KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Not only are both Kansas and Missouri seeing a recent surge in COVID-19 cases, a new article in the New York Times now indicates the virus was in the Kansas City metro much sooner than realized.
At least one health official told 41 Action News the key to history repeating itself is testing. On Thursday, a free pop-up testing site at the DeLaSalle Education Center saw a steady stream of people taking advantage of the opportunity.
Kansas City teacher Ameena Chuadhry said she stopped by after recently taking part in protests as part of the Black Lives Matter movement.
"I mean, I felt safe, everyone was wearing masks. But you can never be too certain," Chaudhry said.
For recent college graduate Ericka Trotter, her reasons for attending the testing event were personal.
"I was just diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in April," she said.
However, while Trotter said she and others in her close, personal circle are taking precautions, such as wearing masks and social distancing in public, she said she's frustrated to see many not following suit.
"It's alarming that people think that just because the city is open, you can walk around freely and just act like everything is normal," Trotter said.
Her feelings were echoed by others who acknowledged the virus is seeing a resurgence locally. Among those were Ermanno Ritschl of Overland Park, who came to get tested with his wife and daughter. They said they not only wanted to know if they could be asymptomatic carriers, they wanted to get tested to help protect others.
"I think we wanted to add to the research that (the University of Kansas) is doing to get a handle on the coronavirus," Ritschl said.
This particular testing event was sponsored by a variety of groups, including the DeLaSalle Education Center, Heart to Heart International, St. James Catholic Church and the University of Kansas Medical Center, which is compiling data on local testing.
That data includes a survey participants are encouraged to fill out to better understand the spread, especially among minorities.
"We want this to be a unifying event, for public health, for public safety. We talk about systematic change? We can't make change if people aren't healthy," said Gene Willis with United Inner City Services.
As for that article in the the New York Times, Dr. Rex Archer, the director of health for KCMO, says it doesn't come as a surprise and serves as a reminder how important testing really is.
"For example, the 2,000 known cases we have right now is probably just the tip of the iceberg. We probably have five times that," Archer said. "People don't know that they have it and haven't been tested."
He reminds people they can get tested, even without symptoms, at many CVS or Walmart locations. Residents can also follow their local health department online for pop-up testing events.
Heart to Heart International is hosting more public opportunities this week and next in Kansas City, Missouri, as well as Lawrence.
Those include:
Friday, June 26
Healing House
4504 St. John Ave., Kansas City, MO
4-6 p.m.
Wednesday, July 1
Tippin’s Pie and Food
5051 Speaker Road, Kansas City, KS
7-11 a.m.
Thursday, July 2
Mission Adelante
22 S 18th St., Kansas City, KS
1-4 p.m.
Tuesday, July 7
Salvation Army (Site hosted in parking lot next door)
20 W. Linwood Blvd., Kansas City, MO
Time: TBD
Wednesday, July 8
Union Pacific Depot – Lawrence
402 N. 2nd Street, Lawrence, KS
9 a.m. to noon
Thursday, July 9
Theatre Lawrence
4660 Bauer Farm Drive, Lawrence, KS
9 a.m. to noon
Friday, July 10
Billy Mills Middle School
2734 Louisiana St., Lawrence, KS
9 a.m. to noon
