HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;As of Sunday night, the case count in Reno County is at 214, with 395 recovered. Of those 214, 155 are connected with the cluster at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility. Six are from other clusters, so 53 are non-cluster related.

The community positive test rate is now 6.87% not including the prison cases and 9.61% overall. 6,350 tests have been administered with 5,740 negatives. 10.1% of the Reno County population has been tested.

Only one person has died with COVID-19 as the leading cause of death in Reno County.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. —&nbsp;As of Sunday night, the case count in Reno County is at 214, with 395 recovered. Of those 214, 155 are connected with the cluster at the Hutchinson Correctional Facility. Six are from other clusters, so 53 are non-cluster related.The community positive test rate is now 6.87% not including the prison cases and 9.61% overall. 6,350 tests have been administered with 5,740 negatives. 10.1% of the Reno County population has been tested.Only one person has died with COVID-19 as the leading cause of death in Reno County.

Case count in Reno County 214, 155 from prison cluster as of Sunday evening

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday announced emergency authorization to treat COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma — a move he called “a breakthrough,” one of his top health officials called “promising” and other health experts said needs more study before it’s celebrated.

The announcement came after White House officials complained there were politically motivated delays by the Food and Drug Administration in approving a vaccine and therapeutics for the disease that has upended Trump’s reelection chances.

On the eve of the Republican National Convention, Trump put himself at the center of the FDA’s announcement of the authorization at a news conference Sunday evening. The authorization makes it easier for some patients to obtain the treatment but is not the same as full FDA approval.

The blood plasma, taken from patients who have recovered from the coronavirus and rich in antibodies, may provide benefits to those battling the disease. But the evidence so far has not been conclusive about whether it works, when to administer it and what dose is needed.

In a letter describing the emergency authorization, the chief scientist for the FDA, Denise Hinton, said: “COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months.”

But Trump had made clear to aides that he was eager to showcase good news in the battle against the virus, and the timing allowed him to head into his convention with momentum. He and aides billed it as a “major” development and used the White House briefing room to make the announcement.

Trump also displayed some rare discipline in the evening news conference, sticking to his talking points, deferring to the head of the FDA, Stephen Hahn, and only taking three questions from reporters.

The White House had grown agitated with the pace of the plasma approval. The accusations of an FDA slowdown, which were presented without evidence, were just the latest assault from Trump’s team on what he refers to as the “deep state” bureaucracy. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows did not deal in specifics, but said that “we’ve looked at a number of people that are not being as diligent as they should be in terms of getting to the bottom of it.”

“This president is about cutting red tape,” Meadows said in an interview Sunday on “This Week” on ABC. “He had to make sure that they felt the heat. If they don’t see the light, they need to feel the heat because the American people are suffering.”

During Sunday’s 18-minute press conference, Trump said he thought there had been a “logjam” at the FDA over granting the emergency authorization. He alleged there are people at the FDA “that can see things being held up ... and that’s for political reasons.”

Dr. Joshua Sharfstein said the statement, and Hahn’s silence while Trump said it, “was disgraceful.”

“The FDA commissioner basically allowed the president to mischaracterize the decision and attack the integrity of FDA employees. I was horrified,” said Sharfstein, a vice dean at John Hopkins University’s school of public health who was a top FDA official during the Obama administration.

“This is a promising therapy that has not been fully established,” he said

The push on Sunday came a day after Trump tweeted sharp criticism on the process to treat the virus, which has killed more than 175,000 Americans and imperiled his reelection chances. The White House has sunk vast resources into an expedited process to develop a vaccine, and Trump aides have been banking on it being an “October surprise” that could help the president make up ground in the polls.

“The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics,” Trump tweeted. “Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!”

Earlier this month, Mayo Clinic researchers reported a strong hint that blood plasma from COVID-19 survivors helps other infected patients recover. But it wasn’t considered proof.

More than 70,000 patients in the U.S. have been given convalescent plasma, a century-old approach to fend off flu and measles before vaccines. It’s a go-to tactic when new diseases come along, and history suggests it works against some, but not all, infections.

The Mayo Clinic reported preliminary data from 35,000 coronavirus patients treated with plasma, and said there were fewer deaths among people given plasma within three days of diagnosis, and also among those given plasma containing the highest levels of virus-fighting antibodies.

But it wasn’t a formal study. The patients were treated in different ways in hospitals around the country as part of an FDA program designed to speed access to the experimental therapy. That “expanded access” program tracks what happens to the recipients, but it cannot prove the plasma — and not other care they received — was the real reason for improvement.

Administration officials, in a call with reporters Sunday, discussed a benefit for patients who were within three days of admission to a hospital and were not on a respirator, and were given ‘high-titer’ convalescent plasma containing higher concentrations of antibodies. They were then compared to similar patients who were given lower-titer plasma. The findings suggest deaths were 35% lower in the high-titer group.

There’s been little data on how effective it is or whether it must be administered fairly early in an illness to make a significant difference, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University.

Aiming to ward off a possible a run on convalescent plasma after the announcement, government officials have been working to obtain plasma and to team with corporate partners and nonprofit organizations to generate interest among previously infected patients to donate.

Hahn, who called the development “promising,” said Trump did not speak to him about the timing of the announcement. He said “this has been in the works for several weeks.”

But some health experts were skeptical. Benjamin Corb, of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, called it “conspicuous timing.”

“President Trump is once again putting his political goals ahead of the health and well-being of the American public,” Corb said.

Rigorous studies are under way around the country, comparing similar patients randomly assigned to get plasma or a dummy infusion in addition to regular care. But those studies have been difficult to finish as the virus waxes and wanes in different cities. Also, some patients have requested plasma rather than agreeing to a study that might give them a placebo instead.

Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb dismissed the suggestion of a slowdown.

“I firmly reject the idea they would slow-walk anything or accelerate anything based on any political consideration or any consideration other than what is best for the public health and a real sense of mission to patients,” Gottlieb told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”

Trump, in news conferences, “has made all kinds of therapeutic suggestions” that have not proven to be supported by science — and are even dangerous, Schaffner said. That includes statements about the possible value of treating COVID-19 patients with ultraviolet light and disinfectant. Trump reportedly also recently became enthusiastic about oleandrin, a plant extract derived from a toxic shrub that scientists immediately warned against.

But the president is perhaps best known for his early and ardent embrace of the malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine.

Earlier this month, Hahn emphasized that routine evaluation procedures will remain in place to evaluate COVID vaccine candidates.

“I think this administration has put more pressure on the Food and Drug Administration than I can remember” ever happening in the past, Schaffner said.

“Everybody is just a little bit nervous,” he said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Sunday the emergency authorization of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 patients, in a move he called “a breakthrough,” one of his top health officials called “promising,” and other health experts said needs more study before it’s celebrated.

The announcement came after days of White House officials suggesting there were politically motivated delays by the Food and Drug Administration in approving a vaccine and therapeutics for the disease that has upended Trump’s reelection chances.

On the eve of the Republican National Convention, Trump put himself at the center of the FDA’s announcement of the authorization — it makes it easier for some patients to obtain the treatment — in a news conference Sunday evening.

The blood plasma, taken from patients who have recovered from the coronavirus and rich in antibodies, may provide benefits to those battling with the disease. But the evidence so far has not been conclusive about whether it works, when to administer it and what dose is needed.

In a letter describing the emergency authorization, the chief scientist for the FDA, Denise Hinton, noted: “COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months.”

An emergency use authorization is not the same as full FDA approval.

In the authorization letter, FDA officials emphasized convalescent plasma is still under investigation. “COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months,” it said.

But Trump had made clear to aides that he was eager for a piece of good news on the battle of the pandemic, and the timing allowed him to head into the convention with momentum. He and aides billed it as a “major” development and utilized the White House briefing room to make the announcement.

The White House had grown agitated with the pace of the plasma approval, but the accusations of a slowdown, which were presented without evidence, were just the latest assault from Trump’s team on the “deep state” bureaucracy. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows did not deal in specifics, but said that “we’ve looked at a number of people that are not being as diligent as they should be in terms of getting to the bottom of it.”

