HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 458 as of Thursday morning. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 27 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 72 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 7,294 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 437 cases in the community at large. 6,725 people have recovered thus far.

Fifteen Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred thirty-nine total have been hospitalized. Ninety-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.31%. 35.92% of the population has been tested.

There are still two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 458 as of Thursday morning. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 27 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 72 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 7,294 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 437 cases in the community at large. 6,725 people have recovered thus far.Fifteen Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred thirty-nine total have been hospitalized. Ninety-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.31%. 35.92% of the population has been tested.There are still two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Case count at 458, with 437 in community as of Thursday afternoon, deaths still at 111

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 454 as of Wednesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 20 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 72 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 7,262 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 438 cases in the community at large. 6,698 people have recovered thus far.

Fifteen Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, 339 total have been hospitalized. Ninety-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.31%. 35.76% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 454 as of Wednesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 20 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 72 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 7,262 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 438 cases in the community at large. 6,698 people have recovered thus far.Fifteen Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, 339 total have been hospitalized. Ninety-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.31%. 35.76% of the population has been tested.There are still two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Case count at 454, with 438 in community as of Wednesday afternoon

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 461 as of Tuesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has seventeen active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 72 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 7,226 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 452 cases in the community at large. 6,654 people have recovered thus far.

Eighteen Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred thirty-six total have been hospitalized. Ninety-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.25%. 35.64% of the population has been tested.

There are now two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 461 as of Tuesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.The Correctional Facility cluster type has seventeen active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 72 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 7,226 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 452 cases in the community at large. 6,654 people have recovered thus far.Eighteen Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred thirty-six total have been hospitalized. Ninety-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.25%. 35.64% of the population has been tested.There are now two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Case count at 461, with 452 in community as of Tuesday afternoon

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 458 as of Monday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.

Out of 7,188 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 449 cases in the community at large. 6,619 people have recovered thus far.

The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.22%. 35.49% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 458 as of Monday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.The Correctional Facility cluster type has seventeen active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 72 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 7,188 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 449 cases in the community at large. 6,619 people have recovered thus far.Eighteen Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred thirty-six total have been hospitalized. Ninety-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.22%. 35.49% of the population has been tested.There are now two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Case count at 458, with 449 as of Monday afternoon

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California’s state epidemiologist is urging a halt to more than 300,000 coronavirus vaccinations using a Moderna vaccine version because some people received medical treatment for possible severe allergic reactions.

Dr. Erica S. Pan on Sunday recommended providers stop using lot 41L20A of the Moderna vaccine pending completion of an investigation by state officials, Moderna, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the federal Food and Drug Administration.

“Out of an extreme abundance of caution and also recognizing the extremely limited supply of vaccine, we are recommending that providers use other available vaccine inventory,” Pan said in a statement.

She said more than 330,000 doses from the lot arrived in California between Jan. 5 and Jan. 12 and were distributed to 287 providers.

Fewer than 10 people, who all received the vaccine at the same community site, needed medical attention over a 24-hour period, Pan said. No other similar clusters were found.

Pan did not specify the number of cases involved or where they occurred.

However, six San Diego health care workers had allergic reactions to vaccines they received at a mass vaccination center on Jan. 14. The site was temporarily closed and is now using other vaccines, KTGV-TV reported.

Moderna in a statement said the company “is unaware of comparable adverse events from other vaccination centers which may have administered vaccines from the same lot.”

The CDC has said COVID-19 vaccines can cause side effects for a few days that include fever, chills, headache, swelling or tiredness, “which are normal signs that your body is building protection.”

However, severe reactions are extremely rare. Pan said in a vaccine similar to Moderna, the rate of anaphylaxis — in which an immune system reaction can block breathing and cause blood pressure to drop — was about 1 in 100,000.

The announcement came as California counties continue to plead for more COVID-19 vaccine as the state tries to reduce its rate of infection, which has led to record numbers of hospitalizations and deaths.

California, with a population of 40 million, has shipped about about 3.2 million doses of the vaccine — which requires two doses for full immunization — to local health departments and health care systems, the state’s Department of Public Health reported Monday.

Only about 1.4 million of those doses, or around 40%, have been administered.

So far. the state has vaccinated fewer than 2,500 people per 100,000 residents, a rate that falls well below the national average, according to federal data.

Although Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week that anyone age 65 and older would be eligible to start receiving the vaccine, Los Angeles County and some others have said they do not have enough doses to vaccinate so many people and are first concentrating on inoculating health care workers and the most vulnerable elderly living in care homes.

On Monday, the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District sent a letter to state and county public health officials asking for authorization to provide COVID-19 vaccinations at schools for staff, local community members and for students once a vaccine for children has been approved.

“Doing so will help reopen schools as soon as possible, and in the safest way possible,” Superintendent Austin Beutner wrote.

California is nearing 3 million coronavirus cases and more than 33,600 people have died since the start of the pandemic last year, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.

The death rate from COVID-19 in Los Angeles County — the nation’s most populous and an epicenter of the state pandemic — works out to about one person every six minutes.

On Sunday, the South Coast Air Quality Management District suspended some pollution-control limits on the number of cremations for at least 10 days in order to deal with a backlog of bodies at hospitals and funeral homes.

