peace of mind."We had no idea how much it would change our role," Hawk said. "My role as a respiratory therapist for somebody getting equipment, it's to make them more comfortable with that equipment when they go home withit than when they came. It's scary when you get diagnosed and you say this is going to change every step of my sleep, every thing that I do."Respiratory Therapist Kristen Yoder notes that it is the responsibility of Health E-Quip to make sure that your equipment is working as designed and according to the doctor's prescription."When it comes to oxygen, there is a specific oxygen requirement," Yoder said. "We can do portable testing, which is a whole other ballgame to address."Health E-Quip is the only medical equipment company in Central Kansas with a certified repair center.

Health E-Quip had increased demand during pandemic

WASHINGTON (AP) — The global death toll from the coronavirus topped a staggering 3 million people Saturday amid repeated setbacks in the worldwide vaccination campaign and a deepening crisis in places such as Brazil, India and France.

The number of lives lost, <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html">as compiled by Johns Hopkins University</a>, is about equal to the population of Kyiv, Ukraine; Caracas, Venezuela; or metropolitan Lisbon, Portugal. It is bigger than Chicago (2.7 million) and equivalent to Philadelphia and Dallas combined.

And the true number is believed to be significantly higher because of possible government concealment and the many cases overlooked in the early stages of the outbreak that began in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019.

When the world back in January passed the bleak threshold of 2 million deaths, immunization drives had just started in Europe and the United States. Today, they are underway in more than 190 countries, though progress in bringing the virus under control varies widely.

While the campaigns in the U.S. and Britain have hit their stride and people and businesses there are beginning to contemplate life after the pandemic, other places, mostly poorer countries but some rich ones as well, are lagging behind in putting shots in arms and have imposed new lockdowns and other restrictions as virus cases soar.

Worldwide, deaths are on the rise again, running at around 12,000 per day on average, and new cases are climbing too, eclipsing 700,000 a day.

“This is not the situation we want to be in 16 months into a pandemic, where we have proven control measures,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, one of the World Health Organization’s leaders on COVID-19.

In Brazil, where deaths are running at about 3,000 per day, accounting for one-quarter of the lives lost worldwide in recent weeks, the crisis has been likened to a “raging inferno” by one WHO official. A more contagious variant of the virus has been rampaging across the country.

As cases surge, hospitals are running out of critical sedatives. As a result, there have been reports of some doctors diluting what supplies remain and even tying patients to their beds while breathing tubes are pushed down their throats.

The slow vaccine rollout has crushed Brazilians’ pride in their own history of carrying out huge immunization campaigns that were the envy of the developing world.

Taking cues from President Jair Bolsonaro, who has likened the virus to little more than a flu, his Health Ministry for months bet big on a single vaccine, ignoring other producers. When bottlenecks emerged, it was too late to get large quantities in time.

Watching so many patients suffer and die alone at her Rio de Janeiro hospital impelled nurse Lidiane Melo to take desperate measures.

In the early days of the pandemic, as sufferers were calling out for comfort that she was too busy to provide, Melo filled two rubber gloves with warm water, knotted them shut, and sandwiched them around a patient’s hand to simulate a loving touch.

Some have christened the practice the “hand of God,” and it is now the searing image of a nation roiled by a medical emergency with no end in sight.

“Patients can’t receive visitors. Sadly, there’s no way. So it’s a way to provide psychological support, to be there together with the patient holding their hand,” Melo said. She added: “And this year it’s worse, the seriousness of patients is 1,000 times greater.”

This situation is similarly dire in India, where cases spiked in February after weeks of steady decline, taking authorities by surprise. In a surge driven by variants of the virus, India saw over 180,000 new infections in one 24-hour span during the past week, bringing the total number of cases to over 13.9 million.

Problems that India had overcome last year are coming back to haunt health officials. Only 178 ventilators were free Wednesday afternoon in New Delhi, a city of 29 million, where 13,000 new infections were reported the previous day.

The challenges facing India reverberate beyond its borders since the country is the biggest supplier of shots to COVAX, the U.N.-sponsored program to distribute vaccines to poorer parts of the world. Last month, India said it would suspend vaccine exports until the virus’s spread inside the country slows.

The WHO recently described the supply situation as precarious. Up to 60 countries might not receive any more shots until June, by one estimate. To date, COVAX has delivered about 40 million doses to more than 100 countries, enough to cover barely 0.25% of the world’s population.

Globally, about 87% of the 700 million doses dispensed have been given out in rich countries. While 1 in 4 people in wealthy nations have received a vaccine, in poor countries the figure is 1 in more than 500.

In recent days, the U.S. and some European countries put the use of Johnson &amp; Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine on hold while authorities investigate extremely rare but dangerous blood clots. AstraZeneca’s vaccine has likewise been hit with delays and restrictions because of a clotting scare.

