HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 591 as of Saturday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 91. Forty-four people have died in the last 30 days. 

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 12 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 67 active cases. Thirty-three people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 6398 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 585 cases in the community at large. 5,716 people have recovered thus far.

Twenty-seven Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred ninety-one total have been hospitalized. Eighty-nine have been admitted to the ICU and 30 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 26.69%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.78%. 32.03% 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., except for New Year's Day.

<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 591 as of Saturday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 91. Forty-four people have died in the last 30 days. The Correctional Facility cluster type has 12 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 67 active cases. Thirty-three people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 6398 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 585 cases in the community at large. 5,716 people have recovered thus far.Twenty-seven Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred ninety-one total have been hospitalized. Eighty-nine have been admitted to the ICU and 30 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 26.69%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.78%. 32.03% 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., except for New Year's Day.

Case count at 591, with 585 in community as of Saturday afternoon

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 591 as of Friday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 91.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 19 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 68 active cases. Thirty-three people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 6,371 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 582 cases in the community at large. 5,689 people have recovered thus far.

The community's positive test rate is at 26.69%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.99%. 31.68% 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 591 as of Friday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 91.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 19 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 68 active cases. Thirty-three people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 6,371 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 582 cases in the community at large. 5,689 people have recovered thus far.Twenty-seven Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred ninety-one total have been hospitalized. Eighty-nine have been admitted to the ICU and 30 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 26.69%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.99%. 31.68% 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., except for New Year's Day.

Case count at 591, with 582 in community as of Friday afternoon

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 612 as of Wednesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 90. This is the lowest the active case count has been since late October.

Out of 6,317 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 601 cases in the community at large. 5,615 people have recovered thus far.

Twenty-five Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred eighty-eight total have been hospitalized. Eighty-nine have been admitted to the ICU and 30 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 26.69%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.93%. 31.33% 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 will reopen 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 612 as of Wednesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 90. This is the lowest the active case count has been since late October.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 19 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 68 active cases. Thirty-three people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 6,317 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 601 cases in the community at large. 5,615 people have recovered thus far.Twenty-five Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred eighty-eight total have been hospitalized. Eighty-nine have been admitted to the ICU and 30 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 26.69%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.93%. 31.33% 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 will reopen Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Case count lowest since late October in Reno County, death count at 90

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 670 as of Tuesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 89. The case count is still down from where it was a week ago.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 22 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 69 active cases. Thirty-two people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 6,288 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 659 cases in the community at large. 5,529 people have recovered thus far.

Twenty-four Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred eighty-seven total have been hospitalized. Eighty-nine have been admitted to the ICU and 30 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 26.15%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.93%. 31.33% 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. Those are available Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., but not on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year's Day.

<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 670 as of Tuesday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 89. The case count is still down from where it was a week ago.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 22 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 69 active cases. Thirty-two people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 6,288 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 659 cases in the community at large. 5,529 people have recovered thus far.Twenty-four Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred eighty-seven total have been hospitalized. Eighty-nine have been admitted to the ICU and 30 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 26.15%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.93%. 31.33% 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. Those are available Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., but not on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year's Day.

Case count at 670, with 659 in community as of Tuesday afternoon

By LISA RODRIGUEZ <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-12-21/faq-answering-your-questions-about-the-coronavirus-vaccines-as-inoculations-roll-out-in-kansas-city">Kansas News Service</a>

Hospitals across the Kansas have started vaccinating frontline health care workers against COVID-19. 

Public
 health officials have said a widely available vaccine will ultimately 
control the pandemic that has killed more than 7,000 people across 
Kansas and Missouri. 

As the vaccines become available to the general public, <a href="https://www.americaamplified.org/" target="_blank">America Amplified</a> is gathering and curating answers from experts to questions on the minds of public radio listeners across the country.

There
 are different companies producing coronavirus vaccines. Will all of 
them require people to get two doses? And do they need two doses of the 
same vaccine? How will people avoid getting two different vaccines? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

The
 two current vaccines each require 2 doses. Other vaccines are being 
studied; one of them is a single dose vaccine. You do need to have two 
doses of the same vaccine. Ideally you should visit the same health 
practioner who will be keeping a record of who is vaccinated with which 
vaccine.

I am 65 and live in a 55-plus community. When do you feel I can realistically expect to be able to get the vaccine? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

The
 determining factor will be your age, not your community. You’ll be in 
the second or third group to receive a vaccine, likely by sometime this 
spring. We know healthcare providers are first, and then residents of 
long-term care facilities. We are waiting on advice from the CDC 
Advisory committee on who should go next -- essential workers, or people
 who are 65 or older.

Does your visa status affect the chances of you getting the vaccine? From
 Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, Dean of University of Missouri-Kansas City 
Medical School and a member of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee

There are no restrictions on vaccine provisions to anyone on a visa.

What are the logistics for actually getting it to elderly with underlying issues? From Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, Dean of UMKC Medical School and a member of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee

CVS
 and Walgreens will be administering vaccines in senior living 
facilities. For those who cannot consent, relatives who have power of 
attorney can do so.

[What are the] side effects [from the vaccines] for people with underlying health issues. Do they even know? From Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center.

Both
 [Pfizer and Moderna vaccines] use messenger RNA technology, a really 
novel vaccine platform. ...There still remain many questions to be 
answered as we go forward. At this juncture, we're only going to know 
about short-term side effects, but we need to know whether there are any
 potential rare, long-term side effects. Short-term side effects that we
 know of now appear in about 5% to 15% of participants. They include 
inflammation, soreness at the injection site, a low-grade fever, 
headaches, muscle aches and fatigue. These can last from 12 to 36 hours 
after vaccination.

Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine? From Side Effects Public Media

No. The COVID-19 vaccine doses developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna ... have been in <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-are-mrna-vaccines-so-exciting-2020121021599" target="_blank">development for about three decades</a>, but are only now being used for COVID-19. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html" target="_blank">According to the CDC</a>,
 mRNA vaccines teach your cells how to make a protein – or even just a 
piece of a protein – that triggers an immune response inside our bodies.
 That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects you 
from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.

Do I still have to wear a mask once I have the vaccine? From Side Effects Public Media

Yes. <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/12/12/945288710/what-you-need-to-know-as-the-first-covid-19-vaccine-heads-your-way" target="_blank">According to NPR’s Shots</a>,
 studies of the new vaccines only measured whether vaccinated people 
developed symptoms, not whether they got infected. It's possible that 
they got mild infections — not enough to make them ill, but enough to 
pass the virus on to others. The CDC is calling for those who are 
immunized to continue wearing masks and practicing safe physical 
distancing until more is learned.

Is it safe for patients with
 autoimmune disease who take immunosuppressive medications to be 
vaccinated against COVID? Is it effective? From Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center.

There's
 no doubt that we're going to have to look very carefully at data on 
both the safety and efficacy because that too can be impaired in 
immunocompromised individuals. The vaccines that are typically not 
recommended routinely for severely immunocompromised individuals are 
what we call attenuated viral vaccines, where we take the natural virus 
and make it weaker. And this is a very old way of making vaccines. But 
for example, our measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines are attenuated 
viral vaccines. None of the front runners for COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 are
 that type of vaccine. So I don't anticipate problems with safety ... 
but that will need to be studied going forward.

Do any of the manufacturers know if their vaccine is safe for people with HIV? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

It
 probably won't hurt, but it could help. The second vaccine in line -- 
the Moderna vaccine -- included a small study of people with HIV 
infection and we expect to see that data shortly. But in the meantime, 
if people with HIV are offered the Pfizer vaccine they should take it.