There’s no solid evidence yet that it fights the coronavirus and, if so, how best to use it.

Hahn, who called the development “promising,” said Trump did not speak to him about the timing of the announcement, which comes just before a pivotal week for the president’s reelection chances. Hahn said “this has been in the works for several weeks” and came after a data validation for which the agency had been waiting.

Rigorous studies underway around the country are designed to get that proof, by comparing similar patients randomly assigned to get plasma or a dummy infusion in addition to regular care. But those studies have been difficult to finish as the virus waxes and wanes in different cities. Also, some patients have requested plasma rather than agreeing to a study that might give them a placebo instead.

Hundreds of drugs are currently being developed as possible treatments against the coronavirus infection, taking a range of approaches.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598222952199.png" alt="President Trump took only 3 questions during the Sunday evening press conference-photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump took only 3 questions during the Sunday evening press conference-photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump on Sunday announced emergency authorization to treat COVID-19 patients with convalescent plasma — a move he called “a breakthrough,” one of his top health officials called “promising” and other health experts said needs more study before it’s celebrated.The announcement came after White House officials complained there were politically motivated delays by the Food and Drug Administration in approving a vaccine and therapeutics for the disease that has upended Trump’s reelection chances.On the eve of the Republican National Convention, Trump put himself at the center of the FDA’s announcement of the authorization at a news conference Sunday evening. The authorization makes it easier for some patients to obtain the treatment but is not the same as full FDA approval.The blood plasma, taken from patients who have recovered from the coronavirus and rich in antibodies, may provide benefits to those battling the disease. But the evidence so far has not been conclusive about whether it works, when to administer it and what dose is needed.In a letter describing the emergency authorization, the chief scientist for the FDA, Denise Hinton, said: “COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months.”But Trump had made clear to aides that he was eager to showcase good news in the battle against the virus, and the timing allowed him to head into his convention with momentum. He and aides billed it as a “major” development and used the White House briefing room to make the announcement.Trump also displayed some rare discipline in the evening news conference, sticking to his talking points, deferring to the head of the FDA, Stephen Hahn, and only taking three questions from reporters.The White House had grown agitated with the pace of the plasma approval. The accusations of an FDA slowdown, which were presented without evidence, were just the latest assault from Trump’s team on what he refers to as the “deep state” bureaucracy. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows did not deal in specifics, but said that “we’ve looked at a number of people that are not being as diligent as they should be in terms of getting to the bottom of it.”“This president is about cutting red tape,” Meadows said in an interview Sunday on “This Week” on ABC. “He had to make sure that they felt the heat. If they don’t see the light, they need to feel the heat because the American people are suffering.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598222686256.png" alt="President Donald Trump accompanied by Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn, center and HHS Secretary Alex Azar during a media briefing Sunday -photo Courtesy White House." />
 <figcaption>President Donald Trump accompanied by Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn, center and HHS Secretary Alex Azar during a media briefing Sunday -photo Courtesy White House.</figcaption>
 </figure>During Sunday’s 18-minute press conference, Trump said he thought there had been a “logjam” at the FDA over granting the emergency authorization. He alleged there are people at the FDA “that can see things being held up ... and that’s for political reasons.”Dr. Joshua Sharfstein said the statement, and Hahn’s silence while Trump said it, “was disgraceful.”“The FDA commissioner basically allowed the president to mischaracterize the decision and attack the integrity of FDA employees. I was horrified,” said Sharfstein, a vice dean at John Hopkins University’s school of public health who was a top FDA official during the Obama administration.“This is a promising therapy that has not been fully established,” he saidThe push on Sunday came a day after Trump tweeted sharp criticism on the process to treat the virus, which has killed more than 175,000 Americans and imperiled his reelection chances. The White House has sunk vast resources into an expedited process to develop a vaccine, and Trump aides have been banking on it being an “October surprise” that could help the president make up ground in the polls.“The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics,” Trump tweeted. “Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!”Earlier this month, Mayo Clinic researchers reported a strong hint that blood plasma from COVID-19 survivors helps other infected patients recover. But it wasn’t considered proof.More than 70,000 patients in the U.S. have been given convalescent plasma, a century-old approach to fend off flu and measles before vaccines. It’s a go-to tactic when new diseases come along, and history suggests it works against some, but not all, infections.The Mayo Clinic reported preliminary data from 35,000 coronavirus patients treated with plasma, and said there were fewer deaths among people given plasma within three days of diagnosis, and also among those given plasma containing the highest levels of virus-fighting antibodies.But it wasn’t a formal study. The patients were treated in different ways in hospitals around the country as part of an FDA program designed to speed access to the experimental therapy. That “expanded access” program tracks what happens to the recipients, but it cannot prove the plasma — and not other care they received — was the real reason for improvement.Administration officials, in a call with reporters Sunday, discussed a benefit for patients who were within three days of admission to a hospital and were not on a respirator, and were given ‘high-titer’ convalescent plasma containing higher concentrations of antibodies. They were then compared to similar patients who were given lower-titer plasma. The findings suggest deaths were 35% lower in the high-titer group.There’s been little data on how effective it is or whether it must be administered fairly early in an illness to make a significant difference, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University.Aiming to ward off a possible a run on convalescent plasma after the announcement, government officials have been working to obtain plasma and to team with corporate partners and nonprofit organizations to generate interest among previously infected patients to donate.Hahn, who called the development “promising,” said Trump did not speak to him about the timing of the announcement. He said “this has been in the works for several weeks.”But some health experts were skeptical. Benjamin Corb, of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, called it “conspicuous timing.”“President Trump is once again putting his political goals ahead of the health and well-being of the American public,” Corb said.Rigorous studies are under way around the country, comparing similar patients randomly assigned to get plasma or a dummy infusion in addition to regular care. But those studies have been difficult to finish as the virus waxes and wanes in different cities. Also, some patients have requested plasma rather than agreeing to a study that might give them a placebo instead.Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb dismissed the suggestion of a slowdown.“I firmly reject the idea they would slow-walk anything or accelerate anything based on any political consideration or any consideration other than what is best for the public health and a real sense of mission to patients,” Gottlieb told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1598218807664.png" alt="President Trump during the Sunday evening news conference -photo courtesy White House" />
 <figcaption>President Trump during the Sunday evening news conference -photo courtesy White House</figcaption>
 </figure>Trump, in news conferences, “has made all kinds of therapeutic suggestions” that have not proven to be supported by science — and are even dangerous, Schaffner said. That includes statements about the possible value of treating COVID-19 patients with ultraviolet light and disinfectant. Trump reportedly also recently became enthusiastic about oleandrin, a plant extract derived from a toxic shrub that scientists immediately warned against.But the president is perhaps best known for his early and ardent embrace of the malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine.Earlier this month, Hahn emphasized that routine evaluation procedures will remain in place to evaluate COVID vaccine candidates.“I think this administration has put more pressure on the Food and Drug Administration than I can remember” ever happening in the past, Schaffner said.“Everybody is just a little bit nervous,” he said.-----------WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump announced Sunday the emergency authorization of convalescent plasma for COVID-19 patients, in a move he called “a breakthrough,” one of his top health officials called “promising,” and other health experts said needs more study before it’s celebrated.The announcement came after days of White House officials suggesting there were politically motivated delays by the Food and Drug Administration in approving a vaccine and therapeutics for the disease that has upended Trump’s reelection chances.On the eve of the Republican National Convention, Trump put himself at the center of the FDA’s announcement of the authorization — it makes it easier for some patients to obtain the treatment — in a news conference Sunday evening.The blood plasma, taken from patients who have recovered from the coronavirus and rich in antibodies, may provide benefits to those battling with the disease. But the evidence so far has not been conclusive about whether it works, when to administer it and what dose is needed.In a letter describing the emergency authorization, the chief scientist for the FDA, Denise Hinton, noted: “COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months.”An emergency use authorization is not the same as full FDA approval.In the authorization letter, FDA officials emphasized convalescent plasma is still under investigation. “COVID-19 convalescent plasma should not be considered a new standard of care for the treatment of patients with COVID-19. Additional data will be forthcoming from other analyses and ongoing, well-controlled clinical trials in the coming months,” it said.But Trump had made clear to aides that he was eager for a piece of good news on the battle of the pandemic, and the timing allowed him to head into the convention with momentum. He and aides billed it as a “major” development and utilized the White House briefing room to make the announcement.Trump also displayed some rare discipline in the evening news conference, sticking to his talking points, deferring to the head of the FDA, Stephen Hahn, and only taking three questions from reporters.The White House had grown agitated with the pace of the plasma approval, but the accusations of a slowdown, which were presented without evidence, were just the latest assault from Trump’s team on the “deep state” bureaucracy. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows did not deal in specifics, but said that “we’ve looked at a number of people that are not being as diligent as they should be in terms of getting to the bottom of it.”“This president is about cutting red tape,” Meadows said in an interview Sunday on “This Week” on ABC. “He had to make sure that they felt the heat. If they don’t see the light, they need to feel the heat because the American people are suffering.”The push on Sunday came a day after Trump tweeted sharp criticism on the process to treat the virus, which has killed more than 175,000 Americans and imperiled his reelection chances. The White House has sunk vast resources into an expedited process to develop a vaccine, and Trump aides have been banking on it being an “October surprise” that could help the president make up ground in the polls.“The deep state, or whoever, over at the FDA is making it very difficult for drug companies to get people in order to test the vaccines and therapeutics,” Trump tweeted. “Obviously, they are hoping to delay the answer until after November 3rd. Must focus on speed, and saving lives!”Earlier this month, Mayo Clinic researchers reported a strong hint that blood plasma from COVID-19 survivors helps other infected patients recover. But it wasn’t considered proof.More than 70,000 patients in the U.S. have been given convalescent plasma, a century-old approach to fend off flu and measles before vaccines. It’s a go-to tactic when new diseases come along, and history suggests it works against some, but not all, infections.There’s no solid evidence yet that it fights the coronavirus and, if so, how best to use it.The Mayo Clinic reported preliminary data from 35,000 coronavirus patients treated with plasma, and said there were fewer deaths among people given plasma within three days of diagnosis, and also among those given plasma containing the highest levels of virus-fighting antibodies.But it wasn’t a formal study. The patients were treated in different ways in hospitals around the country as part of an FDA program designed to speed access to the experimental therapy. That “expanded access” program tracks what happens to the recipients, but it cannot prove the plasma — and not other care they received — was the real reason for improvement.Administration officials, in a call with reporters Sunday, discussed a benefit for patients who were within three days of admission to a hospital and were not on a respirator, and were given ‘high-titer’ convalescent plasma containing higher concentrations of antibodies. They were then compared to similar patients who were given lower-titer plasma. The findings suggest deaths were 35% lower in the high-titer group.There’s been little data on how effective it is or whether it must be administered fairly early in an illness to make a significant difference, said Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious diseases expert at Vanderbilt University.Aiming to ward off a possible a run on convalescent plasma after the announcement, government officials have been working to obtain plasma and to team with corporate partners and nonprofit organizations to generate interest among previously infected patients to donate.Hahn, who called the development “promising,” said Trump did not speak to him about the timing of the announcement, which comes just before a pivotal week for the president’s reelection chances. Hahn said “this has been in the works for several weeks” and came after a data validation for which the agency had been waiting.But some health experts were skeptical. Benjamin Corb, of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, called it “conspicuous timing.”“President Trump is once again putting his political goals ahead of the health and well-being of the American public,” Corb said.Rigorous studies underway around the country are designed to get that proof, by comparing similar patients randomly assigned to get plasma or a dummy infusion in addition to regular care. But those studies have been difficult to finish as the virus waxes and wanes in different cities. Also, some patients have requested plasma rather than agreeing to a study that might give them a placebo instead.Former FDA commissioner Dr. Scott Gottlieb dismissed the suggestion of a slowdown.ADVERTISEMENT“I firmly reject the idea they would slow-walk anything or accelerate anything based on any political consideration or any consideration other than what is best for the public health and a real sense of mission to patients,” Gottlieb told CBS’s “Face the Nation.”Hundreds of drugs are currently being developed as possible treatments against the coronavirus infection, taking a range of approaches.Trump, in news conferences, “has made all kinds of therapeutic suggestions” that have not proven to be supported by science — and are even dangerous, Schaffner said. That includes statements about the possible value of treating COVID-19 patients with ultraviolet light and disinfectant. Trump reportedly also recently became enthusiastic about oleandrin, a plant extract derived from a toxic shrub that scientists immediately warned against.But the president is perhaps best known for his early and ardent embrace of the malaria drugs hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine.Earlier this month, Hahn emphasized that routine evaluation procedures will remain in place to evaluate COVID vaccine candidates.“I think this administration has put more pressure on the Food and Drug Administration than I can remember” ever happening in the past, Schaffner said.“Everybody is just a little bit nervous,” he said.----

