KANSAS CITY, Mo. — 41 Action News is offering a daily recap of COVID-19 related stories from across Kansas City and the country. Check back every morning for the latest developments.
LATEST: COVID-19 case tracker for Missouri, Kansas and Kansas City
University of Kansas Health System update
Doctors with the University of Kansas Health System said Tuesday that numbers continue to look better. On Tuesday, the hospital reported 76 acute COVID-19 patients, including 28 in the ICU and 20 on ventilators. The hospital also has 65 patients in recovery phases.
“Still not the best, but the numbers are much lower than we had been having and much lower than we thought we would have,” said Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of infection prevention and control.
Also Tuesday, Dr. Chris Brown with the health system spoke about the importance of getting the vaccine. He stressed that adverse reactions are uncommon among those who have received it.
KCVA set to receive vaccines
The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs on Monday announced it will send shipments of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines to more locations nationwide, including the Kansas City VA Medical Center.
The KCVA will receive 1,700 doses in the first shipment. Beginning this week, around 1,000 employees and 700 high-risk and elderly patients will be slated to receive the vaccine.
Initially, the KCVA and all Kansas VA locations were left off the list of VA sites to receive vaccines in the first round.
Nursing homes in line for vaccine
Relief is on the way for nursing homes and senior living facilities, some of the places hit hardest by COVID-19. CVS and Walgreens both plan to distribute the vaccine to those facilities across the U.S. in the coming weeks.
At John Knox Village in Lenexa, the vaccine cannot come soon enough. The facility, where 47 residents have died from the virus since March, compared the anticipation of the vaccine to waiting for Christmas morning.
Lenexa lab under scrutiny for possible price gouging
The Kansas Insurance Department is looking into whether GS Labs in Lenexa engaged in possible price gouging of COVID-19 tests. According to the department, the lab had listed a cash price for a PCR test at nearly $1,000, far above the average $185 price tag.
The state said GS Labs is cooperating and answering questions about its prices.
Schools to continue remote learning
When Blue Valley Schools resume after winter break, older students will remain in remote learning for two weeks, the district said Monday. Middle and high school students will then transition to a hybrid model when the second semester begins on Jan. 19.
Also Monday, the Raytown C-2 School District said it will continue with remote learning after its winter break.
Free COVID-19 testing available for MO residents
The Samuel Rodgers Health Center and Worlds of Fun will partner to offer free COVID-19 testing for Missouri residents weekly beginning Wednesday, Dec. 23. Proof of residency is required and registration is recommended.
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