Barton County coronavirus update: 105 active cases

Free community COVID-19 testing TODAY

By AMY RICKER Great Bend Post

When it comes to getting tested for COVID-19, drive-thru testing sites have popped up all over the country. These sites have been effective at keeping the medical staff and the occupants in the vehicle safe while increasing the number of tests in a shorter amount of time due to the efficiency of the drive-thru process.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

County Health Educator Katelyn Sigler advises anyone experiencing fever, fatigue, or shortness of breath to get tested for coronavirus. The Barton County Health Department has a drive-thru clinic with nurses staffed in their mobile unit. She says the number of people using the drive-thru has recently seen an uptick.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“For example, on Monday, we had 32 get tested, and I would say that’s above average. Our positivity rate was at 40%, which is still pretty high,” explained Sigler.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

Sigler says there is no cost for the nasal swab test, and results are coming back, on average, within 48 hours.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

“We’re asking that everyone fill out the forms before they come because it makes it quicker for the nurses and for them to come and go. We have COVID testing forms on the health department page on the Barton County website. Those can be printed and filled out and bring them to their visit, or they can email it after filling it out as it is a fillable form.”&nbsp;&nbsp;

Drive-thru testing is available weekly on Monday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the health department. Testing forms can be found at bartoncounty.org under the health department tab. Prefilling the testing form will expedite your visit but is not required.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/9/1600112353529.jpeg" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>By AMY RICKER Great Bend PostWhen it comes to getting tested for COVID-19, drive-thru testing sites have popped up all over the country. These sites have been effective at keeping the medical staff and the occupants in the vehicle safe while increasing the number of tests in a shorter amount of time due to the efficiency of the drive-thru process.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;County Health Educator Katelyn Sigler advises anyone experiencing fever, fatigue, or shortness of breath to get tested for coronavirus. The Barton County Health Department has a drive-thru clinic with nurses staffed in their mobile unit. She says the number of people using the drive-thru has recently seen an uptick.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“For example, on Monday, we had 32 get tested, and I would say that’s above average. Our positivity rate was at 40%, which is still pretty high,” explained Sigler.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Sigler says there is no cost for the nasal swab test, and results are coming back, on average, within 48 hours.&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;“We’re asking that everyone fill out the forms before they come because it makes it quicker for the nurses and for them to come and go. We have COVID testing forms on the health department page on the Barton County website. Those can be printed and filled out and bring them to their visit, or they can email it after filling it out as it is a fillable form.”&nbsp;&nbsp;Drive-thru testing is available weekly on Monday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m., Wednesday and Friday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the health department. Testing forms can be found at bartoncounty.org under the health department tab. Prefilling the testing form will expedite your visit but is not required.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Coronavirus: Getting tested at a drive-thru 

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609441606261.png" alt="Due to the exceedingly difficult task of tracking the number of deaths due to COVID through the office of Vital Statistics, and as county death information is available on the KDHE website, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/?fbclid=IwAR3YKpyfdkbRmRvpZgb_s0AvNLq7sGXQxGbCA1v--0P8vn3z0lN49B2xRcg" target="_blank">https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/</a>, Barton County updates will no longer include a report of the number of deaths in the county. Other reported information will continue.&nbsp;&nbsp;" />
 <figcaption>Due to the exceedingly difficult task of tracking the number of deaths due to COVID through the office of Vital Statistics, and as county death information is available on the KDHE website, <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/?fbclid=IwAR3YKpyfdkbRmRvpZgb_s0AvNLq7sGXQxGbCA1v--0P8vn3z0lN49B2xRcg" target="_blank">https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/</a>, Barton County updates will no longer include a report of the number of deaths in the county. Other reported information will continue.&nbsp;&nbsp;</figcaption>
 </figure>

Barton County coronavirus update: 163 active cases

By COLLEEN SLEVIN and CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated Press

California on Wednesday announced the nation’s second confirmed case of the new and apparently more contagious variant of the coronavirus, offering a strong indication that the infection is spreading more widely in the United States.

Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the infection found in Southern California during an online conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.

“I don’t think Californians should think that this is odd. It’s to be expected,” Fauci said.

Newsom did not provide any details about the person who was infected.

The announcement came 24 hours after word of the first reported U.S. variant infection, which emerged in Colorado. That person was identified Wednesday as a Colorado National Guardsman who had been sent to help out at a nursing home struggling with an outbreak. Health officials said a second Guard member may have it too.

The cases triggered a host of questions about how the version circulating in England arrived in the U.S. and whether it is too late to stop it now, with top experts saying it is probably already spreading elsewhere in the United States.

“The virus is becoming more fit, and we’re like a deer in the headlights,” warned Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute. He noted that the U.S. does far less genetic sequencing of virus samples to discover variants than other developed nations, and thus was probably slow to detect this new mutation.

The two Guard members had been dispatched Dec. 23 to work at the Good Samaritan Society nursing home in the small town of Simla, in a mostly rural area about 90 miles outside Denver, said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist. They were among six Guard members sent to the home.

Nasal swab samples taken from the two as part of the Guard’s routine coronavirus testing were sent to the state laboratory, which began looking for the variant after its spread was announced in Britain earlier this month, Herlihy said. Samples from staff and residents at the nursing home are also being screened for the variant at the lab, but so far no evidence of it has been found, she said.

The Colorado case announced Tuesday involves a man in his 20s who had not traveled recently, officials said. He has mild symptoms and is isolating at his home near Denver, while the person with the suspected case is isolating at a Colorado hotel while further genetic analysis is done on his sample, officials said.

The nursing home said it is working closely with the state and is also looking forward to beginning vaccinations next week.

Several states, including California, Massachusetts and Delaware, are also analyzing suspicious virus samples for the variant, said Dr. Greg Armstrong, who directs genetic sequencing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He said the CDC is working with a national lab that gets samples from around the country to broaden that search, with results expected within days.

The discovery in Colorado has added urgency to the nation’s vaccination drive against COVID-19, which has killed more than 340,000 people in the U.S.

Britain is seeing infections soar and hospitalizations climb to their highest levels on record. The variant has also been found in several other countries.

Scientists have found no evidence that it is more lethal or causes more severe illness, and they believe the vaccines now being dispensed will be effective against it. But a faster-spreading virus could swamp hospitals with seriously ill patients.

The discovery overseas led the CDC to issue rules on Christmas Day requiring travelers arriving from Britain to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test. But U.S. health officials said the Colorado patient’s lack of travel history suggests the new variant is already spreading in this country.

Topol said it is too late for travel bans.

“We’re behind in finding it. Colorado is likely one of many places it’s landed here,” he said. “It’s all over the place. How can you ban travel from everywhere?”

Colorado public health officials are conducting contact tracing to determine its spread.

Researchers estimate the variant is 50% to 70% more contagious, said Dr. Eric France, Colorado’s chief medical officer.

“Instead of only making two or three other people sick, you might actually spread it to four or five people,” France said. “That means we’ll have more cases in our communities. Those number of cases will rise quickly and, of course, with more cases come more hospitalizations.”

London and southeast England were placed under strict lockdown measures earlier this month because of the variant, and dozens of countries banned flights from Britain. France also briefly barred trucks from Britain before allowing them back in, provided the drivers got tested for the virus.

New versions of the virus have been seen almost since it was first detected in China a year ago. It is common for viruses to undergo minor changes as they reproduce and move through a population. The fear is that mutations at some point will become significant enough to defeat the vaccines.