Will I have to pay for the vaccine? From Side Effects Public Media

No.
 Vaccine providers will be able to bill insurance for a fee to 
administer the vaccine, but will not be able to charge you. They can 
seek reimbursement for uninsured patients from the Health Resources and 
Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund.

This story was 
produced as part of America Amplified, a public media initiative funded 
by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.&nbsp;If you have a 
question about any of the COVID-19 vaccines, send an e-mail to 
news@kcur.org with the subject "KCUR Vaccine Question."&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608581549882.jpg" alt="Pixabay image" />
 <figcaption>Pixabay image</figcaption>
 </figure>By LISA RODRIGUEZ <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-12-21/faq-answering-your-questions-about-the-coronavirus-vaccines-as-inoculations-roll-out-in-kansas-city">Kansas News Service</a>Hospitals across the Kansas have started vaccinating frontline health care workers against COVID-19. Public
 health officials have said a widely available vaccine will ultimately 
control the pandemic that has killed more than 7,000 people across 
Kansas and Missouri. As the vaccines become available to the general public, <a href="https://www.americaamplified.org/" target="_blank">America Amplified</a> is gathering and curating answers from experts to questions on the minds of public radio listeners across the country.There
 are different companies producing coronavirus vaccines. Will all of 
them require people to get two doses? And do they need two doses of the 
same vaccine? How will people avoid getting two different vaccines? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.The
 two current vaccines each require 2 doses. Other vaccines are being 
studied; one of them is a single dose vaccine. You do need to have two 
doses of the same vaccine. Ideally you should visit the same health 
practioner who will be keeping a record of who is vaccinated with which 
vaccine.I am 65 and live in a 55-plus community. When do you feel I can realistically expect to be able to get the vaccine? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.The
 determining factor will be your age, not your community. You’ll be in 
the second or third group to receive a vaccine, likely by sometime this 
spring. We know healthcare providers are first, and then residents of 
long-term care facilities. We are waiting on advice from the CDC 
Advisory committee on who should go next -- essential workers, or people
 who are 65 or older.Does your visa status affect the chances of you getting the vaccine? From
 Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, Dean of University of Missouri-Kansas City 
Medical School and a member of the National Vaccine Advisory CommitteeThere are no restrictions on vaccine provisions to anyone on a visa.What are the logistics for actually getting it to elderly with underlying issues? From Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, Dean of UMKC Medical School and a member of the National Vaccine Advisory CommitteeCVS
 and Walgreens will be administering vaccines in senior living 
facilities. For those who cannot consent, relatives who have power of 
attorney can do so.[What are the] side effects [from the vaccines] for people with underlying health issues. Do they even know? From Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center.Both
 [Pfizer and Moderna vaccines] use messenger RNA technology, a really 
novel vaccine platform. ...There still remain many questions to be 
answered as we go forward. At this juncture, we're only going to know 
about short-term side effects, but we need to know whether there are any
 potential rare, long-term side effects. Short-term side effects that we
 know of now appear in about 5% to 15% of participants. They include 
inflammation, soreness at the injection site, a low-grade fever, 
headaches, muscle aches and fatigue. These can last from 12 to 36 hours 
after vaccination.Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine? From Side Effects Public MediaNo. The COVID-19 vaccine doses developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna ... have been in <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-are-mrna-vaccines-so-exciting-2020121021599" target="_blank">development for about three decades</a>, but are only now being used for COVID-19. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html" target="_blank">According to the CDC</a>,
 mRNA vaccines teach your cells how to make a protein – or even just a 
piece of a protein – that triggers an immune response inside our bodies.
 That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects you 
from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.Do I still have to wear a mask once I have the vaccine? From Side Effects Public MediaYes. <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/12/12/945288710/what-you-need-to-know-as-the-first-covid-19-vaccine-heads-your-way" target="_blank">According to NPR’s Shots</a>,
 studies of the new vaccines only measured whether vaccinated people 
developed symptoms, not whether they got infected. It's possible that 
they got mild infections — not enough to make them ill, but enough to 
pass the virus on to others. The CDC is calling for those who are 
immunized to continue wearing masks and practicing safe physical 
distancing until more is learned. Is it safe for patients with
 autoimmune disease who take immunosuppressive medications to be 
vaccinated against COVID? Is it effective? From Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center.There's
 no doubt that we're going to have to look very carefully at data on 
both the safety and efficacy because that too can be impaired in 
immunocompromised individuals. The vaccines that are typically not 
recommended routinely for severely immunocompromised individuals are 
what we call attenuated viral vaccines, where we take the natural virus 
and make it weaker. And this is a very old way of making vaccines. But 
for example, our measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines are attenuated 
viral vaccines. None of the front runners for COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 are
 that type of vaccine. So I don't anticipate problems with safety ... 
but that will need to be studied going forward.Do any of the manufacturers know if their vaccine is safe for people with HIV? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.It
 probably won't hurt, but it could help. The second vaccine in line -- 
the Moderna vaccine -- included a small study of people with HIV 
infection and we expect to see that data shortly. But in the meantime, 
if people with HIV are offered the Pfizer vaccine they should take it.Will I have to pay for the vaccine? From Side Effects Public MediaNo.
 Vaccine providers will be able to bill insurance for a fee to 
administer the vaccine, but will not be able to charge you. They can 
seek reimbursement for uninsured patients from the Health Resources and 
Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund.This story was 
produced as part of America Amplified, a public media initiative funded 
by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.&nbsp;If you have a 
question about any of the COVID-19 vaccines, send an e-mail to 
news@kcur.org with the subject "KCUR Vaccine Question."&nbsp;

Q&A about COVID-19 vaccines as inoculations roll out

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 693 as of Monday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 88. The case count is very slightly down from a week ago.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 22 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 68 active cases. Thirty-two people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 6,269 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 683 cases in the community at large. 5,488 people have recovered thus far.

Thirty-one Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred eighty-two total have been hospitalized. Eighty-nine have been admitted to the ICU and 30 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 26.15%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.92%. 31.25% 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 693 as of Monday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 88. The case count is very slightly down from a week ago.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 22 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 68 active cases. Thirty-two people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 6,269 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 683 cases in the community at large. 5,488 people have recovered thus far.Thirty-one Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred eighty-two total have been hospitalized. Eighty-nine have been admitted to the ICU and 30 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 26.15%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.92%. 31.25% 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. Those are available Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., but not on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year's Day.

Case count at 693, with 683 in community as of Monday evening


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Kansas First District Congressman Dr. Roger Marshall noted there are several provisions to help the public in the latest COVID-19 relief bill being voted on Monday.

"Most importantly, I think, we would start off with a direct payment to everyone who got a direct payment before from the previous CARES funding," Marshall said. "They'll be getting $600 per person. There's monies in there for the Paycheck Protection Program, so more of the small businesses would have an opportunity for a second bite of the apple. There's some funding in there, significant funding for more unemployment insurance. Those folks that still are not employed, it may be awhile. We've about 14 more weeks of unemployment insurance. There's funding to get the vaccines out, as well."

Regarding the vaccines, Marshall believes herd immunity is possible in 2021.

"I really think we have the potential to have herd immunity by the middle of March," Marshall said. "If the administration does its job, the vaccines are out there to reach herd immunity by the middle of March and that's when we're going to see the economy turn around. When the restaurants can stay open, when we can go to a spring baseball game, March Madness, all those things that we're looking forward to, that's when the economy's going to get cranked up."