Another concern: Poorer countries are relying on vaccines made by China and Russia, which some scientists believe provide less protection than those made by Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca.

Last week, the director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged the country’s vaccines offer low protection and said officials are considering mixing them with other shots to improve their effectiveness.

In the U.S., where over 560,000 lives have been lost, accounting for more than 1 in 6 of the world’s COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations and deaths have dropped, businesses are reopening, and life is beginning to return to something approaching normalcy in several states. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits tumbled last week to 576,000, a post-COVID-19 low.

But progress has been patchy, and new hot spots — most notably Michigan — have flared up in recent weeks. Still, deaths in the U.S. are down to about 700 per day on average, plummeting from a mid-January peak of about 3,400.

In Europe, countries are feeling the brunt of a more contagious variant that first ravaged Britain and has pushed the continent’s COVID-19-related death toll beyond 1 million.

Close to 6,000 gravely ill patients are being treated in French critical care units, numbers not seen since the first wave a year ago.

Dr. Marc Leone, head of intensive care at the North Hospital in Marseille, said exhausted front-line staff members who were feted as heroes at the start of the pandemic now feel alone and are clinging to hope that renewed school closings and other restrictions will help curb the virus in the coming weeks.

“There’s exhaustion, more bad tempers. You have to tread carefully because there are a lot of conflicts,” he said. “We’ll give everything we have to get through these 15 days as best we can.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618692413792.png" alt="John Hopkins -Number of Daily Deaths" />
 <figcaption>John Hopkins -Number of Daily Deaths</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The global death toll from the coronavirus topped a staggering 3 million people Saturday amid repeated setbacks in the worldwide vaccination campaign and a deepening crisis in places such as Brazil, India and France.The number of lives lost, <a href="https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html">as compiled by Johns Hopkins University</a>, is about equal to the population of Kyiv, Ukraine; Caracas, Venezuela; or metropolitan Lisbon, Portugal. It is bigger than Chicago (2.7 million) and equivalent to Philadelphia and Dallas combined.And the true number is believed to be significantly higher because of possible government concealment and the many cases overlooked in the early stages of the outbreak that began in Wuhan, China, at the end of 2019.When the world back in January passed the bleak threshold of 2 million deaths, immunization drives had just started in Europe and the United States. Today, they are underway in more than 190 countries, though progress in bringing the virus under control varies widely.While the campaigns in the U.S. and Britain have hit their stride and people and businesses there are beginning to contemplate life after the pandemic, other places, mostly poorer countries but some rich ones as well, are lagging behind in putting shots in arms and have imposed new lockdowns and other restrictions as virus cases soar.Worldwide, deaths are on the rise again, running at around 12,000 per day on average, and new cases are climbing too, eclipsing 700,000 a day.“This is not the situation we want to be in 16 months into a pandemic, where we have proven control measures,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, one of the World Health Organization’s leaders on COVID-19.In Brazil, where deaths are running at about 3,000 per day, accounting for one-quarter of the lives lost worldwide in recent weeks, the crisis has been likened to a “raging inferno” by one WHO official. A more contagious variant of the virus has been rampaging across the country.As cases surge, hospitals are running out of critical sedatives. As a result, there have been reports of some doctors diluting what supplies remain and even tying patients to their beds while breathing tubes are pushed down their throats.The slow vaccine rollout has crushed Brazilians’ pride in their own history of carrying out huge immunization campaigns that were the envy of the developing world.Taking cues from President Jair Bolsonaro, who has likened the virus to little more than a flu, his Health Ministry for months bet big on a single vaccine, ignoring other producers. When bottlenecks emerged, it was too late to get large quantities in time.Watching so many patients suffer and die alone at her Rio de Janeiro hospital impelled nurse Lidiane Melo to take desperate measures.In the early days of the pandemic, as sufferers were calling out for comfort that she was too busy to provide, Melo filled two rubber gloves with warm water, knotted them shut, and sandwiched them around a patient’s hand to simulate a loving touch.Some have christened the practice the “hand of God,” and it is now the searing image of a nation roiled by a medical emergency with no end in sight.“Patients can’t receive visitors. Sadly, there’s no way. So it’s a way to provide psychological support, to be there together with the patient holding their hand,” Melo said. She added: “And this year it’s worse, the seriousness of patients is 1,000 times greater.”This situation is similarly dire in India, where cases spiked in February after weeks of steady decline, taking authorities by surprise. In a surge driven by variants of the virus, India saw over 180,000 new infections in one 24-hour span during the past week, bringing the total number of cases to over 13.9 million.Problems that India had overcome last year are coming back to haunt health officials. Only 178 ventilators were free Wednesday afternoon in New Delhi, a city of 29 million, where 13,000 new infections were reported the previous day.The challenges facing India reverberate beyond its borders since the country is the biggest supplier of shots to COVAX, the U.N.-sponsored program to distribute vaccines to poorer parts of the world. Last month, India said it would suspend vaccine exports until the virus’s spread inside the country slows.The WHO recently described the supply situation as precarious. Up to 60 countries might not receive any more shots until June, by one estimate. To date, COVAX has delivered about 40 million doses to more than 100 countries, enough to cover barely 0.25% of the world’s population.Globally, about 87% of the 700 million doses dispensed have been given out in rich countries. While 1 in 4 people in wealthy nations have received a vaccine, in poor countries the figure is 1 in more than 500.In recent days, the U.S. and some European countries put the use of Johnson &amp; Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine on hold while authorities investigate extremely rare but dangerous blood clots. AstraZeneca’s vaccine has likewise been hit with delays and restrictions because of a clotting scare.Another concern: Poorer countries are relying on vaccines made by China and Russia, which some scientists believe provide less protection than those made by Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca.Last week, the director of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention acknowledged the country’s vaccines offer low protection and said officials are considering mixing them with other shots to improve their effectiveness.In the U.S., where over 560,000 lives have been lost, accounting for more than 1 in 6 of the world’s COVID-19 deaths, hospitalizations and deaths have dropped, businesses are reopening, and life is beginning to return to something approaching normalcy in several states. The number of Americans filing for unemployment benefits tumbled last week to 576,000, a post-COVID-19 low.But progress has been patchy, and new hot spots — most notably Michigan — have flared up in recent weeks. Still, deaths in the U.S. are down to about 700 per day on average, plummeting from a mid-January peak of about 3,400.In Europe, countries are feeling the brunt of a more contagious variant that first ravaged Britain and has pushed the continent’s COVID-19-related death toll beyond 1 million.Close to 6,000 gravely ill patients are being treated in French critical care units, numbers not seen since the first wave a year ago.Dr. Marc Leone, head of intensive care at the North Hospital in Marseille, said exhausted front-line staff members who were feted as heroes at the start of the pandemic now feel alone and are clinging to hope that renewed school closings and other restrictions will help curb the virus in the coming weeks.“There’s exhaustion, more bad tempers. You have to tread carefully because there are a lot of conflicts,” he said. “We’ll give everything we have to get through these 15 days as best we can.”