“The current rate of death is more than double that of pre-pandemic years,” the agency said.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — California’s state epidemiologist is urging a halt to more than 300,000 coronavirus vaccinations using a Moderna vaccine version because some people received medical treatment for possible severe allergic reactions.Dr. Erica S. Pan on Sunday recommended providers stop using lot 41L20A of the Moderna vaccine pending completion of an investigation by state officials, Moderna, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and the federal Food and Drug Administration.“Out of an extreme abundance of caution and also recognizing the extremely limited supply of vaccine, we are recommending that providers use other available vaccine inventory,” Pan said in a statement.She said more than 330,000 doses from the lot arrived in California between Jan. 5 and Jan. 12 and were distributed to 287 providers.Fewer than 10 people, who all received the vaccine at the same community site, needed medical attention over a 24-hour period, Pan said. No other similar clusters were found.Pan did not specify the number of cases involved or where they occurred.However, six San Diego health care workers had allergic reactions to vaccines they received at a mass vaccination center on Jan. 14. The site was temporarily closed and is now using other vaccines, KTGV-TV reported.Moderna in a statement said the company “is unaware of comparable adverse events from other vaccination centers which may have administered vaccines from the same lot.”The CDC has said COVID-19 vaccines can cause side effects for a few days that include fever, chills, headache, swelling or tiredness, “which are normal signs that your body is building protection.”However, severe reactions are extremely rare. Pan said in a vaccine similar to Moderna, the rate of anaphylaxis — in which an immune system reaction can block breathing and cause blood pressure to drop — was about 1 in 100,000.The announcement came as California counties continue to plead for more COVID-19 vaccine as the state tries to reduce its rate of infection, which has led to record numbers of hospitalizations and deaths.California, with a population of 40 million, has shipped about about 3.2 million doses of the vaccine — which requires two doses for full immunization — to local health departments and health care systems, the state’s Department of Public Health reported Monday.Only about 1.4 million of those doses, or around 40%, have been administered.So far. the state has vaccinated fewer than 2,500 people per 100,000 residents, a rate that falls well below the national average, according to federal data.Although Gov. Gavin Newsom announced last week that anyone age 65 and older would be eligible to start receiving the vaccine, Los Angeles County and some others have said they do not have enough doses to vaccinate so many people and are first concentrating on inoculating health care workers and the most vulnerable elderly living in care homes.On Monday, the superintendent of the Los Angeles Unified School District sent a letter to state and county public health officials asking for authorization to provide COVID-19 vaccinations at schools for staff, local community members and for students once a vaccine for children has been approved.“Doing so will help reopen schools as soon as possible, and in the safest way possible,” Superintendent Austin Beutner wrote.California is nearing 3 million coronavirus cases and more than 33,600 people have died since the start of the pandemic last year, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.The death rate from COVID-19 in Los Angeles County — the nation’s most populous and an epicenter of the state pandemic — works out to about one person every six minutes.On Sunday, the South Coast Air Quality Management District suspended some pollution-control limits on the number of cremations for at least 10 days in order to deal with a backlog of bodies at hospitals and funeral homes.“The current rate of death is more than double that of pre-pandemic years,” the agency said.

Health official urges stop to 300K vaccines after some fall ill

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 462 as of Sunday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has sixteen active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 72 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 7,155 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 452 cases in the community at large. 6,582 people have recovered thus far.

Fourteen Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred thirty-two total have been hospitalized. Ninety-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.17%. 35.38% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 462 as of Sunday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.The Correctional Facility cluster type has sixteen active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 72 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 7,155 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 452 cases in the community at large. 6,582 people have recovered thus far.Fourteen Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred thirty-two total have been hospitalized. Ninety-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.17%. 35.38% of the population has been tested.There are now two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Case count at 462, with 452 in community as of Sunday afternoon

By JULIE APPLEBY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-01-14/private-practice-doctors-patients-wonder-when-its-their-turn-for-the-covid-19-vaccine">Kaiser Health News</a>

Dr. Andrew Carroll — a family doctor in Chandler, Arizona — wants to 
help his patients get immunized against covid, so he paid more than 
$4,000 to buy an ultra-low-temperature freezer from eBay needed to store
 the Pfizer vaccine.

But he’s not sure he’ll get a chance to use 
it, given health officials have so far not said when private doctor’s 
offices will get vaccine.

Not
 only are doctors having trouble getting vaccine for patients, but many 
of the community-based physicians and medical staff that aren’t employed
 by hospitals or health systems also report mixed results in getting 
inoculated. Some have had their shots, yet others are still waiting, 
even though health workers providing direct care to patients are in the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top-priority group.

Many
 of these doctors say they don’t know when — or if — they will get doses
 for their patients, which will soon become a bigger issue as states 
attempt to vaccinate more people.

“The reason that’s important is 
patients trust their doctors when it comes to the vaccine,” said 
Carroll, who has complained on social media that his county hasn’t yet 
released plans on how primary care doctors will be brought into the 
loop.

Collectively, physicians in the county could vaccinate 
thousands of patients a day, he said, and might draw some who would 
otherwise be hesitant if they had to go to a large hospital, a 
fairground or another central site.

His concern comes as, 
nationally, the rollout of the vaccine is off to a slower start than 
expected, lagging far behind the initial goal of giving 20 million doses
 before the new year.

But Dr. Jen Brull, a family practice doctor 
in Plainville, Kansas, said her rural area has made good progress on the
 first phase of vaccinations, crediting close working relationships 
formed well before the pandemic.

This fall, before any doses 
became available, the local hospital, the health department and 
physician offices coordinated a sign-up list for medical workers who 
wanted the vaccine. So, when their county, with a population of 5,000, 
got its first 70 doses, they were ready to go. Another 80 doses came a 
week later.

“We’ll be able to vaccinate almost all the health care-associated folks who wanted it in the county” Brull said recently

Dr.
 Jason Goldman, an internist in Coral Springs, Florida, said he was able
 to get vaccinated at a local hospital that received the bulk of 
vaccines in his county and oversaw distribution.

In the weeks since, however, he said several of his front-line staff members still “don’t have access to the vaccine.”

Additionally,
 “a tremendous number” of patients are calling his office because 
Florida has relaxed distribution guidelines to include anyone over age 
65, Goldman said, asking when they can get the vaccine. He’s applied to 
officials about distributing the vaccines through his practice but has 
heard nothing back.

Patients “are frustrated that they do not have
 clear answers and that I am not being given clear answers to provide 
them,” he said. “We have no choice but to direct them to the health 
department and some of the hospital systems.”

Another troubling 
point for Goldman, who served as a liaison between the American College 
of Physicians and the expert panel drawing up the CDC distribution 
guidelines, is the tremendous variation in how those recommendations are
 being implemented in the states.

The CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations-process.html" target="_blank">recommends</a>
 several phases, with front-line health care workers and nursing home 
residents and staff in the initial group. Then, in the second part of 
that phase, come people over 75 and non-health care front-line workers, 
which could include first responders, teachers and other designated 
essential workers.

