By HANNAH RECHT <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2022/12/12/paxlovid-has-been-free-now-comes-the-sticker-shock/">Kaiser Health News, courtesy Daily Montanan</a>

Nearly 6 million Americans have taken Paxlovid for free, courtesy of 
the federal government. The Pfizer pill has helped prevent many people 
infected with COVID-19 from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7148e2.htm">being hospitalized</a> or dying, and it may even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.03.22281783v1">reduce the risk</a>
 of developing long COVID. But the government plans to stop footing the 
bill within months, and millions of people who are at the highest risk 
of severe illness and are least able to afford the drug — the uninsured 
and seniors — may have to pay the full price.

And that means fewer people will get the potentially lifesaving treatments, experts said.

“I think the numbers will go way down,” said Jill Rosenthal, director
 of public health policy at the Center for American Progress, a 
left-leaning think tank. A bill for several hundred dollars or more 
would lead many people to decide the medication isn’t worth the price, 
she said.

In response to the unprecedented public health crisis caused by 
COVID, the federal government spent billions of dollars on developing 
new vaccines and treatments, to swift success: Less than a year after 
the pandemic was declared, medical workers got their first vaccines. But
 as many people have refused the shots and stopped wearing masks, the 
virus still rages and mutates. In 2022 alone, 250,000 Americans <a target="_blank" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_totaldeaths_select_00">have died</a> from COVID, <a target="_blank" href="https://data.cdc.gov/NCHS/Monthly-Provisional-Counts-of-Deaths-by-Select-Cau/9dzk-mvmi/data">more than</a> from strokes or diabetes.

But soon the Department of Health and Human Services will stop 
supplying COVID treatments, and pharmacies will purchase and bill for 
them the same way they do for antibiotic pills or asthma inhalers. 
Paxlovid is expected to hit the private market in mid-2023, according to
 HHS plans shared in an October meeting with state health officials and 
clinicians. Merck’s Lagevrio, a less-effective COVID treatment pill, and
 AstraZeneca’s Evusheld, a preventive therapy for the immunocompromised,
 are on track to be commercialized sooner, sometime in the winter.

The U.S. government has so far purchased <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/04/26/fact-sheet-biden-administration-increases-access-to-covid-19-treatments-and-boosts-patient-and-provider-awareness/">20 million courses</a>
 of Paxlovid, priced at about $530 each, a discount for buying in bulk 
that Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla called “really very attractive” to the 
federal government in a July earnings call. The drug will cost far more 
on the private market, although in a statement to KHN, Pfizer declined 
to share the planned price. The government will also stop paying for the
 company’s COVID vaccine next year — those shots will <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/pfizer-covid-cash-marketing-drugs/">quadruple in price</a>, from the discount rate the government pays of $30 to about $120.

Bourla told investors in November that he expects the move will make 
Paxlovid and its COVID vaccine “a multibillion-dollars franchise.”

Nearly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/11/28/covid-who-is-dying/">9 in 10 people</a> dying from the virus now are 65 or older. Yet federal law restricts Medicare Part D — the prescription drug program that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/medicare-beneficiaries-enrolled-in-part-d-coverage/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D">covers nearly 50 million seniors</a>
 — from covering the COVID treatment pills. The medications are meant 
for those most at risk of serious illness, including seniors.

Paxlovid and the other treatments are currently available under an 
emergency use authorization from the FDA, a fast-track review used in 
extraordinary situations. Although Pfizer <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-announces-submission-new-drug-application-us-fda">applied for full approval</a>
 in June, the process can take anywhere from several months to years. 
And Medicare Part D can’t cover any medications without that full stamp 
of approval.

Paying out-of-pocket would be “a substantial barrier” for seniors on 
Medicare — the very people who would benefit most from the drug, wrote <a target="_blank" href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1072f5093254224ac902ca395387085c/coverage-considerations-covid-19.pdf">federal health experts</a>.

“From a public health perspective, and even from a health care 
capacity and cost perspective, it would just defy reason to not continue
 to make these drugs readily available,” said Dr. Larry Madoff, medical 
director of Massachusetts’ Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory 
Sciences. He’s hopeful that the federal health agency will find a way to
 set aside unused doses for seniors and people without insurance.

In mid-November, the White House requested that Congress approve an 
additional $2.5 billion for COVID therapeutics and vaccines to make sure
 people can afford the medications when they’re no longer free. But 
there’s little hope it will be approved — the Senate <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-votes-to-end-covid-19-emergency-declaration-11668559887">voted that same day to end</a> the public health emergency and denied similar requests in recent months.

Many Americans have already faced hurdles just <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/test-to-treat-biden-covid-failing-patients-pharmacies-cvs/">getting a prescription</a> for COVID treatment. Although the federal government <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/paxlovid-covid-pill-antiviral-access-data/">doesn’t track</a> who’s gotten the drug, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7143a2.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study</a>
 using data from 30 medical centers found that Black and Hispanic 
patients with COVID were much less likely to receive Paxlovid than white
 patients. (Hispanic people can be of any race or combination of races.)
 And when the government is no longer picking up the tab, experts 
predict that these gaps by race, income, and geography will widen.

People in Northeastern states used the drug far more often than those
 in the rest of the country, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis 
of Paxlovid use in September and October. But it wasn’t because people 
in the region were getting sick from COVID at much higher rates — 
instead, many of those states offered better <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/report.htm">access to health care</a> to begin with and created special programs to get Paxlovid to their residents.

About 10 mostly Democratic states and several large counties in the 
Northeast and elsewhere created free “test-to-treat” programs that allow
 their residents to get an immediate doctor visit and prescription for 
treatment after testing positive for COVID. In Massachusetts, more than 
20,000 residents have used the state’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/free-telehealth-for-covid-19-treatment-with-paxlovid">video and phone hotline</a>,
 which is available seven days a week in 13 languages. Massachusetts, 
which has the highest insurance rate in the country and relatively low 
travel times to pharmacies, had the second-highest Paxlovid usage rate 
among states this fall.

States with higher COVID death rates, like Florida and Kentucky, 
where residents must travel farther for health care and are more likely 
to be uninsured, used the drug less often. Without no-cost test-to-treat
 options, <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/test-to-treat-biden-covid-failing-patients-pharmacies-cvs/">residents have struggled</a> to get prescriptions even though the drug itself is still free.

“If you look at access to medications for people who are uninsured, I
 think that there’s no question that will widen those disparities,” 
Rosenthal said.

People who get insurance through their jobs could face high copays at
 the register, too, just as they do for insulin and other expensive or 
brand-name drugs.

Most private insurance companies will end up covering COVID 
therapeutics to some extent, said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor
 at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms. After 
all, the pills are cheaper than a hospital stay. But for most people who
 get insurance through their jobs, there are “really no rules at all,” 
she said. Some insurers could take months to add the drugs to their 
plans or decide not to pay for them.

And the additional cost means many people will go without the medication.