Global COVID deaths on the rise again, top 3 million


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County schools remain in the green for next week, even though the case count and positive test rate numbers are beginning to increase again.

According to the county's dashboard, the 14-day positive test rate is up to 11.1% as of April 12, with 45 new cases in the past 14 days.

The case count numbers are up as well, with 41 active cases as of Thursday.&nbsp;7,805 people have had the virus, with&nbsp;7,627 recoveries.

The Reno County vaccination numbers have been updated for the week, as well. As of Wednesday, 20,375 Reno County residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. That's 32.63% of residents.

The county has had 137 deaths attributed to the virus, but just one of those has occurred in the last 30 days. Just two people are in the hospital.

The last of the major second-shot clinics at the Sports Arena for those who received their first vaccination in mid-March is Friday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612955384439.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Reno County schools remain in the green for next week, even though the case count and positive test rate numbers are beginning to increase again.According to the county's dashboard, the 14-day positive test rate is up to 11.1% as of April 12, with 45 new cases in the past 14 days.The case count numbers are up as well, with 41 active cases as of Thursday.&nbsp;7,805 people have had the virus, with&nbsp;7,627 recoveries.The Reno County vaccination numbers have been updated for the week, as well. As of Wednesday, 20,375 Reno County residents have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine. That's 32.63% of residents.The county has had 137 deaths attributed to the virus, but just one of those has occurred in the last 30 days. Just two people are in the hospital.The last of the major second-shot clinics at the Sports Arena for those who received their first vaccination in mid-March is Friday.

County schools remain in green, though PTR is back above 10%

TOPEKA – A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emerging Variant known as the Brazilian or P.1 variant has been identified in an individual in Sedgwick County. 

A case investigation is being conducted to determine how the person became infected with this particular variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as, if others may have been exposed. No further details will be released concerning the patient, including demographics.

The variant was determined through the whole genome sequencing conducted through the laboratories at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).

The P.1 variant was originally identified in four travelers from Brazil, who were tested during routine screening at Haneda airport outside Tokyo, Japan. 

This variant was detected in the U.S. at the end of January 2021 and has been&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTMuMzg3MDgwNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jZGMuZ292L2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLzIwMTktbmNvdi90cmFuc21pc3Npb24vdmFyaWFudC1jYXNlcy5odG1sP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.-0O-9-5IJTolc4wspUsudU4lji1mIZypKY8N4R-85iQ/s/1305913448/br/101976527309-l" target="_blank">found in 31 states and territories</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. At this point, there is still much to learn about the transmission characteristics and potential severity of the P.1 variant. Although this strain can reduce the effectiveness of some vaccines, vaccines still provide strong protection against severe illness and death.