States have the flexibility to design their own
 rollout schedule and priority groups. Florida, for example, is offering
 doses to anyone 65 and up. In some counties, older folks were told 
vaccines were available on a first-come, first-served basis, a move that
 has resulted in long lines.

“To say right now, 65-plus, when you 
haven’t even appropriately vaccinated all the health care workers, is 
negating the phasing,” said Goldman. “There needs to be a national 
standard. We have those guidelines. We need to come up with some 
oversight.”

On Thursday, the American Hospital Association echoed 
that concern in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex 
Azar. Hospitals — along with health departments and large pharmacy 
chains — are doing the bulk of the vaccinations.

Calling for additional coordination by federal officials, the <a href="https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2021/01/aha-hhs-leadership-actions-needed-expedite-administration-covid-19-vaccines-lettetr-1-7-20.pdf" target="_blank">letter</a>
 outlined what it would take to reach the goal of vaccinating 75% of 
Americans by the end of May: 1.8 million vaccinations every day. Noting 
there are 64 different rollout plans from states, cities and other 
jurisdictions, the letter asked whether HHS has “assessed whether these 
plans, taken as a whole, are capable of achieving this level of 
vaccination?”

Lack of direct national 
support or strategy means each county is essentially on its own, with 
success or failure affected by available resources and the experience of
 local officials. Most state and local health departments are 
underfunded and are under intense pressure because of the surging 
pandemic.

Still, the success of vaccination efforts depends on planning, preparation and clear communication.

In
 Lorain County, Ohio, population 310,000, local officials started 
practicing in October, said Mark Adams, deputy health commissioner. They
 set up mass vaccination clinics for influenza to study what would be 
needed for a covid vaccination effort. How many staff? What would the 
traffic flow be like? Could patients be kept 6 feet apart?

“That 
gave us an idea of what is good, what is bad and what needs to change,” 
said Adams, who has had previous experience coordinating mass 
vaccination efforts at a county level.

So, when the county got its
 first shipment of 500 doses Dec. 21, Adams had his plan ready. He 
called the fire chiefs to invite all emergency medical technicians and 
affiliated personnel to an ad hoc vaccination center set up at a large 
entertainment venue staffed by his health department. Upon arrival, 
people were greeted at the door and directed to spaced-apart “lanes” 
where they would get their shots, then to a monitoring area where they 
could wait for 15 minutes to make sure they didn’t have a reaction.

Right
 after Christmas, another 400 doses arrived — and the makeshift clinic 
opened again. This time, doses went to community-based physicians, 
dentists and other hands-on medical practitioners, 600 of whom had 
previously signed up. (Hospital workers and nursing home staff and 
residents are getting their vaccinations through their own 
institutions.)

As they move into the next phase — recipients 
include residents over 80, people with developmental disorders and 
school staff — the challenges will grow, he said. The county plans a 
multipronged approach to notify people when it’s their turn, including 
use of a website, the local media, churches, other organizations and 
word-of-mouth.

Adams shares the concerns of medical providers 
nationwide: He gets only two days’ notice of how many doses he’s going 
to receive and, at the current pace of 400 or 500 doses a week, it’s 
going to take a while before most residents in the county have a chance 
to get a shot, including the estimated 33,000 people 65 and older.

With
 10 nurses, his clinic can inject about 1,200 people a day. But many 
other health professionals have volunteered to administer the shots if 
he gets more doses.

“If I were to run three clinics, five days a 
week, I could do 15,000 vaccinations a week,” Adams said. “With all the 
volunteers, I could do almost six clinics, or 30,000 a week.”

Still,
 for those in the last public group, those age 18 and up without 
underlying medical conditions, “it could be summer,” Adams said.

<a href="http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/" target="_blank">Kaiser Health News</a>&nbsp;is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the <a href="http://www.kff.org/" target="_blank">Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation</a> which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

