KANSAS CITY, Kan. — One year after the World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a pandemic, the nation and Kansas City, Missouri, are still recovering.
However, vaccinations are offering hope for people like Bill Worley.
"It was great. It's the right thing to do," Worley said, after receiving his first vaccination dose. "I want this crap to be over with and get back to normal."
Worley got his vaccine at a Unified Government Health Department clinic and the Kansas National Guard Armory on Thursday.
The clinic offered walk-ins for people 65 years and older.
"You know, when I was a kid going to school every year or so we'd get a polio vaccination. And polio is gone, so maybe we can get rid of this stuff too," Worley said.
Worley said it was easy, quick, and all he had to do was sit down.
"That's what I'd be doing at home anyway," Worley said.
As of Thursday, only 5.7% of Wyandotte County residents have completed the vaccination process.
COVID-19 cases are much lower right now than they were in late 2020 but so is testing.
"The positivity rate among the people who are tested is also down, so we're seeing lower cases even among people who are tested, which is a good sign but we don't want people to lose sight of the importance of testing," Janell Friesen, spokesperson for the United Government Health Department, said.
The Mid-America Regional Council tracks the number of daily new cases in the Kansas City metro.
On March 15, of 2020 the metro recorded 5 cases. The number has fluctuated in the last few days, but as of March 10 this year we're at 83.
This virus showed hospital staff that it was unpredictable.
"I would have never dreamed last March that we would still be anywhere near position we are now, a year from that period of time, so it has been surprising," Dr. Larry Botts, Chief Medical Officer with AdventHealth Shawnee Mission, said. "I won't make any more predictions but I'm hoping this continues to improve."