South Africa has also discovered a highly contagious COVID-19 variant that is driving the country’s latest spike of cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608566572342.png" alt="image courtesy GISAID" />
 <figcaption>image courtesy GISAID</figcaption>
 </figure>By COLLEEN SLEVIN and CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated PressCalifornia on Wednesday announced the nation’s second confirmed case of the new and apparently more contagious variant of the coronavirus, offering a strong indication that the infection is spreading more widely in the United States.Gov. Gavin Newsom announced the infection found in Southern California during an online conversation with Dr. Anthony Fauci, head of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.“I don’t think Californians should think that this is odd. It’s to be expected,” Fauci said.Newsom did not provide any details about the person who was infected.The announcement came 24 hours after word of the first reported U.S. variant infection, which emerged in Colorado. That person was identified Wednesday as a Colorado National Guardsman who had been sent to help out at a nursing home struggling with an outbreak. Health officials said a second Guard member may have it too.The cases triggered a host of questions about how the version circulating in England arrived in the U.S. and whether it is too late to stop it now, with top experts saying it is probably already spreading elsewhere in the United States.“The virus is becoming more fit, and we’re like a deer in the headlights,” warned Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute. He noted that the U.S. does far less genetic sequencing of virus samples to discover variants than other developed nations, and thus was probably slow to detect this new mutation.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2Fjaredpolis%2Fvideos%2F1622822051256882%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>The two Guard members had been dispatched Dec. 23 to work at the Good Samaritan Society nursing home in the small town of Simla, in a mostly rural area about 90 miles outside Denver, said Dr. Rachel Herlihy, state epidemiologist. They were among six Guard members sent to the home.Nasal swab samples taken from the two as part of the Guard’s routine coronavirus testing were sent to the state laboratory, which began looking for the variant after its spread was announced in Britain earlier this month, Herlihy said. Samples from staff and residents at the nursing home are also being screened for the variant at the lab, but so far no evidence of it has been found, she said.The Colorado case announced Tuesday involves a man in his 20s who had not traveled recently, officials said. He has mild symptoms and is isolating at his home near Denver, while the person with the suspected case is isolating at a Colorado hotel while further genetic analysis is done on his sample, officials said.The nursing home said it is working closely with the state and is also looking forward to beginning vaccinations next week.Several states, including California, Massachusetts and Delaware, are also analyzing suspicious virus samples for the variant, said Dr. Greg Armstrong, who directs genetic sequencing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. He said the CDC is working with a national lab that gets samples from around the country to broaden that search, with results expected within days.The discovery in Colorado has added urgency to the nation’s vaccination drive against COVID-19, which has killed more than 340,000 people in the U.S.Britain is seeing infections soar and hospitalizations climb to their highest levels on record. The variant has also been found in several other countries.Scientists have found no evidence that it is more lethal or causes more severe illness, and they believe the vaccines now being dispensed will be effective against it. But a faster-spreading virus could swamp hospitals with seriously ill patients.The discovery overseas led the CDC to issue rules on Christmas Day requiring travelers arriving from Britain to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test. But U.S. health officials said the Colorado patient’s lack of travel history suggests the new variant is already spreading in this country.Topol said it is too late for travel bans.“We’re behind in finding it. Colorado is likely one of many places it’s landed here,” he said. “It’s all over the place. How can you ban travel from everywhere?”Colorado public health officials are conducting contact tracing to determine its spread.Researchers estimate the variant is 50% to 70% more contagious, said Dr. Eric France, Colorado’s chief medical officer.“Instead of only making two or three other people sick, you might actually spread it to four or five people,” France said. “That means we’ll have more cases in our communities. Those number of cases will rise quickly and, of course, with more cases come more hospitalizations.”London and southeast England were placed under strict lockdown measures earlier this month because of the variant, and dozens of countries banned flights from Britain. France also briefly barred trucks from Britain before allowing them back in, provided the drivers got tested for the virus.New versions of the virus have been seen almost since it was first detected in China a year ago. It is common for viruses to undergo minor changes as they reproduce and move through a population. The fear is that mutations at some point will become significant enough to defeat the vaccines.South Africa has also discovered a highly contagious COVID-19 variant that is driving the country’s latest spike of cases, hospitalizations and deaths.___

Highly infectious COVID-19 variant spreading in US

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials believe the coronavirus mutation that set off alarms in parts of Britain is no more apt to cause serious illness or be resistant to vaccines than the strain afflicting people in the United States but it still must be taken “very seriously,” the government’s top infectious disease expert said Sunday.

Dr. Anthony Fauci endorsed the decision of U.S. officials to require negative COVID-19 tests before letting people from Britain enter the U.S. He declined to weigh in on whether that step should have been taken sooner. He said the variant strain is something “to follow very carefully” and “we’re looking at it very intensively now.”

He said: “Does it make someone more ill? Is it more serious virus in the sense of virulence? And the answer is, it doesn’t appear to be that way.” British officials are telling their U.S. colleagues it appears that the vaccines being rolled out will be strong enough to deal with the new variant but, Fauci said, “we’re going to be doing the studies ourselves.”

Fauci said the U.S. is at a critical phase of the pandemic, with the worst probably still ahead. He predicted the general population would be getting immunized widely by late March or early April — beyond the front-line workers, older people and certain other segments of the public given priority for the vaccines.

Fauci spoke on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1609155761906.png" alt="Dr. Anthony Fauci received the COVID-19 vaccine last week-image courtesy CSPAN" />
 <figcaption>Dr. Anthony Fauci received the COVID-19 vaccine last week-image courtesy CSPAN</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials believe the coronavirus mutation that set off alarms in parts of Britain is no more apt to cause serious illness or be resistant to vaccines than the strain afflicting people in the United States but it still must be taken “very seriously,” the government’s top infectious disease expert said Sunday.Dr. Anthony Fauci endorsed the decision of U.S. officials to require negative COVID-19 tests before letting people from Britain enter the U.S. He declined to weigh in on whether that step should have been taken sooner. He said the variant strain is something “to follow very carefully” and “we’re looking at it very intensively now.”He said: “Does it make someone more ill? Is it more serious virus in the sense of virulence? And the answer is, it doesn’t appear to be that way.” British officials are telling their U.S. colleagues it appears that the vaccines being rolled out will be strong enough to deal with the new variant but, Fauci said, “we’re going to be doing the studies ourselves.”Fauci said the U.S. is at a critical phase of the pandemic, with the worst probably still ahead. He predicted the general population would be getting immunized widely by late March or early April — beyond the front-line workers, older people and certain other segments of the public given priority for the vaccines.Fauci spoke on CNN’s “State of the Union.”

Fauci: US taking hard look at variant of coronavirus

By LISA RODRIGUEZ <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-12-21/faq-answering-your-questions-about-the-coronavirus-vaccines-as-inoculations-roll-out-in-kansas-city">Kansas News Service</a>

Hospitals across the Kansas have started vaccinating frontline health care workers against COVID-19. 

Public
 health officials have said a widely available vaccine will ultimately 
control the pandemic that has killed more than 7,000 people across 
Kansas and Missouri. 

As the vaccines become available to the general public, <a href="https://www.americaamplified.org/" target="_blank">America Amplified</a> is gathering and curating answers from experts to questions on the minds of public radio listeners across the country.

There
 are different companies producing coronavirus vaccines. Will all of 
them require people to get two doses? And do they need two doses of the 
same vaccine? How will people avoid getting two different vaccines? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

The
 two current vaccines each require 2 doses. Other vaccines are being 
studied; one of them is a single dose vaccine. You do need to have two 
doses of the same vaccine. Ideally you should visit the same health 
practioner who will be keeping a record of who is vaccinated with which 
vaccine.

I am 65 and live in a 55-plus community. When do you feel I can realistically expect to be able to get the vaccine? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

The
 determining factor will be your age, not your community. You’ll be in 
the second or third group to receive a vaccine, likely by sometime this 
spring. We know healthcare providers are first, and then residents of 
long-term care facilities. We are waiting on advice from the CDC 
Advisory committee on who should go next -- essential workers, or people
 who are 65 or older.

Does your visa status affect the chances of you getting the vaccine? From
 Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, Dean of University of Missouri-Kansas City 
Medical School and a member of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee

There are no restrictions on vaccine provisions to anyone on a visa.

What are the logistics for actually getting it to elderly with underlying issues? From Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, Dean of UMKC Medical School and a member of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee

CVS
 and Walgreens will be administering vaccines in senior living 
facilities. For those who cannot consent, relatives who have power of 
attorney can do so.