Marshall believes they can push out at least 40 million doses in the next weeks.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/7/1595001869381.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — 
Kansas First District Congressman Dr. Roger Marshall noted there are several provisions to help the public in the latest COVID-19 relief bill being voted on Monday."Most importantly, I think, we would start off with a direct payment to everyone who got a direct payment before from the previous CARES funding," Marshall said. "They'll be getting $600 per person. There's monies in there for the Paycheck Protection Program, so more of the small businesses would have an opportunity for a second bite of the apple. There's some funding in there, significant funding for more unemployment insurance. Those folks that still are not employed, it may be awhile. We've about 14 more weeks of unemployment insurance. There's funding to get the vaccines out, as well."Regarding the vaccines, Marshall believes herd immunity is possible in 2021."I really think we have the potential to have herd immunity by the middle of March," Marshall said. "If the administration does its job, the vaccines are out there to reach herd immunity by the middle of March and that's when we're going to see the economy turn around. When the restaurants can stay open, when we can go to a spring baseball game, March Madness, all those things that we're looking forward to, that's when the economy's going to get cranked up."Marshall believes they can push out at least 40 million doses in the next weeks.

Marshall: Relief bill, vaccine progress good news going to the holidays

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 680 as of Sunday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 87.

Out of 6,250 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 668 cases in the community at large. 5,483 people have recovered thus far.

Thirty-two Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred seventy-eight total have been hospitalized. Eighty-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 29 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 26.15%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.91%. 31.16% 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 680 as of Sunday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 87.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 22 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 68 active cases. Thirty-two people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 6,250 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 668 cases in the community at large. 5,483 people have recovered thus far.Thirty-two Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred seventy-eight total have been hospitalized. Eighty-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 29 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 26.15%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.91%. 31.16% 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. Those are available Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., but not on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year's Day.

Case count at 680, with 668 in community as of Sunday afternoon, 87 dead


HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp; As Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System reflects on what COVID-19 has meant to them in 2020, they realize that medicine in Reno County working together has saved lives.

"What an absolutely amazing medical community we have," said Chuck Welch with the hospital. "If we hadn't had our four pulmonologists, if we hadn't had our hospitalists. If we hadn't had the capabilities and then the camaraderie of everybody in the community, I don't know that we would have made it by with 100 deaths. It could have been much, much worse."

It's not been about who makes the most money, it's been about keeping this virus at bay by all means necessary.

"Watching competitors in this community put that aside and do what's best for the community," Welch said. "All of that has just been tremendous and I really will strive to make sure that we continue to do that as a community moving into 2021."

Hospital CEO Ken Johnson notes that the community as a whole has come to help how they can, too.

"The support that we have received, as a medical community, from everyone else that's not necessarily a part of the medical delivery, has been significant. We had a prayer vigil out here in April. I know that they've supported our organization and other organizations as a community with food, with gift cards, with flowers, with cards. We just continue, almost daily, to have some members, some group from the community provide some support in some way."

Even though the vaccine has begun being delivered to the health care workers locally, the battle is not over. The medical community still needs each other and the rest of the area to remain vigilant as the fight continues into 2021.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2019/11/1574787528114.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. —&nbsp; As Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System reflects on what COVID-19 has meant to them in 2020, they realize that medicine in Reno County working together has saved lives."What an absolutely amazing medical community we have," said Chuck Welch with the hospital. "If we hadn't had our four pulmonologists, if we hadn't had our hospitalists. If we hadn't had the capabilities and then the camaraderie of everybody in the community, I don't know that we would have made it by with 100 deaths. It could have been much, much worse."It's not been about who makes the most money, it's been about keeping this virus at bay by all means necessary."Watching competitors in this community put that aside and do what's best for the community," Welch said. "All of that has just been tremendous and I really will strive to make sure that we continue to do that as a community moving into 2021."Hospital CEO Ken Johnson notes that the community as a whole has come to help how they can, too."The support that we have received, as a medical community, from everyone else that's not necessarily a part of the medical delivery, has been significant. We had a prayer vigil out here in April. I know that they've supported our organization and other organizations as a community with food, with gift cards, with flowers, with cards. We just continue, almost daily, to have some members, some group from the community provide some support in some way."Even though the vaccine has begun being delivered to the health care workers locally, the battle is not over. The medical community still needs each other and the rest of the area to remain vigilant as the fight continues into 2021.

Hutchinson Regional praises community for coming together in 2020

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — In a Saturday email, Reno County Commissioner and State Senator-elect Dr. Mark Steffen provided to Hutch Post and community members a site he is calling <a href="https://rccft.godaddysites.com/home">Reno County Citizens for Transparency</a>.

"So much about our nation's and our state's response to the virus has been troubling," Steffen says in the email.&nbsp; "Common sense and time-tested methods have been discarded."

His site includes research on alternative therapies for COVID-19 and studies that he cites in asserting that mask usage is ineffective.

The Board of Reno County Commissioners will meet Tuesday and <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5273f25a-7973-4521-b2a8-a86c4d79ecba">likely review the recently renewed Health Order that continues to promote mask usage and social distancing measures in the county.</a>

That meeting is Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. at the Reno County courthouse.

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1593008647850.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — In a Saturday email, Reno County Commissioner and State Senator-elect Dr. Mark Steffen provided to Hutch Post and community members a site he is calling <a href="https://rccft.godaddysites.com/home">Reno County Citizens for Transparency</a>."So much about our nation's and our state's response to the virus has been troubling," Steffen says in the email.&nbsp; "Common sense and time-tested methods have been discarded." His site includes research on alternative therapies for COVID-19 and studies that he cites in asserting that mask usage is ineffective.The Board of Reno County Commissioners will meet Tuesday and <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5273f25a-7973-4521-b2a8-a86c4d79ecba">likely review the recently renewed Health Order that continues to promote mask usage and social distancing measures in the county.</a>That meeting is Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. at the Reno County courthouse.

Steffen provides alternative website regarding COVID-19

Though COVID-19 has an effect on the nation and world, we know that what's happening here has much more impact. That's why COVID-19: My Story was born.

We'll hear from real people who have had the virus and delve further into their personal experiences.&nbsp; We'll also spend time with experts from here trying to keep you safe.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/ee078bde-8c37-494e-9f4b-f9587569c452">There's no place that sanitizes like restaurants already should be doing. In that sense, yeah. We were already pretty well set up to handle that type of thing. Yeah. Restaurants, they're always dealing with bacteria and viruses and stuff like that. That wasn't a new aspect to our business.</a>

Special Episode-Dr. Humayun Ashraf

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/397660aa-7f75-4010-ba09-04abe1ae41f4">It is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it's been a very dark tunnel so far. So anything that we can take, we will take.</a>

Episode 15: Two guests-Bob Ratley and Katie Perez

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/1cc3a413-41d8-4272-b1d8-99cda40fb4a7">Well, after about the second&nbsp;day, I got real, real sick. And it was to the point, I could barely breathe. And so, I told her, "I need to get to the hospital." And she asked if I want to go to Wichita or Newton. And I told her, "no, I'll just go here to the Hutch." And so she took me there and it's a blur.</a>

Episode 14 is with USD 308 Superintendent Mike Folks

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/25b334e7-f5ea-45db-a21e-1d443578f1bb">Thinking back nine months ago, when on ... I think it was Friday, March 13th, when the Governor shut schools down, it has been an absolute whirlwind. The fastest and the most challenging nine months that I can ever remember.</a>