“We continue to encourage people to take the appropriate precautions. This includes wearing a mask that fits snuggly around the nose and face and has multiple layers of fabric or layering thinner masks with an additional cloth face mask to improve the fit,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said. “Kansans should also follow isolation and quarantine recommendations, practice physical distancing, good hygiene, staying home if ill and getting the vaccine if you are able to.”

Two other variants of concern have been identified in Kansas, including the UK variant, B.1.1.7, and the South African variant, B.1.351. Variant information in Kansas can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTMuMzg3MDgwNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy5rZGhla3MuZ292LzE2MC9DT1ZJRC0xOS1pbi1LYW5zYXM_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.a6rqq0vuenhfl1r_L-wUWD8_7IdAZBLRbMDQNKguKPM/s/1305913448/br/101976527309-l" target="_blank">COVID-19 dashboard</a>&nbsp;under the “Variants” tab.

“In addition to following these healthy behaviors, this finding also shows the importance of getting tested for COVID-19,” Adrienne Byrne, Sedgwick County Health Director, adds.

Testing is available and free for all Kansans. To find a location near you, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTMuMzg3MDgwNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmNvcm9uYXZpcnVzLmtkaGVrcy5nb3YvMjgwL0NPVklELTE5LVRlc3Rpbmc_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.s-jifUbFDBcqbLVz4HKQIs6RcJ95wptgslZfZQG_61o/s/1305913448/br/101976527309-l" target="_blank">www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/280/COVID-19-Testing</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566572342.png" alt="VIrus variant image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>VIrus variant image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Emerging Variant known as the Brazilian or P.1 variant has been identified in an individual in Sedgwick County. A case investigation is being conducted to determine how the person became infected with this particular variant of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, as well as, if others may have been exposed. No further details will be released concerning the patient, including demographics.The variant was determined through the whole genome sequencing conducted through the laboratories at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE).The P.1 variant was originally identified in four travelers from Brazil, who were tested during routine screening at Haneda airport outside Tokyo, Japan. This variant was detected in the U.S. at the end of January 2021 and has been&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDAsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTMuMzg3MDgwNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jZGMuZ292L2Nvcm9uYXZpcnVzLzIwMTktbmNvdi90cmFuc21pc3Npb24vdmFyaWFudC1jYXNlcy5odG1sP3V0bV9tZWRpdW09ZW1haWwmdXRtX3NvdXJjZT1nb3ZkZWxpdmVyeSJ9.-0O-9-5IJTolc4wspUsudU4lji1mIZypKY8N4R-85iQ/s/1305913448/br/101976527309-l" target="_blank">found in 31 states and territories</a>&nbsp;in the U.S. At this point, there is still much to learn about the transmission characteristics and potential severity of the P.1 variant. Although this strain can reduce the effectiveness of some vaccines, vaccines still provide strong protection against severe illness and death.“We continue to encourage people to take the appropriate precautions. This includes wearing a mask that fits snuggly around the nose and face and has multiple layers of fabric or layering thinner masks with an additional cloth face mask to improve the fit,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said. “Kansans should also follow isolation and quarantine recommendations, practice physical distancing, good hygiene, staying home if ill and getting the vaccine if you are able to.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/4/1618343095662.png" alt="Tuesday April 13, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Tuesday April 13, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>Two other variants of concern have been identified in Kansas, including the UK variant, B.1.1.7, and the South African variant, B.1.351. Variant information in Kansas can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTMuMzg3MDgwNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy5rZGhla3MuZ292LzE2MC9DT1ZJRC0xOS1pbi1LYW5zYXM_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.a6rqq0vuenhfl1r_L-wUWD8_7IdAZBLRbMDQNKguKPM/s/1305913448/br/101976527309-l" target="_blank">COVID-19 dashboard</a>&nbsp;under the “Variants” tab.“In addition to following these healthy behaviors, this finding also shows the importance of getting tested for COVID-19,” Adrienne Byrne, Sedgwick County Health Director, adds.Testing is available and free for all Kansans. To find a location near you, visit:&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTA0MTMuMzg3MDgwNDEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwOi8vd3d3LmNvcm9uYXZpcnVzLmtkaGVrcy5nb3YvMjgwL0NPVklELTE5LVRlc3Rpbmc_dXRtX21lZGl1bT1lbWFpbCZ1dG1fc291cmNlPWdvdmRlbGl2ZXJ5In0.s-jifUbFDBcqbLVz4HKQIs6RcJ95wptgslZfZQG_61o/s/1305913448/br/101976527309-l" target="_blank">www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/280/COVID-19-Testing</a>.