[What are the] side effects [from the vaccines] for people with underlying health issues. Do they even know? From Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center.

Both
 [Pfizer and Moderna vaccines] use messenger RNA technology, a really 
novel vaccine platform. ...There still remain many questions to be 
answered as we go forward. At this juncture, we're only going to know 
about short-term side effects, but we need to know whether there are any
 potential rare, long-term side effects. Short-term side effects that we
 know of now appear in about 5% to 15% of participants. They include 
inflammation, soreness at the injection site, a low-grade fever, 
headaches, muscle aches and fatigue. These can last from 12 to 36 hours 
after vaccination.

Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine? From Side Effects Public Media

No. The COVID-19 vaccine doses developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna ... have been in <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-are-mrna-vaccines-so-exciting-2020121021599" target="_blank">development for about three decades</a>, but are only now being used for COVID-19. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html" target="_blank">According to the CDC</a>,
 mRNA vaccines teach your cells how to make a protein – or even just a 
piece of a protein – that triggers an immune response inside our bodies.
 That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects you 
from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.

Do I still have to wear a mask once I have the vaccine? From Side Effects Public Media

Yes. <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/12/12/945288710/what-you-need-to-know-as-the-first-covid-19-vaccine-heads-your-way" target="_blank">According to NPR’s Shots</a>,
 studies of the new vaccines only measured whether vaccinated people 
developed symptoms, not whether they got infected. It's possible that 
they got mild infections — not enough to make them ill, but enough to 
pass the virus on to others. The CDC is calling for those who are 
immunized to continue wearing masks and practicing safe physical 
distancing until more is learned.

Is it safe for patients with
 autoimmune disease who take immunosuppressive medications to be 
vaccinated against COVID? Is it effective? From Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center.

There's
 no doubt that we're going to have to look very carefully at data on 
both the safety and efficacy because that too can be impaired in 
immunocompromised individuals. The vaccines that are typically not 
recommended routinely for severely immunocompromised individuals are 
what we call attenuated viral vaccines, where we take the natural virus 
and make it weaker. And this is a very old way of making vaccines. But 
for example, our measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines are attenuated 
viral vaccines. None of the front runners for COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 are
 that type of vaccine. So I don't anticipate problems with safety ... 
but that will need to be studied going forward.

Do any of the manufacturers know if their vaccine is safe for people with HIV? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

It
 probably won't hurt, but it could help. The second vaccine in line -- 
the Moderna vaccine -- included a small study of people with HIV 
infection and we expect to see that data shortly. But in the meantime, 
if people with HIV are offered the Pfizer vaccine they should take it.

Will I have to pay for the vaccine? From Side Effects Public Media

No.
 Vaccine providers will be able to bill insurance for a fee to 
administer the vaccine, but will not be able to charge you. They can 
seek reimbursement for uninsured patients from the Health Resources and 
Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund.

This story was 
produced as part of America Amplified, a public media initiative funded 
by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.&nbsp;If you have a 
question about any of the COVID-19 vaccines, send an e-mail to 
news@kcur.org with the subject "KCUR Vaccine Question."&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608581549882.jpg" alt="Pixabay image" />
 <figcaption>Pixabay image</figcaption>
 </figure>By LISA RODRIGUEZ <a href="https://www.kcur.org/2020-12-21/faq-answering-your-questions-about-the-coronavirus-vaccines-as-inoculations-roll-out-in-kansas-city">Kansas News Service</a>Hospitals across the Kansas have started vaccinating frontline health care workers against COVID-19. Public
 health officials have said a widely available vaccine will ultimately 
control the pandemic that has killed more than 7,000 people across 
Kansas and Missouri. As the vaccines become available to the general public, <a href="https://www.americaamplified.org/" target="_blank">America Amplified</a> is gathering and curating answers from experts to questions on the minds of public radio listeners across the country.There
 are different companies producing coronavirus vaccines. Will all of 
them require people to get two doses? And do they need two doses of the 
same vaccine? How will people avoid getting two different vaccines? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.The
 two current vaccines each require 2 doses. Other vaccines are being 
studied; one of them is a single dose vaccine. You do need to have two 
doses of the same vaccine. Ideally you should visit the same health 
practioner who will be keeping a record of who is vaccinated with which 
vaccine.I am 65 and live in a 55-plus community. When do you feel I can realistically expect to be able to get the vaccine? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.The
 determining factor will be your age, not your community. You’ll be in 
the second or third group to receive a vaccine, likely by sometime this 
spring. We know healthcare providers are first, and then residents of 
long-term care facilities. We are waiting on advice from the CDC 
Advisory committee on who should go next -- essential workers, or people
 who are 65 or older.Does your visa status affect the chances of you getting the vaccine? From
 Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, Dean of University of Missouri-Kansas City 
Medical School and a member of the National Vaccine Advisory CommitteeThere are no restrictions on vaccine provisions to anyone on a visa.What are the logistics for actually getting it to elderly with underlying issues? From Dr. Mary Anne Jackson, Dean of UMKC Medical School and a member of the National Vaccine Advisory CommitteeCVS
 and Walgreens will be administering vaccines in senior living 
facilities. For those who cannot consent, relatives who have power of 
attorney can do so.[What are the] side effects [from the vaccines] for people with underlying health issues. Do they even know? From Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center.Both
 [Pfizer and Moderna vaccines] use messenger RNA technology, a really 
novel vaccine platform. ...There still remain many questions to be 
answered as we go forward. At this juncture, we're only going to know 
about short-term side effects, but we need to know whether there are any
 potential rare, long-term side effects. Short-term side effects that we
 know of now appear in about 5% to 15% of participants. They include 
inflammation, soreness at the injection site, a low-grade fever, 
headaches, muscle aches and fatigue. These can last from 12 to 36 hours 
after vaccination.Can I get COVID-19 from the vaccine? From Side Effects Public MediaNo. The COVID-19 vaccine doses developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna ... have been in <a href="https://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/why-are-mrna-vaccines-so-exciting-2020121021599" target="_blank">development for about three decades</a>, but are only now being used for COVID-19. <a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/different-vaccines/mrna.html" target="_blank">According to the CDC</a>,
 mRNA vaccines teach your cells how to make a protein – or even just a 
piece of a protein – that triggers an immune response inside our bodies.
 That immune response, which produces antibodies, is what protects you 
from getting infected if the real virus enters our bodies.Do I still have to wear a mask once I have the vaccine? From Side Effects Public MediaYes. <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2020/12/12/945288710/what-you-need-to-know-as-the-first-covid-19-vaccine-heads-your-way" target="_blank">According to NPR’s Shots</a>,
 studies of the new vaccines only measured whether vaccinated people 
developed symptoms, not whether they got infected. It's possible that 
they got mild infections — not enough to make them ill, but enough to 
pass the virus on to others. The CDC is calling for those who are 
immunized to continue wearing masks and practicing safe physical 
distancing until more is learned. Is it safe for patients with
 autoimmune disease who take immunosuppressive medications to be 
vaccinated against COVID? Is it effective? From Dr. William Moss, executive director of the International Vaccine Access Center.There's
 no doubt that we're going to have to look very carefully at data on 
both the safety and efficacy because that too can be impaired in 
immunocompromised individuals. The vaccines that are typically not 
recommended routinely for severely immunocompromised individuals are 
what we call attenuated viral vaccines, where we take the natural virus 
and make it weaker. And this is a very old way of making vaccines. But 
for example, our measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines are attenuated 
viral vaccines. None of the front runners for COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 are
 that type of vaccine. So I don't anticipate problems with safety ... 
but that will need to be studied going forward.Do any of the manufacturers know if their vaccine is safe for people with HIV? From William Schaffner MD, medical director of the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.It
 probably won't hurt, but it could help. The second vaccine in line -- 
the Moderna vaccine -- included a small study of people with HIV 
infection and we expect to see that data shortly. But in the meantime, 
if people with HIV are offered the Pfizer vaccine they should take it.Will I have to pay for the vaccine? From Side Effects Public MediaNo.
 Vaccine providers will be able to bill insurance for a fee to 
administer the vaccine, but will not be able to charge you. They can 
seek reimbursement for uninsured patients from the Health Resources and 
Services Administration’s Provider Relief Fund.This story was 
produced as part of America Amplified, a public media initiative funded 
by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.&nbsp;If you have a 
question about any of the COVID-19 vaccines, send an e-mail to 
news@kcur.org with the subject "KCUR Vaccine Question."&nbsp;

Q&A about COVID-19 vaccines as inoculations roll out

WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. added a second COVID-19 vaccine to its arsenal Friday, boosting efforts to beat back an outbreak so dire that the nation is regularly recording more than 3,000 deaths a day.