Episode 13 is with Pastor Kent Pedersen

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/0d2f9ab9-f305-4b4a-8fa6-f14f6246336b">There's no perfect answers. I just wish more people, during all of this, on the news and places of leadership, I wish more people would just say the words, "I don't know. We're doing the best we can." Let's do the best we can to be respectful of others. I don't know if the mask works or not. I got it. I wore the mask a lot but the reason I wear a mask is to be polite. It's because they're asking us to do it and it doesn't hurt us. It doesn't hurt me to do that.</a>

Episode 12 is with Nursing Home Administrator Rebeka Jones

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/b652e27c-dc7a-4fc7-8293-539abb1b6000">Someone could be just fine, and the next thing, they're in the ER and having complications. But you have to remember those that maybe have infections, they're more prone to infections. They just had surgery. They have COPD.</a>

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/e119410a-e0cc-41f3-b369-6be80c275ed6">I had a sister that had COVID and she was in the hospital for eight days, had the COVID pneumonia. She has since been good. She's still recovering. You don't just get over COVID very quickly. Most people don't.</a>

Episode 10 is with ICU Nurse Jon Miller

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/cfff89cd-2ca6-4b87-8e05-47a161413d59">It's no respecter of age or how healthy you were before. The virus has been very opportunistic. And if you have any kind of co-morbidities, either diabetes or high blood pressure, it finds a weakness in some way and can have its effect.</a>&nbsp;

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5977c715-a50f-49de-8cdd-2d5226651a00">Since that time at the end of September to when we are talking now, there's been 600 cases in the community. So we have equaled our amount for six months in one month.</a>

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/4ef2e02c-cfeb-4a69-9846-8d0fc7215ecb">You don't have the energy level. A conversation with your wife or another loved one lasts about one to two minutes, so that takes its toll on you as you are in isolation from everybody for a week.</a>

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/11dfda85-80f7-490a-8fe8-beb31907a1cd">I am confident in telling you if we would have even more participation in community testing, we would have less cases in the hospital. We would have less cases in the nursing home. We would catch patient zero earlier and not be dealing with patient 55, 56.</a>

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/216ee459-b55d-458b-a14c-eef3f0cda9e1">The cough, the chest pain and of course the fever. The extreme fatigue was what really got me too, I would get up to let's say, make lunch or something. And I felt like I ran a marathon. It felt like the flu times ten.</a>

Episode 5 is with Reno County Epidemiologist Elliot Koester

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/87141264-20ce-4239-81b7-fafa56c8bf22">We're taking a bit of a different approach to the podcast this week, as I had the chance to interview Reno County epidemiologist, Elliot Koester. Here is our conversation...</a>

Episode 4 is with Linda and Tony Ojeda

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/f4e74580-da1e-43c3-ae97-753adb54ce95">On August 29, I had opened a jar of Vicks for Tony and I couldn't smell it. And I thought, uh-oh...</a>

Episode 3 is with Cathy Kilpatrick

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/681d8c7c-9987-4ddb-a013-375e3c2d5f97">Now, I was there for 11 days and of those 11 days, seven of them, I was in ICU and that was not fun. </a>

Episode 2 is with Hutchinson resident Susan Puls.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/93792258-bf02-427c-823e-968358d705dd">I'm usually very healthy. And the next thing I know, I'm on the floor and the EMT's helped him get me to the testing center. So, it is unlike...everybody thinks it's the flu or a bad cold, or a sinus infection. In my lifetime, I've never experienced anything like this...(Click for full transcript)</a>

Episode 1 is with Dr. Rex Degner from Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System.

<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/914b38af-8fc5-4ac1-b32d-064c31c08e52">I found out mostly through news sources, commercial news sources, before it started coming out in the professional literature. The COVID virus was first recognized back in late 2019 and gets its name COVID for Coronavirus 2019. So that's when it was first truly discovered as a new entity...(Click for full transcript)</a>

Join us here on HutchPost.com for Covid-19: My Story, with new stories every Saturday. Supported by Reno County Health Care Collaborative.