Trump: Plasma treatment for COVID-19 a breakthrough

WASHINGTON (AP) — A widely used coronavirus test is under scrutiny this week after federal health officials warned that it could deliver inaccurate results if laboratory technicians don’t follow the the latest updates from the manufacturer.

The Food and Drug Administration’s warning over Thermo Fisher’s TaqPath test underscores the complexity of COVID-19 tests and how easily they can be skewed by faulty processing and equipment.

The FDA action follows a report last month by Connecticut public health officials that the test resulted in at least 90 people receiving false positive results for the coronavirus.

Thermo Fisher’s test is one of the standard tools used to screen for COVID-19, run on large, automated machines found in many U.S. hospitals and laboratories. The FDA flagged two separate issues that could potentially result in false results: the chemical mixing process and computer software that runs on the company’s machine. Thermo Fisher has provided new instructions for mixing. And a software update fixes the second problem, the FDA said.

For all positive results, FDA said labs should review the instrument settings.

Thermo Fisher said in a statement that its data shows the issues are rare and most users get accurate results by following company directions.

No test is 100% accurate and all medical tests are expected to deliver a certain small portion of false results. Less is known about the accuracy of COVID-19 tests because of how quickly they were rushed through the regulatory process because of the pandemic.

Thermo Fisher’s test uses molecular technology that is considered the gold standard for detecting the COVID-19 virus and other viruses. The test uses chemicals to extract the genetic material of the virus from a nasal swab, then amplifies it many times until it is detectable with a computer.

Thermo Fisher’s test was among the first granted emergency use by the FDA in mid-March. Like other companies, it got the OK based on laboratory experiments it submitted to regulators. The test successfully detected coronavirus in 60 lab-made samples of the virus, and successfully ruled out the virus in 60 samples that didn’t contain the virus. That was sufficient to meet FDA requirements..

However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/38967d1644ef374d1bcbc7806b383b8e">experts have warned</a>&nbsp;that these laboratory measures are very different from the large patient studies that assess the real-world performance of a test. Those studies can reveal factors that can skew results, such as faulty samples or incorrect processing .

The biggest concern during infectious disease outbreaks is usually avoiding false negatives, or when the test fails to catch people who are actually infected. That can result in some people unknowingly spreading the virus.

But Dr. Albert Ko of Yale’s School of Public Health noted that false positives can also create problems, particularly in places like nursing homes and prisons where people are grouped together based on test results.

“You may wind up putting someone who hasn’t been infected together with people who may be infected and are contagious,” Ko said.

Test results can be affected by a variety of factors, including the type of test used, the quality of the sample and when it was taken during the course of any infection.