“We know from lots of research that when people face cost sharing for
 these drugs that they need to take, they will often forgo or cut back,”
 Corlette said.

One group doesn’t need to worry about sticker shock. Medicaid, the 
public insurance program for low-income adults and children, will cover 
the treatments in full until at least early 2024.

HHS officials could set aside any leftover taxpayer-funded medication
 for people who can’t afford to pay the full cost, but they haven’t 
shared any concrete plans to do so. The government purchased 20 million 
courses of Paxlovid and 3 million of Lagevrio. Fewer than a third have 
been used, and usage has fallen in recent months, according to KHN’s 
analysis of the data from HHS.

Sixty percent of the government’s supply of Evusheld is also still available, although the COVID prevention therapy is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-releases-important-information-about-risk-covid-19-due-certain-variants-not-neutralized-evusheld">less effective</a> against new strains of the virus. The health department in one state, <a target="_blank" href="https://files.constantcontact.com/8088728e101/558b11b0-e00f-47d7-8ec1-645904ec1905.pdf">New Mexico</a>, has recommended against using it.

HHS did not make officials available for an interview or answer written questions about the commercialization plans.

The government created a potential workaround when they moved 
bebtelovimab, another COVID treatment, to the private market this 
summer. It now retails for $2,100 per patient. The agency set aside the 
remaining 60,000 government-purchased doses that hospitals could use to 
treat uninsured patients in a convoluted <a target="_blank" href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/COVID-19/Therapeutics/Products/Bebtelovimab/Pages/default.aspx">dose-replacement process</a>. But it’s hard to tell how well that setup would work for Paxlovid: Bebtelovimab was already much less popular, and the FDA <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-announces-bebtelovimab-not-currently-authorized-any-us-region">halted its use</a> on Nov. 30 because it’s less effective against current strains of the virus.

Federal officials and insurance companies would have good reason to 
make sure patients can continue to afford covid drugs: They’re far 
cheaper than if patients land in the emergency room.

“The medications are so worthwhile,” said Madoff, the Massachusetts 
health official. “They’re not expensive in the grand scheme of health 
care costs.”