Are you a COVID-19 patient and want to tell your story on this podcast? Email your contact info and a few sentences about your experience to&nbsp;HutchPost@eagleradio.net.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1599141808019.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Though COVID-19 has an effect on the nation and world, we know that what's happening here has much more impact. That's why COVID-19: My Story was born.We'll hear from real people who have had the virus and delve further into their personal experiences.&nbsp; We'll also spend time with experts from here trying to keep you safe.Episode 16: Tyler Davis<div><iframe title="COVID 19: My Story-Episode 16-Tyler Davis" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/twudg-f56b51?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Tyler Davis:<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/ee078bde-8c37-494e-9f4b-f9587569c452">There's no place that sanitizes like restaurants already should be doing. In that sense, yeah. We were already pretty well set up to handle that type of thing. Yeah. Restaurants, they're always dealing with bacteria and viruses and stuff like that. That wasn't a new aspect to our business.</a>Special Episode-Dr. Humayun Ashraf<div><iframe title="Covid-19: My Story - Special Episode-Dr. Humayun Ashraf" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/gavrz-f53c1b?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Dr. Ashraf: <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/397660aa-7f75-4010-ba09-04abe1ae41f4">It is a light at the end of the tunnel, and it's been a very dark tunnel so far. So anything that we can take, we will take.</a>Episode 15: Two guests-Bob Ratley and Katie Perez<div><iframe title="COVID 19: My Story-Episode 15-Bob Ratley and Katie Perez" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/n369b-f4cd5f?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Bob Ratley:<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/1cc3a413-41d8-4272-b1d8-99cda40fb4a7">Well, after about the second&nbsp;day, I got real, real sick. And it was to the point, I could barely breathe. And so, I told her, "I need to get to the hospital." And she asked if I want to go to Wichita or Newton. And I told her, "no, I'll just go here to the Hutch." And so she took me there and it's a blur.</a>Episode 14 is with USD 308 Superintendent Mike Folks<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 14-USD 308 Superintendent Mike Folks" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/pc375-f41c5c?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Mike Folks:<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/25b334e7-f5ea-45db-a21e-1d443578f1bb">Thinking back nine months ago, when on ... I think it was Friday, March 13th, when the Governor shut schools down, it has been an absolute whirlwind. The fastest and the most challenging nine months that I can ever remember.</a>Episode 13 is with Pastor Kent Pedersen<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 13-Pastor Kent Pedersen" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/ptjks-f379fa?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Kent Pedersen:<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/0d2f9ab9-f305-4b4a-8fa6-f14f6246336b">There's no perfect answers. I just wish more people, during all of this, on the news and places of leadership, I wish more people would just say the words, "I don't know. We're doing the best we can." Let's do the best we can to be respectful of others. I don't know if the mask works or not. I got it. I wore the mask a lot but the reason I wear a mask is to be polite. It's because they're asking us to do it and it doesn't hurt us. It doesn't hurt me to do that.</a>Episode 12 is with Nursing Home Administrator Rebeka Jones<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 12-Nursing Home Administrator Rebeka Jones" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/jkxat-f2d6bc?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Rebeka Jones:<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/b652e27c-dc7a-4fc7-8293-539abb1b6000">Someone could be just fine, and the next thing, they're in the ER and having complications. But you have to remember those that maybe have infections, they're more prone to infections. They just had surgery. They have COPD.</a>Episode 11 is with Peggy Ramos<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 11-Peggy Ramos" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/n9atr-f2391d?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Peggy Ramos:<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/e119410a-e0cc-41f3-b369-6be80c275ed6">I had a sister that had COVID and she was in the hospital for eight days, had the COVID pneumonia. She has since been good. She's still recovering. You don't just get over COVID very quickly. Most people don't.</a>Episode 10 is with ICU Nurse Jon Miller<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 10-ICU Nurse Jon Miller" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/6m6jr-f19011?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Jon Miller:<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/cfff89cd-2ca6-4b87-8e05-47a161413d59">It's no respecter of age or how healthy you were before. The virus has been very opportunistic. And if you have any kind of co-morbidities, either diabetes or high blood pressure, it finds a weakness in some way and can have its effect.</a>&nbsp;Episode 9 is with DJ Gering<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 9-DJ Gering" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/297jb-f0e6be?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>DJ Gering:<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/5977c715-a50f-49de-8cdd-2d5226651a00">Since that time at the end of September to when we are talking now, there's been 600 cases in the community. So we have equaled our amount for six months in one month.</a>Episode 8 is with Cory Griffith's<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 8-Cory Griffith's" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/8uhq5-f03c07?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Cory Griffith's:<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/4ef2e02c-cfeb-4a69-9846-8d0fc7215ecb">You don't have the energy level. A conversation with your wife or another loved one lasts about one to two minutes, so that takes its toll on you as you are in isolation from everybody for a week.</a>Episode 7 is with Dr. Scott Pauly<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 7-Dr. Scott Pauly" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/33i6j-ef95c6?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Dr. Scott Pauly:&nbsp;<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/11dfda85-80f7-490a-8fe8-beb31907a1cd">I am confident in telling you if we would have even more participation in community testing, we would have less cases in the hospital. We would have less cases in the nursing home. We would catch patient zero earlier and not be dealing with patient 55, 56.</a>Episode 6 is with Seth Dewey<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 6-Seth Dewey" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/vp7mb-eee04f?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Seth Dewey: <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/216ee459-b55d-458b-a14c-eef3f0cda9e1">The cough, the chest pain and of course the fever. The extreme fatigue was what really got me too, I would get up to let's say, make lunch or something. And I felt like I ran a marathon. It felt like the flu times ten.</a>Episode 5 is with Reno County Epidemiologist Elliot Koester<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 5-Reno County Epidemiologist Elliot Koester" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/i2rze-ee0bc3?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Nick Gosnell: <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/87141264-20ce-4239-81b7-fafa56c8bf22">We're taking a bit of a different approach to the podcast this week, as I had the chance to interview Reno County epidemiologist, Elliot Koester. Here is our conversation...</a>Episode 4 is with Linda and Tony Ojeda<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 4-Linda and Tony Ojeda" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/bjs5w-ed2bdb?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Linda Ojeda: <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/f4e74580-da1e-43c3-ae97-753adb54ce95">On August 29, I had opened a jar of Vicks for Tony and I couldn't smell it. And I thought, uh-oh...</a>Episode 3 is with Cathy Kilpatrick<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 3-Cathy Kilpatrick" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/gz5hc-ec1f49?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Cathy Kilpatrick: <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/681d8c7c-9987-4ddb-a013-375e3c2d5f97">Now, I was there for 11 days and of those 11 days, seven of them, I was in ICU and that was not fun. </a>Episode 2 is with Hutchinson resident Susan Puls.<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 2-Susan Puls" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/g2mas-eb2b24?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Susan Puls:<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/93792258-bf02-427c-823e-968358d705dd">I'm usually very healthy. And the next thing I know, I'm on the floor and the EMT's helped him get me to the testing center. So, it is unlike...everybody thinks it's the flu or a bad cold, or a sinus infection. In my lifetime, I've never experienced anything like this...(Click for full transcript)</a>Episode 1 is with Dr. Rex Degner from Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System.<div><iframe title="COVID-19: My Story Episode 1-Dr. Rex Degner" height="122" width="100%" style="border: none;" scrolling="no" data-name="pb-iframe-player" src="https://www.podbean.com/media/player/g5vzv-ea334e?from=pb6admin&download=1&version=1&auto=0&share=1&download=1&rtl=0&fonts=Helvetica&skin=1&pfauth=&btn-skin=107"></iframe></div>Dr. Rex Degner:<a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/914b38af-8fc5-4ac1-b32d-064c31c08e52">I found out mostly through news sources, commercial news sources, before it started coming out in the professional literature. The COVID virus was first recognized back in late 2019 and gets its name COVID for Coronavirus 2019. So that's when it was first truly discovered as a new entity...(Click for full transcript)</a>Join us here on HutchPost.com for Covid-19: My Story, with new stories every Saturday. Supported by Reno County Health Care Collaborative.Are you a COVID-19 patient and want to tell your story on this podcast? Email your contact info and a few sentences about your experience to&nbsp;HutchPost@eagleradio.net.

Covid-19: My Story - Episode 16: Tyler Davis

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 690 as of Friday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 84.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 18 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 68 active cases. Thirty-one people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 6,163 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 680 cases in the community at large. 5,389 people have recovered thus far.

Twenty-nine Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred seventy-three total have been hospitalized. Eighty-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 29 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 26.15%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.69%. 30.94% 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 690 as of Friday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 84.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 18 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 68 active cases. Thirty-one people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 6,163 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 680 cases in the community at large. 5,389 people have recovered thus far.Twenty-nine Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred seventy-three total have been hospitalized. Eighty-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 29 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 26.15%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.69%. 30.94% 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. Those are available Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., but not on Christmas Eve, Christmas Day or New Year's Day.

Case count at 690, with 680 in community as of Friday afternoon, death toll now 84

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. added a second COVID-19 vaccine to its arsenal Friday, boosting efforts to beat back an outbreak so dire that the nation is regularly recording more than 3,000 deaths a day.

Much-needed doses are set to arrive Monday after the Food and Drug Administration authorized an emergency rollout of the vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health.

The move marks the world’s first authorization for Moderna’s shots. The vaccine is very similar to one from Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech that’s now being dispensed to millions of health care workers and nursing home residents as the biggest vaccination drive in U.S. history starts to ramp up.

The two work “better than we almost dared to hope,” NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins told The Associated Press. “Science is working here, science has done something amazing.”

Early results of large, still unfinished studies show both vaccines appear safe and strongly protective although Moderna’s is easier to handle since it doesn’t need to be stored at ultra-frozen temperatures.

A second vaccine represents a ray of hope amid despair as the virus continues to spread unabated even before holiday gatherings that are certain to further fuel the outbreak.

The scourge has claimed more than 312,000 U.S. lives and killed 1.7 million people worldwide. New cases in the U.S. are running at over 216,000 per day on average. Deaths per day have hit all-time highs, eclipsing 3,600 on Wednesday.

California has emerged as one of the most lethal hot spots, with hospitals running out of intensive care beds and ambulances lining up outside emergency rooms in scenes reminiscent of the calamity around New York City last spring. California on Friday reported over 41,000 new cases and 300 more deaths.

When New York’s hospitals were in crisis, health care workers from across the country came to help out. This time, “there’s no cavalry coming” because so many hospitals are swamped, said Dr. Marc Futernick, an emergency room physician in Los Angeles.

The nation is scrambling to expand vaccinations as rapidly as Moderna and Pfizer can churn out doses. Moderna’s is for people 18 and older, Pfizer’s starts at age 16.