WASHINGTON (AP) — A widely used coronavirus test is under scrutiny this week after federal health officials warned that it could deliver inaccurate results if laboratory technicians don’t follow the the latest updates from the manufacturer.The Food and Drug Administration’s warning over Thermo Fisher’s TaqPath test underscores the complexity of COVID-19 tests and how easily they can be skewed by faulty processing and equipment.The FDA action follows a report last month by Connecticut public health officials that the test resulted in at least 90 people receiving false positive results for the coronavirus.WHAT HAPPENED WITH THE TEST?Thermo Fisher’s test is one of the standard tools used to screen for COVID-19, run on large, automated machines found in many U.S. hospitals and laboratories. The FDA flagged two separate issues that could potentially result in false results: the chemical mixing process and computer software that runs on the company’s machine. Thermo Fisher has provided new instructions for mixing. And a software update fixes the second problem, the FDA said.For all positive results, FDA said labs should review the instrument settings.Thermo Fisher said in a statement that its data shows the issues are rare and most users get accurate results by following company directions.HOW ACCURATE ARE COVID-19 TESTS?No test is 100% accurate and all medical tests are expected to deliver a certain small portion of false results. Less is known about the accuracy of COVID-19 tests because of how quickly they were rushed through the regulatory process because of the pandemic.Thermo Fisher’s test uses molecular technology that is considered the gold standard for detecting the COVID-19 virus and other viruses. The test uses chemicals to extract the genetic material of the virus from a nasal swab, then amplifies it many times until it is detectable with a computer.Thermo Fisher’s test was among the first granted emergency use by the FDA in mid-March. Like other companies, it got the OK based on laboratory experiments it submitted to regulators. The test successfully detected coronavirus in 60 lab-made samples of the virus, and successfully ruled out the virus in 60 samples that didn’t contain the virus. That was sufficient to meet FDA requirements..However,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/38967d1644ef374d1bcbc7806b383b8e">experts have warned</a>&nbsp;that these laboratory measures are very different from the large patient studies that assess the real-world performance of a test. Those studies can reveal factors that can skew results, such as faulty samples or incorrect processing .HOW SIGNIFICANT ARE FALSE RESULTS?The biggest concern during infectious disease outbreaks is usually avoiding false negatives, or when the test fails to catch people who are actually infected. That can result in some people unknowingly spreading the virus.But Dr. Albert Ko of Yale’s School of Public Health noted that false positives can also create problems, particularly in places like nursing homes and prisons where people are grouped together based on test results.“You may wind up putting someone who hasn’t been infected together with people who may be infected and are contagious,” Ko said.Test results can be affected by a variety of factors, including the type of test used, the quality of the sample and when it was taken during the course of any infection.___

Many steps needed for accurate COVID-19 test results


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;COVID-19 has changed the focus of many areas in Hutchinson and the police and fire service are included.

"This is fascinating to me," said Hutchinson Police Chief Jeff Hooper. "My degree is in sociology, so I just love seeing the social effects on crime. We have seen kind of a shift in the types of crime we have and the amount of crimes that we've had in our community. A lot of that is based off of COVID and people's change of lifestyle because of what's going on in society now. It's challenging for us as a law enforcement agency, because we have to shift our focus and adapt to that."

On the fire side, Chief Steven Beer says some risk has gone up.

"One thing that we've seen, with everybody staying at home, we knew a lot of people were going to do more home cooking," Beer said. "Home cooking is the number one cause of residential fires, the number one cause in the city here and across the country. A lot of these fires never make the paper, because there's not flames blowing out the windows and stuff like that. They're confined to the room of origin, or like, in a stovetop case, grease catches on fire, maybe the cabinets and its quickly knocked down."

Both Hutchinson Police and Fire are looking for new recruits to serve the public. If you're interested in helping your community, check out their social media pages for details.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/1/1580485962223.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;COVID-19 has changed the focus of many areas in Hutchinson and the police and fire service are included."This is fascinating to me," said Hutchinson Police Chief Jeff Hooper. "My degree is in sociology, so I just love seeing the social effects on crime. We have seen kind of a shift in the types of crime we have and the amount of crimes that we've had in our community. A lot of that is based off of COVID and people's change of lifestyle because of what's going on in society now. It's challenging for us as a law enforcement agency, because we have to shift our focus and adapt to that."On the fire side, Chief Steven Beer says some risk has gone up."One thing that we've seen, with everybody staying at home, we knew a lot of people were going to do more home cooking," Beer said. "Home cooking is the number one cause of residential fires, the number one cause in the city here and across the country. A lot of these fires never make the paper, because there's not flames blowing out the windows and stuff like that. They're confined to the room of origin, or like, in a stovetop case, grease catches on fire, maybe the cabinets and its quickly knocked down."Both Hutchinson Police and Fire are looking for new recruits to serve the public. If you're interested in helping your community, check out their social media pages for details.

Focus of police and fire service on different areas in light of COVID-19


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;A pulmonologist with Hutchinson Regional Health System notes that there is an aspect of treatment with COVID-19 that is as new as the virus.

"For the first time ever treating a pneumonia, we started treating the low oxygen associated with this pneumonia by putting them on blood thinners," said Dr. Mohammed Al-Halawani. "We give oxygen supplementation, we put the patient on blood thinners. That's not the aspirin. I've seen on social media people belittling the disease and saying, oh you can take some Tylenol and aspirin at home and that will take care of the blood clot issue. That will not do anything for the blood clot issue."

The virus itself appears to be different than it was earlier in the pandemic.

"We've noticed also that the severity of disease kind of dropped," Al-Halawani said. "We're seeing more cases now than we saw in the beginning of the pandemic. Some studies out there show that the virus mutated in a way that it became less severe, but more infectious."

Dr. Al-Halawani notes that such developments means mask wearing is really important.

"Because it's easier to spread the virus, now you'll have more asymptomatic carriers or people with minor symptoms. You know, I spiked a fever last night and that's it and I think I'm fine. In reality, I would be carrying the virus and then spreading the virus around if I'm not wearing a mask. That could jeopardize the life of some elderly guy that I just crossed paths with."

Al-Halawani reminds us that wearing a mask is not to protect the person wearing it. It's to protect other people.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;A pulmonologist with Hutchinson Regional Health System notes that there is an aspect of treatment with COVID-19 that is as new as the virus."For the first time ever treating a pneumonia, we started treating the low oxygen associated with this pneumonia by putting them on blood thinners," said Dr. Mohammed Al-Halawani. "We give oxygen supplementation, we put the patient on blood thinners. That's not the aspirin. I've seen on social media people belittling the disease and saying, oh you can take some Tylenol and aspirin at home and that will take care of the blood clot issue. That will not do anything for the blood clot issue."The virus itself appears to be different than it was earlier in the pandemic."We've noticed also that the severity of disease kind of dropped," Al-Halawani said. "We're seeing more cases now than we saw in the beginning of the pandemic. Some studies out there show that the virus mutated in a way that it became less severe, but more infectious."Dr. Al-Halawani notes that such developments means mask wearing is really important."Because it's easier to spread the virus, now you'll have more asymptomatic carriers or people with minor symptoms. You know, I spiked a fever last night and that's it and I think I'm fine. In reality, I would be carrying the virus and then spreading the virus around if I'm not wearing a mask. That could jeopardize the life of some elderly guy that I just crossed paths with."Al-Halawani reminds us that wearing a mask is not to protect the person wearing it. It's to protect other people.

Pulmonologist encourages mask wearing


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — The active case count in Reno County is trending down as of Friday morning.

According to the county's dashboard, there are 132 cases of COVID-19 active in the county, with 406 recovered. One person has died from COVID-19 thus far.

Of those 132 cases, 81 are from the Hutchinson Correctional Facility, with 10 others from separate clusters. That means there are only 41 non-cluster related cases in the county as of late Thursday.

The overall positive test rate is down to 8.98%, but the community test rate, not including the prison, is up to 6.69%. 6,004 people have been tested with 5,465 negatives. 9.55% of the population has been tested.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — The active case count in Reno County is trending down as of Friday morning.According to the county's dashboard, there are 132 cases of COVID-19 active in the county, with 406 recovered. One person has died from COVID-19 thus far.Of those 132 cases, 81 are from the Hutchinson Correctional Facility, with 10 others from separate clusters. That means there are only 41 non-cluster related cases in the county as of late Thursday.The overall positive test rate is down to 8.98%, but the community test rate, not including the prison, is up to 6.69%. 6,004 people have been tested with 5,465 negatives. 9.55% of the population has been tested.

Case count trending down in county as of Friday, 132 positive, 41 non-cluster related

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas death toll from the coronavirus pandemic rose to 411 on Wednesday as public health officials reported six more deaths.