Brazilian COVID variant identified in Kansas

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is recommending a “pause” in administration of the single-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to investigate reports of potentially dangerous blood clots.

In a joint statement Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said it was investigating clots in six women in the days after vaccination, in combination with reduced platelet counts. More than 6.8 million doses of the J&amp;J vaccine have been administered in the U.S.

U.S. federal distribution channels, including mass vaccination sites, will pause the use of the J&amp;J shot, and states and other providers are expected to follow.

CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet Wednesday to discuss the cases and the FDA has also launched an investigation of the cases.

“Until that process is complete, we are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, Principal Deputy Director of the CDC and Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research said in a joint statement.

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. is recommending a “pause” in administration of the single-dose Johnson &amp; Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to investigate reports of potentially dangerous blood clots.In a joint statement Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said it was investigating clots in six women in the days after vaccination, in combination with reduced platelet counts. More than 6.8 million doses of the J&amp;J vaccine have been administered in the U.S.U.S. federal distribution channels, including mass vaccination sites, will pause the use of the J&amp;J shot, and states and other providers are expected to follow.CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices will meet Wednesday to discuss the cases and the FDA has also launched an investigation of the cases.“Until that process is complete, we are recommending a pause in the use of this vaccine out of an abundance of caution,” Dr. Anne Schuchat, Principal Deputy Director of the CDC and Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research said in a joint statement.

US recommends 'pause' of Johnson & Johnson vaccine 


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Beth Akins with Horizons Mental Health Center notes that there have been both good and bad consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic.

"Do I think the pandemic has caused some issues with mental health?" Akins asked rhetorically. "My answer to that is going to be yes. We have seen an increase in calls to our crisis lines. We all have sort of coping strategies that we have adopted that help us deal with just that kind of day to day stress or day to day anxiety. One of the things that the pandemic did was take away those normal coping strategies."

Those might include going out to dinner with friends or going to the gym or other activities that were made either more difficult or impossible by the pandemic. On the other hand, figuring out how to give care through the phone and internet has resulted in some people being able to keep therapy appointments that would have otherwise had to be cancelled.

"We'd often times have people call and cancel because they didn't have transportation or their childcare fell through," Akins said. "Now, when they call, instead of cancelling, we can say to them, hey let's just switch this appointment to televideo."

In the beginning of the pandemic, there was so much uncertainty and so much change in routine that it actually helped some people who may have had additional stress from workplace issues that were working from home, for example, but now that the new routines are set up, people are beginning to feel overwhelmed by the new stressors, not to mention the prospect of going back to a normal that they were struggling with before.

"Lots of people have experienced a tremendous amount of loss," Akins said. "The grief is more intense now, just because I know multiple people who died in this last year, that type of a thing."

The Horizons 24-hour crisis line received nearly 500 calls in 2020, up from the mid 300s in 2019.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK
HERE</a>&nbsp;to
download the Hutch Post mobile app. 
<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK
HERE</a>&nbsp;to
sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587129819284.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Beth Akins with Horizons Mental Health Center notes that there have been both good and bad consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic."Do I think the pandemic has caused some issues with mental health?" Akins asked rhetorically. "My answer to that is going to be yes. We have seen an increase in calls to our crisis lines. We all have sort of coping strategies that we have adopted that help us deal with just that kind of day to day stress or day to day anxiety. One of the things that the pandemic did was take away those normal coping strategies."Those might include going out to dinner with friends or going to the gym or other activities that were made either more difficult or impossible by the pandemic. On the other hand, figuring out how to give care through the phone and internet has resulted in some people being able to keep therapy appointments that would have otherwise had to be cancelled."We'd often times have people call and cancel because they didn't have transportation or their childcare fell through," Akins said. "Now, when they call, instead of cancelling, we can say to them, hey let's just switch this appointment to televideo."In the beginning of the pandemic, there was so much uncertainty and so much change in routine that it actually helped some people who may have had additional stress from workplace issues that were working from home, for example, but now that the new routines are set up, people are beginning to feel overwhelmed by the new stressors, not to mention the prospect of going back to a normal that they were struggling with before."Lots of people have experienced a tremendous amount of loss," Akins said. "The grief is more intense now, just because I know multiple people who died in this last year, that type of a thing."The Horizons 24-hour crisis line received nearly 500 calls in 2020, up from the mid 300s in 2019.
<a href="https://hutchpost.com/download" target="_blank">CLICK
HERE</a>&nbsp;to
download the Hutch Post mobile app. 
<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5e73b532afae0f4d5f5d90ea" target="_blank">CLICK
HERE</a>&nbsp;to
sign up for the daily Hutch Post email news update.

Horizons: Mental health treatment during COVID-19 a mixed bag


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — More Reno County residents are being vaccinated.