It’s just the beginning of “what we hope will be a big push to get this terrible virus behind us, although it will take many more months to get to all Americans,” Collins said.

Even with additional candidates in the pipeline, there won’t be enough for the general population until spring, and shots will be rationed in the meantime. And while health workers are enthusiastically embracing vaccination, authorities worry the public may need more reassurance to ensure more people get in line when it’s their turn.

“Frankly if we don’t succeed in getting 80% or so of Americans immunized against COVID-19 by the middle of this 2021 year, we have the risk that this epidemic could go on and on and on,” Collins said.

He is especially concerned that accurate information about the shots’ value reaches communities of color, which have been hard-hit by COVID-19 yet also are wary after years of health care disparities and research abuses.

To try to help instill confidence, Vice President Mike Pence received the Pfizer-BioNTech shot on live TV Friday, along with Surgeon General Jerome Adams.

FDA’s decision could help pave the way for other countries that are considering the Moderna vaccine, the first-ever regulatory clearance for the small Cambridge, Massachusetts, company. European regulators could authorize its use as soon as Jan. 6. Britain, Canada and a few other countries already have cleared the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, with a European Union decision due Monday.

“What we want to always remember is one size does not fit all. We want to have options,” said Dr. Paul Duprex of the University of Pittsburgh.

Moderna has about 5.9 million doses ready for shipment set to begin over the weekend, according to Operation Warp Speed, the government’s vaccine development program. Injections of health workers and nursing home residents continue next week, before other essential workers and vulnerable groups are allowed to get in line.

Both Moderna’s and Pfizer-BioNTech’s shots are so-called mRNA vaccines, made with a groundbreaking new technology. They don’t contain any coronavirus – meaning they cannot cause infection. Instead, they use a piece of genetic code that trains the immune system to recognize the spike protein on the surface of the virus, ready to attack if the real thing comes along.

Their development less than a year after the coronavirus first emerged set a speed record, but Collins stressed that shouldn’t worry people. The speed was due to billions in company and government investments paired with years of earlier scientific research, not any cut corners.

“The rigor of the analysis of these vaccines is unprecedented,” Collins said. “We’re not done with this but hope is on the way, and the hope comes from this scientific brain trust that has pulled out all the stops.”

Experts are hoping the two vaccines together will “break the back of the pandemic” when combined with masks and other precautions, said Dr. Arnold Monto of the University of Michigan, who chaired an advisory committee that publicly debated the shots’ evidence ahead of FDA’s decisions.

--Both the new Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech shot require two doses several weeks apart. The second dose must be from the same company as the first.

--In a study of 30,000 volunteers, the Moderna vaccine was more than 94% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in people 18 and older. It also strongly protected older adults, who are most vulnerable.

--The inoculated can’t throw away their masks as it’s not yet clear either vaccine prevents silent, symptomless virus spread. But there was a hint that Moderna’s shot might provide some protection against asymptomatic infection.

--The Moderna study uncovered no major safety problems. Like with the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, expect sore arms, fever, fatigue and muscle aches, which are signs the immune system is revving up.

--Moderna’s study turned up no severe allergic reactions, like the handful reported with the Pfizer-BioNTech shots in Britain and Alaska. The vaccines’ ingredients aren’t identical. Still, after any COVID-19 vaccination, people should stick around for 15 minutes – or 30 minutes if they have a history of severe allergies – so if they do have a reaction, it can be treated immediately.

--Both vaccines remain experimental, and the government is closely monitoring safety in case rare problems crop up.

--Additional studies are needed to tell if the vaccine should be used by children and pregnant women.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605532144900.png" alt="Photo&nbsp; courtesy Moderna" />
 <figcaption>Photo&nbsp; courtesy Moderna</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. added a second COVID-19 vaccine to its arsenal Friday, boosting efforts to beat back an outbreak so dire that the nation is regularly recording more than 3,000 deaths a day.Much-needed doses are set to arrive Monday after the Food and Drug Administration authorized an emergency rollout of the vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health.The move marks the world’s first authorization for Moderna’s shots. The vaccine is very similar to one from Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech that’s now being dispensed to millions of health care workers and nursing home residents as the biggest vaccination drive in U.S. history starts to ramp up.The two work “better than we almost dared to hope,” NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins told The Associated Press. “Science is working here, science has done something amazing.”Early results of large, still unfinished studies show both vaccines appear safe and strongly protective although Moderna’s is easier to handle since it doesn’t need to be stored at ultra-frozen temperatures.A second vaccine represents a ray of hope amid despair as the virus continues to spread unabated even before holiday gatherings that are certain to further fuel the outbreak.The scourge has claimed more than 312,000 U.S. lives and killed 1.7 million people worldwide. New cases in the U.S. are running at over 216,000 per day on average. Deaths per day have hit all-time highs, eclipsing 3,600 on Wednesday.California has emerged as one of the most lethal hot spots, with hospitals running out of intensive care beds and ambulances lining up outside emergency rooms in scenes reminiscent of the calamity around New York City last spring. California on Friday reported over 41,000 new cases and 300 more deaths.When New York’s hospitals were in crisis, health care workers from across the country came to help out. This time, “there’s no cavalry coming” because so many hospitals are swamped, said Dr. Marc Futernick, an emergency room physician in Los Angeles.The nation is scrambling to expand vaccinations as rapidly as Moderna and Pfizer can churn out doses. Moderna’s is for people 18 and older, Pfizer’s starts at age 16.It’s just the beginning of “what we hope will be a big push to get this terrible virus behind us, although it will take many more months to get to all Americans,” Collins said.Even with additional candidates in the pipeline, there won’t be enough for the general population until spring, and shots will be rationed in the meantime. And while health workers are enthusiastically embracing vaccination, authorities worry the public may need more reassurance to ensure more people get in line when it’s their turn.“Frankly if we don’t succeed in getting 80% or so of Americans immunized against COVID-19 by the middle of this 2021 year, we have the risk that this epidemic could go on and on and on,” Collins said.He is especially concerned that accurate information about the shots’ value reaches communities of color, which have been hard-hit by COVID-19 yet also are wary after years of health care disparities and research abuses.To try to help instill confidence, Vice President Mike Pence received the Pfizer-BioNTech shot on live TV Friday, along with Surgeon General Jerome Adams.FDA’s decision could help pave the way for other countries that are considering the Moderna vaccine, the first-ever regulatory clearance for the small Cambridge, Massachusetts, company. European regulators could authorize its use as soon as Jan. 6. Britain, Canada and a few other countries already have cleared the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, with a European Union decision due Monday.“What we want to always remember is one size does not fit all. We want to have options,” said Dr. Paul Duprex of the University of Pittsburgh.Moderna has about 5.9 million doses ready for shipment set to begin over the weekend, according to Operation Warp Speed, the government’s vaccine development program. Injections of health workers and nursing home residents continue next week, before other essential workers and vulnerable groups are allowed to get in line.Both Moderna’s and Pfizer-BioNTech’s shots are so-called mRNA vaccines, made with a groundbreaking new technology. They don’t contain any coronavirus – meaning they cannot cause infection. Instead, they use a piece of genetic code that trains the immune system to recognize the spike protein on the surface of the virus, ready to attack if the real thing comes along.Their development less than a year after the coronavirus first emerged set a speed record, but Collins stressed that shouldn’t worry people. The speed was due to billions in company and government investments paired with years of earlier scientific research, not any cut corners.“The rigor of the analysis of these vaccines is unprecedented,” Collins said. “We’re not done with this but hope is on the way, and the hope comes from this scientific brain trust that has pulled out all the stops.”Experts are hoping the two vaccines together will “break the back of the pandemic” when combined with masks and other precautions, said Dr. Arnold Monto of the University of Michigan, who chaired an advisory committee that publicly debated the shots’ evidence ahead of FDA’s decisions.The FDA’s main messages:--Both the new Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech shot require two doses several weeks apart. The second dose must be from the same company as the first.--In a study of 30,000 volunteers, the Moderna vaccine was more than 94% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in people 18 and older. It also strongly protected older adults, who are most vulnerable.--The inoculated can’t throw away their masks as it’s not yet clear either vaccine prevents silent, symptomless virus spread. But there was a hint that Moderna’s shot might provide some protection against asymptomatic infection.--The Moderna study uncovered no major safety problems. Like with the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, expect sore arms, fever, fatigue and muscle aches, which are signs the immune system is revving up.--Moderna’s study turned up no severe allergic reactions, like the handful reported with the Pfizer-BioNTech shots in Britain and Alaska. The vaccines’ ingredients aren’t identical. Still, after any COVID-19 vaccination, people should stick around for 15 minutes – or 30 minutes if they have a history of severe allergies – so if they do have a reaction, it can be treated immediately.--Both vaccines remain experimental, and the government is closely monitoring safety in case rare problems crop up.--Additional studies are needed to tell if the vaccine should be used by children and pregnant women.___