By JULIE APPLEBY <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-01-14/private-practice-doctors-patients-wonder-when-its-their-turn-for-the-covid-19-vaccine">Kaiser Health News</a>Dr. Andrew Carroll — a family doctor in Chandler, Arizona — wants to 
help his patients get immunized against covid, so he paid more than 
$4,000 to buy an ultra-low-temperature freezer from eBay needed to store
 the Pfizer vaccine.But he’s not sure he’ll get a chance to use 
it, given health officials have so far not said when private doctor’s 
offices will get vaccine.“I’m really angry,” said Carroll.Not
 only are doctors having trouble getting vaccine for patients, but many 
of the community-based physicians and medical staff that aren’t employed
 by hospitals or health systems also report mixed results in getting 
inoculated. Some have had their shots, yet others are still waiting, 
even though health workers providing direct care to patients are in the 
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s top-priority group.Many
 of these doctors say they don’t know when — or if — they will get doses
 for their patients, which will soon become a bigger issue as states 
attempt to vaccinate more people.“The reason that’s important is 
patients trust their doctors when it comes to the vaccine,” said 
Carroll, who has complained on social media that his county hasn’t yet 
released plans on how primary care doctors will be brought into the 
loop.Collectively, physicians in the county could vaccinate 
thousands of patients a day, he said, and might draw some who would 
otherwise be hesitant if they had to go to a large hospital, a 
fairground or another central site.His concern comes as, 
nationally, the rollout of the vaccine is off to a slower start than 
expected, lagging far behind the initial goal of giving 20 million doses
 before the new year.But Dr. Jen Brull, a family practice doctor 
in Plainville, Kansas, said her rural area has made good progress on the
 first phase of vaccinations, crediting close working relationships 
formed well before the pandemic.This fall, before any doses 
became available, the local hospital, the health department and 
physician offices coordinated a sign-up list for medical workers who 
wanted the vaccine. So, when their county, with a population of 5,000, 
got its first 70 doses, they were ready to go. Another 80 doses came a 
week later.“We’ll be able to vaccinate almost all the health care-associated folks who wanted it in the county” Brull said recently<h2>Gaps in the Rollout</h2>But that’s not the case everywhere.Dr.
 Jason Goldman, an internist in Coral Springs, Florida, said he was able
 to get vaccinated at a local hospital that received the bulk of 
vaccines in his county and oversaw distribution.In the weeks since, however, he said several of his front-line staff members still “don’t have access to the vaccine.”Additionally,
 “a tremendous number” of patients are calling his office because 
Florida has relaxed distribution guidelines to include anyone over age 
65, Goldman said, asking when they can get the vaccine. He’s applied to 
officials about distributing the vaccines through his practice but has 
heard nothing back.Patients “are frustrated that they do not have
 clear answers and that I am not being given clear answers to provide 
them,” he said. “We have no choice but to direct them to the health 
department and some of the hospital systems.”Another troubling 
point for Goldman, who served as a liaison between the American College 
of Physicians and the expert panel drawing up the CDC distribution 
guidelines, is the tremendous variation in how those recommendations are
 being implemented in the states.The CDC <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations-process.html" target="_blank">recommends</a>
 several phases, with front-line health care workers and nursing home 
residents and staff in the initial group. Then, in the second part of 
that phase, come people over 75 and non-health care front-line workers, 
which could include first responders, teachers and other designated 
essential workers.States have the flexibility to design their own
 rollout schedule and priority groups. Florida, for example, is offering
 doses to anyone 65 and up. In some counties, older folks were told 
vaccines were available on a first-come, first-served basis, a move that
 has resulted in long lines.“To say right now, 65-plus, when you 
haven’t even appropriately vaccinated all the health care workers, is 
negating the phasing,” said Goldman. “There needs to be a national 
standard. We have those guidelines. We need to come up with some 
oversight.”On Thursday, the American Hospital Association echoed 
that concern in a letter to Health and Human Services Secretary Alex 
Azar. Hospitals — along with health departments and large pharmacy 
chains — are doing the bulk of the vaccinations.Calling for additional coordination by federal officials, the <a href="https://www.aha.org/system/files/media/file/2021/01/aha-hhs-leadership-actions-needed-expedite-administration-covid-19-vaccines-lettetr-1-7-20.pdf" target="_blank">letter</a>
 outlined what it would take to reach the goal of vaccinating 75% of 
Americans by the end of May: 1.8 million vaccinations every day. Noting 
there are 64 different rollout plans from states, cities and other 
jurisdictions, the letter asked whether HHS has “assessed whether these 
plans, taken as a whole, are capable of achieving this level of 
vaccination?”<h2>Making It Work</h2>Lack of direct national 
support or strategy means each county is essentially on its own, with 
success or failure affected by available resources and the experience of
 local officials. Most state and local health departments are 
underfunded and are under intense pressure because of the surging 
pandemic.Still, the success of vaccination efforts depends on planning, preparation and clear communication.In
 Lorain County, Ohio, population 310,000, local officials started 
practicing in October, said Mark Adams, deputy health commissioner. They
 set up mass vaccination clinics for influenza to study what would be 
needed for a covid vaccination effort. How many staff? What would the 
traffic flow be like? Could patients be kept 6 feet apart?“That 
gave us an idea of what is good, what is bad and what needs to change,” 
said Adams, who has had previous experience coordinating mass 
vaccination efforts at a county level.So, when the county got its
 first shipment of 500 doses Dec. 21, Adams had his plan ready. He 
called the fire chiefs to invite all emergency medical technicians and 
affiliated personnel to an ad hoc vaccination center set up at a large 
entertainment venue staffed by his health department. Upon arrival, 
people were greeted at the door and directed to spaced-apart “lanes” 
where they would get their shots, then to a monitoring area where they 
could wait for 15 minutes to make sure they didn’t have a reaction.Right
 after Christmas, another 400 doses arrived — and the makeshift clinic 
opened again. This time, doses went to community-based physicians, 
dentists and other hands-on medical practitioners, 600 of whom had 
previously signed up. (Hospital workers and nursing home staff and 
residents are getting their vaccinations through their own 
institutions.)As they move into the next phase — recipients 
include residents over 80, people with developmental disorders and 
school staff — the challenges will grow, he said. The county plans a 
multipronged approach to notify people when it’s their turn, including 
use of a website, the local media, churches, other organizations and 
word-of-mouth.Adams shares the concerns of medical providers 
nationwide: He gets only two days’ notice of how many doses he’s going 
to receive and, at the current pace of 400 or 500 doses a week, it’s 
going to take a while before most residents in the county have a chance 
to get a shot, including the estimated 33,000 people 65 and older.With
 10 nurses, his clinic can inject about 1,200 people a day. But many 
other health professionals have volunteered to administer the shots if 
he gets more doses.“If I were to run three clinics, five days a 
week, I could do 15,000 vaccinations a week,” Adams said. “With all the 
volunteers, I could do almost six clinics, or 30,000 a week.”Still,
 for those in the last public group, those age 18 and up without 
underlying medical conditions, “it could be summer,” Adams said.<a href="http://www.kaiserhealthnews.org/" target="_blank">Kaiser Health News</a>&nbsp;is a national health policy news service. It is an editorially independent program of the <a href="http://www.kff.org/" target="_blank">Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation</a> which is not affiliated with Kaiser Permanente.

Private practice docs, patients wonder when it’s their turn for vaccine 

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 484 as of Friday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has eleven active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 72 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 7,125 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 476 cases in the community at large. 6,530 people have recovered thus far.

The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.17%. 35.23% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 484 as of Friday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.The Correctional Facility cluster type has eleven active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 72 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 7,125 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 476 cases in the community at large. 6,530 people have recovered thus far.Fourteen Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred thirty-two total have been hospitalized. Ninety-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.17%. 35.23% of the population has been tested.There are now two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Case count at 484, with 476 in community as of Friday afternoon, deaths remain at 111

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 495 as of Wednesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has five active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 70 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 7,036 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 494 cases in the community at large. 6,430 people have recovered thus far.

Eighteen Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred twenty-nine total have been hospitalized. Ninety-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.48%. 34.47% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 495 as of Wednesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 111.The Correctional Facility cluster type has five active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 70 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 7,036 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 494 cases in the community at large. 6,430 people have recovered thus far.Eighteen Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred twenty-nine total have been hospitalized. Ninety-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.48%. 34.47% of the population has been tested.There are now two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Case count at 495, with 494 in community as of Wednesday afternoon

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The round numbers that were coincidental on the Reno County dashboard as of Tuesday afternoon make the mathematics on current rates fairly straightforward. 

