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.

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<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1587129819284.jpeg" alt="" />
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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.
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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.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613693226012.jpeg" alt="" />
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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.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612786086400.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </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. 

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>.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612523117297.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </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>.

Active cases of COVID-19 Tuesday at 17, lowest since July 3, 2020


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Karen Hammersmith with the Reno County Health Department made it clear that vaccinations are available to those 16 and over in Reno County, but those under 18 can only get one of the approved shots.

"Reno County does not have the Pfizer, which is the only vaccine approved for those that are 16 and over," Hammersmith said. "On our website, we don't have that available."

Reno County has mostly Moderna, but also a few Johnson and Johnson shots, but the distribution of vaccines from the state level down has changed in recent weeks, according to the Health Department's Karla Nichols.

"In past months, they supplied us, the Health Department, the vaccine and then we distributed it out to the Hutch Clinic, Prairie Star and any other vaccine providers," Nichols said. "Two weeks ago, they changed that. Now, they are sending it to us individually. I think, collectively, as a group, it's still about the amount or a little more than we have been receiving. I just can't for sure say that at this point."

They're also having data analyst D.J. Gering study where people who have gotten the shot are from.

"We also look at his assistance on where we can take vaccine to those different populations to increase the vaccine rates, to lessen any disparity and to make sure we have equality."

They plan to take vaccine clinics to outlying communities based on that data in the coming weeks.

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<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1613693226012.jpeg" alt="" />
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 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Karen Hammersmith with the Reno County Health Department made it clear that vaccinations are available to those 16 and over in Reno County, but those under 18 can only get one of the approved shots."Reno County does not have the Pfizer, which is the only vaccine approved for those that are 16 and over," Hammersmith said. "On our website, we don't have that available."Reno County has mostly Moderna, but also a few Johnson and Johnson shots, but the distribution of vaccines from the state level down has changed in recent weeks, according to the Health Department's Karla Nichols."In past months, they supplied us, the Health Department, the vaccine and then we distributed it out to the Hutch Clinic, Prairie Star and any other vaccine providers," Nichols said. "Two weeks ago, they changed that. Now, they are sending it to us individually. I think, collectively, as a group, it's still about the amount or a little more than we have been receiving. I just can't for sure say that at this point."They're also having data analyst D.J. Gering study where people who have gotten the shot are from."We also look at his assistance on where we can take vaccine to those different populations to increase the vaccine rates, to lessen any disparity and to make sure we have equality."They plan to take vaccine clinics to outlying communities based on that data in the coming weeks.
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County does not have Pfizer vaccine, is still looking to equalize distribution


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Prairie Star Health Clinic is offering the Moderna vaccine to all adults 18 and over March 30th&nbsp;thru April 2nd&nbsp;from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Any one can simply walk in, fill out paperwork and get their vaccine.

This is first come, first served until the vaccine is gone.

This effort joins <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/ad894bd6-d598-45fc-9e55-7c2a19760bb7">that of the Reno County Health Department and local pharmacies as the state is now in Phase 5 of vaccine distribution.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/4/1586803833983.png" alt="Prairie star logo.png" />
 <figcaption>Prairie star logo.png</figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Prairie Star Health Clinic is offering the Moderna vaccine to all adults 18 and over March 30th&nbsp;thru April 2nd&nbsp;from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.Any one can simply walk in, fill out paperwork and get their vaccine.This is first come, first served until the vaccine is gone.This effort joins <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/ad894bd6-d598-45fc-9e55-7c2a19760bb7">that of the Reno County Health Department and local pharmacies as the state is now in Phase 5 of vaccine distribution.</a>

Prairie Star taking walk ins for COVID-19 vaccine until its gone


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — The positive test rate number for Reno County continues to improve. 

According to information on the Reno County dashboard Thursday, the 14-day positive test rate as of March 21 was down to just 2.5%, with a 14-day new case total of just 16, so schools will remain in the green for the coming week. The last time we saw comparable numbers was last June.

There are 53 active cases in Reno County as of Thursday. 139 people have had their deaths classified as COVID-related. Just two of those deaths have occurred in the last 30 days.

Out of 7,741 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,549 recoveries. There are 8 clusters still being monitored. None of the cluster types have documented cases currently visible on the dashboard.