Much-needed doses are set to arrive Monday after the Food and Drug Administration authorized an emergency rollout of the vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health.

The move marks the world’s first authorization for Moderna’s shots. The vaccine is very similar to one from Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech that’s now being dispensed to millions of health care workers and nursing home residents as the biggest vaccination drive in U.S. history starts to ramp up.

The two work “better than we almost dared to hope,” NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins told The Associated Press. “Science is working here, science has done something amazing.”

Early results of large, still unfinished studies show both vaccines appear safe and strongly protective although Moderna’s is easier to handle since it doesn’t need to be stored at ultra-frozen temperatures.

A second vaccine represents a ray of hope amid despair as the virus continues to spread unabated even before holiday gatherings that are certain to further fuel the outbreak.

The scourge has claimed more than 312,000 U.S. lives and killed 1.7 million people worldwide. New cases in the U.S. are running at over 216,000 per day on average. Deaths per day have hit all-time highs, eclipsing 3,600 on Wednesday.

California has emerged as one of the most lethal hot spots, with hospitals running out of intensive care beds and ambulances lining up outside emergency rooms in scenes reminiscent of the calamity around New York City last spring. California on Friday reported over 41,000 new cases and 300 more deaths.

When New York’s hospitals were in crisis, health care workers from across the country came to help out. This time, “there’s no cavalry coming” because so many hospitals are swamped, said Dr. Marc Futernick, an emergency room physician in Los Angeles.

The nation is scrambling to expand vaccinations as rapidly as Moderna and Pfizer can churn out doses. Moderna’s is for people 18 and older, Pfizer’s starts at age 16.

It’s just the beginning of “what we hope will be a big push to get this terrible virus behind us, although it will take many more months to get to all Americans,” Collins said.

Even with additional candidates in the pipeline, there won’t be enough for the general population until spring, and shots will be rationed in the meantime. And while health workers are enthusiastically embracing vaccination, authorities worry the public may need more reassurance to ensure more people get in line when it’s their turn.

“Frankly if we don’t succeed in getting 80% or so of Americans immunized against COVID-19 by the middle of this 2021 year, we have the risk that this epidemic could go on and on and on,” Collins said.

He is especially concerned that accurate information about the shots’ value reaches communities of color, which have been hard-hit by COVID-19 yet also are wary after years of health care disparities and research abuses.

To try to help instill confidence, Vice President Mike Pence received the Pfizer-BioNTech shot on live TV Friday, along with Surgeon General Jerome Adams.

FDA’s decision could help pave the way for other countries that are considering the Moderna vaccine, the first-ever regulatory clearance for the small Cambridge, Massachusetts, company. European regulators could authorize its use as soon as Jan. 6. Britain, Canada and a few other countries already have cleared the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, with a European Union decision due Monday.

“What we want to always remember is one size does not fit all. We want to have options,” said Dr. Paul Duprex of the University of Pittsburgh.

Moderna has about 5.9 million doses ready for shipment set to begin over the weekend, according to Operation Warp Speed, the government’s vaccine development program. Injections of health workers and nursing home residents continue next week, before other essential workers and vulnerable groups are allowed to get in line.

Both Moderna’s and Pfizer-BioNTech’s shots are so-called mRNA vaccines, made with a groundbreaking new technology. They don’t contain any coronavirus – meaning they cannot cause infection. Instead, they use a piece of genetic code that trains the immune system to recognize the spike protein on the surface of the virus, ready to attack if the real thing comes along.

Their development less than a year after the coronavirus first emerged set a speed record, but Collins stressed that shouldn’t worry people. The speed was due to billions in company and government investments paired with years of earlier scientific research, not any cut corners.

“The rigor of the analysis of these vaccines is unprecedented,” Collins said. “We’re not done with this but hope is on the way, and the hope comes from this scientific brain trust that has pulled out all the stops.”

Experts are hoping the two vaccines together will “break the back of the pandemic” when combined with masks and other precautions, said Dr. Arnold Monto of the University of Michigan, who chaired an advisory committee that publicly debated the shots’ evidence ahead of FDA’s decisions.

--Both the new Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech shot require two doses several weeks apart. The second dose must be from the same company as the first.

--In a study of 30,000 volunteers, the Moderna vaccine was more than 94% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in people 18 and older. It also strongly protected older adults, who are most vulnerable.

--The inoculated can’t throw away their masks as it’s not yet clear either vaccine prevents silent, symptomless virus spread. But there was a hint that Moderna’s shot might provide some protection against asymptomatic infection.

--The Moderna study uncovered no major safety problems. Like with the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, expect sore arms, fever, fatigue and muscle aches, which are signs the immune system is revving up.

--Moderna’s study turned up no severe allergic reactions, like the handful reported with the Pfizer-BioNTech shots in Britain and Alaska. The vaccines’ ingredients aren’t identical. Still, after any COVID-19 vaccination, people should stick around for 15 minutes – or 30 minutes if they have a history of severe allergies – so if they do have a reaction, it can be treated immediately.

--Both vaccines remain experimental, and the government is closely monitoring safety in case rare problems crop up.