<a target="_blank" href="https://www.khn.org/about-us">KHN</a> 
(Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth 
journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and 
Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/about-us">KFF</a> (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2022/12/1670875530434.png" alt="CDC image" />
 <figcaption>CDC image</figcaption>
 </figure>By HANNAH RECHT <a href="https://dailymontanan.com/2022/12/12/paxlovid-has-been-free-now-comes-the-sticker-shock/">Kaiser Health News, courtesy Daily Montanan</a>Nearly 6 million Americans have taken Paxlovid for free, courtesy of 
the federal government. The Pfizer pill has helped prevent many people 
infected with COVID-19 from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7148e2.htm">being hospitalized</a> or dying, and it may even <a target="_blank" href="https://www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.11.03.22281783v1">reduce the risk</a>
 of developing long COVID. But the government plans to stop footing the 
bill within months, and millions of people who are at the highest risk 
of severe illness and are least able to afford the drug — the uninsured 
and seniors — may have to pay the full price.And that means fewer people will get the potentially lifesaving treatments, experts said.“I think the numbers will go way down,” said Jill Rosenthal, director
 of public health policy at the Center for American Progress, a 
left-leaning think tank. A bill for several hundred dollars or more 
would lead many people to decide the medication isn’t worth the price, 
she said.In response to the unprecedented public health crisis caused by 
COVID, the federal government spent billions of dollars on developing 
new vaccines and treatments, to swift success: Less than a year after 
the pandemic was declared, medical workers got their first vaccines. But
 as many people have refused the shots and stopped wearing masks, the 
virus still rages and mutates. In 2022 alone, 250,000 Americans <a target="_blank" href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_totaldeaths_select_00">have died</a> from COVID, <a target="_blank" href="https://data.cdc.gov/NCHS/Monthly-Provisional-Counts-of-Deaths-by-Select-Cau/9dzk-mvmi/data">more than</a> from strokes or diabetes.But soon the Department of Health and Human Services will stop 
supplying COVID treatments, and pharmacies will purchase and bill for 
them the same way they do for antibiotic pills or asthma inhalers. 
Paxlovid is expected to hit the private market in mid-2023, according to
 HHS plans shared in an October meeting with state health officials and 
clinicians. Merck’s Lagevrio, a less-effective COVID treatment pill, and
 AstraZeneca’s Evusheld, a preventive therapy for the immunocompromised,
 are on track to be commercialized sooner, sometime in the winter.The U.S. government has so far purchased <a target="_blank" href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2022/04/26/fact-sheet-biden-administration-increases-access-to-covid-19-treatments-and-boosts-patient-and-provider-awareness/">20 million courses</a>
 of Paxlovid, priced at about $530 each, a discount for buying in bulk 
that Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla called “really very attractive” to the 
federal government in a July earnings call. The drug will cost far more 
on the private market, although in a statement to KHN, Pfizer declined 
to share the planned price. The government will also stop paying for the
 company’s COVID vaccine next year — those shots will <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/pfizer-covid-cash-marketing-drugs/">quadruple in price</a>, from the discount rate the government pays of $30 to about $120.Bourla told investors in November that he expects the move will make 
Paxlovid and its COVID vaccine “a multibillion-dollars franchise.”Nearly <a target="_blank" href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2022/11/28/covid-who-is-dying/">9 in 10 people</a> dying from the virus now are 65 or older. Yet federal law restricts Medicare Part D — the prescription drug program that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/other/state-indicator/medicare-beneficiaries-enrolled-in-part-d-coverage/?currentTimeframe=0&amp;sortModel=%7B%22colId%22:%22Location%22,%22sort%22:%22asc%22%7D">covers nearly 50 million seniors</a>
 — from covering the COVID treatment pills. The medications are meant 
for those most at risk of serious illness, including seniors.Paxlovid and the other treatments are currently available under an 
emergency use authorization from the FDA, a fast-track review used in 
extraordinary situations. Although Pfizer <a target="_blank" href="https://www.pfizer.com/news/press-release/press-release-detail/pfizer-announces-submission-new-drug-application-us-fda">applied for full approval</a>
 in June, the process can take anywhere from several months to years. 
And Medicare Part D can’t cover any medications without that full stamp 
of approval.Paying out-of-pocket would be “a substantial barrier” for seniors on 
Medicare — the very people who would benefit most from the drug, wrote <a target="_blank" href="https://aspe.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/documents/1072f5093254224ac902ca395387085c/coverage-considerations-covid-19.pdf">federal health experts</a>.“From a public health perspective, and even from a health care 
capacity and cost perspective, it would just defy reason to not continue
 to make these drugs readily available,” said Dr. Larry Madoff, medical 
director of Massachusetts’ Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory 
Sciences. He’s hopeful that the federal health agency will find a way to
 set aside unused doses for seniors and people without insurance.In mid-November, the White House requested that Congress approve an 
additional $2.5 billion for COVID therapeutics and vaccines to make sure
 people can afford the medications when they’re no longer free. But 
there’s little hope it will be approved — the Senate <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/senate-votes-to-end-covid-19-emergency-declaration-11668559887">voted that same day to end</a> the public health emergency and denied similar requests in recent months.Many Americans have already faced hurdles just <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/test-to-treat-biden-covid-failing-patients-pharmacies-cvs/">getting a prescription</a> for COVID treatment. Although the federal government <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/paxlovid-covid-pill-antiviral-access-data/">doesn’t track</a> who’s gotten the drug, a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/volumes/71/wr/mm7143a2.htm">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study</a>
 using data from 30 medical centers found that Black and Hispanic 
patients with COVID were much less likely to receive Paxlovid than white
 patients. (Hispanic people can be of any race or combination of races.)
 And when the government is no longer picking up the tab, experts 
predict that these gaps by race, income, and geography will widen.People in Northeastern states used the drug far more often than those
 in the rest of the country, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis 
of Paxlovid use in September and October. But it wasn’t because people 
in the region were getting sick from COVID at much higher rates — 
instead, many of those states offered better <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/hus/report.htm">access to health care</a> to begin with and created special programs to get Paxlovid to their residents.About 10 mostly Democratic states and several large counties in the 
Northeast and elsewhere created free “test-to-treat” programs that allow
 their residents to get an immediate doctor visit and prescription for 
treatment after testing positive for COVID. In Massachusetts, more than 
20,000 residents have used the state’s <a target="_blank" href="https://www.mass.gov/info-details/free-telehealth-for-covid-19-treatment-with-paxlovid">video and phone hotline</a>,
 which is available seven days a week in 13 languages. Massachusetts, 
which has the highest insurance rate in the country and relatively low 
travel times to pharmacies, had the second-highest Paxlovid usage rate 
among states this fall.States with higher COVID death rates, like Florida and Kentucky, 
where residents must travel farther for health care and are more likely 
to be uninsured, used the drug less often. Without no-cost test-to-treat
 options, <a target="_blank" href="https://khn.org/news/article/test-to-treat-biden-covid-failing-patients-pharmacies-cvs/">residents have struggled</a> to get prescriptions even though the drug itself is still free.“If you look at access to medications for people who are uninsured, I
 think that there’s no question that will widen those disparities,” 
Rosenthal said.People who get insurance through their jobs could face high copays at
 the register, too, just as they do for insulin and other expensive or 
brand-name drugs.Most private insurance companies will end up covering COVID 
therapeutics to some extent, said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor
 at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms. After 
all, the pills are cheaper than a hospital stay. But for most people who
 get insurance through their jobs, there are “really no rules at all,” 
she said. Some insurers could take months to add the drugs to their 
plans or decide not to pay for them.And the additional cost means many people will go without the medication.“We know from lots of research that when people face cost sharing for
 these drugs that they need to take, they will often forgo or cut back,”
 Corlette said.One group doesn’t need to worry about sticker shock. Medicaid, the 
public insurance program for low-income adults and children, will cover 
the treatments in full until at least early 2024.HHS officials could set aside any leftover taxpayer-funded medication
 for people who can’t afford to pay the full cost, but they haven’t 
shared any concrete plans to do so. The government purchased 20 million 
courses of Paxlovid and 3 million of Lagevrio. Fewer than a third have 
been used, and usage has fallen in recent months, according to KHN’s 
analysis of the data from HHS.Sixty percent of the government’s supply of Evusheld is also still available, although the COVID prevention therapy is <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-releases-important-information-about-risk-covid-19-due-certain-variants-not-neutralized-evusheld">less effective</a> against new strains of the virus. The health department in one state, <a target="_blank" href="https://files.constantcontact.com/8088728e101/558b11b0-e00f-47d7-8ec1-645904ec1905.pdf">New Mexico</a>, has recommended against using it.HHS did not make officials available for an interview or answer written questions about the commercialization plans.The government created a potential workaround when they moved 
bebtelovimab, another COVID treatment, to the private market this 
summer. It now retails for $2,100 per patient. The agency set aside the 
remaining 60,000 government-purchased doses that hospitals could use to 
treat uninsured patients in a convoluted <a target="_blank" href="https://aspr.hhs.gov/COVID-19/Therapeutics/Products/Bebtelovimab/Pages/default.aspx">dose-replacement process</a>. But it’s hard to tell how well that setup would work for Paxlovid: Bebtelovimab was already much less popular, and the FDA <a target="_blank" href="https://www.fda.gov/drugs/drug-safety-and-availability/fda-announces-bebtelovimab-not-currently-authorized-any-us-region">halted its use</a> on Nov. 30 because it’s less effective against current strains of the virus.Federal officials and insurance companies would have good reason to 
make sure patients can continue to afford covid drugs: They’re far 
cheaper than if patients land in the emergency room.“The medications are so worthwhile,” said Madoff, the Massachusetts 
health official. “They’re not expensive in the grand scheme of health 
care costs.”<a target="_blank" href="https://www.khn.org/about-us">KHN</a> 
(Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth 
journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and 
Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.kff.org/about-us">KFF</a> (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

COVID treatment Paxlovid has been free; now comes the sticker shock

The St. Joseph Health Department will start offering the latest COVID-19 bivalent booster shot this Friday.

The Health Department is offering the Pfizer brand of this vaccine to begin with, which is authorized for those ages 12 and up. You must have had your initial doses of the vaccine, and must wait at least two months since your last primary or booster dose of the shot.

St. Joseph Health Department health educator Stephanie Malita says the bivalent booster is effective against multiple strains of coronavirus.

"Moderna and Pfizer have both created a bivalent booster," Malita explained. "They both target two strains of COVID-19. They address the original strain and two of the omicron subvariants."

These vaccines will be administered on a walk-in basis at the St. Joseph Health Department on Monday - Friday from 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. Anyone who receives a COVID-19 vaccine will kept an extra 15 minutes for post-vaccine monitoring.

Malita says Buchanan County is still averaging 28 new cases of COVID-19 per day, though that number is hard to gauge with more people doing at-home testing.

"So the 10-day average is 28 new cases per day," she said. "The thing we have to remember too is these are just numbers of people who have gone to their physician or have gone to a pharmacy. So many people are testing at home."