Reno County was at 7,000 positive cases as of Tuesday. 6,400 of those, or 91.4% have recovered. One hundred ten people have died. That makes the death rate among those whose symptoms were bad enough to be diagnosed at 1.57%. Thirty-four of those 110 deaths have been in the last 30 days. Three hundred twenty six Reno County residents have been hospitalized, so thus far, if you are diagnosed, your chance of going to the hospital is about 4.65%. Ninety-seven, or 1.38% of all cases have had ICU care and 0.4%, or 31 cases have been intubated.

Four hundred ninety people are currently infected, with 489 of those in the community.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The round numbers that were coincidental on the Reno County dashboard as of Tuesday afternoon make the mathematics on current rates fairly straightforward. Reno County was at 7,000 positive cases as of Tuesday. 6,400 of those, or 91.4% have recovered. One hundred ten people have died. That makes the death rate among those whose symptoms were bad enough to be diagnosed at 1.57%. Thirty-four of those 110 deaths have been in the last 30 days. Three hundred twenty six Reno County residents have been hospitalized, so thus far, if you are diagnosed, your chance of going to the hospital is about 4.65%. Ninety-seven, or 1.38% of all cases have had ICU care and 0.4%, or 31 cases have been intubated.Four hundred ninety people are currently infected, with 489 of those in the community.There are now two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Round numbers Tuesday prompt look at county percentages

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 487 as of Monday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 109.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has six active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 69 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 6,971 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 484 cases in the community at large. 6,375 people have recovered thus far.

Ten Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred nineteen total have been hospitalized. Ninety-six have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.45%. 34.18% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 487 as of Monday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 109.The Correctional Facility cluster type has six active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 69 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 6,971 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 484 cases in the community at large. 6,375 people have recovered thus far.Ten Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred nineteen total have been hospitalized. Ninety-six have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.45%. 34.18% of the population has been tested.There are now two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Case count at 487, with 484 in community as of Monday afternoon

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 504 as of Sunday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 108.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has six active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 70 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 6,940 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 501 cases in the community at large. 6,328 people have recovered thus far.

Twelve Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred eighteen total have been hospitalized. Ninety-six have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.45%. 34.03% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 504 as of Sunday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 108.The Correctional Facility cluster type has six active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 70 active cases. Forty-four people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 6,940 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 501 cases in the community at large. 6,328 people have recovered thus far.Twelve Reno County residents are in the hospital. According to the dashboard, three hundred eighteen total have been hospitalized. Ninety-six have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.45%. 34.03% of the population has been tested.There are now two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Case count at 504, with 501 in community as of Sunday afternoon, hospitalizations down

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas expects to finish giving COVID-19 vaccines to long-term care residents and health care workers by the end of this month and has moved people aged 65 and older into the next group to receive the shots.

Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday announced new details about the order in which her state’s residents will be eligible for inoculations, and making people aged 65 to 74 years an earlier priority was the biggest shift.

The state’s previous plan had that age group getting theirs after people in “congregate” living, such as state hospitals, shelters for the homeless, and prisons.

The governor’s comments last month that prisoners would get vaccinated relatively early prompted scathing comments from the Kansas Republican Party and leaders in the GOP-controlled Legislature.

But Kelly said during a Statehouse news conference, “This is all based on science.”

<a href="https://twitter.com/KansasGOP/status/1347315181769129988" target="_blank">The Kansas GOP tweeted</a>&nbsp;that Kelly “listened to us” in moving older Kansans up in line but added: “It’s a bad thing prisoners remain in the same phase as those seniors. Prioritize law-abiding Kansans first!”

The American Medical Association&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-policy-calls-more-covid-19-prevention-congregate-settings" target="_blank">adopted a policy</a>&nbsp;in November calling for prisons to have priority in getting vaccines, with one board member calling it among the steps vital to stopping the spread of the virus.&nbsp;<a href="https://justicelab.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/COVID_Vaccine_White_Paper.pdf" target="_blank">A report in December</a>&nbsp;from professors of medicine at Yale, Columbia and the University of North Carolina called for giving inmates vaccines early, saying outbreaks in prisons and jails “spill over to the community.”

“My administration will make our decisions based on what the doctors, the public health experts and the science tells us, not the politics,” Kelly said.

Kelly released the updated vaccine rollout plan, with a chart designed to make its five phases easier to follow, amid concerns that the process was moving too slowly.

On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranked Kansas last among states for its inoculation rate per 100,000 residents. That was no longer the case in&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations" target="_blank">a CDC report</a>&nbsp;Thursday, with five states trailing Kansas.

The CDC’s data said 36,538 vaccine shots had been given in Kansas, or 1,254 per 100,000 residents. Kelly told reporters the actual figure is 45,872, or almost 26% higher and 1,575 for every 100,000 residents.

Dr. Lee Norman, head of the state Department of Health and Environment, said he believes the true number of shots given could be nearly twice Kelly’s figure, about 90,000.

“People are not sitting on the vaccines and keeping it in storage,” Norman said. “They’re giving it into people’s arms.”

The state’s revised vaccine distribution plan shows that the second group to get shots also will include critical workers including firefighters, law enforcement officers, meatpacking employees, grocery store workers, teachers and child-care workers.

The third phase includes people aged 16 to 64 with medical conditions that put them at severe risk if they are infected with COVID-19, including cancer and Type 2 diabetes, as well as workers in critical industries such as information technology, aviation, transportation and government.

People with less severe health problems are included in the fourth phase and the fifth and final group includes everyone else.

Counties with unused vaccine doses after inoculating all health care workers and long-term care residents who wanted to be vaccinated were supposed to shift spare doses to counties in need of more. But the process is paperwork heavy, and some counties just went ahead and vaccinated people in lower priority groups, said Dennis Kriesel, executive director of the Kansas Association of Local Health Departments.

He said the state should have moved quicker to explain the phases of the rollout, noting that people are desperate for information. He got one call from a woman in her 70s with lymphoma who wanted details because she hadn’t been able to see her grandchildren in a year.