Three Reno County residents are in the hospital with COVID-19. There have been 368 hospitalizations total and 103 ICU admissions.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612786086400.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — The positive test rate number for Reno County continues to improve. According to information on the Reno County dashboard Thursday, the 14-day positive test rate as of March 21 was down to just 2.5%, with a 14-day new case total of just 16, so schools will remain in the green for the coming week. The last time we saw comparable numbers was last June.There are 53 active cases in Reno County as of Thursday. 139 people have had their deaths classified as COVID-related. Just two of those deaths have occurred in the last 30 days.Out of 7,741 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,549 recoveries. There are 8 clusters still being monitored. None of the cluster types have documented cases currently visible on the dashboard.Three 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>.

Positive test rate number down, schools still in the green


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — With the State of Kansas extending its disaster declaration on Wednesday, it's time for an extension to the local order in Reno County to come up before the Board of County Commissioners again. Reno County Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar plans to have that on the agenda for the commission's March 30 meeting.

"The disaster declaration, what that does is it opens up assistance from the state and federal governments as well as some reimbursement in the future for us," Weishaar said.

This would be the fifth extension of the declaration, which originally went into place on March 19, 2020.

"The idea would be to extend it out for about three months, push it out to the end of June," Weishaar said. "I truly believe that we'll be in a better place. We'll have a bunch of vaccination out there. I would like to think that everyone who wants a vaccine will have been able to receive that vaccine by then."

The hope is to get to the point where they won't need supplies or reimbursement and that they can let the emergency end there.

"Every single time I've ever gone to the Board of Reno County Commissioners and requested a disaster declaration, they have not really given any pushback," Weishaar said. "They understand there's a need for it and understand that really the only thing it's doing for us is benefiting us, benefiting the residents of the county and making supplies available, as well as some sort of federal reimbursement if it comes available to us. It never hurts us to have a disaster declaration in place, but it can hurt us if we choose not to have one."

The intent of Tuesday's agenda item is to extend the date to June 30, 2021.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — With the State of Kansas extending its disaster declaration on Wednesday, it's time for an extension to the local order in Reno County to come up before the Board of County Commissioners again. Reno County Emergency Management Director Adam Weishaar plans to have that on the agenda for the commission's March 30 meeting."The disaster declaration, what that does is it opens up assistance from the state and federal governments as well as some reimbursement in the future for us," Weishaar said.This would be the fifth extension of the declaration, which originally went into place on March 19, 2020."The idea would be to extend it out for about three months, push it out to the end of June," Weishaar said. "I truly believe that we'll be in a better place. We'll have a bunch of vaccination out there. I would like to think that everyone who wants a vaccine will have been able to receive that vaccine by then."The hope is to get to the point where they won't need supplies or reimbursement and that they can let the emergency end there."Every single time I've ever gone to the Board of Reno County Commissioners and requested a disaster declaration, they have not really given any pushback," Weishaar said. "They understand there's a need for it and understand that really the only thing it's doing for us is benefiting us, benefiting the residents of the county and making supplies available, as well as some sort of federal reimbursement if it comes available to us. It never hurts us to have a disaster declaration in place, but it can hurt us if we choose not to have one."The intent of Tuesday's agenda item is to extend the date to June 30, 2021.

Weishaar will bring disaster declaration extension to commission

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Monday update from the Reno County dashboard shows the case count in the county at 52. 

Out of 7,736 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,547 recoveries. There are 8 clusters still being monitored. None of the cluster types have documented cases currently visible on the dashboard.

Three Reno County residents are in the hospital with COVID-19. There have been 367 hospitalizations total and 103 ICU admissions. 137 Reno County residents deaths are attributed to the pandemic.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612955384439.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Monday update from the Reno County dashboard shows the case count in the county at 52. Out of 7,736 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,547 recoveries. There are 8 clusters still being monitored. None of the cluster types have documented cases currently visible on the dashboard.Three Reno County residents are in the hospital with COVID-19. There have been 367 hospitalizations total and 103 ICU admissions. 137 Reno County residents deaths are attributed to the pandemic.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>.

Case count down to 52, still no cluster connected cases as of Monday


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — District 34 State Senator Dr. Mark Steffen testified Monday before the Senate Public Health and Welfare committee on Senate Bill 212. The bill's intent is not to require children to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Steffen doesn't believe in that population the reward is worth the risk.