--Additional studies are needed to tell if the vaccine should be used by children and pregnant women.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/11/1605532144900.png" alt="Photo&nbsp; courtesy Moderna" />
 <figcaption>Photo&nbsp; courtesy Moderna</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. added a second COVID-19 vaccine to its arsenal Friday, boosting efforts to beat back an outbreak so dire that the nation is regularly recording more than 3,000 deaths a day.Much-needed doses are set to arrive Monday after the Food and Drug Administration authorized an emergency rollout of the vaccine developed by Moderna Inc. and the National Institutes of Health.The move marks the world’s first authorization for Moderna’s shots. The vaccine is very similar to one from Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech that’s now being dispensed to millions of health care workers and nursing home residents as the biggest vaccination drive in U.S. history starts to ramp up.The two work “better than we almost dared to hope,” NIH Director Dr. Francis Collins told The Associated Press. “Science is working here, science has done something amazing.”Early results of large, still unfinished studies show both vaccines appear safe and strongly protective although Moderna’s is easier to handle since it doesn’t need to be stored at ultra-frozen temperatures.A second vaccine represents a ray of hope amid despair as the virus continues to spread unabated even before holiday gatherings that are certain to further fuel the outbreak.The scourge has claimed more than 312,000 U.S. lives and killed 1.7 million people worldwide. New cases in the U.S. are running at over 216,000 per day on average. Deaths per day have hit all-time highs, eclipsing 3,600 on Wednesday.California has emerged as one of the most lethal hot spots, with hospitals running out of intensive care beds and ambulances lining up outside emergency rooms in scenes reminiscent of the calamity around New York City last spring. California on Friday reported over 41,000 new cases and 300 more deaths.When New York’s hospitals were in crisis, health care workers from across the country came to help out. This time, “there’s no cavalry coming” because so many hospitals are swamped, said Dr. Marc Futernick, an emergency room physician in Los Angeles.The nation is scrambling to expand vaccinations as rapidly as Moderna and Pfizer can churn out doses. Moderna’s is for people 18 and older, Pfizer’s starts at age 16.It’s just the beginning of “what we hope will be a big push to get this terrible virus behind us, although it will take many more months to get to all Americans,” Collins said.Even with additional candidates in the pipeline, there won’t be enough for the general population until spring, and shots will be rationed in the meantime. And while health workers are enthusiastically embracing vaccination, authorities worry the public may need more reassurance to ensure more people get in line when it’s their turn.“Frankly if we don’t succeed in getting 80% or so of Americans immunized against COVID-19 by the middle of this 2021 year, we have the risk that this epidemic could go on and on and on,” Collins said.He is especially concerned that accurate information about the shots’ value reaches communities of color, which have been hard-hit by COVID-19 yet also are wary after years of health care disparities and research abuses.To try to help instill confidence, Vice President Mike Pence received the Pfizer-BioNTech shot on live TV Friday, along with Surgeon General Jerome Adams.FDA’s decision could help pave the way for other countries that are considering the Moderna vaccine, the first-ever regulatory clearance for the small Cambridge, Massachusetts, company. European regulators could authorize its use as soon as Jan. 6. Britain, Canada and a few other countries already have cleared the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, with a European Union decision due Monday.“What we want to always remember is one size does not fit all. We want to have options,” said Dr. Paul Duprex of the University of Pittsburgh.Moderna has about 5.9 million doses ready for shipment set to begin over the weekend, according to Operation Warp Speed, the government’s vaccine development program. Injections of health workers and nursing home residents continue next week, before other essential workers and vulnerable groups are allowed to get in line.Both Moderna’s and Pfizer-BioNTech’s shots are so-called mRNA vaccines, made with a groundbreaking new technology. They don’t contain any coronavirus – meaning they cannot cause infection. Instead, they use a piece of genetic code that trains the immune system to recognize the spike protein on the surface of the virus, ready to attack if the real thing comes along.Their development less than a year after the coronavirus first emerged set a speed record, but Collins stressed that shouldn’t worry people. The speed was due to billions in company and government investments paired with years of earlier scientific research, not any cut corners.“The rigor of the analysis of these vaccines is unprecedented,” Collins said. “We’re not done with this but hope is on the way, and the hope comes from this scientific brain trust that has pulled out all the stops.”Experts are hoping the two vaccines together will “break the back of the pandemic” when combined with masks and other precautions, said Dr. Arnold Monto of the University of Michigan, who chaired an advisory committee that publicly debated the shots’ evidence ahead of FDA’s decisions.The FDA’s main messages:--Both the new Moderna vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech shot require two doses several weeks apart. The second dose must be from the same company as the first.--In a study of 30,000 volunteers, the Moderna vaccine was more than 94% effective at preventing symptomatic COVID-19 in people 18 and older. It also strongly protected older adults, who are most vulnerable.--The inoculated can’t throw away their masks as it’s not yet clear either vaccine prevents silent, symptomless virus spread. But there was a hint that Moderna’s shot might provide some protection against asymptomatic infection.--The Moderna study uncovered no major safety problems. Like with the Pfizer-BioNTech shot, expect sore arms, fever, fatigue and muscle aches, which are signs the immune system is revving up.--Moderna’s study turned up no severe allergic reactions, like the handful reported with the Pfizer-BioNTech shots in Britain and Alaska. The vaccines’ ingredients aren’t identical. Still, after any COVID-19 vaccination, people should stick around for 15 minutes – or 30 minutes if they have a history of severe allergies – so if they do have a reaction, it can be treated immediately.--Both vaccines remain experimental, and the government is closely monitoring safety in case rare problems crop up.--Additional studies are needed to tell if the vaccine should be used by children and pregnant women.___

2nd shot: US clears Moderna vaccine for COVID-19

Barton County coronavirus update: 129 active cases

As COVID-19 vaccinations roll out to more and more people, health authorities are keeping close watch for any unexpected side effects.

On Tuesday, a health worker in Alaska suffered a severe allergic reaction after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. She is in the hospital for another night under observation while another worker, vaccinated Wednesday, has recovered. Doctors already knew to be on the lookout after Britain reported two similar cases last week.

In the U.S., vaccine recipients are supposed to hang around after the injection in case signs of an allergy appear and they need immediate treatment — exactly what happened when the health worker in Juneau became flushed and short of breath 10 minutes after the shot. The second worker experienced eye puffiness, light headedness and scratchy throat.

Allergies are always a question with a new medical product, but monitoring COVID-19 vaccines for any other, unexpected side effects is a bigger challenge than usual. It’s not just because so many people need to be vaccinated over the next year. Never before have so many vaccines made in different ways converged at the same time — and it’s possible that one shot option will come with different side effects than another.

The first vaccine beginning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-health-workers-coronavirus-vaccine-56df745388a9fc12ae93c6f9a0d0e81f">widespread use in the U.S</a>. and many Western countries, made by Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech, and a second option&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-2nd-shot-us-af9bc295fa685aaa04e204e4db62e336">expected soon</a>&nbsp;from competitor Moderna Inc. both are made the same way. The Food and Drug Administration says huge studies of each have uncovered no major safety risks.

But the allergy concern “points out again the importance of real-time safety monitoring,” said Dr. Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief.

And authorities have multiple ways of tracking how people fare as these COVID-19 vaccines, and hopefully additional ones in coming months, get into more arms.

Getting either the Pfizer-BioNTech shot or the Moderna version can cause some temporary discomfort, just like many vaccines do.

In addition to a sore arm, people can experience a fever and some flu-like symptoms — fatigue, aches, chills, headache. They last about a day, sometimes bad enough that recipients miss work, and are more common after the second dose and in younger people.

These reactions are a sign that the immune system is revving up. COVID-19 vaccines tend to cause more of those reactions than a flu shot, about what people experience with shingles vaccinations. But some are similar to early coronavirus symptoms, one reason hospitals are staggering when their employees get vaccinated.

The FDA found no serious side effects in the tens of thousands enrolled in studies of the two vaccines.

Still, problems so rare they don’t occur in even very large studies sometimes crop up when a vaccine is used more widely and without the stringent rules of a clinical trial.

The first allergy reports from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-allergic-reaction-pfizer-vaccine-64ddccd70c38a39f880da27941db3540">England</a>&nbsp;were in people with a history of serious allergies, and British authorities warned those with severe prior experiences to hold off vaccination as they determine what ingredient might be a problem.

U.S. health authorities are giving more nuanced advice. People always are asked about allergies before vaccinations, and instructions for the Pfizer-BioNTech shot say avoid it if you’re severely allergic to one of its ingredients or had a severe reaction to a prior dose. Health workers can go over the ingredient list.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to stick around for 15 minutes after vaccination, and those with a history of other allergies for 30 minutes, so they can be treated immediately if they have a reaction.

The Alaska health worker, who doctors said had no history of allergies, was following that advice and got prompt care for a particularly severe reaction called anaphylaxis. She has recovered after a night of observation in the hospital — but won’t be allowed a second vaccine dose.

Alaska doctors alerted U.S. authorities, who will continue the monitoring required to tell just how common this kind of reaction really is. That will be especially important as enough vaccine arrives for injections to be given outside of health care settings that have lots of experience handling this type of reaction.

“Balancing any potential risks with the benefits the vaccine provides in the pandemic is an ongoing process,” CDC’s Dr. Jay Butler cautioned Wednesday.

The challenge is telling whether the vaccine caused a health problem or if it’s coincidence. Don’t jump to conclusions that there’s a connection, health authorities stress.

The way to tell: Comparing any reports of possible side effects with data showing how often that same condition occurs routinely in the population.

The government has multiple ways to do that. Doctors are required to report any patient problems. But the FDA is scrutinizing massive databases of insurance claims for early red flags that any health problems are occurring more often in the newly vaccinated than everyone else.

On its list to check is Bell’s palsy, a temporary facial paralysis that occurred in a handful of people in both vaccine studies. The FDA said it’s probably coincidence, but will track to be sure.