2nd shot: US clears Moderna vaccine for COVID-19

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Interim Health Officer Karen Hammersmith signed Health Order 20-05 Thursday night and it was amended Friday. It will stay in effect until January 18, 2021, unless overriden by the Board of County Commissioners acting as the Board of Health.&nbsp;

The order keeps the same provisions as previous Health Order 20-04, in that it restricts gathering sizes to 10 and continues to advocate for mask wearing in the county.&nbsp; As a practical matter,&nbsp; however, the order has more than a page worth of exceptions. The exceptions effectively allow for most public gatherings in the county, provided social distancing is maintained.

Face coverings are strongly encouraged in the order and language referring to the order by Governor Laura Kelly that originally mandated face coverings this summer is still referred to. The amended order is below...

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/5/1589472383275.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County Interim Health Officer Karen Hammersmith signed Health Order 20-05 Thursday night and it was amended Friday. It will stay in effect until January 18, 2021, unless overriden by the Board of County Commissioners acting as the Board of Health.&nbsp;The order keeps the same provisions as previous Health Order 20-04, in that it restricts gathering sizes to 10 and continues to advocate for mask wearing in the county.&nbsp; As a practical matter,&nbsp; however, the order has more than a page worth of exceptions. The exceptions effectively allow for most public gatherings in the county, provided social distancing is maintained.Face coverings are strongly encouraged in the order and language referring to the order by Governor Laura Kelly that originally mandated face coverings this summer is still referred to. The amended order is below...<figure>
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Health Order 20-05 amended to clarify gathering size, mask restrictions in place for now

HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Even <a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9a7d44773e4c4a48b3e09e4d8673961b">as the numbers for Reno County COVID-19 infections improve</a>, it's important to note that there are still many more people that could be infected before anything approaching herd immunity could be reached.

"You need about 70% of people who have had the virus and then keep your immune system at a level that it's going to fight off the virus," said Karen Hammersmith with the Reno County Health Department. "We have seen that in some of the other areas that were hit harder."

In Reno County, only just over 30% of people have even been tested for COVID-19 to this point, but <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/68fa3186-eac8-4ca8-a72f-220308226117">two new free testing sites went live on Friday</a>.

"The Governor's plan was to test everybody in Kansas," Hammersmith said. "That helps us eliminate the spread by locating any cases and then having them isolate and quarantine."

The new sites in the parking lots of the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson and Simply Good Overstocks in South Hutchinson will be open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. There will be no testing on December 24, 25 or January 1. 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1606243325401.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>
By
NICK GOSNELL
Hutch
Post
HUTCHINSON,
Kan. — Even <a href="https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/9a7d44773e4c4a48b3e09e4d8673961b">as the numbers for Reno County COVID-19 infections improve</a>, it's important to note that there are still many more people that could be infected before anything approaching herd immunity could be reached."You need about 70% of people who have had the virus and then keep your immune system at a level that it's going to fight off the virus," said Karen Hammersmith with the Reno County Health Department. "We have seen that in some of the other areas that were hit harder."In Reno County, only just over 30% of people have even been tested for COVID-19 to this point, but <a href="https://hutchpost.com/posts/68fa3186-eac8-4ca8-a72f-220308226117">two new free testing sites went live on Friday</a>."The Governor's plan was to test everybody in Kansas," Hammersmith said. "That helps us eliminate the spread by locating any cases and then having them isolate and quarantine."The new sites in the parking lots of the Cosmosphere in Hutchinson and Simply Good Overstocks in South Hutchinson will be open from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Saturday. There will be no testing on December 24, 25 or January 1.

Hammersmith: Still nowhere near herd immunity, still need testing and mitigating measures

HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The Reno County overall case count is at 667 as of Thursday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 81. Case count is down slightly from earlier in the week.

The Correctional Facility cluster type has 32 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 70 active cases. Twenty-nine people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.

Out of 6,055 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 643 cases in the community at large. 5,307 people have recovered thus far.

Twenty-six Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred seventy-one total have been hospitalized. Eighty-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 29 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.

The community's positive test rate is at 26.15%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.54%. 30.54% 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 667 as of Thursday afternoon. The death count among Reno County residents is at 81. Case count is down slightly from earlier in the week.The Correctional Facility cluster type has 32 active cases measured by the county's COVID-19 dashboard. The Long Term Care Facility cluster type has 70 active cases. Twenty-nine people within those clusters have died. There are 40 active clusters in the county.Out of 6,055 total cases since the beginning of the pandemic, there are 643 cases in the community at large. 5,307 people have recovered thus far.Twenty-six Reno County residents are in the hospital. Two hundred seventy-one total have been hospitalized. Eighty-seven have been admitted to the ICU and 29 have been intubated. These are Reno County resident numbers regardless of where they are hospitalized.The community's positive test rate is at 26.15%, with the overall positive test rate at 31.54%. 30.54% of the population has been tested.

Case count at 667, with 643 in community as of Thursday afternoon

As COVID-19 vaccinations roll out to more and more people, health authorities are keeping close watch for any unexpected side effects.

On Tuesday, a health worker in Alaska suffered a severe allergic reaction after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. She is in the hospital for another night under observation while another worker, vaccinated Wednesday, has recovered. Doctors already knew to be on the lookout after Britain reported two similar cases last week.

In the U.S., vaccine recipients are supposed to hang around after the injection in case signs of an allergy appear and they need immediate treatment — exactly what happened when the health worker in Juneau became flushed and short of breath 10 minutes after the shot. The second worker experienced eye puffiness, light headedness and scratchy throat.

Allergies are always a question with a new medical product, but monitoring COVID-19 vaccines for any other, unexpected side effects is a bigger challenge than usual. It’s not just because so many people need to be vaccinated over the next year. Never before have so many vaccines made in different ways converged at the same time — and it’s possible that one shot option will come with different side effects than another.