The state Department of Health and Environment also reported on its website that Kansas had another 723 confirmed and probable cases since Monday, an increase of 2%, for a total of 35,890.

The actual number of cases is thought to be far higher because people can be infected without feeling ill and because of a lack of testing, particularly early in the pandemic.

Kansas has had 441 coronavirus clusters since the pandemic began, with 209 deaths at long-term care facilities, the health department said. Clusters at meatpacking plants accounted for 19 deaths and religious gatherings accounted for 12 deaths.

Health officials reported five clusters at Kansas colleges and universities associated with 57 coronavirus cases, with no hospitalizations or deaths associated with them.

Daycare facilities and schools were associated with 16 clusters associated with 78 cases, including one which required hospitalization.

Shawnee Mission, among the state’s largest school districts, plans to start classes online and suspend sports. But a neighboring school district is holding off on making a call as some parents urge them to reopen.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas death toll from the coronavirus pandemic rose to 411 on Wednesday as public health officials reported six more deaths.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FKDHEnews%2Fvideos%2F2680082192274634%2F&show_text=0&width=560" width="560" height="315" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowTransparency="true" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The state Department of Health and Environment also reported on its website that Kansas had another 723 confirmed and probable cases since Monday, an increase of 2%, for a total of 35,890.The actual number of cases is thought to be far higher because people can be infected without feeling ill and because of a lack of testing, particularly early in the pandemic.Kansas has had 441 coronavirus clusters since the pandemic began, with 209 deaths at long-term care facilities, the health department said. Clusters at meatpacking plants accounted for 19 deaths and religious gatherings accounted for 12 deaths.Health officials reported five clusters at Kansas colleges and universities associated with 57 coronavirus cases, with no hospitalizations or deaths associated with them.Daycare facilities and schools were associated with 16 clusters associated with 78 cases, including one which required hospitalization.Shawnee Mission, among the state’s largest school districts, plans to start classes online and suspend sports. But a neighboring school district is holding off on making a call as some parents urge them to reopen.--------

🎥  Pandemic death toll rises with 6 new deaths in Kansas

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — According to the Reno County dashboard at renogov.org, the county has hit 250 active cases of COVID-19. The big bump is once again from an update on the case count at Hutchinson Correctional Facility. 156 of the cases are related to that cluster. Those updates typically come out on Wednesdays.

The previous long-term care facility cluster in Pretty Prairie no longer registers any active cases. Only nine other cases in the county are cluster related. That means there are 85 non-cluster related cases in the county.

276 people have recovered. One person died from the virus. 

As of Wednesday's report from the Reno County Health Department, there were six positive COVID patients receiving treatment from Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, nine others are awaiting test results and one person is intubated.

The positive test rate has very slightly ticked up. It is at 9.1% counting the prison and 6.67% for community cases. 9.21% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — According to the Reno County dashboard at renogov.org, the county has hit 250 active cases of COVID-19. The big bump is once again from an update on the case count at Hutchinson Correctional Facility. 156 of the cases are related to that cluster. Those updates typically come out on Wednesdays.The previous long-term care facility cluster in Pretty Prairie no longer registers any active cases. Only nine other cases in the county are cluster related. That means there are 85 non-cluster related cases in the county.276 people have recovered. One person died from the virus. As of Wednesday's report from the Reno County Health Department, there were six positive COVID patients receiving treatment from Hutchinson Regional Medical Center, nine others are awaiting test results and one person is intubated.The positive test rate has very slightly ticked up. It is at 9.1% counting the prison and 6.67% for community cases. 9.21% of the population has been tested.

Update in HCF case count puts county total at 250, 85 are non-cluster related


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The active case count in Reno County is still slowly increasing, with active numbers up to 223 as of Tuesday evening. 

112 of those cases come from existing clusters, 102 of those 112 clustered cases are from Hutchinson Correctional Facility.

265 Reno County residents have recovered. Still just one death has been reported as a result of COVID-19. 

5,715 total tests have been administered, with 5226 negatives, for an overall positive test rate of 8.56%. The community positive test rate is holding steady at 6.66%. 9.09% of the population has been tested.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The active case count in Reno County is still slowly increasing, with active numbers up to 223 as of Tuesday evening. 112 of those cases come from existing clusters, 102 of those 112 clustered cases are from Hutchinson Correctional Facility.265 Reno County residents have recovered. Still just one death has been reported as a result of COVID-19. 5,715 total tests have been administered, with 5226 negatives, for an overall positive test rate of 8.56%. The community positive test rate is holding steady at 6.66%. 9.09% of the population has been tested.

Reno County active case count continues to rise, cluster activity holding steady


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Rick Kraus, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for Hutchinson USD 308 says its too early to tell if the increase in compensation for substitute teachers in the district has helped get more applicants.

"We've picked up a few subs each year," Kraus said. "It has not overcome the challenge that many of our substitutes, no matter how much their desire is to continue to work for us, their own age and perhaps health issues have prevented them from returning to the classroom, at least to start the school year."

With that in mind, Kraus reminds applicants, they don't have to be done with their degree to help.

"We are still seeking people that have at least 60 college hours, which is the minimum required by the Kansas State Department of Education to earn an emergency substitute teacher license," Kraus said. "More help is needed. It would be wonderful to have a pool of subs available for each building to keep that consistent, but the reality is, we just don't have enough to get that taken care of."

Teachers care about their kids and want to be at work, but Kraus cautions that the calculus of when to come to school and when to stay home may be different this time around.

"Teachers traditionally man up and try to just power through not feeling well, even though they may have a symptom or two," Kraus said. "This is one of those years where I don't think we can ask them to do that, just because of the potential of someone having the virus and coming to school and infecting, perhaps, several others. I think it's one of those years where, it kind of goes against a teacher's nature to just sit back and let the symptoms subside, because they know they need their kids and their kids need them."

The USD 308 school board recently approved $110 a day in pay for substitutes in the district.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;Rick Kraus, Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources for Hutchinson USD 308 says its too early to tell if the increase in compensation for substitute teachers in the district has helped get more applicants."We've picked up a few subs each year," Kraus said. "It has not overcome the challenge that many of our substitutes, no matter how much their desire is to continue to work for us, their own age and perhaps health issues have prevented them from returning to the classroom, at least to start the school year."With that in mind, Kraus reminds applicants, they don't have to be done with their degree to help."We are still seeking people that have at least 60 college hours, which is the minimum required by the Kansas State Department of Education to earn an emergency substitute teacher license," Kraus said. "More help is needed. It would be wonderful to have a pool of subs available for each building to keep that consistent, but the reality is, we just don't have enough to get that taken care of."Teachers care about their kids and want to be at work, but Kraus cautions that the calculus of when to come to school and when to stay home may be different this time around."Teachers traditionally man up and try to just power through not feeling well, even though they may have a symptom or two," Kraus said. "This is one of those years where I don't think we can ask them to do that, just because of the potential of someone having the virus and coming to school and infecting, perhaps, several others. I think it's one of those years where, it kind of goes against a teacher's nature to just sit back and let the symptoms subside, because they know they need their kids and their kids need them."The USD 308 school board recently approved $110 a day in pay for substitutes in the district.

Kraus: Subs still hard to come by


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Reno County COVID-19 case count is now above 200. As of Monday evening, there are 216 active cases in Reno County, with 263 recovered and one death.

The county's COVID-19 dashboard still has 101 cases active at Hutchinson Correctional Facility, with nine other cluster related cases still active. That means there are 106 cases in the county not connected with a cluster.

5,668 Reno County residents have been tested, with 5,188 negatives for a positive test rate of 8.47%. The community positive test rate is steady at 6.66%. 9.02% of the Reno County population has been tested.

Five people remain in the hospital as of Monday evening.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
The Reno County COVID-19 case count is now above 200. As of Monday evening, there are 216 active cases in Reno County, with 263 recovered and one death.The county's COVID-19 dashboard still has 101 cases active at Hutchinson Correctional Facility, with nine other cluster related cases still active. That means there are 106 cases in the county not connected with a cluster.5,668 Reno County residents have been tested, with 5,188 negatives for a positive test rate of 8.47%. The community positive test rate is steady at 6.66%. 9.02% of the Reno County population has been tested.Five people remain in the hospital as of Monday evening.