Vaccine recipients can help with the extra safety tracking. Called “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/vsafe.html" target="_blank">v-safe</a>,” the program run by CDC automatically sends a daily text the first week after each vaccine dose asking how people feel, and then a weekly text for the next five weeks. Any responses that suggest concern prompt a phone call for further information.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608072923749.png" alt="Vaccine arrival in Kansas earlier this week -photo courtesy office of Kansas Governor" />
 <figcaption>Vaccine arrival in Kansas earlier this week -photo courtesy office of Kansas Governor</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated PressAs COVID-19 vaccinations roll out to more and more people, health authorities are keeping close watch for any unexpected side effects.On Tuesday, a health worker in Alaska suffered a severe allergic reaction after receiving the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. She is in the hospital for another night under observation while another worker, vaccinated Wednesday, has recovered. Doctors already knew to be on the lookout after Britain reported two similar cases last week.In the U.S., vaccine recipients are supposed to hang around after the injection in case signs of an allergy appear and they need immediate treatment — exactly what happened when the health worker in Juneau became flushed and short of breath 10 minutes after the shot. The second worker experienced eye puffiness, light headedness and scratchy throat.Allergies are always a question with a new medical product, but monitoring COVID-19 vaccines for any other, unexpected side effects is a bigger challenge than usual. It’s not just because so many people need to be vaccinated over the next year. Never before have so many vaccines made in different ways converged at the same time — and it’s possible that one shot option will come with different side effects than another.The first vaccine beginning&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/us-health-workers-coronavirus-vaccine-56df745388a9fc12ae93c6f9a0d0e81f">widespread use in the U.S</a>. and many Western countries, made by Pfizer Inc. and Germany’s BioNTech, and a second option&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-vaccine-2nd-shot-us-af9bc295fa685aaa04e204e4db62e336">expected soon</a>&nbsp;from competitor Moderna Inc. both are made the same way. The Food and Drug Administration says huge studies of each have uncovered no major safety risks.But the allergy concern “points out again the importance of real-time safety monitoring,” said Dr. Jesse Goodman of Georgetown University, a former FDA vaccine chief.And authorities have multiple ways of tracking how people fare as these COVID-19 vaccines, and hopefully additional ones in coming months, get into more arms.HOW WILL I FEEL AFTER VACCINATION?Getting either the Pfizer-BioNTech shot or the Moderna version can cause some temporary discomfort, just like many vaccines do.In addition to a sore arm, people can experience a fever and some flu-like symptoms — fatigue, aches, chills, headache. They last about a day, sometimes bad enough that recipients miss work, and are more common after the second dose and in younger people.These reactions are a sign that the immune system is revving up. COVID-19 vaccines tend to cause more of those reactions than a flu shot, about what people experience with shingles vaccinations. But some are similar to early coronavirus symptoms, one reason hospitals are staggering when their employees get vaccinated.WHAT ABOUT SERIOUS RISKS?The FDA found no serious side effects in the tens of thousands enrolled in studies of the two vaccines.Still, problems so rare they don’t occur in even very large studies sometimes crop up when a vaccine is used more widely and without the stringent rules of a clinical trial.The first allergy reports from&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-allergic-reaction-pfizer-vaccine-64ddccd70c38a39f880da27941db3540">England</a>&nbsp;were in people with a history of serious allergies, and British authorities warned those with severe prior experiences to hold off vaccination as they determine what ingredient might be a problem.U.S. health authorities are giving more nuanced advice. People always are asked about allergies before vaccinations, and instructions for the Pfizer-BioNTech shot say avoid it if you’re severely allergic to one of its ingredients or had a severe reaction to a prior dose. Health workers can go over the ingredient list.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people to stick around for 15 minutes after vaccination, and those with a history of other allergies for 30 minutes, so they can be treated immediately if they have a reaction.The Alaska health worker, who doctors said had no history of allergies, was following that advice and got prompt care for a particularly severe reaction called anaphylaxis. She has recovered after a night of observation in the hospital — but won’t be allowed a second vaccine dose.Alaska doctors alerted U.S. authorities, who will continue the monitoring required to tell just how common this kind of reaction really is. That will be especially important as enough vaccine arrives for injections to be given outside of health care settings that have lots of experience handling this type of reaction.“Balancing any potential risks with the benefits the vaccine provides in the pandemic is an ongoing process,” CDC’s Dr. Jay Butler cautioned Wednesday.WHAT IF OTHER RISKS CROP UP?The challenge is telling whether the vaccine caused a health problem or if it’s coincidence. Don’t jump to conclusions that there’s a connection, health authorities stress.The way to tell: Comparing any reports of possible side effects with data showing how often that same condition occurs routinely in the population.The government has multiple ways to do that. Doctors are required to report any patient problems. But the FDA is scrutinizing massive databases of insurance claims for early red flags that any health problems are occurring more often in the newly vaccinated than everyone else.On its list to check is Bell’s palsy, a temporary facial paralysis that occurred in a handful of people in both vaccine studies. The FDA said it’s probably coincidence, but will track to be sure.Vaccine recipients can help with the extra safety tracking. Called “&nbsp;<a href="https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/safety/vsafe.html" target="_blank">v-safe</a>,” the program run by CDC automatically sends a daily text the first week after each vaccine dose asking how people feel, and then a weekly text for the next five weeks. Any responses that suggest concern prompt a phone call for further information.___

Health officials track safety as COVID-19 vaccines roll out

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly Wednesday announced when the COVID-19 vaccine is expected to become available for population groups across the state. The framework begins this winter with high-risk Kansans such as health care personnel and long term care facility staff and residents, eventually reaching the general public in the summer of 2021.

“Through this framework, my administration upholds our commitment to maximizing benefits, minimizing harm, and striving for equity, justice, and fairness when it comes to when the vaccine will be made available to which Kansans,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“We are committed to protecting the greatest number of Kansans, fostering economic recovery, and getting our kids back&nbsp;into&nbsp;school&nbsp;buildings&nbsp;as quickly and safely as possible.”

<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.lmsxg-4k5mMx0HGBotOgT-H4HOHyWm3xk2zl4uNvz78/s/1303160919/br/92005880953-l" target="_blank">&nbsp;CLICK here to see a visual representation of the distribution order&nbsp;</a>

An outline of the expected availability is as follows:

Adherence to this expected framework will be dependent on receipt of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the companies distributing them.

The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 4,551 to a total of 194,569 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 2,253 an increase of 144.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly Wednesday announced when the COVID-19 vaccine is expected to become available for population groups across the state. The framework begins this winter with high-risk Kansans such as health care personnel and long term care facility staff and residents, eventually reaching the general public in the summer of 2021.<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/video.php?height=314&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FGovLauraKelly%2Fvideos%2F155260669266933%2F&show_text=false&width=560" width="560" height="314" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share" allowFullScreen="true"></iframe></div>“Through this framework, my administration upholds our commitment to maximizing benefits, minimizing harm, and striving for equity, justice, and fairness when it comes to when the vaccine will be made available to which Kansans,”&nbsp;Governor Kelly said.&nbsp;“We are committed to protecting the greatest number of Kansans, fostering economic recovery, and getting our kids back&nbsp;into&nbsp;school&nbsp;buildings&nbsp;as quickly and safely as possible.”<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.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.lmsxg-4k5mMx0HGBotOgT-H4HOHyWm3xk2zl4uNvz78/s/1303160919/br/92005880953-l" target="_blank">&nbsp;CLICK here to see a visual representation of the distribution order&nbsp;</a>An outline of the expected availability is as follows:<ul>
 <li>The COVID-19 vaccine will be available in the winter, on a very limited basis, for health care personnel, long term care facility staff, long term care residents, and EMS/frontline public health workers;</li><li>The vaccine will become available in late winter, on a limited basis, for first responders, some public facing workers in essential and critical infrastructure, teachers, school staff, child care workers, and individuals at high risk for adverse health consequences;</li><li>The vaccine will become available in the spring, at an increased availability, for all other adults;</li><li>And finally, the vaccine will become generally available in the summer for all Kansans, including children.</li>
 </ul>Adherence to this expected framework will be dependent on receipt of COVID-19 vaccine doses from the companies distributing them.The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 4,551 to a total of 194,569 the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 2,253 an increase of 144.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608144161925.png" alt="Wednesday Dec. 16, 2020 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday Dec. 16, 2020 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

🎥  Gov. Kelly update on COVID-19 vaccine distribution

No appointment is needed. Please have forms filled out before arriving or email filled forms to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:covid19@bartoncounty.org" target="_blank">covid19@bartoncounty.org</a>.