People can choose to get either the Pfizer or Moderna bivalent booster, regardless of which primary vaccine or original booster they got previously, as long as they wait at least two months since their last dosage.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostThe St. Joseph Health Department will start offering the latest COVID-19 bivalent booster shot this Friday.The Health Department is offering the Pfizer brand of this vaccine to begin with, which is authorized for those ages 12 and up. You must have had your initial doses of the vaccine, and must wait at least two months since your last primary or booster dose of the shot.St. Joseph Health Department health educator Stephanie Malita says the bivalent booster is effective against multiple strains of coronavirus."Moderna and Pfizer have both created a bivalent booster," Malita explained. "They both target two strains of COVID-19. They address the original strain and two of the omicron subvariants."These vaccines will be administered on a walk-in basis at the St. Joseph Health Department on Monday - Friday from 8-11 a.m. and 1-4 p.m. Anyone who receives a COVID-19 vaccine will kept an extra 15 minutes for post-vaccine monitoring.Malita says Buchanan County is still averaging 28 new cases of COVID-19 per day, though that number is hard to gauge with more people doing at-home testing."So the 10-day average is 28 new cases per day," she said. "The thing we have to remember too is these are just numbers of people who have gone to their physician or have gone to a pharmacy. So many people are testing at home."People can choose to get either the Pfizer or Moderna bivalent booster, regardless of which primary vaccine or original booster they got previously, as long as they wait at least two months since their last dosage.

St. Joseph Health Department to start offering COVID-19 bivalent booster shot

The level of new COVID-19 cases in Buchanan County is not as high as it once was, but St. Joseph health officials are monitoring a slight increase.

Buchanan County went from averaging 5.83 cases per day in April to 12.37 per day in May. St. Joseph health department spokesperson Stephanie Malita says they're watching this closely, but she says these numbers still aren't as bad as it was during the height of the pandemic.

"So, it's trending upwards a little bit," Malita told St. Joseph Post, "but, we're not, again, seeing the hospitalization rate or the death rate. We're not as worried about it as we were six months ago or even three months ago."

Statewide, Missouri has reported more than 8,600 cases in the last seven days. Hospitalizations have gone up a bit as well statewide, with 574 patients hospitalized with COVID.

Locally, the hospitalization and COVID death rate remain low. St. Joseph health officials report one virus-related fatality in May and one so far in June, while Mosaic Life Care reports fewer than 10 patients systemwide.

The good news is more people are starting to get their first COVID-19 shot and booster in Buchanan County.

"We have seen an increase of over 450 people who have now moved into the fully vaccinated category," Malita said, "and about the same amount who have had their first dose."

A step in the right direction, but Malita says Buchanan County's vaccination rate lags behind with still less than 40 percent of residents fully vaccinated.

"That's low certainly compared to throughout the state and nationwide," she said. "So, we would like to see that increase. Primary care providers are offering the vaccine, pharmacies are offering vaccine, we offer it here. There are many, many places where people can get vaccinated."

Malita says another COVID surge is possible, but she believes hospitals and medical practitioners are better prepared to handle it now than ever before.

"Obviously, our hope is we don't see a surge that leads to higher hospitalizations and so on in the future," Malita said. "But, it could happen again. I feel like logistically, we're better prepared or have learned from the last couple of years. But, it's a matter of everyone pitching in and doing what they need to do."

But, in order to prevent another COVID surge, Malita says those safety practices remain the same, and notes that everybody can do their part in keeping each other safe.

"Stay home if you're ill and find out for certain what you have when you're not feeling well," Malita said. "Continue to wash hands, wear masks if you're in a public area if you're in close contact with people you're unfamiliar with."

You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

By TOMMY REZAC&nbsp;St. Joseph PostThe level of new COVID-19 cases in Buchanan County is not as high as it once was, but St. Joseph health officials are monitoring a slight increase.Buchanan County went from averaging 5.83 cases per day in April to 12.37 per day in May. St. Joseph health department spokesperson Stephanie Malita says they're watching this closely, but she says these numbers still aren't as bad as it was during the height of the pandemic."So, it's trending upwards a little bit," Malita told St. Joseph Post, "but, we're not, again, seeing the hospitalization rate or the death rate. We're not as worried about it as we were six months ago or even three months ago."Statewide, Missouri has reported more than 8,600 cases in the last seven days. Hospitalizations have gone up a bit as well statewide, with 574 patients hospitalized with COVID.Locally, the hospitalization and COVID death rate remain low. St. Joseph health officials report one virus-related fatality in May and one so far in June, while Mosaic Life Care reports fewer than 10 patients systemwide.The good news is more people are starting to get their first COVID-19 shot and booster in Buchanan County."We have seen an increase of over 450 people who have now moved into the fully vaccinated category," Malita said, "and about the same amount who have had their first dose."A step in the right direction, but Malita says Buchanan County's vaccination rate lags behind with still less than 40 percent of residents fully vaccinated."That's low certainly compared to throughout the state and nationwide," she said. "So, we would like to see that increase. Primary care providers are offering the vaccine, pharmacies are offering vaccine, we offer it here. There are many, many places where people can get vaccinated."Malita says another COVID surge is possible, but she believes hospitals and medical practitioners are better prepared to handle it now than ever before."Obviously, our hope is we don't see a surge that leads to higher hospitalizations and so on in the future," Malita said. "But, it could happen again. I feel like logistically, we're better prepared or have learned from the last couple of years. But, it's a matter of everyone pitching in and doing what they need to do."But, in order to prevent another COVID surge, Malita says those safety practices remain the same, and notes that everybody can do their part in keeping each other safe."Stay home if you're ill and find out for certain what you have when you're not feeling well," Malita said. "Continue to wash hands, wear masks if you're in a public area if you're in close contact with people you're unfamiliar with."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

St. Joseph health officials monitoring uptick in COVID cases locally

COVID-19 cases had risen slightly in the state of Kansas in May, but new case numbers have steadied out for the most part. Kansas reports an average of 359 new cases over the last seven days as of May 30.

Doniphan County health director Sheryl Pierce says they only have two confirmed positive cases in the county currently.

"What we think, though, is that we likely have a lot more positive (cases) than that," Pierce told St. Joseph Post, "with everybody using their home tests. Home tests are not verified or confirmed by us. They're not worked up as a positive case so to speak."

About 37.6 percent of Doniphan County residents above the age of five have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, which is over 2,700 residents.

The Doniphan County Health Department in Troy still offers vaccine clinics every Wednesday from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 - 4 p.m.

The CDC on May 19 expanded eligibility for COVID-19 booster shots for kids ages 5-11. It is recommended that young children get their booster five months after their primary shots.

Pierce says their clinic in Troy has started to see younger kids getting boosters, but also other various age groups getting their primary doses.

"We are getting new primary clients who are coming in and getting their first dose also," she said. "So, that's a positive for us. We're real pleased about that. We certainly do recommend that booster. We don't know with the weather change in the fall if COVID is going to come back with a vengeance or not."

The health department also offers free testing to those who come in needing a test. Pierce says at-home tests are also available at their Troy clinic, and she says they're not a bad option.

"We also have free home tests we would pass out to anybody that just wants to have them on hand," Pierce pointed out. "It works out very good if they become ill on a weekend. Then, they can test prior to going to a religious service on Sunday. Instead of exposing people, you can get tested."