Case count in Reno County above 200, hospitalizations remain low

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Ken Johnson, CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. 

 Johnson reports that he was recently in contact with a family member who tested positive.  Johnson was immediately tested and self-quarantined after learning of his exposure.  Johnson is following Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System’s policies and working at home during his quarantine period.

Johnson has been in contact with the health department and wants to reassure everyone that all patients, visitors, employees and providers of the hospital are safe. “Although not required, I chose to communicate my experience with the coronavirus to better inform the community of the processes and guidelines that we adhere to at Hutchinson Regional for your safety and ours,” Johnson said.  Johnson says he is doing well and expects a full recovery with a return to work in the very near future. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1596450831912.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Ken Johnson, CEO of Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, has tested positive for the COVID-19 virus. Johnson reports that he was recently in contact with a family member who tested positive. Johnson was immediately tested and self-quarantined after learning of his exposure. Johnson is following Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System’s policies and working at home during his quarantine period.Johnson has been in contact with the health department and wants to reassure everyone that all patients, visitors, employees and providers of the hospital are safe. “Although not required, I chose to communicate my experience with the coronavirus to better inform the community of the processes and guidelines that we adhere to at Hutchinson Regional for your safety and ours,” Johnson said. Johnson says he is doing well and expects a full recovery with a return to work in the very near future.

Hutchinson Regional CEO tests positive for COVID-19

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1282 to a total of 35,167 the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 405, an increase of 3.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 1282 to a total of 35,167 the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 405, an increase of 3.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional numbers from the KDHE.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597683997667.png" alt="August 17, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>August 17, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
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KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Sunday's updated numbers show another bounce in COVID-19 case count for Reno County.

As of Sunday afternoon, 199 cases of COVID-19 were active in Reno County, with 249 recovered and one death since the beginning of the pandemic.

The largest cluster of active cases are still from the Hutchinson Correctional Facility, with over 100 cases still active. There are also three active cases remaining from a cluster at a meatpacking plant, three from a long-term care facility and seven from a religious gathering, so 115 of the 199 active cases are from cluster activity, which leaves 84 where the source of spread is either unknown or small enough not to qualify as a cluster.

The positive test rate among the community in Reno County is 6.66%, with the overall positive test rate at 8.1%. 5,545 total tests have been administered with 5,096 negative. 8.82% of the population has been tested.

Five cases are currently in the hospital, with four intubated. There have been 28 total hospitalizations since the beginning of the pandemic, with 17 of those requiring ICU treatment.

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HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Sunday's updated numbers show another bounce in COVID-19 case count for Reno County.As of Sunday afternoon, 199 cases of COVID-19 were active in Reno County, with 249 recovered and one death since the beginning of the pandemic.The largest cluster of active cases are still from the Hutchinson Correctional Facility, with over 100 cases still active. There are also three active cases remaining from a cluster at a meatpacking plant, three from a long-term care facility and seven from a religious gathering, so 115 of the 199 active cases are from cluster activity, which leaves 84 where the source of spread is either unknown or small enough not to qualify as a cluster.The positive test rate among the community in Reno County is 6.66%, with the overall positive test rate at 8.1%. 5,545 total tests have been administered with 5,096 negative. 8.82% of the population has been tested.Five cases are currently in the hospital, with four intubated. There have been 28 total hospitalizations since the beginning of the pandemic, with 17 of those requiring ICU treatment.

Reno County case count up to 199, still more than half from prison

KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Trump’s top coronavirus adviser used a visit to Kansas to urge people to wear masks regardless of where they live.

“What’s really important for every Kansan to understand is that this epidemic that we have been seeing this summer is both urban and rural,” Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force said Saturday. “So we are really asking all communities, whether you are urban or rural communities, to really wear a mask inside, outside, every day.”

She also stressed that people should socially distance and not have gatherings while in Kansas City, Kansas, for a meeting with Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, as well as community and state health officials at KU Medical Center.

“You can’t tell who’s infected,” Birx said. “Much of the spread is asymptomatic. I know we all want to believe that our family members cannot be positive. They are.”

Birx said when communities start seeing a rise in positive cases, leaders need to close the bars, restrict indoor dining, decrease social gatherings and ensure there’s a mask mandate.

“We have been doing that across the South and we’ve seen a dramatic decrease in cases where the population has followed those guidelines,” she said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597516477980.png" alt="Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force in Kansas on Saturday -photo courtesy KCTV" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force in Kansas on Saturday -photo courtesy KCTV</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY, Kan. (AP) — Trump’s top coronavirus adviser used a visit to Kansas to urge people to wear masks regardless of where they live.“What’s really important for every Kansan to understand is that this epidemic that we have been seeing this summer is both urban and rural,” Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force said Saturday. “So we are really asking all communities, whether you are urban or rural communities, to really wear a mask inside, outside, every day.”She also stressed that people should socially distance and not have gatherings while in Kansas City, Kansas, for a meeting with Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly, as well as community and state health officials at KU Medical Center.“You can’t tell who’s infected,” Birx said. “Much of the spread is asymptomatic. I know we all want to believe that our family members cannot be positive. They are.”Birx said when communities start seeing a rise in positive cases, leaders need to close the bars, restrict indoor dining, decrease social gatherings and ensure there’s a mask mandate.“We have been doing that across the South and we’ve seen a dramatic decrease in cases where the population has followed those guidelines,” she said.

Top coronavirus adviser meets with Kan. governor, health officials

WASHINGTON (AP) — No, Russia isn’t having a Sputnik moment.

The announcement this week by Russian President Vladimir Putin that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fcda62ad992db414d65f23b2adb78e44">his country was the first to approve a coronavirus vaccine</a>&nbsp;did not provoke the awe and wonder of the Soviet Union’s launch of the first satellite into orbit in 1957. Instead, it was met by doubts about the science and safety.

But the claim underscored how, like the space race, the competition to have the first vaccine is about international rivalries as well as science. The first nation to develop a way to defeat the novel coronavirus will achieve a kind of moonshot victory and the global status that goes along with it.

That’s valuable to Putin, whose popularity at home has declined amid a stagnant economy and the ravages of the virus outbreak.

“To be the first one out of the block with a coronavirus vaccine would be a real — pardon the pun — shot in the arm for the Kremlin,” said Timothy Frye, a political science professor at Columbia University who specializes in post-Soviet politics.

Russia is not alone in viewing a vaccine in this light. China, where the virus first emerged, has also raced to make progress on a vaccine.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/93a7be6c6ac427e6211074ab9cfc9dbc">A state-owned Chinese company is boasting</a>&nbsp;that its employees, including top executives, received experimental shots even before the government approved testing in people.

President Donald Trump, whose handling of the coronavirus pandemic has put his political fate in grave jeopardy,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7cc45cdcb3e53515b8ff4304a4ae5c06">is hoping to get credit for his administration’s aggressive push for a vaccine,&nbsp;</a>ideally one that arrives before Election Day in November.

It’s far from clear at this point whether Putin has beaten Trump to this medical milestone.

Putin said the Health Ministry gave its approval after the vaccine, named “Sputnik V,” underwent the necessary tests. He said one of his two adult daughters had been inoculated. “We should be grateful to those who have taken this first step, which is very important for our country and the whole world,” he said.

No proof was offered and scientists in Russia warned that more testing would be necessary to establish it is safe and effective. Nonetheless, officials said vaccination of doctors could start as early as this month and mass vaccination may begin as early as October.

Scientists around the world have been cautioning that even if vaccine candidates are proven to work, it will take even more time to tell how long the protection will last.

“It’s a too early stage to truly assess whether it’s going to be effective, whether it’s going to work or not,” said Dr. Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton.

It was also too soon to dismiss the Russian claim out of hand.

The country, though economically dependent on the export of natural resources, does have a history of achievement in science, medicine and aerospace — including becoming the first to put a person into space, in 1961.