According to Thursday information from the Reno County dashboard, 18,549 Reno County residents have received at least one dose of vaccine. That's 29.71% of the county's population.

The gating criteria for Reno County schools remains in the green for the coming week, with a positive test rate of 5.2% and a 14-day new case total of 23 as of Thursday.

The case count in the county is back up to 22 as of Thursday. It was as low as 9 earlier in the week.

138 people have had their deaths classified as COVID-related. Three of those deaths have occurred in the last 30 days.

Out of 7,775 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,615 recoveries. There are 8 clusters still being monitored. None of the cluster types have documented cases currently visible on the dashboard.

Two Reno County residents are in the hospital with COVID-19. There have been 371 hospitalizations total and 104 ICU admissions.

Daily vaccinations continue at the First United Methodist Church clinic, 101 East First Avenue, with the Moderna two-shot vaccine series. The Reno County Health Department will also be hosting a clinic for the Johnson &amp; Johnson single-dose vaccine on Wednesday, April 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. 

Register for the clinic <a href="https://forms.renogov.org/rchd/covid19-registration/">online</a>, or call 620-694-2900 and select option 6.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613693226012.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — More Reno County residents are being vaccinated.According to Thursday information from the Reno County dashboard, 18,549 Reno County residents have received at least one dose of vaccine. That's 29.71% of the county's population.The gating criteria for Reno County schools remains in the green for the coming week, with a positive test rate of 5.2% and a 14-day new case total of 23 as of Thursday.The case count in the county is back up to 22 as of Thursday. It was as low as 9 earlier in the week.138 people have had their deaths classified as COVID-related. Three of those deaths have occurred in the last 30 days.Out of 7,775 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,615 recoveries. There are 8 clusters still being monitored. None of the cluster types have documented cases currently visible on the dashboard.Two Reno County residents are in the hospital with COVID-19. There have been 371 hospitalizations total and 104 ICU admissions.Daily vaccinations continue at the First United Methodist Church clinic, 101 East First Avenue, with the Moderna two-shot vaccine series. The Reno County Health Department will also be hosting a clinic for the Johnson &amp; Johnson single-dose vaccine on Wednesday, April 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. Register for the clinic <a href="https://forms.renogov.org/rchd/covid19-registration/">online</a>, or call 620-694-2900 and select option 6.

Schools still in the green, vaccinations just under 30 percent


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Reno County's COVID-19 case count is below ten as of Tuesday.

According to the Reno County dashboard, there are just nine remaining active cases in the county. The last time we were at nine cases was July 1, 2020.

137 people have had their deaths classified as COVID-related. Just two of those deaths have occurred in the last 30 days.

Out of 7,762 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,616 recoveries. There are 8 clusters still being monitored. None of the cluster types have documented cases currently visible on the dashboard.

One Reno County resident is in the hospital with COVID-19. There have been 370 hospitalizations total and 103 ICU admissions.

Daily vaccinations continue at the First United Methodist Church clinic, 101 East First Avenue, with the Moderna two-shot vaccine series. The Reno County Health Department also will be hosting a clinic for the Johnson &amp; Johnson single-dose vaccine on Wednesday, April 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. 

Register for the clinic <a href="https://forms.renogov.org/rchd/covid19-registration/registration/start">online</a> or call 620-694-2900 and select option 6.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612786086400.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Reno County's COVID-19 case count is below ten as of Tuesday.According to the Reno County dashboard, there are just nine remaining active cases in the county. The last time we were at nine cases was July 1, 2020.137 people have had their deaths classified as COVID-related. Just two of those deaths have occurred in the last 30 days.Out of 7,762 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,616 recoveries. There are 8 clusters still being monitored. None of the cluster types have documented cases currently visible on the dashboard.One Reno County resident is in the hospital with COVID-19. There have been 370 hospitalizations total and 103 ICU admissions.Daily vaccinations continue at the First United Methodist Church clinic, 101 East First Avenue, with the Moderna two-shot vaccine series. The Reno County Health Department also will be hosting a clinic for the Johnson &amp; Johnson single-dose vaccine on Wednesday, April 14, from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Hutchinson Sports Arena. Register for the clinic <a href="https://forms.renogov.org/rchd/covid19-registration/registration/start">online</a> or call 620-694-2900 and select option 6.

COVID-19 case count now below ten in Reno County, vaccinations continue

BOSTON (AP) — New research suggests the protection the Moderna vaccine gives against COVID-19 lasts for at least six months.

The report Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine echoes what Pfizer said last week about its vaccine, which works in a similar way.

Both reports were based on follow-up tests in dozens of people who received the shots during studies that led to the vaccines’ use. Those studies were done before troubling new variants, or versions of the coronavirus, had emerged and started to spread.