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostCOVID-19 cases had risen slightly in the state of Kansas in May, but new case numbers have steadied out for the most part. Kansas reports an average of 359 new cases over the last seven days as of May 30.Doniphan County health director Sheryl Pierce says they only have two confirmed positive cases in the county currently."What we think, though, is that we likely have a lot more positive (cases) than that," Pierce told St. Joseph Post, "with everybody using their home tests. Home tests are not verified or confirmed by us. They're not worked up as a positive case so to speak."About 37.6 percent of Doniphan County residents above the age of five have received at least one dose of the COVID vaccine, which is over 2,700 residents.The Doniphan County Health Department in Troy still offers vaccine clinics every Wednesday from 9:30 - 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 - 4 p.m.The CDC on May 19 expanded eligibility for COVID-19 booster shots for kids ages 5-11. It is recommended that young children get their booster five months after their primary shots.Pierce says their clinic in Troy has started to see younger kids getting boosters, but also other various age groups getting their primary doses."We are getting new primary clients who are coming in and getting their first dose also," she said. "So, that's a positive for us. We're real pleased about that. We certainly do recommend that booster. We don't know with the weather change in the fall if COVID is going to come back with a vengeance or not."The health department also offers free testing to those who come in needing a test. Pierce says at-home tests are also available at their Troy clinic, and she says they're not a bad option."We also have free home tests we would pass out to anybody that just wants to have them on hand," Pierce pointed out. "It works out very good if they become ill on a weekend. Then, they can test prior to going to a religious service on Sunday. Instead of exposing people, you can get tested."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Doniphan County, KS Health Department still offering free vaccine clinics on Wednesdays

As positive COVID-19 case numbers continue to drop St. Joseph health officials released their last daily report on the number of positive cases.

The St. Joseph Health Department reports 11 new positive COVID cases since its last report with three on Monday, four on Wednesday and four on Thursday. 

Two new deaths have been reported due to coronavirus complications, a male in his 70's and a woman in her 80's, the health department reports these deaths occurred last month but were just now reported.

The positivity rate in Buchanan County remains the same.

Mosaic Life Care reports on its website hospitalizations remain minimal. Mosaic does not report numbers when they drop below ten.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostAs positive COVID-19 case numbers continue to drop St. Joseph health officials released their last daily report on the number of positive cases.The St. Joseph Health Department reports 11 new positive COVID cases since its last report with three on Monday, four on Wednesday and four on Thursday. Two new deaths have been reported due to coronavirus complications, a male in his 70's and a woman in her 80's, the health department reports these deaths occurred last month but were just now reported.The positivity rate in Buchanan County remains the same.Mosaic Life Care reports on its website hospitalizations remain minimal. Mosaic does not report numbers when they drop below ten.

Number of positive cases of COVID-19 remains low in Buchanan County

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on Thursday announced their continued efforts to shift to the next chapter of the COVID-19 response, pivoting from emergency pandemic response to endemic normalcy. 

On April 1, KDHE will make changes to continue the transition from emergency response to our ‘new normal,’ which includes life with COVID-19—similar to how we deal with other recurring diseases like the flu. Using the lessons learned over the past two years, KDHE will continue to ensure the State is prepared for potential surges or other needs that might arise in the future.

"Kansas is continuing the transition to a new phase of understanding and living with COVID-19,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“We know the pandemic is not over, however we now have the tools and knowledge obtained over the past two years to prevent or reduce the spread of the virus. We are normalizing our COVID-19 response and incorporating these lessons into our larger efforts at improving health outcomes for all Kansans, which includes work on multiple diseases and an awareness of differing risk factors.”

This decision comes as current COVID-19 metrics are moving in the right direction. Over the last two years, KDHE has made significant progress in keeping Kansas communities safe with the help of partners throughout the State: over 7 million tests have been given, over 4 million vaccines have been administered, and over 78% of eligible Kansans have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.

“In our new normal, we will continue to ensure that Kansans have equitable access to life-saving vaccines, tests, and treatments. This shift does not mean that COVID is over, but rather we are working to manage the disease in a way that allows us to maintain a more normal life that is once again filled with friends, families and other loved ones,”&nbsp;said KDHE Secretary Janet Stanek.

Working with Local Health Departments (LHDs) and stakeholders, KDHE’s endemic plan addresses six key areas that are designed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all Kansans:

Across each of the above areas, KDHE will remain prepared to ramp up capacity to quickly respond to a surge and keep Kansans safe should the need arise.

TOPEKA&nbsp;– Governor Laura Kelly and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) on Thursday announced their continued efforts to shift to the next chapter of the COVID-19 response, pivoting from emergency pandemic response to endemic normalcy. On April 1, KDHE will make changes to continue the transition from emergency response to our ‘new normal,’ which includes life with COVID-19—similar to how we deal with other recurring diseases like the flu. Using the lessons learned over the past two years, KDHE will continue to ensure the State is prepared for potential surges or other needs that might arise in the future."Kansas is continuing the transition to a new phase of understanding and living with COVID-19,”&nbsp;Governor Laura Kelly said.&nbsp;“We know the pandemic is not over, however we now have the tools and knowledge obtained over the past two years to prevent or reduce the spread of the virus. We are normalizing our COVID-19 response and incorporating these lessons into our larger efforts at improving health outcomes for all Kansans, which includes work on multiple diseases and an awareness of differing risk factors.”This decision comes as current COVID-19 metrics are moving in the right direction. Over the last two years, KDHE has made significant progress in keeping Kansas communities safe with the help of partners throughout the State: over 7 million tests have been given, over 4 million vaccines have been administered, and over 78% of eligible Kansans have received at least one dose of a COVID vaccine.“In our new normal, we will continue to ensure that Kansans have equitable access to life-saving vaccines, tests, and treatments. This shift does not mean that COVID is over, but rather we are working to manage the disease in a way that allows us to maintain a more normal life that is once again filled with friends, families and other loved ones,”&nbsp;said KDHE Secretary Janet Stanek.Working with Local Health Departments (LHDs) and stakeholders, KDHE’s endemic plan addresses six key areas that are designed to ensure the safety and wellbeing of all Kansans:<ul>
 <li>Intervention:&nbsp;KDHE will continue to provide comprehensive guidance, while continuing to offer additional assistance to underserved and/or vulnerable populations.</li><li>Vaccination:&nbsp;KDHE will focus on making sure vulnerable populations have access to the COVID-19 vaccine while existing vaccine providers, including health care providers, pharmacists, hospitals, and LHDs, will continue to serve the broader population.</li><li>Treatment:&nbsp;KDHE will continue to ensure Kansans will be able to receive COVID-19 treatment across the State, as treatment distribution shifts away from public health entities and back to local health care providers.</li><li>Testing:&nbsp;KDHE will continue to support access to free testing across the state through community testing sites, LHDs, and K-12 schools as long as federal funding is available. In addition, the federal government provides direct testing support to Federally Qualified Health Centers and pharmacies around the state. To find a free testing location near you, go to&nbsp;<a href="https://lnks.gd/l/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJidWxsZXRpbl9saW5rX2lkIjoxMDEsInVyaSI6ImJwMjpjbGljayIsImJ1bGxldGluX2lkIjoiMjAyMjAzMzEuNTU3NDY5ODEiLCJ1cmwiOiJodHRwczovL3d3dy5jb3JvbmF2aXJ1cy5rZGhla3MuZ292LzI4MC9DT1ZJRC0xOS1UZXN0aW5nIn0.GfHL9b4jMqHPXXa-raViSl3-9DLuVjAXv4mI1BPx2bo/s/1303160919/br/128948992477-l" target="_blank">knowbeforeyougoKS.com</a>. KDHE testing support for Long Term Care Facilities will be phased out&nbsp;on May 15, 2022,&nbsp;and testing support for employers&nbsp;ends on June 30, 2022.&nbsp;</li><li>Monitoring:&nbsp;KDHE will continue to monitor data as reported by organizations and facilities across the state to understand the status of COVID-19 and proactively identify at-risk groups. Public reporting will be reduced to once a week.</li><li>Communications:&nbsp;KDHE will continue to provide essential and accessible COVID information to keep Kansans safe and aware of any subsequent changes to COVID-19 response efforts.</li>
 </ul>Across each of the above areas, KDHE will remain prepared to ramp up capacity to quickly respond to a surge and keep Kansans safe should the need arise.