“We didn’t need the vaccines to be ready to set our priorities,” he said. “We could have set the priorities months before that.”

Sedgwick County health director Adrienne Byrne said she has been getting emails from people with chronic illnesses who have hardly left their homes since March.

She said the county has administered about half of the 10,400 doses it has received and noted that the process is speeding up. A massive clinic has been set up at an arena, with staff capable of vaccinating 50 people every 15 minutes.

“Some of them are crying with relief,” she said. “I heard one gentlemen say to the person who gave him the vaccine: ‘You may have just helped save my life.’”

<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.csKEwO2cHbw8M5zi6TRutzHWqdxBIFAo23eiujJpUwU/s/1303160919/br/92812776098-l" target="_blank">View a visual representation of the distribution order here.</a>

<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAxMDcuMzI5NTQzNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDEvQUNUVUFMLVBIQVNFLUdST1VQLnBkZiJ9.E_BnrO0RAeuHPTBmfzO-dQxS4LAoUpXOaBJkO01153s/s/1303160919/br/92812776098-l" target="_blank">View informational slides regarding vaccine distribution here.</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610104544544.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By HEATHER HOLLINGSWORTH and JOHN HANNATOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas expects to finish giving COVID-19 vaccines to long-term care residents and health care workers by the end of this month and has moved people aged 65 and older into the next group to receive the shots.Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly on Thursday announced new details about the order in which her state’s residents will be eligible for inoculations, and making people aged 65 to 74 years an earlier priority was the biggest shift.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F707415516490444%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The state’s previous plan had that age group getting theirs after people in “congregate” living, such as state hospitals, shelters for the homeless, and prisons.The governor’s comments last month that prisoners would get vaccinated relatively early prompted scathing comments from the Kansas Republican Party and leaders in the GOP-controlled Legislature.But Kelly said during a Statehouse news conference, “This is all based on science.”<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">It’s a good thing <a href="https://twitter.com/GovLauraKelly?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GovLauraKelly</a> listened to us and moved vulnerable seniors up the vaccine priority list. It’s a bad thing prisoners remain in the same phase as those seniors. Prioritize law-abiding Kansans first! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/ksleg?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#ksleg</a>&mdash; Kansas GOP (@KansasGOP) <a href="https://twitter.com/KansasGOP/status/1347315181769129988?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 7, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div><a href="https://twitter.com/KansasGOP/status/1347315181769129988" target="_blank">The Kansas GOP tweeted</a>&nbsp;that Kelly “listened to us” in moving older Kansans up in line but added: “It’s a bad thing prisoners remain in the same phase as those seniors. Prioritize law-abiding Kansans first!”The American Medical Association&nbsp;<a href="https://www.ama-assn.org/press-center/press-releases/ama-policy-calls-more-covid-19-prevention-congregate-settings" target="_blank">adopted a policy</a>&nbsp;in November calling for prisons to have priority in getting vaccines, with one board member calling it among the steps vital to stopping the spread of the virus.&nbsp;<a href="https://justicelab.columbia.edu/sites/default/files/content/COVID_Vaccine_White_Paper.pdf" target="_blank">A report in December</a>&nbsp;from professors of medicine at Yale, Columbia and the University of North Carolina called for giving inmates vaccines early, saying outbreaks in prisons and jails “spill over to the community.”“My administration will make our decisions based on what the doctors, the public health experts and the science tells us, not the politics,” Kelly said.Kelly released the updated vaccine rollout plan, with a chart designed to make its five phases easier to follow, amid concerns that the process was moving too slowly.On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ranked Kansas last among states for its inoculation rate per 100,000 residents. That was no longer the case in&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#vaccinations" target="_blank">a CDC report</a>&nbsp;Thursday, with five states trailing Kansas.The CDC’s data said 36,538 vaccine shots had been given in Kansas, or 1,254 per 100,000 residents. Kelly told reporters the actual figure is 45,872, or almost 26% higher and 1,575 for every 100,000 residents.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610057822570.png" alt="Dr. Lee Norman answers questions during Thursday's news conference." />
 <figcaption>Dr. Lee Norman answers questions during Thursday's news conference.</figcaption>
 </figure>Dr. Lee Norman, head of the state Department of Health and Environment, said he believes the true number of shots given could be nearly twice Kelly’s figure, about 90,000.“People are not sitting on the vaccines and keeping it in storage,” Norman said. “They’re giving it into people’s arms.”The state’s revised vaccine distribution plan shows that the second group to get shots also will include critical workers including firefighters, law enforcement officers, meatpacking employees, grocery store workers, teachers and child-care workers.The third phase includes people aged 16 to 64 with medical conditions that put them at severe risk if they are infected with COVID-19, including cancer and Type 2 diabetes, as well as workers in critical industries such as information technology, aviation, transportation and government.People with less severe health problems are included in the fourth phase and the fifth and final group includes everyone else.Counties with unused vaccine doses after inoculating all health care workers and long-term care residents who wanted to be vaccinated were supposed to shift spare doses to counties in need of more. But the process is paperwork heavy, and some counties just went ahead and vaccinated people in lower priority groups, said Dennis Kriesel, executive director of the Kansas Association of Local Health Departments.He said the state should have moved quicker to explain the phases of the rollout, noting that people are desperate for information. He got one call from a woman in her 70s with lymphoma who wanted details because she hadn’t been able to see her grandchildren in a year.“We didn’t need the vaccines to be ready to set our priorities,” he said. “We could have set the priorities months before that.”Sedgwick County health director Adrienne Byrne said she has been getting emails from people with chronic illnesses who have hardly left their homes since March.She said the county has administered about half of the 10,400 doses it has received and noted that the process is speeding up. A massive clinic has been set up at an arena, with staff capable of vaccinating 50 people every 15 minutes.“Some of them are crying with relief,” she said. “I heard one gentlemen say to the person who gave him the vaccine: ‘You may have just helped save my life.’”<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.csKEwO2cHbw8M5zi6TRutzHWqdxBIFAo23eiujJpUwU/s/1303160919/br/92812776098-l" target="_blank">View a visual representation of the distribution order here.</a><a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDIsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMTAxMDcuMzI5NTQzNTEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL2dvdmVybm9yLmthbnNhcy5nb3Yvd3AtY29udGVudC91cGxvYWRzLzIwMjEvMDEvQUNUVUFMLVBIQVNFLUdST1VQLnBkZiJ9.E_BnrO0RAeuHPTBmfzO-dQxS4LAoUpXOaBJkO01153s/s/1303160919/br/92812776098-l" target="_blank">View informational slides regarding vaccine distribution here.</a>

🎥 Older Kansans moved up in line for COVID-19 vaccination

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 512 as of Thursday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 106.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has five active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 73 active cases. Forty-two people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 6,856 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 511 cases in the community at large. 6,238 people have recovered thus far.