A separate report in the medical journal adds to concern about the variants. Scientists measured antibodies that can block the virus in 50 people who had been given the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines that were developed in China. Many showed total or partial loss of effectiveness against a virus variant first detected in South Africa.

The vaccines still seemed to protect against a variant first found in the United Kingdom that is now rapidly spreading in the United States and elsewhere.

Pfizer and Moderna have said they are working to update their vaccines, or possibly design a booster shot, in case they’re needed against variants.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613693226012.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>BOSTON (AP) — New research suggests the protection the Moderna vaccine gives against COVID-19 lasts for at least six months.The report Tuesday in the New England Journal of Medicine echoes what Pfizer said last week about its vaccine, which works in a similar way.Both reports were based on follow-up tests in dozens of people who received the shots during studies that led to the vaccines’ use. Those studies were done before troubling new variants, or versions of the coronavirus, had emerged and started to spread.A separate report in the medical journal adds to concern about the variants. Scientists measured antibodies that can block the virus in 50 people who had been given the Sinopharm or Sinovac vaccines that were developed in China. Many showed total or partial loss of effectiveness against a virus variant first detected in South Africa.The vaccines still seemed to protect against a variant first found in the United Kingdom that is now rapidly spreading in the United States and elsewhere.Pfizer and Moderna have said they are working to update their vaccines, or possibly design a booster shot, in case they’re needed against variants.___

Study: Moderna vaccine lasts at least 6 months

Pfizer announced Wednesday that its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and strongly protective in kids as young as 12, a step toward possibly beginning shots in this age group before they head back to school in the fall.

Most COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out worldwide are for adults, who are at higher risk from the coronavirus. Pfizer’s vaccine is authorized for ages 16 and older. But vaccinating children of all ages will be critical to stopping the pandemic — and helping schools, at least the upper grades, start to look a little more normal after months of disruption.

In a study of 2,260 U.S. volunteers ages 12 to 15, preliminary data showed there were no cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated adolescents compared to 18 among those given dummy shots, Pfizer reported.

It’s a small study, that hasn’t yet been published, so another important piece of evidence is how well the shots revved up the kids’ immune systems. Researchers reported high levels of virus-fighting antibodies, somewhat higher than were seen in studies of young adults.

Kids had side effects similar to young adults, the company said. The main side effects are pain, fever, chills and fatigue, particularly after the second dose. The study will continue to track participants for two years for more information about long-term protection and safety.

Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech in the coming weeks plan to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European regulators to allow emergency use of the shots starting at age 12.

“We share the urgency to expand the use of our vaccine,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement. He expressed “the hope of starting to vaccinate this age group before the start of the next school year” in the United States.

Pfizer isn’t the only company seeking to lower the age limit for its vaccine. Results also are expected soon from a U.S. study of Moderna’s vaccine in 12- to 17-year-olds.

But in a sign that the findings were promising, the FDA already allowed both companies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-3c2490cd1bef6221c9b33146fee0fe4c">begin U.S. studies&nbsp;</a>in children 11 and younger, working their way to as young as 6-month-old.

AstraZeneca last month began a study of its vaccine among 6- to 17-year-olds in Britain. Johnson &amp; Johnson is planning its own pediatric studies. And in China, Sinovac recently announced it has submitted preliminary data to Chinese regulators showing its vaccine is safe in children as young as 3.

While most COVID-19 vaccines being used globally were first tested in tens of thousands of adults, pediatric studies won’t need to be nearly as large. Scientists have safety information from those studies and from subsequent vaccinations in millions more adults.

One key question is the dosage: Pfizer gave the 12-and-older participants the same dose adults receive, while testing different doses in younger children.

It’s not clear how quickly the FDA would act on Pfizer’s request to allow vaccination starting at age 12. Another question is when the country would have enough supply of shots — and people to get them into adolescents’ arms — to let kids start getting in line.

Supplies are set to steadily increase over the spring and summer, at the same time states are opening vaccinations to younger, healthier adults who until now haven’t had a turn.

Children represent about 13% of COVID-19 cases documented in the U.S. And while children are far less likely than adults to get seriously ill, at least 268 have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. alone and more than 13,500 have been hospitalized, according to a tally by the American Academy of Pediatrics. That’s more than die from the flu in an average year. Additionally, a small number have developed a serious inflammatory condition linked to the coronavirus.

Caleb Chung, who turns 13 later this week, agreed to volunteer after his father, a Duke University pediatrician, presented the option. He doesn’t know if he received the vaccine or a placebo.

“Usually I’m just at home doing online school and there’s not much I can really do to fight back against the virus,” Caleb said in a recent interview. The study “was really somewhere that I could actually help out.”

His father, Dr. Richard Chung, said he’s proud of his son and all the other children volunteering for the needle pricks, blood tests and other tasks a study entails.