Covid-19 Testing Form Link:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.bartoncounty.org/pages/uploaded_files/COVID%20Test%20Form.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.bartoncounty.org/pages/uploaded_files/COVID%20Test%20Form.pdf</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1608060812991.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>No appointment is needed. Please have forms filled out before arriving or email filled forms to&nbsp;<a href="mailto:covid19@bartoncounty.org" target="_blank">covid19@bartoncounty.org</a>.Covid-19 Testing Form Link:&nbsp; <a href="https://www.bartoncounty.org/pages/uploaded_files/COVID%20Test%20Form.pdf" target="_blank">https://www.bartoncounty.org/pages/uploaded_files/COVID%20Test%20Form.pdf</a>

New community COVID-19 testing dates in Great Bend

Free community COVID-19 testing TODAY!

The largest vaccination campaign in U.S. history got underway Monday as health workers in select hospitals rolled up their sleeves for shots to protect them from COVID-19 and start beating back the pandemic — a day of optimism even as the nation’s death toll neared 300,000.

“I feel hopeful today. Relieved,” said critical case nurse Sandra Lindsay after getting a shot in the arm at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York.

Shipments of precious frozen vials of vaccine made by Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech began arriving at hospitals around the country Monday.

“This is the light at the end of the tunnel. But it’s a long tunnel,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said as he watched Lindsay’s vaccination via video.

Several other countries also have OK’d the vaccine,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-gives-first-covid-19-vaccine-doses-719288c35d8ef8815b56b1c9c5fff24c">including the U.K.</a>, which started vaccinating last week.

For health care workers who, along with nursing home residents, will be first in line for vaccination, hope is tempered by grief and the sheer exhaustion of months spent battling a coronavirus that still is surging in the U.S. and around the world.

“This is mile 24 of a marathon. People are fatigued. But we also recognize that this end is in sight,” said Dr. Chris Dale of Swedish Health Services in Seattle.

Packed in dry ice to stay at ultra-frozen temperatures,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-united-states-d4525c56fd2606f1c0dae46ac3c96405">the first of nearly 3 million doses&nbsp;</a>being shipped in staggered batches this week made their way by truck and by plane around the country Sunday from Pfizer’s Kalamazoo, Michigan, factory. Once they arrive at distribution centers, each state directs where the doses go next.

Some hospitals across the country spent the weekend tracking their packages, refreshing FedEx and UPS websites for clues.

More of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will arrive each week. And later this week, the FDA will decide whether to green light the world’s second rigorously studied COVID-19 vaccine, made by Moderna Inc.

Now the hurdle is to rapidly get vaccine into the arms of millions, not just doctors and nurses but other at-risk health workers such as janitors and food handlers — and then deliver a second dose three weeks later.

“We’re also in the middle of a surge, and it’s the holidays, and our health care workers have been working at an extraordinary pace,” said Sue Mashni, chief pharmacy officer at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City.

Plus, the shots can cause temporary fever, fatigue and aches as they rev up people’s immune systems, forcing hospitals to stagger employee vaccinations.

A wary public will be watching closely to see whether health workers embrace vaccination. Just half of Americans say they want to get vaccinated, while about a quarter don’t and the rest are unsure, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-us-half-want-vaccine-shots-4d98dbfc0a64d60d52ac84c3065dac55">recent poll&nbsp;</a>by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Health Research.

The FDA, considered the world’s most strict medical regulator, said the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine appears safe and strongly protective -- and laid out the data behind it in a daylong public meeting last week for scientists and consumers alike to see.

“Please people, when you look back in a year and you say to yourself, ‘Did I do the right thing?’ I hope you’ll be able to say, ‘Yes, because I looked at the evidence,’” Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, said Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press. “People are dying right now. How could you possibly say, ‘Let’s wait and see.’”

Still, emergency use means the vaccine was cleared for widespread use before a final study in nearly 44,000 people is complete -- and that research is continuing to try to answer additional questions. While effective against COVID-19 illness, it’s not yet clear if vaccination will stop the symptomless spread that accounts for half of all cases.

The shots still must be studied in children, and during pregnancy. But the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said late Sunday that vaccination should not be withheld from pregnant women who otherwise would qualify.

While the vaccine was determined to be safe, regulators in the U.K. are investigating several severe allergic reactions. The FDA’s instructions tell providers not to give it to those with a known history of severe allergic reactions to any of its ingredients.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/12/1607960673587.png" alt="Sandra Lindsay, an ICU Nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens is the first American to get the vaccine in a non-trial setting, according to the office of New York Governor.&nbsp;Dr. Michelle Chester administered the shot." />
 <figcaption>Sandra Lindsay, an ICU Nurse at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in Queens is the first American to get the vaccine in a non-trial setting, according to the office of New York Governor.&nbsp;Dr. Michelle Chester administered the shot.</figcaption>
 </figure>By LAURAN NEERGAARD, Associated PressThe largest vaccination campaign in U.S. history got underway Monday as health workers in select hospitals rolled up their sleeves for shots to protect them from COVID-19 and start beating back the pandemic — a day of optimism even as the nation’s death toll neared 300,000.“I feel hopeful today. Relieved,” said critical case nurse Sandra Lindsay after getting a shot in the arm at Long Island Jewish Medical Center in New York.Shipments of precious frozen vials of vaccine made by Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech began arriving at hospitals around the country Monday.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Watch LIVE as the first person in New York gets vaccinated: <a href="https://t.co/a3p8QOtK6w">https://t.co/a3p8QOtK6w</a>&mdash; Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYGovCuomo/status/1338488030416388098?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 14, 2020</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>“This is the light at the end of the tunnel. But it’s a long tunnel,” New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said as he watched Lindsay’s vaccination via video.Several other countries also have OK’d the vaccine,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/uk-gives-first-covid-19-vaccine-doses-719288c35d8ef8815b56b1c9c5fff24c">including the U.K.</a>, which started vaccinating last week.For health care workers who, along with nursing home residents, will be first in line for vaccination, hope is tempered by grief and the sheer exhaustion of months spent battling a coronavirus that still is surging in the U.S. and around the world.“This is mile 24 of a marathon. People are fatigued. But we also recognize that this end is in sight,” said Dr. Chris Dale of Swedish Health Services in Seattle.Packed in dry ice to stay at ultra-frozen temperatures,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-united-states-d4525c56fd2606f1c0dae46ac3c96405">the first of nearly 3 million doses&nbsp;</a>being shipped in staggered batches this week made their way by truck and by plane around the country Sunday from Pfizer’s Kalamazoo, Michigan, factory. Once they arrive at distribution centers, each state directs where the doses go next.Some hospitals across the country spent the weekend tracking their packages, refreshing FedEx and UPS websites for clues.More of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will arrive each week. And later this week, the FDA will decide whether to green light the world’s second rigorously studied COVID-19 vaccine, made by Moderna Inc.Now the hurdle is to rapidly get vaccine into the arms of millions, not just doctors and nurses but other at-risk health workers such as janitors and food handlers — and then deliver a second dose three weeks later.“We’re also in the middle of a surge, and it’s the holidays, and our health care workers have been working at an extraordinary pace,” said Sue Mashni, chief pharmacy officer at Mount Sinai Health System in New York City.Plus, the shots can cause temporary fever, fatigue and aches as they rev up people’s immune systems, forcing hospitals to stagger employee vaccinations.A wary public will be watching closely to see whether health workers embrace vaccination. Just half of Americans say they want to get vaccinated, while about a quarter don’t and the rest are unsure, according to a&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/ap-norc-poll-us-half-want-vaccine-shots-4d98dbfc0a64d60d52ac84c3065dac55">recent poll&nbsp;</a>by The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Health Research.The FDA, considered the world’s most strict medical regulator, said the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine appears safe and strongly protective -- and laid out the data behind it in a daylong public meeting last week for scientists and consumers alike to see.“Please people, when you look back in a year and you say to yourself, ‘Did I do the right thing?’ I hope you’ll be able to say, ‘Yes, because I looked at the evidence,’” Dr. Francis Collins, director of the National Institutes of Health, said Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press. “People are dying right now. How could you possibly say, ‘Let’s wait and see.’”Still, emergency use means the vaccine was cleared for widespread use before a final study in nearly 44,000 people is complete -- and that research is continuing to try to answer additional questions. While effective against COVID-19 illness, it’s not yet clear if vaccination will stop the symptomless spread that accounts for half of all cases.The shots still must be studied in children, and during pregnancy. But the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists said late Sunday that vaccination should not be withheld from pregnant women who otherwise would qualify.While the vaccine was determined to be safe, regulators in the U.K. are investigating several severe allergic reactions. The FDA’s instructions tell providers not to give it to those with a known history of severe allergic reactions to any of its ingredients.___