Twenty-three Reno County residents are in the hospital. Three hundred twenty total have been hospitalized. Ninety-six have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.47%. 33.59% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 512 as of Thursday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 106.The Correctional Facility cluster type has five active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 73 active cases. Forty-two people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 6,856 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 511 cases in the community at large. 6,238 people have recovered thus far.Twenty-three Reno County residents are in the hospital. Three hundred twenty total have been hospitalized. Ninety-six have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.47%. 33.59% of the population has been tested.There are now two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Case count at 512, with 511 in community as of Thursday afternoon


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Dr. Rex Degner, Chief Medical Officer at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center notes that no matter whether it's the Pfizer or Moderna version of the COVID-19 vaccine you get, the mechanism is similar.

"They are vaccines that put a small amount of RNA, which is genetic material, into your body and then induces your cells to make the little spike proteins," Degner said. "If you've seen pictures of the coronavirus, cartoons of it, those little spikies all on the outside, these vaccines induce your body to make those little spike proteins, then you make antibodies against that, so then you're protected against the coronavirus."

Reactions to being vaccinated among healthcare workers have been relatively mild.

"There is some injection site soreness," Degner said. "That's been pretty consistent. In my left arm, if I go over and touch it, it's sore. I can tell it's there. I can still move it and do everything I want to do. That's been the most common side effect. Others have had some minor flu-like symptoms of body aches, some low-grade fevers. Most all of these have lasted less than 24 hours."

It's important to note that most of the second doses haven't been given out yet.

"These are two dose vaccines," Degner said. "With the first dose, there's only very, very minor symptoms. With the second dose, sometimes you mount a greater response to that. That's the idea. A few more people are experiencing the flu like symptoms with their second dose than their first dose."

It's also not been proven yet exactly how long the vaccine will make you immune for, because there just hasn't been enough time that passed to have a conclusion.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Dr. Rex Degner, Chief Medical Officer at Hutchinson Regional Medical Center notes that no matter whether it's the Pfizer or Moderna version of the COVID-19 vaccine you get, the mechanism is similar."They are vaccines that put a small amount of RNA, which is genetic material, into your body and then induces your cells to make the little spike proteins," Degner said. "If you've seen pictures of the coronavirus, cartoons of it, those little spikies all on the outside, these vaccines induce your body to make those little spike proteins, then you make antibodies against that, so then you're protected against the coronavirus."Reactions to being vaccinated among healthcare workers have been relatively mild."There is some injection site soreness," Degner said. "That's been pretty consistent. In my left arm, if I go over and touch it, it's sore. I can tell it's there. I can still move it and do everything I want to do. That's been the most common side effect. Others have had some minor flu-like symptoms of body aches, some low-grade fevers. Most all of these have lasted less than 24 hours."It's important to note that most of the second doses haven't been given out yet."These are two dose vaccines," Degner said. "With the first dose, there's only very, very minor symptoms. With the second dose, sometimes you mount a greater response to that. That's the idea. A few more people are experiencing the flu like symptoms with their second dose than their first dose."It's also not been proven yet exactly how long the vaccine will make you immune for, because there just hasn't been enough time that passed to have a conclusion.

Degner: Vaccine reactions mild so far as some healthcare workers get second dose

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Dave Trabert with the Kansas Policy Institute wrote an article this week for their online publication, <a href="https://sentinelksmo.org/covid-vaccines-should-go-to-elderly-before-prisoners/">the Sentinel</a>, that questions the thought process by Governor Laura Kelly in looking to vaccinate the prison population in Kansas before some of the elderly population.

"Governor Kelly has been saying for a couple of weeks now that she thinks prisoners should be ahead of the elderly," Trabert said. "They live in close proximity to each other and we don't want it to spread in prisons, so we should inoculate them before we inoculate the elderly. This is just not supported by the data."

Here in Reno County, of the 105 deaths reported through January 6, 41 are attributed to long-term care facilities, which generally include the elderly. Only three prisoners have died and now there are only five active infections as of the 6th.

"If you look at number of cases, you look at the rate of hospitalizations, the survival rate, everything, it unquestionably supports putting the elderly first. You want to inoculate the most vulnerable and that would include any elderly prisoners."

When looking at the statewide numbers, the risk isn't close.

"0.2% of the cases in correctional facilities are attributed to a COVID death, versus 16% for adults 85 plus. That makes adults 85 plus eighty times more likely to die than residents of correctional facilities."

The latest KDHE numbers say that as of January 3rd, the overall survival rate from COVID in Reno County is 98.5%.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Dave Trabert with the Kansas Policy Institute wrote an article this week for their online publication, <a href="https://sentinelksmo.org/covid-vaccines-should-go-to-elderly-before-prisoners/">the Sentinel</a>, that questions the thought process by Governor Laura Kelly in looking to vaccinate the prison population in Kansas before some of the elderly population."Governor Kelly has been saying for a couple of weeks now that she thinks prisoners should be ahead of the elderly," Trabert said. "They live in close proximity to each other and we don't want it to spread in prisons, so we should inoculate them before we inoculate the elderly. This is just not supported by the data."Here in Reno County, of the 105 deaths reported through January 6, 41 are attributed to long-term care facilities, which generally include the elderly. Only three prisoners have died and now there are only five active infections as of the 6th."If you look at number of cases, you look at the rate of hospitalizations, the survival rate, everything, it unquestionably supports putting the elderly first. You want to inoculate the most vulnerable and that would include any elderly prisoners."When looking at the statewide numbers, the risk isn't close."0.2% of the cases in correctional facilities are attributed to a COVID death, versus 16% for adults 85 plus. That makes adults 85 plus eighty times more likely to die than residents of correctional facilities."The latest KDHE numbers say that as of January 3rd, the overall survival rate from COVID in Reno County is 98.5%.