The first vaccine beginning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-health-workers-coronavirus-vaccine-56df745388a9fc12ae93c6f9a0d0e81f">widespread use in the U.S</a>. and many Western countries, made by Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech, and a second option&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-2nd-shot-us-af9bc295fa685aaa04e204e4db62e336">expected soon</a>&nbsp;from competitor Moderna Inc. both are made the same way. The Food and Drug Administration says huge studies of each have uncovered no major safety risks.

But the allergy concern “points out again the importance of real-time safety monitoring,” said Dr. Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief.

And authorities have multiple ways of tracking how people fare as these COVID-19 vaccines, and hopefully additional ones in coming months, get into more arms.

Getting either the Pfizer-BioNTech shot or the Moderna version can cause some temporary discomfort, just like many vaccines do.

In addition to a sore arm, people can experience a fever and some flu-like symptoms — fatigue, aches, chills, headache. They last about a day, sometimes bad enough that recipients miss work, and are more common after the second dose and in younger people.

These reactions are a sign that the immune system is revving up. COVID-19 vaccines tend to cause more of those reactions than a flu shot, about what people experience with shingles vaccinations. But some are similar to early coronavirus symptoms, one reason hospitals are staggering when their employees get vaccinated.

The FDA found no serious side effects in the tens of thousands enrolled in studies of the two vaccines.

Still, problems so rare they don’t occur in even very large studies sometimes crop up when a vaccine is used more widely and without the stringent rules of a clinical trial.

The first allergy reports from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-allergic-reaction-pfizer-vaccine-64ddccd70c38a39f880da27941db3540">England</a>&nbsp;were in people with a history of serious allergies, and British authorities warned those with severe prior experiences to hold off vaccination as they determine what ingredient might be a problem.

U.S. health authorities are giving more nuanced advice. People always are asked about allergies before vaccinations, and instructions for the Pfizer-BioNTech shot say avoid it if you’re severely allergic to one of its ingredients or had a severe reaction to a prior dose. Health workers can go over the ingredient list.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to stick around for 15 minutes after vaccination, and those with a history of other allergies for 30 minutes, so they can be treated immediately if they have a reaction.

The Alaska health worker, who doctors said had no history of allergies, was following that advice and got prompt care for a particularly severe reaction called anaphylaxis. She has recovered after a night of observation in the hospital — but won’t be allowed a second vaccine dose.

Alaska doctors alerted U.S. authorities, who will continue the monitoring required to tell just how common this kind of reaction really is. That will be especially important as enough vaccine arrives for injections to be given outside of health care settings that have lots of experience handling this type of reaction.

“Balancing any potential risks with the benefits the vaccine provides in the pandemic is an ongoing process,” CDC’s Dr. Jay Butler cautioned Wednesday.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608072923749.png" alt="Vaccine arrival in Kansas earlier this week -photo courtesy office of Kansas Governor" />
 <figcaption>Vaccine arrival in Kansas earlier this week -photo courtesy office of Kansas Governor</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated PressAs COVID-19 vaccinations roll out to more and more people, health authorities are keeping close watch for any unexpected side effects.On Tuesday, a health worker in Alaska suffered a severe allergic reaction after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. She is in the hospital for another night under observation while another worker, vaccinated Wednesday, has recovered. Doctors already knew to be on the lookout after Britain reported two similar cases last week.In the U.S., vaccine recipients are supposed to hang around after the injection in case signs of an allergy appear and they need immediate treatment — exactly what happened when the health worker in Juneau became flushed and short of breath 10 minutes after the shot. The second worker experienced eye puffiness, light headedness and scratchy throat.Allergies are always a question with a new medical product, but monitoring COVID-19 vaccines for any other, unexpected side effects is a bigger challenge than usual. It’s not just because so many people need to be vaccinated over the next year. Never before have so many vaccines made in different ways converged at the same time — and it’s possible that one shot option will come with different side effects than another.The first vaccine beginning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-health-workers-coronavirus-vaccine-56df745388a9fc12ae93c6f9a0d0e81f">widespread use in the U.S</a>. and many Western countries, made by Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech, and a second option&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-2nd-shot-us-af9bc295fa685aaa04e204e4db62e336">expected soon</a>&nbsp;from competitor Moderna Inc. both are made the same way. The Food and Drug Administration says huge studies of each have uncovered no major safety risks.But the allergy concern “points out again the importance of real-time safety monitoring,” said Dr. Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief.And authorities have multiple ways of tracking how people fare as these COVID-19 vaccines, and hopefully additional ones in coming months, get into more arms.HOW WILL I FEEL AFTER VACCINATION?Getting either the Pfizer-BioNTech shot or the Moderna version can cause some temporary discomfort, just like many vaccines do.In addition to a sore arm, people can experience a fever and some flu-like symptoms — fatigue, aches, chills, headache. They last about a day, sometimes bad enough that recipients miss work, and are more common after the second dose and in younger people.These reactions are a sign that the immune system is revving up. COVID-19 vaccines tend to cause more of those reactions than a flu shot, about what people experience with shingles vaccinations. But some are similar to early coronavirus symptoms, one reason hospitals are staggering when their employees get vaccinated.WHAT ABOUT SERIOUS RISKS?The FDA found no serious side effects in the tens of thousands enrolled in studies of the two vaccines.Still, problems so rare they don’t occur in even very large studies sometimes crop up when a vaccine is used more widely and without the stringent rules of a clinical trial.The first allergy reports from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-allergic-reaction-pfizer-vaccine-64ddccd70c38a39f880da27941db3540">England</a>&nbsp;were in people with a history of serious allergies, and British authorities warned those with severe prior experiences to hold off vaccination as they determine what ingredient might be a problem.U.S. health authorities are giving more nuanced advice. People always are asked about allergies before vaccinations, and instructions for the Pfizer-BioNTech shot say avoid it if you’re severely allergic to one of its ingredients or had a severe reaction to a prior dose. Health workers can go over the ingredient list.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to stick around for 15 minutes after vaccination, and those with a history of other allergies for 30 minutes, so they can be treated immediately if they have a reaction.The Alaska health worker, who doctors said had no history of allergies, was following that advice and got prompt care for a particularly severe reaction called anaphylaxis. She has recovered after a night of observation in the hospital — but won’t be allowed a second vaccine dose.Alaska doctors alerted U.S. authorities, who will continue the monitoring required to tell just how common this kind of reaction really is. That will be especially important as enough vaccine arrives for injections to be given outside of health care settings that have lots of experience handling this type of reaction.“Balancing any potential risks with the benefits the vaccine provides in the pandemic is an ongoing process,” CDC’s Dr. Jay Butler cautioned Wednesday.WHAT IF OTHER RISKS CROP UP?The challenge is telling whether the vaccine caused a health problem or if it’s coincidence. Don’t jump to conclusions that there’s a connection, health authorities stress.The way to tell: Comparing any reports of possible side effects with data showing how often that same condition occurs routinely in the population.The government has multiple ways to do that. Doctors are required to report any patient problems. But the FDA is scrutinizing massive databases of insurance claims for early red flags that any health problems are occurring more often in the newly vaccinated than everyone else.On its list to check is Bell’s palsy, a temporary facial paralysis that occurred in a handful of people in both vaccine studies. The FDA said it’s probably coincidence, but will track to be sure.Vaccine recipients can help with the extra safety tracking. Called “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/vsafe.html" target="_blank">v-safe</a>,” the program run by CDC automatically sends a daily text the first week after each vaccine dose asking how people feel, and then a weekly text for the next five weeks. Any responses that suggest concern prompt a phone call for further information.___

Coronavirus Update