“It is possible that they concentrated and could do this,” said Daniel Fried, a retired senior U.S. diplomat. “I’m not scoffing at it, but it doesn’t mean that the Russian economy is advanced.”

A vaccine would be the kind of significant achievement that would elevate Putin at home and in the international community.

“They would love to be able to claim credit because the first country to develop the vaccine will gain enormous prestige,” said Fried, a former assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs who is now a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council.

It’s also possible Russia had help. The U.S., Britain and Canada l&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/47797e89ddb470b3244fae3a799481c5">ast month accused hackers working for Russian intelligence of trying to steal information&nbsp;</a>about a coronavirus vaccine from academic and pharmaceutical research institutions.

In any case, the public is eager for a vaccine as global deaths from the virus surpass 730,000. Some say they would even welcome one from Russia, provided it passes muster with the Food and Drug Administration, which approves vaccines used in the U.S., and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends who should receive them.

“I can’t take it anymore. I’m getting crazy,” said Fernanda Henderson, as she strapped her infant into a car seat at a park in the Maryland suburbs of Washington for a break from quarantining at home. “I don’t think the CDC or the FDA would approve something that is not going to work.”

But to Vesna Jezic, a 79-year-old native of Croatia and immunologist who was taking her grandchildren to the same park, the suspiciously fast progress on the vaccine announced by Putin was reason to be doubtful. “You can imagine we don’t trust anything that comes from Russia,” she said.

The Russian president may face similar doubts at home. Frye noted a 2018 Gallup Poll that showed the former Soviet countries have some of the highest rates of anti-vaccination sentiment in the world.

“If it turns out not to work, it would be a real black eye,” he said.

WASHINGTON (AP) — No, Russia isn’t having a Sputnik moment.The announcement this week by Russian President Vladimir Putin that&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/fcda62ad992db414d65f23b2adb78e44">his country was the first to approve a coronavirus vaccine</a>&nbsp;did not provoke the awe and wonder of the Soviet Union’s launch of the first satellite into orbit in 1957. Instead, it was met by doubts about the science and safety.But the claim underscored how, like the space race, the competition to have the first vaccine is about international rivalries as well as science. The first nation to develop a way to defeat the novel coronavirus will achieve a kind of moonshot victory and the global status that goes along with it.That’s valuable to Putin, whose popularity at home has declined amid a stagnant economy and the ravages of the virus outbreak.“To be the first one out of the block with a coronavirus vaccine would be a real — pardon the pun — shot in the arm for the Kremlin,” said Timothy Frye, a political science professor at Columbia University who specializes in post-Soviet politics.Russia is not alone in viewing a vaccine in this light. China, where the virus first emerged, has also raced to make progress on a vaccine.&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/93a7be6c6ac427e6211074ab9cfc9dbc">A state-owned Chinese company is boasting</a>&nbsp;that its employees, including top executives, received experimental shots even before the government approved testing in people.President Donald Trump, whose handling of the coronavirus pandemic has put his political fate in grave jeopardy,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/7cc45cdcb3e53515b8ff4304a4ae5c06">is hoping to get credit for his administration’s aggressive push for a vaccine,&nbsp;</a>ideally one that arrives before Election Day in November.It’s far from clear at this point whether Putin has beaten Trump to this medical milestone.Putin said the Health Ministry gave its approval after the vaccine, named “Sputnik V,” underwent the necessary tests. He said one of his two adult daughters had been inoculated. “We should be grateful to those who have taken this first step, which is very important for our country and the whole world,” he said.No proof was offered and scientists in Russia warned that more testing would be necessary to establish it is safe and effective. Nonetheless, officials said vaccination of doctors could start as early as this month and mass vaccination may begin as early as October.Scientists around the world have been cautioning that even if vaccine candidates are proven to work, it will take even more time to tell how long the protection will last.“It’s a too early stage to truly assess whether it’s going to be effective, whether it’s going to work or not,” said Dr. Michael Head, senior research fellow in global health at the University of Southampton.It was also too soon to dismiss the Russian claim out of hand.The country, though economically dependent on the export of natural resources, does have a history of achievement in science, medicine and aerospace — including becoming the first to put a person into space, in 1961.“It is possible that they concentrated and could do this,” said Daniel Fried, a retired senior U.S. diplomat. “I’m not scoffing at it, but it doesn’t mean that the Russian economy is advanced.”A vaccine would be the kind of significant achievement that would elevate Putin at home and in the international community.“They would love to be able to claim credit because the first country to develop the vaccine will gain enormous prestige,” said Fried, a former assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian affairs who is now a distinguished fellow at the Atlantic Council.It’s also possible Russia had help. The U.S., Britain and Canada l&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/47797e89ddb470b3244fae3a799481c5">ast month accused hackers working for Russian intelligence of trying to steal information&nbsp;</a>about a coronavirus vaccine from academic and pharmaceutical research institutions.In any case, the public is eager for a vaccine as global deaths from the virus surpass 730,000. Some say they would even welcome one from Russia, provided it passes muster with the Food and Drug Administration, which approves vaccines used in the U.S., and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends who should receive them.“I can’t take it anymore. I’m getting crazy,” said Fernanda Henderson, as she strapped her infant into a car seat at a park in the Maryland suburbs of Washington for a break from quarantining at home. “I don’t think the CDC or the FDA would approve something that is not going to work.”But to Vesna Jezic, a 79-year-old native of Croatia and immunologist who was taking her grandchildren to the same park, the suspiciously fast progress on the vaccine announced by Putin was reason to be doubtful. “You can imagine we don’t trust anything that comes from Russia,” she said.The Russian president may face similar doubts at home. Frye noted a 2018 Gallup Poll that showed the former Soviet countries have some of the highest rates of anti-vaccination sentiment in the world.“If it turns out not to work, it would be a real black eye,” he said.___

Science, politics tied up in global race for a vaccine


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;With the significant cluster of COVID-19 cases at Hutchinson Correctional Facility announced this week, it's important to differentiate those who are incarcerated from those who work there and go home to their families in the community, but to do so without making it too easy to figure out which employees are ill.

"We're working to integrate those staff members," said Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti. "We would count them and through epidemiological investigation, in terms of where we think they got it, through the specific investigation with each one of those individuals. Those staff members, we're counting within the community aggregate data that we would apply to just community trend analysis, because those individuals do live in our community."

With that said, the Kansas Department of Corrections release said that the people that were infected in the prison are asymptomatic. The concern is that even asymptomatic carriers can spread the virus, if in close contact long enough.

"If there's an individual who is presenting physical symptoms, coughing, fever, bowel issues, that's the highest risk factor in terms of spread and exposure," Baldetti said. "That's followed by presymptomatic and presymptomatic again is different than asymptomatic, in that presymptomatic just means that you haven't presented your symptoms yet, but the individual who is positive at some point presents symptoms, versus an asymptomatic individual are those that never present a symptom. They are just actively carrying the virus and never would know that they are sick. In that order, it's truly symptomatic, presymptomatic and asymptomatic in terms of risk."

From an epidemiological perspective, the two days immediately prior to symptoms are the days with most risk of spread other than those days once symptoms present.

"You shouldn't necessarily be terribly concerned with walking by an asymptomatic individual in Walmart as you pass through an aisle. You really have to spend some time in an enclosed space to contract from an asymptomatic versus again much higher risk associated with someone who is actively presenting symptoms."