Gov.: Pandemic not over; Kan. moves to endemic phase of COVID response

St.
Joseph health officials report two new coronavirus-related deaths even as the
COVID-19 pandemic eases in this area.

The
St. Joseph Health Department reports a man and a woman, both in their 80s, have
died of COVID-19. The department reports the deaths occurred last month, but
have just now been reported.

The
department reports 38 new COVID-19 cases since last issuing a report on Monday;
17 on Tuesday, five on Wednesday, and 16 on Thursday.

Andrew
County reports only two active COVID-19 cases on its COVID-19 Dashboard with
only one case reported in the last week.

Mosaic
Life Care reports its COVID-19 inpatient count is minimal. Mosaic does not
report coronavirus patient numbers if they fall below ten.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt.
Joseph health officials report two new coronavirus-related deaths even as the
COVID-19 pandemic eases in this area.The
St. Joseph Health Department reports a man and a woman, both in their 80s, have
died of COVID-19. The department reports the deaths occurred last month, but
have just now been reported.The
department reports 38 new COVID-19 cases since last issuing a report on Monday;
17 on Tuesday, five on Wednesday, and 16 on Thursday.Andrew
County reports only two active COVID-19 cases on its COVID-19 Dashboard with
only one case reported in the last week.Mosaic
Life Care reports its COVID-19 inpatient count is minimal. Mosaic does not
report coronavirus patient numbers if they fall below ten.

St. Joseph health officials report two additional COVID-19 deaths

With coronavirus cases rising in parts of Europe and Asia, scientists worry that an extra-contagious version of the omicron variant may soon push cases up in the United States too.

Experts are also keeping their eyes on another mutant: a rare delta-omicron hybrid that they say doesn’t pose much of a threat right now but shows how wily the coronavirus can be.

The U.S. will likely see an uptick in cases caused by the omicron descendant BA.2 starting in the next few weeks, according to Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute.

“It’s inevitable we will see a BA.2 wave here,” he said.

One reason? After about two months of falling COVID-19 cases, pandemic restrictions have been lifted across the U.S. Many people are taking off their masks and returning to indoor spaces like restaurants and theaters.

And the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank">the share caused by BA.2 is up significantly.</a>&nbsp;The CDC reported Tuesday that the variant accounted for about 35% of new infections last week. In the Northeast, it was about half.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, told ABC’s “This Week” over the weekend that he also thinks the U.S. will likely face an “uptick” similar to what’s happening in Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, where BA.2 is the dominant strain. He said he doesn’t think it will be a “surge.”

The U.K. has “had the same situation as we’ve had now,” Fauci said. “They have BA.2. They have a relaxation of some restrictions such as indoor masking and there’s a waning of immunity” from vaccines and past infections.

Keri Althoff, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, cautioned that CDC case counts underestimate the true numbers because some people are no longer getting tested and others are testing at home and not reporting the results. Also, she said, not every specimen is genetically sequenced to determine the variant.

It’s clear, she said, “BA.2 is coming onto the scene.”

One reason the variant has gained ground, scientists say,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-world-health-organization-public-health-7e4cd2f5f6cd2ec87393b3cc9ce41c9c">is that it’s about 30% more contagious than the original omicron</a>. In rare cases, research shows it can sicken people even if they’ve already had an omicron infection — although it doesn’t seem to cause more severe disease.

Vaccines appear just as effective against both types of omicron, but breakthrough infections are possible. And experts point out that vaccination rates are lower in the U.S. than the U.K. About 74% of those 12 and older are fully vaccinated in the U.S, compared with 86% in the U.K.

”We need to emphasize that we’re not protected in this country compared to peer countries,” Topol said.

Still, not all experts are equally concerned about a BA.2-related rise in U.S. cases. Dr. James Musser, head of genomic medicine and infectious diseases at Houston Methodist, said the variant has so far only caused about 1% to 3% of cases in his medical system. Cases there have usually tracked closely with what’s happening in the U.K.

He called BA.2 “something we’re keeping an eye on,” but said, “I’m not losing sleep” over it.

That’s how many scientists view the other variant that some in the public are calling “deltacron,” a hybrid containing genetic information from both delta and omicron.

Earlier this month, Maria Van Kerkhove of the World Health Organization said the hybrid has been detected at “very low levels” in France, the Netherlands and Denmark. And two recent studies, which have not yet been peer-reviewed, point to a tiny number of cases in the U.S.

Much remains unknown about the hybrid. There’s no evidence it causes more severe disease, and it doesn’t look like it’s infecting many people. CDC researchers identified 9 samples, seven from the mid-Atlantic region in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.19.484981v1.full.pdf+html" target="_blank">study released Monday</a>&nbsp;that hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed. Topol, who was not involved in the research, said there’s no evidence it has the potential to spread.

It’s common for coronaviruses to shuffle gene segments, said Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University. With two variants circulating at the same time, people may get double infections, and a “progeny virus” could emerge.

Given the virus’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-dc99bc9f769dd6d7cb669e3d185c6261">ability to spawn new mutants</a>&nbsp;— and the rise of BA.2 — experts say people should get vaccinated if they’re not and keep their masks handy.

“Keep your guard up,” Topol said. “This is not over.”