Trabert: Data does not support vaccinating prisoners before elderly

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 507 as of Wednesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 105.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has five active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 73 active cases. Forty-one people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 6,804 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 506 cases in the community at large. 6,192 people have recovered thus far.

Twenty-one Reno County residents are in the hospital. Three hundred seventeen total have been hospitalized. Ninety-six have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.44%. 33.37% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 507 as of Wednesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 105.The Correctional Facility cluster type has five active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 73 active cases. Forty-one people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 6,804 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 506 cases in the community at large. 6,192 people have recovered thus far.Twenty-one Reno County residents are in the hospital. Three hundred seventeen total have been hospitalized. Ninety-six have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.44%. 33.37% of the population has been tested.There are now two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Community case count back above 500 as of Wednesday afternoon


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Buhler USD 313 Superintendent Cindy Couchman said some employees in her district that are high risk have already received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

"We did get to schedule some vaccine on Monday for most at risk staff that wanted the vaccine," Couchman said. "We sent out a survey asking if they wanted it. We are not requiring the vaccine, but if you wanted it and what risk factors you had, how old you were, if you had comorbidity risk factors. We were able to vaccinate everyone that wanted the vaccine that was high risk."

There were also a handful of employees that work in the schools that are not technically solely USD 313 employees that were vaccinated, too.

"We also opened it up to our RCEC, which is our Reno County Educational Co-Op," Couchman said. "In Buhler, we took some of the at-risk faculty from there. Although they're not actually employed by Buhler, they're employed by RCEC, which is our special ed Co-Op. I would say, maybe 80 Buhler staff members were, in addition to some RCEC staff members."

Buhler was first to get a date set, but the plan is to vaccinate some employees from each of the county's school districts.

"Joy was really the word to be used," Couchman said. "I've never seen so many people so excited about coming and getting a shot in the arm. I can't tell you how thankful we are to Reno County Health Department, because they did make education one of their priorities."

Couchman said she doesn't know the schedule, but she presumes other districts will be setting up clinics this week for their high risk groups.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Buhler USD 313 Superintendent Cindy Couchman said some employees in her district that are high risk have already received a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine."We did get to schedule some vaccine on Monday for most at risk staff that wanted the vaccine," Couchman said. "We sent out a survey asking if they wanted it. We are not requiring the vaccine, but if you wanted it and what risk factors you had, how old you were, if you had comorbidity risk factors. We were able to vaccinate everyone that wanted the vaccine that was high risk."There were also a handful of employees that work in the schools that are not technically solely USD 313 employees that were vaccinated, too."We also opened it up to our RCEC, which is our Reno County Educational Co-Op," Couchman said. "In Buhler, we took some of the at-risk faculty from there. Although they're not actually employed by Buhler, they're employed by RCEC, which is our special ed Co-Op. I would say, maybe 80 Buhler staff members were, in addition to some RCEC staff members."Buhler was first to get a date set, but the plan is to vaccinate some employees from each of the county's school districts."Joy was really the word to be used," Couchman said. "I've never seen so many people so excited about coming and getting a shot in the arm. I can't tell you how thankful we are to Reno County Health Department, because they did make education one of their priorities."Couchman said she doesn't know the schedule, but she presumes other districts will be setting up clinics this week for their high risk groups.

Couchman: Some district employees have received COVID-19 initial shot

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 459 as of Tuesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 105.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has eight active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 74 active cases. Forty-one people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 6,712 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 455 cases in the community at large. 6,148 people have recovered thus far.

The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.26%. 33.10% of the population has been tested.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595202434504.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 459 as of Tuesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 105.The Correctional Facility cluster type has eight active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 74 active cases. Forty-one people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 6,712 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 455 cases in the community at large. 6,148 people have recovered thus far.Twenty-one Reno County residents are in the hospital. Three hundred seventeen total have been hospitalized. Ninety-six have been admitted to the ICU and 31 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 27.24%, with the overall positive test rate at 32.26%. 33.10% of the population has been tested.There are now two free public testing sites, one in the Cosmosphere parking lot in Hutchinson and one at Simply Good Overstocks parking lot in South Hutchinson. They are open Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Case count at 459, with 455 in community as of Tuesday afternoon


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
A local policy directive from Reno County commissioners has changed the order of vaccine distribution in the county by including high risk teachers along with healthcare workers and emergency responders among the first groups to get the shot.

"We took a set amount out that was available to those teachers," said Karen Hammersmith with the Health Department. "We gave them a set amount of vaccine that was available to them."

Hammersmith would not release how many shots were allocated for that purpose. It's important to note that Reno County Commissioner Dr. Mark Steffen had called for getting teachers to the front of the line in previous months.

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By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
A local policy directive from Reno County commissioners has changed the order of vaccine distribution in the county by including high risk teachers along with healthcare workers and emergency responders among the first groups to get the shot."We took a set amount out that was available to those teachers," said Karen Hammersmith with the Health Department. "We gave them a set amount of vaccine that was available to them."Hammersmith would not release how many shots were allocated for that purpose. It's important to note that Reno County Commissioner Dr. Mark Steffen had called for getting teachers to the front of the line in previous months.About 1400 shots have been given of the 1900 total allocated to the county. The vast majority of those have gone to front line healthcare workers."We're still working through those processes," Hammersmith said. "Part of that is still getting to the entities that we're working on right now, which is like dentist's offices and optometry offices, just different places that still need the vaccine. We've had people off in the hospital front and the clinic as well, that are still getting their vaccines."As for the timing for older members of the general public to get vaccinated, they simply don't know when they'll get the shots in."Those individuals that are high risk over 65 and 75, we are not there yet," Hammersmith said. "It is high on our priority list as we get more vaccine into the community. That's a very, very vulnerable population that we want to get to."The hope is that vaccine will be available by the spring for anyone who wants it, but right now, the supply is still limited.

Coronavirus Update