"It protects our children from a vaccine that has a morbidity and mortality profile equal to or higher than the COVID-19 virus itself, for sure in this age group of people," Steffen said. 

As of the time of Steffen's testimony on Monday, none of the vaccines approved for adults in the United States have been approved for use in children.

"It's a vaccine that is experimental, a vaccine that is gene manipulative, a technique never used before," Steffen said. "It's long term dangers won't be known for decades."

Steffen wants to be sure that recommendations are policy, rather than mandates as much as possible.

"Don't get me wrong," Steffen said. "Used appropriately, vaccines are a great, great thing. As a physician, I've recommended them to many an individual. Recommend is the key. As a physician myself, I've never once mandated a treatment, nor has any of the other doctors who will show up later, like Dr. Eplee. He's never mandated a treatment plan. The CDC, FDA, NIH and World Health Organization recommend vaccinations for society. Why in the world would we allow Lee Norman to mandate anything?"

Secretary Norman spoke in opposition to the bill, mainly wanting to keep the regulation open-ended so they can adjust as more is learned about vaccines generally.

"I think it's important and we think it's important that vaccines remain in regulation in KAR 28-1-20, rather than listed in statutes, in order to support timely response to changes in ACIP recommendations," Norman said. "A new vaccine may be recommended by the ACIP, or it may be one, because of new findings, where it may be recommended to be removed. In either case, we want to act quickly."

ACIP is the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Any time a new vaccine is to be added to the mandatory list, it needs to be on the list by February to be able to be in arms by August to start school.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616423831458.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — District 34 State Senator Dr. Mark Steffen testified Monday before the Senate Public Health and Welfare committee on Senate Bill 212. The bill's intent is not to require children to be vaccinated for COVID-19. Steffen doesn't believe in that population the reward is worth the risk."It protects our children from a vaccine that has a morbidity and mortality profile equal to or higher than the COVID-19 virus itself, for sure in this age group of people," Steffen said. As of the time of Steffen's testimony on Monday, none of the vaccines approved for adults in the United States have been approved for use in children."It's a vaccine that is experimental, a vaccine that is gene manipulative, a technique never used before," Steffen said. "It's long term dangers won't be known for decades."Steffen wants to be sure that recommendations are policy, rather than mandates as much as possible."Don't get me wrong," Steffen said. "Used appropriately, vaccines are a great, great thing. As a physician, I've recommended them to many an individual. Recommend is the key. As a physician myself, I've never once mandated a treatment, nor has any of the other doctors who will show up later, like Dr. Eplee. He's never mandated a treatment plan. The CDC, FDA, NIH and World Health Organization recommend vaccinations for society. Why in the world would we allow Lee Norman to mandate anything?"<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1616423873913.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Secretary Norman spoke in opposition to the bill, mainly wanting to keep the regulation open-ended so they can adjust as more is learned about vaccines generally."I think it's important and we think it's important that vaccines remain in regulation in KAR 28-1-20, rather than listed in statutes, in order to support timely response to changes in ACIP recommendations," Norman said. "A new vaccine may be recommended by the ACIP, or it may be one, because of new findings, where it may be recommended to be removed. In either case, we want to act quickly."ACIP is the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Any time a new vaccine is to be added to the mandatory list, it needs to be on the list by February to be able to be in arms by August to start school.

Testimony on vaccination bill Monday at legislature

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Friday update from the Reno County dashboard shows the case count in the county at 56. 

The last time the dashboard showed less than 60 active total cases was August 11, 2020 when it had 49. The level jumped to 152 on the 12th and hasn't been back to this level since.

Out of 7,735 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,542 recoveries. There are 8 clusters still being monitored. None of the cluster types have documented cases currently visible on the dashboard.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/2/1612786086400.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Friday update from the Reno County dashboard shows the case count in the county at 56. The last time the dashboard showed less than 60 active total cases was August 11, 2020 when it had 49. The level jumped to 152 on the 12th and hasn't been back to this level since.Out of 7,735 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there have been 7,542 recoveries. There are 8 clusters still being monitored. None of the cluster types have documented cases currently visible on the dashboard.Three Reno County residents are in the hospital with COVID-19. There have been 367 hospitalizations total and 103 ICU admissions. 137 Reno County residents deaths are attributed to the pandemic.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