KANSAS CITY, Mo. — More than 50% of Wyandotte County residents have now received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
The Unified Government Public Health Department made the announcement on Thursday, citing Kansas Department of Health and Environment data.
"Reaching 50% of people vaccinated in Wyandotte County is an important milestone for our community," UGPHD director Juliann Van Liew said in a statement. "Early in the pandemic, our vaccination numbers lagged sorely behind other parts of the state and the metro."
The director said there is still work to do despite the progress.
The county also announced loosened health guidelines for large gatherings because of increased vaccination rates and decreased case rates.
Previous guidance asked residents to significantly limit the number of people in a gathering.
Now, the UGPHD is advising that gatherings are safest outdoors and when everyone is fully vaccinated and wearing masks.
UGPHD chief health officer, Dr. Allen Greiner said that despite loosened guidance, it's not yet time to throw caution to the wind.
"We don't want to see our hospitals get overwhelmed again, especially going into the holidays this winter," he said.
Kansas City, Kansas, remains under a mask mandate for public indoor spaces.