 🎥 ICU nurse is first to get Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination

PORTAGE, Michigan (AP) — The first of many freezer-packed COVID-19 vaccine vials made their way to distribution sites across the United States on Sunday, as the nation’s pandemic deaths approached the horrifying new milestone of 300,000.

The rollout of the Pfizer vaccine, the first to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration, ushers in the biggest vaccination effort in U.S. history — one that health officials hope the American public will embrace, even as some have voiced initial skepticism or worry. Shots are expected to be given to health care workers and nursing home residents beginning Monday.

Quick transport is key for the vaccine, especially since this one must be stored at extremely low temperatures — about 94 degrees below zero. Early Sunday, workers at Pfizer — dressed in fluorescent yellow clothing, hard hats and gloves — wasted no time as they packed vials into boxes. They scanned the packages and then placed them into freezer cases with dry ice. The vaccines were then taken from Pfizer’s Portage, Michigan, facility to Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids, where the first cargo plane took off amid what airport officials called a “jubilant” mood.

“This is a historic day,” said Richard W. Smith, who oversees operations in the Americas for FedEx Express, which is delivering 630-some packages of vaccine to distribution sites across the country. United Parcel Service also is transporting a share of the vaccine.

Helping with the transport of the vaccine has special meaning to Bruce Smith, a FedEx package handler at the Grand Rapids airport, whose older sister, Queen, died after she contracted the coronavirus in May. She was hospitalized in Georgia one day after he saw her on a video chat, and they never spoke again.

“I think she would be ecstatic to know that something that has ravaged our family — that a family member is going to be part of such a big project,” said Smith, 58, whose nephew, Queen’s son, also got sick and is still undergoing therapy for stroke-like symptoms. “It is very, very important.”

Tracked with GPS-enabled sensors, the initial shipments were expected to contain about 3 million doses, with many more to come. Federal officials say the first shipments of Pfizer’s vaccine will be staggered, arriving in 145 distribution centers Monday, with another 425 sites getting shipments Tuesday, and the remaining 66 on Wednesday. Doses of the vaccine, co-developed by German partner BioNTech, are given out based on each state’s adult population. Then the states decide where they go first.

In California, where health care workers will be among the first to be vaccinated, state health officials are prioritizing hospitals that have adequate storage capacity, serve high-risk populations and have the ability to vaccinate people quickly.

Initial surveys have found that even some health care workers don’t want to be first in line. Dr. Graham Snyder, who’s led the vaccine task force at Pennsylvania health care giant UPMC, estimates that about half of its employees are willing to get the vaccine as soon as it’s offered.

But many health officials expect enthusiasm to grow.

“There’s that thought that maybe they don’t have to be so afraid to come to work if they can be vaccinated and be immune,” said Dr. Sandra Kemmerly, medical director of hospital quality at the 40-hospital Oschner Health System in Louisiana and Mississippi. Employees approved for the first round are getting texts and emails directing them to schedule their initial injection, she said. Enough vaccine is being saved so that each person who gets the first dose of vaccine can get a second required shot a few weeks later.

Senior U.S. government officials, including some White House officials who work in close proximity to President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, are among those who will be offered coronavirus&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/donald-trump-politics-coronavirus-pandemic-coronavirus-vaccine-michael-pence-f5a759c9d597d0e458c5fc9d2a96ee6f">vaccines as soon as this week</a>, two people familiar with the matter confirmed.

A survey from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about half of Americans want to get the vaccine as soon as possible. Another quarter aren’t sure, while the remaining quarter say they aren’t interested. Some simply oppose vaccines in general. Others are concerned that the vaccines have been rushed and want to see how the rollout goes.

Dr. Stephen Hahn, commissioner of the FDA, which approved the Pfizer vaccine Friday, has repeatedly insisted that the agency’s decision was based on science, not politics, despite a White House threat to fire him if the vaccine wasn’t approved before Saturday.

Speaking to Fox News Sunday, Dr. Moncef Slaoui, chief science adviser to Operation Warp Speed, a U.S. effort to get vaccines developed quickly, also said he is “very concerned” about the skepticism about the vaccine in some circles.

“Unfortunately ... there’s been a confusion between how thorough and scientific and factual the work that has been done is, and the perception that people are thinking that we cut corners ...,” Slaoui said. “I can guarantee you that no such things have happened, that we follow the science.”

He called the development of vaccines from several pharmaceutical companies, including Moderna and AstraZeneca, “a remarkable achievement of science, academia, the industry ecosystem and the U.S. government, working together.”

The Moderna vaccine will be reviewed by an expert panel Thursday and soon afterward could be allowed for public use.

KALAMAZOO, Michigan (AP) — The first shipments of a COVID-19 vaccine for widespread use in the United States headed Sunday from Michigan to distribution centers across the country, with the first shots expected to be given in the coming week to health care workers and at nursing homes.

Shipments of the Pfizer vaccine will set in motion the biggest vaccination effort in American history at a critical juncture of the pandemic that has killed 1.6 million and sickened 71 million worldwide.

Initially, about 3 million doses were expected to be sent out, and the priority is health care workers and nursing home residents as infections, hospitalizations and deaths soar in the U.S. With numbers likely to get worse over the holidays, the vaccine is offering a bright spot in the fight against the pandemic that’s killed nearly 300,000 Americans.

Federal officials say the first shipments of Pfizer’s vaccine will be staggered, arriving in 145 distribution centers Monday, with an additional 425 sites getting shipments Tuesday, and the remaining 66 on Wednesday. The vaccine, co-developed by German partner BioNTech, is being doled out based on each state’s adult population.

Pennsylvania health care giant UPMC has chosen staff who are critical to operating its facilities as among those getting the first round of vaccinations, said Dr. Graham Snyder, who led the center’s vaccine task force.

“It’s very exciting. I will be thrilled, that moment when we administer our first dose,” Snyder said Saturday. “That will clearly be a watershed moment for us.”

Snyder said the UPMC system estimates that half its employees are willing to get the vaccine as soon as it’s offered to them.

The vaccine is heading to hospitals and other sites that can store it at extremely low temperatures — about 94 degrees below zero. Pfizer is using containers with dry ice and GPS-enabled sensors to ensure each shipment stays colder than the weather in Antarctica.

Doses should be delivered to all vaccination sites identified by states, such as local pharmacies, within three weeks, federal officials said.

The 40-hospital Oschner Health System in Louisiana and Mississippi expects to receive more than 9,000 doses in the coming days, said Dr. Sandra Kemmerly, medical director of hospital quality.

Employees approved for the first round are getting texts and emails directing them to schedule their initial injection, she said.

“I would say there’s enthusiasm,” Kemmerly said Saturday. “There’s that thought that maybe they don’t have to be so afraid to come to work if they can be vaccinated and be immune.”

The Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of the vaccine Friday, saying it is highly protective and presents no major safety issues. While U.S. regulators worked for months to emphasize the rigor and independence of their review, they faced political pressure until the final stages.

Coronavirus Update