By LAURA UNGAR, Associated PressWith coronavirus cases rising in parts of Europe and Asia, scientists worry that an extra-contagious version of the omicron variant may soon push cases up in the United States too.Experts are also keeping their eyes on another mutant: a rare delta-omicron hybrid that they say doesn’t pose much of a threat right now but shows how wily the coronavirus can be.The U.S. will likely see an uptick in cases caused by the omicron descendant BA.2 starting in the next few weeks, according to Dr. Eric Topol, head of Scripps Research Translational Institute.“It’s inevitable we will see a BA.2 wave here,” he said.One reason? After about two months of falling COVID-19 cases, pandemic restrictions have been lifted across the U.S. Many people are taking off their masks and returning to indoor spaces like restaurants and theaters.And the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows&nbsp;<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#variant-proportions" target="_blank">the share caused by BA.2 is up significantly.</a>&nbsp;The CDC reported Tuesday that the variant accounted for about 35% of new infections last week. In the Northeast, it was about half.Dr. Anthony Fauci, the U.S. government’s top infectious disease expert, told ABC’s “This Week” over the weekend that he also thinks the U.S. will likely face an “uptick” similar to what’s happening in Europe, particularly the United Kingdom, where BA.2 is the dominant strain. He said he doesn’t think it will be a “surge.”The U.K. has “had the same situation as we’ve had now,” Fauci said. “They have BA.2. They have a relaxation of some restrictions such as indoor masking and there’s a waning of immunity” from vaccines and past infections.Keri Althoff, a researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, cautioned that CDC case counts underestimate the true numbers because some people are no longer getting tested and others are testing at home and not reporting the results. Also, she said, not every specimen is genetically sequenced to determine the variant.It’s clear, she said, “BA.2 is coming onto the scene.”One reason the variant has gained ground, scientists say,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-world-health-organization-public-health-7e4cd2f5f6cd2ec87393b3cc9ce41c9c">is that it’s about 30% more contagious than the original omicron</a>. In rare cases, research shows it can sicken people even if they’ve already had an omicron infection — although it doesn’t seem to cause more severe disease.Vaccines appear just as effective against both types of omicron, but breakthrough infections are possible. And experts point out that vaccination rates are lower in the U.S. than the U.K. About 74% of those 12 and older are fully vaccinated in the U.S, compared with 86% in the U.K.”We need to emphasize that we’re not protected in this country compared to peer countries,” Topol said.Still, not all experts are equally concerned about a BA.2-related rise in U.S. cases. Dr. James Musser, head of genomic medicine and infectious diseases at Houston Methodist, said the variant has so far only caused about 1% to 3% of cases in his medical system. Cases there have usually tracked closely with what’s happening in the U.K.He called BA.2 “something we’re keeping an eye on,” but said, “I’m not losing sleep” over it.That’s how many scientists view the other variant that some in the public are calling “deltacron,” a hybrid containing genetic information from both delta and omicron.Earlier this month, Maria Van Kerkhove of the World Health Organization said the hybrid has been detected at “very low levels” in France, the Netherlands and Denmark. And two recent studies, which have not yet been peer-reviewed, point to a tiny number of cases in the U.S.Much remains unknown about the hybrid. There’s no evidence it causes more severe disease, and it doesn’t look like it’s infecting many people. CDC researchers identified 9 samples, seven from the mid-Atlantic region in a&nbsp;<a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.03.19.484981v1.full.pdf+html" target="_blank">study released Monday</a>&nbsp;that hasn’t yet been peer-reviewed. Topol, who was not involved in the research, said there’s no evidence it has the potential to spread.It’s common for coronaviruses to shuffle gene segments, said Dr. Stuart Campbell Ray, an infectious disease expert at Johns Hopkins University. With two variants circulating at the same time, people may get double infections, and a “progeny virus” could emerge.Given the virus’&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-pandemics-dc99bc9f769dd6d7cb669e3d185c6261">ability to spawn new mutants</a>&nbsp;— and the rise of BA.2 — experts say people should get vaccinated if they’re not and keep their masks handy.“Keep your guard up,” Topol said. “This is not over.”___

Scientists worry virus variant may push up COVID cases in US

Coronavirus cases locally continue to ease it appears, with St. Joseph health officals reporting 24 new cases over the weekend, since last issuing a report on Thursday.

Health officials report 15 new positive cases on Friday and nine cumulativley between Saturday and Monday. 

The Buchanan County positivity rate also continues to decline, dropping 1.37% , to 4.16%.

The Andrew County Health department COVID-19 dashboard reports two active cases, with just one positve case over the last week.

Mosaic Life Care reports that hospitalizations remain minimal on its website. 

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostCoronavirus cases locally continue to ease it appears, with St. Joseph health officals reporting 24 new cases over the weekend, since last issuing a report on Thursday.Health officials report 15 new positive cases on Friday and nine cumulativley between Saturday and Monday. The Buchanan County positivity rate also continues to decline, dropping 1.37% , to 4.16%.The Andrew County Health department COVID-19 dashboard reports two active cases, with just one positve case over the last week.Mosaic Life Care reports that hospitalizations remain minimal on its website.

Positive cases of COVID-19 in St. Joseph and Buchanan County remain low

It
appears the coronavirus pandemic continues to ease locally, with St. Joseph
health officials reporting only 20 new COVID-19 cases since last issuing a
report on Monday.

The
St. Joseph Health Department reports 12 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, only
one on Wednesday, and seven Thursday.

Andrew
County reports on its COVID-19 dashboard only three active COVID-19 cases with
only one new case reported in the last week.

Mosaic
Life Care reports its COVID-19 inpatient count is minimal on its website.
Mosaic does not issue a count when cases drop below ten.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostIt
appears the coronavirus pandemic continues to ease locally, with St. Joseph
health officials reporting only 20 new COVID-19 cases since last issuing a
report on Monday.The
St. Joseph Health Department reports 12 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, only
one on Wednesday, and seven Thursday.Andrew
County reports on its COVID-19 dashboard only three active COVID-19 cases with
only one new case reported in the last week.Mosaic
Life Care reports its COVID-19 inpatient count is minimal on its website.
Mosaic does not issue a count when cases drop below ten.

COVID-19 cases continue falling in St. Joseph, Buchanan County

The number of positive COVID-19 cases in Buchanan County remains fairly low, and hospitalizations continue to be minimal.

In their latest report St. Joseph health officials report 54 new cases of COVID-19, with 26 new cases on Tuesday, 20 on Wednesday, and eight on Thursday. 

Buchanan County has reported 24,694 cases since the start of the pandemic. The positivity rate is unchanged. 

Mosaic Life Care reports its hospitalizations are minimal, stating its numbers have dropped below ten.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostThe number of positive COVID-19 cases in Buchanan County remains fairly low, and hospitalizations continue to be minimal.In their latest report St. Joseph health officials report 54 new cases of COVID-19, with 26 new cases on Tuesday, 20 on Wednesday, and eight on Thursday. Buchanan County has reported 24,694 cases since the start of the pandemic. The positivity rate is unchanged. Mosaic Life Care reports its hospitalizations are minimal, stating its numbers have dropped below ten.

Buchanan County sees small rise in number of positive cases, hospitalizations still minimal

TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 513 to a total of 767,482, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp; &nbsp;

The state reported 8 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 7983.

<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.

<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.

As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;

Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.

