The University of Kansas Health System reports a steady number of COVID patients today. 14 with the active virus are being treated, the same as Friday. One patient died overnight. Four patients are in the ICU, the same as Friday. One is on a ventilator, the same as Friday. 18 other patients are still hospitalized because of COVID but are out of the acute infection phase, down from 19 on Friday. That’s a total of 32 patients, down from 33 Friday.
On today’s Morning Medical Update, we continued our look at children getting the vaccines when we were joined by members of the Covid Care Force and Heart to Heart International. We found out how they are helping schools and vulnerable communities navigate the pandemic.
Dr. Agustina Boehringer (pronounced Bear-ringer) is chief medical officer at Heart to Heart International, located here in the Metro area. She explained how the organization helps medically underserved communities here and around the world. They also provide direct patient care in the aftermath of disasters. Since the pandemic began, and travel was restricted, they’ve been focusing on the Metro area helping organize vaccine clinics and other basic medical services for underserved areas. They’ve been helping those who need their booster shots and now will be set up to offer the vaccine to kids ages 5 to 11. She believes building trust is the key to getting people vaccinated. She says, “It’s been a challenge. It’s been unfortunate that science has turned political. Nobody goes into medicine to hurt people. We just want to help people. By partnering with local organizations who already have the trust of their community, it has given us a good way to reach people that may not know who Heart to Heart is or what we do. There is a lot of fear, so between access and education we’re hoping that we can reach everybody who can get vaccinated.” She stressed, “This is how we reach the end of the pandemic, by vaccinating people.”
Dr. Gary Morsch helped found Heart to Heart International back in 1992. When the pandemic began, he saw a new need and started the COVID Care Force. The organization mobilizes as many individual doctors and nurses as possible to the front lines of COVID. So far more than 100 medical teams have been dispatched throughout the United States and Mexico. He’s also been advising school districts around the area about COVID and helping them navigate those challenges. He says, “Unfortunately, schools, teachers, administrators, parents and school boards have had to deal with this kind of political battle over masking and vaccination. And different school districts have handled things differently. Some school districts, particularly in Western Kansas, dropped mask mandates as early as the fall of 2020. We have had school nurses, retire or resign because of this.” But he says despite the divisiveness, most schools have stepped up and done the right thing to keep the classrooms open. He thinks we’ll see some schools begin vaccine clinics soon. He believes no matter how much research and how many studies he cites showing the safety and effectiveness of the vaccine, someone will always quote some doctor who said something else. That’s why he thinks the best source of information is your own family doctor or pediatrician. Public disagreements, which have become more the norm at school board meetings, likely won’t change any minds the way one-on-one mentoring and coaching will. His hope is that with vaccinations of the younger children, schools will get back to normal with no mask mandates by next fall.
Dana Hawkinson, MD, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control at The University of Kansas Health System, says there is no recommendation for adults or children to take Tylenol before getting vaccinated but it’s OK to give to treat a sore arm afterward. He busted the myth that says people need to stay away from those who are vaccinated because the vaccine sheds the virus. He says, “That has no basis in truth as there is no active virus in the vaccine and thus nothing to shed.” To those who ask whether it’s possible to be immunized through holistic therapy, as Aaron Rogers claimed, he said, “This is not possible. I think the advice he was getting was completely wrong. The only way to increase your antibodies is through vaccination.” He says, “Aaron Rogers knew he was unvaccinated and unmasked around other people. What is that potential to spread it to others who may be more at risk than he is? It’s kind of a callousness and obtuseness and a lack of concern for other people.”
Tuesday, November 9 at 8:00 a.m. is the next Morning Medical Update.
You’ve probably seen Michelle DeMartino on our program. She’s one of those who signs for our hearing impaired viewers. She lost both her parents to COVID and now her children will grow up without knowing their grandparents. She's hoping her story will encourage you to get you and your kids vaccinated. In her patents’ honor she's taking NO chances and making sure her children get vaccinated live on our program. We’ll also be joined by the director of Infectious Diseases at Children’s Mercy.
NOTE: Journalists should rejoin the Morning Medical Update at 8am as doctors are growing too busy again for individual interview requests. Please bring questions or send to medicalnewsnetwork@kumc.edu until further notice. Thanks for all you do and helping to keep the community safe with your reporting.
ATTENTION: media procedure for calling in:
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