“We need kids to do these trials so that kids can get protected. Adults can’t do that for them,” Chung said.

By LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated PressPfizer announced Wednesday that its COVID-19 vaccine is safe and strongly protective in kids as young as 12, a step toward possibly beginning shots in this age group before they head back to school in the fall.Most COVID-19 vaccines being rolled out worldwide are for adults, who are at higher risk from the coronavirus. Pfizer’s vaccine is authorized for ages 16 and older. But vaccinating children of all ages will be critical to stopping the pandemic — and helping schools, at least the upper grades, start to look a little more normal after months of disruption.In a study of 2,260 U.S. volunteers ages 12 to 15, preliminary data showed there were no cases of COVID-19 among fully vaccinated adolescents compared to 18 among those given dummy shots, Pfizer reported.It’s a small study, that hasn’t yet been published, so another important piece of evidence is how well the shots revved up the kids’ immune systems. Researchers reported high levels of virus-fighting antibodies, somewhat higher than were seen in studies of young adults.Kids had side effects similar to young adults, the company said. The main side effects are pain, fever, chills and fatigue, particularly after the second dose. The study will continue to track participants for two years for more information about long-term protection and safety.Pfizer and its German partner BioNTech in the coming weeks plan to ask the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and European regulators to allow emergency use of the shots starting at age 12.“We share the urgency to expand the use of our vaccine,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement. He expressed “the hope of starting to vaccinate this age group before the start of the next school year” in the United States.Pfizer isn’t the only company seeking to lower the age limit for its vaccine. Results also are expected soon from a U.S. study of Moderna’s vaccine in 12- to 17-year-olds.But in a sign that the findings were promising, the FDA already allowed both companies to&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-news-pandemics-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-3c2490cd1bef6221c9b33146fee0fe4c">begin U.S. studies&nbsp;</a>in children 11 and younger, working their way to as young as 6-month-old.AstraZeneca last month began a study of its vaccine among 6- to 17-year-olds in Britain. Johnson &amp; Johnson is planning its own pediatric studies. And in China, Sinovac recently announced it has submitted preliminary data to Chinese regulators showing its vaccine is safe in children as young as 3.ADVERTISEMENTWhile most COVID-19 vaccines being used globally were first tested in tens of thousands of adults, pediatric studies won’t need to be nearly as large. Scientists have safety information from those studies and from subsequent vaccinations in millions more adults.One key question is the dosage: Pfizer gave the 12-and-older participants the same dose adults receive, while testing different doses in younger children.It’s not clear how quickly the FDA would act on Pfizer’s request to allow vaccination starting at age 12. Another question is when the country would have enough supply of shots — and people to get them into adolescents’ arms — to let kids start getting in line.Supplies are set to steadily increase over the spring and summer, at the same time states are opening vaccinations to younger, healthier adults who until now haven’t had a turn.Children represent about 13% of COVID-19 cases documented in the U.S. And while children are far less likely than adults to get seriously ill, at least 268 have died from COVID-19 in the U.S. alone and more than 13,500 have been hospitalized, according to a tally by the American Academy of Pediatrics. That’s more than die from the flu in an average year. Additionally, a small number have developed a serious inflammatory condition linked to the coronavirus.Caleb Chung, who turns 13 later this week, agreed to volunteer after his father, a Duke University pediatrician, presented the option. He doesn’t know if he received the vaccine or a placebo.“Usually I’m just at home doing online school and there’s not much I can really do to fight back against the virus,” Caleb said in a recent interview. The study “was really somewhere that I could actually help out.”His father, Dr. Richard Chung, said he’s proud of his son and all the other children volunteering for the needle pricks, blood tests and other tasks a study entails.“We need kids to do these trials so that kids can get protected. Adults can’t do that for them,” Chung said.___

Pfizer: COVID-19 vaccine effective in kids ages 12 to 15


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The active case count in Reno County is at its lowest level since last summer. 

According to the Tuesday report from the Reno County dashboard, there are just 17 active cases of COVID-19 in Reno County. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612523117297.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The active case count in Reno County is at its lowest level since last summer. According to the Tuesday report from the Reno County dashboard, there are just 17 active cases of COVID-19 in Reno County. The last time the active case count was at 17 was July 3, 2020. 139 people have had their deaths classified as COVID-related. Just two of those deaths have occurred in the last 30 days.Out of 7,749 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,593 recoveries. There are 8 clusters still being monitored. None of the cluster types have documented cases currently visible on the dashboard.Two Reno County residents are in the hospital with COVID-19. There have been 368 hospitalizations total and 103 ICU admissions.Drive-thru testing is currently available at the Kansas Cosmosphere at 1100 N Plum in Hutchinson.The site is open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday. To make an appointment, please visit <a href="https://www.gogettested.com/">www.gogettested.com</a>.

Coronavirus Update