It's not that masking will take the viral spread of even asymptomatic individuals down to zero, but it will reduce the amount that gets out and thus require longer exposure to get to a symptom onset point than otherwise would be the case.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp;With the significant cluster of COVID-19 cases at Hutchinson Correctional Facility announced this week, it's important to differentiate those who are incarcerated from those who work there and go home to their families in the community, but to do so without making it too easy to figure out which employees are ill."We're working to integrate those staff members," said Reno County Health Department Director Nick Baldetti. "We would count them and through epidemiological investigation, in terms of where we think they got it, through the specific investigation with each one of those individuals. Those staff members, we're counting within the community aggregate data that we would apply to just community trend analysis, because those individuals do live in our community."With that said, the Kansas Department of Corrections release said that the people that were infected in the prison are asymptomatic. The concern is that even asymptomatic carriers can spread the virus, if in close contact long enough."If there's an individual who is presenting physical symptoms, coughing, fever, bowel issues, that's the highest risk factor in terms of spread and exposure," Baldetti said. "That's followed by presymptomatic and presymptomatic again is different than asymptomatic, in that presymptomatic just means that you haven't presented your symptoms yet, but the individual who is positive at some point presents symptoms, versus an asymptomatic individual are those that never present a symptom. They are just actively carrying the virus and never would know that they are sick. In that order, it's truly symptomatic, presymptomatic and asymptomatic in terms of risk."From an epidemiological perspective, the two days immediately prior to symptoms are the days with most risk of spread other than those days once symptoms present."You shouldn't necessarily be terribly concerned with walking by an asymptomatic individual in Walmart as you pass through an aisle. You really have to spend some time in an enclosed space to contract from an asymptomatic versus again much higher risk associated with someone who is actively presenting symptoms."It's not that masking will take the viral spread of even asymptomatic individuals down to zero, but it will reduce the amount that gets out and thus require longer exposure to get to a symptom onset point than otherwise would be the case.

Baldetti: HCF spread makes parsing out numbers more challenging

KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — Kansas City will require residents and visitors to wear masks in indoor public places until at least Jan. 16, Mayor Quinton<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1421/16"> Lucas announced Thursday.</a>

The mayor and Rex Archer, director of the city's health department, said cases of COVID-19 continue to increase in the Kansas City area, and the virus is likely to stay until a vaccine becomes widely available.

The order means people will be required to wear masks in indoor areas where social distancing is not possible. It includes some exceptions, such as people with medical conditions that make it difficult to wear masks. Bars and restaurants will continue to be limited to 50% capacity.

Kansas City has seen increasing numbers of cases this summer, averaging at least 100 confirmed cases nearly every day for weeks.

The state of Missouri also has seen a steady increase in cases, and on Thursday added 1,267 more, bringing the state total to 63,797 since the pandemic began. Missouri reported two new deaths Thursday, raising the total to 1,325.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/8/1597411835075.png" alt="Photo courtesy Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas" />
 <figcaption>Photo courtesy Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas</figcaption>
 </figure>KANSAS CITY&nbsp; (AP) — Kansas City will require residents and visitors to wear masks in indoor public places until at least Jan. 16, Mayor Quinton<a href="https://www.kcmo.gov/Home/Components/News/News/1421/16"> Lucas announced Thursday.</a>The mayor and Rex Archer, director of the city's health department, said cases of COVID-19 continue to increase in the Kansas City area, and the virus is likely to stay until a vaccine becomes widely available.The order means people will be required to wear masks in indoor areas where social distancing is not possible. It includes some exceptions, such as people with medical conditions that make it difficult to wear masks. Bars and restaurants will continue to be limited to 50% capacity.Kansas City has seen increasing numbers of cases this summer, averaging at least 100 confirmed cases nearly every day for weeks.The state of Missouri also has seen a steady increase in cases, and on Thursday added 1,267 more, bringing the state total to 63,797 since the pandemic began. Missouri reported two new deaths Thursday, raising the total to 1,325.

Kansas City extends COVID-19 restrictions to mid-January

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Public health officials in three Kansas counties say a new state law is hurting their efforts to trace the contacts of people infected with COVID-19 by making it easier for them to refuse to cooperate.

Public health departments often rely on employers to find out who has been in close contact with those infected, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.khi.org/policy/article/HATC-special-edition-summary-of-HB2016" target="_blank">the coronavirus law</a>&nbsp;that was approved in June says “third parties,” such as employers and event hosts, must get consent from those who tested positive for COVID-19 and close contacts in order to share their information to public health agencies.

“Our disease investigators hold confidentiality to the utmost importance,” said Adrienne Byrne, director of the Sedgwick County Health Department in Wichita. “So I’m not sure what all went behind that bill, but it has not been good for public health because being able to do contact tracing helps us identify people that might turn positive and get them out of circulation to help stop the spread of the disease.”

Kansas reported Wednesday that its confirmed and probable coronavirus cases were over 32,500, up more than 6,000 over the past two weeks.

While lawmakers deliberated the coronavirus response bill in June, Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt&nbsp;<a href="https://ag.ks.gov/media-center/news-releases/2020-news-releases/2020/06/01/ag-derek-schmidt-recommends-legislature-enact-law-during-special-session-to-regulate-contact-tracing" target="_blank">recommended</a>&nbsp;that they include “a legal framework″ for protecting privacy and civil liberties. Schmidt spokesman John Milburn said in an email to the Associated Press that “the alternative to voluntary contact tracing is government-compelled contact tracing.”

“We do not believe Kansans should be threatened with government-imposed penalties if they decline to disclose with whom they associate or where they have been, at least not without judicial supervision,” he said.

The law passed after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3a112f6630e3e1f48b7eafc1481ea3e6">weeks of dispute&nbsp;</a>between Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and top Republicans over her handling of the pandemic. Contact tracers and case investigators who violate the law can be charged with a class C misdemeanor.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Public health officials in three Kansas counties say a new state law is hurting their efforts to trace the contacts of people infected with COVID-19 by making it easier for them to refuse to cooperate.Public health departments often rely on employers to find out who has been in close contact with those infected, but&nbsp;<a href="https://www.khi.org/policy/article/HATC-special-edition-summary-of-HB2016" target="_blank">the coronavirus law</a>&nbsp;that was approved in June says “third parties,” such as employers and event hosts, must get consent from those who tested positive for COVID-19 and close contacts in order to share their information to public health agencies.“Our disease investigators hold confidentiality to the utmost importance,” said Adrienne Byrne, director of the Sedgwick County Health Department in Wichita. “So I’m not sure what all went behind that bill, but it has not been good for public health because being able to do contact tracing helps us identify people that might turn positive and get them out of circulation to help stop the spread of the disease.”Kansas reported Wednesday that its confirmed and probable coronavirus cases were over 32,500, up more than 6,000 over the past two weeks.While lawmakers deliberated the coronavirus response bill in June, Republican Attorney General Derek Schmidt&nbsp;<a href="https://ag.ks.gov/media-center/news-releases/2020-news-releases/2020/06/01/ag-derek-schmidt-recommends-legislature-enact-law-during-special-session-to-regulate-contact-tracing" target="_blank">recommended</a>&nbsp;that they include “a legal framework″ for protecting privacy and civil liberties. Schmidt spokesman John Milburn said in an email to the Associated Press that “the alternative to voluntary contact tracing is government-compelled contact tracing.”“We do not believe Kansans should be threatened with government-imposed penalties if they decline to disclose with whom they associate or where they have been, at least not without judicial supervision,” he said.The law passed after&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/3a112f6630e3e1f48b7eafc1481ea3e6">weeks of dispute&nbsp;</a>between Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and top Republicans over her handling of the pandemic. Contact tracers and case investigators who violate the law can be charged with a class C misdemeanor.“If we have to go in and try to get consent, it really just slows the whole process down,” Dr. Lee Norman, the state’s top public health official, said this week.Coronavirus outbreaks in Wyandotte County have most commonly occurred at workplaces, said Elizabeth Groenweghe, the county health department’s chief epidemiologist.The new law will “make it a bit more challenging to do the contact tracing in the workplace and help the workplace identify who needs to be quarantined, which could impact and perpetuate outbreaks within the workplace,” Groenweghe said.The law also prevents people infected with COVID-19 and close contacts from being “compelled to participate in” contact tracing. Contact tracers and case investigators are now required to read a statement — or create their own version of it — informing recent close contacts that cooperating with health officials is voluntary, Kansas Department of Health and Environment spokeswoman Kristi Zears said in an email.Elizabeth Holzschuh, a Johnson County epidemiologist, said she thinks the statement makes it easier for people to decline to participate.“I think that in particular with a disease such as this, where the implications are so great at this moment in time, in the middle of a pandemic, I certainly think that greater participation would help us slow transmission,” Holzschuh said.___

Coronavirus Update