TOPEKA — The number of confirmed coronavirus cases* (see below) in Kansas increased by 513 to a total of 767,482, the state health department reported Friday afternoon.&nbsp; &nbsp;The state reported 8 additional COVID-19 deaths for a total of 7983.<a href="https://www.kansasvaccine.gov/158/Data">Click here for Data</a> about the COVID-19 vaccine.<a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas">Click here&nbsp;</a>for additional virus numbers from the KDHE.As of August 1, 2021, in accordance with an&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">updated CDC/CSTE surveillance case definition</a>, a confirmed case is defined as a person who tested positive by molecular detection (e.g., PCR, NAA) or identification of SARS-CoV-2 through genetic sequencing. A probable case is defined as a person with: a) presumptive lab evidence (antigen) or b) no lab testing but meeting clinical case criteria and is epi-linked. A person will be counted as a new surveillance case (e.g. reinfection) if they test positive for SARS-CoV-2 by a diagnostic test (i.e., molecular, antigen) and it has been greater than 90 days since the previous positive diagnostic test. In addition, a person with sequencing results identifying different SARS-CoV-2 lineages regardless of the time since the previous specimen sequenced will be counted as a new surveillance case.&nbsp;Cases occurring between&nbsp;September 1, 2020&nbsp;and July 29, 2021 were classified by&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/conditions/coronavirus-disease-2019-covid-19/" target="_blank">previous CDC/CSTE case definition,&nbsp;</a>and cases prior to September 1, 2020 were classified by the&nbsp;<a href="https://ndc.services.cdc.gov/case-definitions/coronavirus-disease-2019-2020/" target="_blank">original case definition</a>.

KDHE: Latest COVID-19 numbers in Kansas

St. Joseph health officials report the  number of positive cases of COVID-19 has risen slightly since their last report.  

The St. Joseph health department reports 51 positive coronaviurs cases in the latest report, with 12 on Tuesday, 19 on Wednesday and 2o on Thursday. 

Officials also report one new death from coronavirus complications, a man in his 20's.

Mosaic Life Care continues to only see hospitalizations in St. Joseph, reporting 16 positive cases. 

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report the number of positive cases of COVID-19 has risen slightly since their last report. The St. Joseph health department reports 51 positive coronaviurs cases in the latest report, with 12 on Tuesday, 19 on Wednesday and 2o on Thursday. Officials also report one new death from coronavirus complications, a man in his 20's.Mosaic Life Care continues to only see hospitalizations in St. Joseph, reporting 16 positive cases.

Buchanan County sees no big spike, but small rise in positive COVID cases

A chemist at Missouri Western State University who advises
local governments and the university on coronavirus policy says the current
trend looks promising.

Gary Clapp keeps up with COVID-19 numbers on a daily basis.

“Right now, we’re in a great trend for us anyway; on the way
down. Whether this be Omicron or whatever next variant might be,” Clapp tells
host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “You look at historical view back at
influenza or the Spanish Flu as what it was called then in 1918. Those waves
happened through the next couple of years and now we just sort of accept the
fact that we’re going to have a flu season in the fall.”

Still, Clapp says it might be a little early to scratch the
word ‘pandemic’ in favor of ‘endemic.’

The latest report issued by the St. Joseph Health Department
discloses a downward trend in COVID-19 cases with only 38 reported in Buchanan
County since last Thursday.

That is in stark contrast to reports issued by the health
department in late January which reported more than 350 new coronavirus cases
in a single day.

Mosaic Life Care reports it is treating 14 COVID-19 patients
in its system as of Tuesday, all in St. Joseph. Mosaic had recently reported
more than 60 COVID patients in its system with nearly 100 at the height of the
pandemic.

Clapp says it appears the very contagious Omicron variant is
loosening its grip on the area.

“This latest wave was terrible, but it wasn’t as devastating,”
Clapp says. “Maybe it was because we’re developing some sort of immunity.”

Clapp says that while another variant could emerge, he believes
the coronavirus is moving toward becoming more like influenza with less
intrusive mitigation efforts replacing the more stringent efforts put in place in hopes of checking the spread of COVID-19.

Clapp served as an associate professor of chemistry before
becoming director of the Science and Technology Incubator on the Missouri
Western campus in St. Joseph. He serves on the Missouri Western COVID-19 advisory
team and has assisted the City of St. Joseph and Buchanan County in setting
COVID-19 policy.

Clapp says that from a chemical standpoint, COVID-19 is twice
the size of influenza.

“Which means it’s not just twice the number of variants,”
Clark says. “It’s two to the X and we don’t even know what X is yet. But I
think it’s at least twice the size of influenza. So, it’s going to be around
and there are going to be variants coming. We should expect this to continue
much the same as influenza is.”

Clapp says it is also significant that the COVID-19 positivity
rate has dropped below 10%, now at 8.01% in Buchanan County.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostA chemist at Missouri Western State University who advises
local governments and the university on coronavirus policy says the current
trend looks promising.Gary Clapp keeps up with COVID-19 numbers on a daily basis.“Right now, we’re in a great trend for us anyway; on the way
down. Whether this be Omicron or whatever next variant might be,” Clapp tells
host Barry Birr on the KFEQ Hotline. “You look at historical view back at
influenza or the Spanish Flu as what it was called then in 1918. Those waves
happened through the next couple of years and now we just sort of accept the
fact that we’re going to have a flu season in the fall.”Still, Clapp says it might be a little early to scratch the
word ‘pandemic’ in favor of ‘endemic.’The latest report issued by the St. Joseph Health Department
discloses a downward trend in COVID-19 cases with only 38 reported in Buchanan
County since last Thursday.That is in stark contrast to reports issued by the health
department in late January which reported more than 350 new coronavirus cases
in a single day.Mosaic Life Care reports it is treating 14 COVID-19 patients
in its system as of Tuesday, all in St. Joseph. Mosaic had recently reported
more than 60 COVID patients in its system with nearly 100 at the height of the
pandemic.Clapp says it appears the very contagious Omicron variant is
loosening its grip on the area.“This latest wave was terrible, but it wasn’t as devastating,”
Clapp says. “Maybe it was because we’re developing some sort of immunity.”Clapp says that while another variant could emerge, he believes
the coronavirus is moving toward becoming more like influenza with less
intrusive mitigation efforts replacing the more stringent efforts put in place in hopes of checking the spread of COVID-19.Clapp served as an associate professor of chemistry before
becoming director of the Science and Technology Incubator on the Missouri
Western campus in St. Joseph. He serves on the Missouri Western COVID-19 advisory
team and has assisted the City of St. Joseph and Buchanan County in setting
COVID-19 policy.Clapp says that from a chemical standpoint, COVID-19 is twice
the size of influenza.“Which means it’s not just twice the number of variants,”
Clark says. “It’s two to the X and we don’t even know what X is yet. But I
think it’s at least twice the size of influenza. So, it’s going to be around
and there are going to be variants coming. We should expect this to continue
much the same as influenza is.”Clapp says it is also significant that the COVID-19 positivity
rate has dropped below 10%, now at 8.01% in Buchanan County.

Advisor says Buchanan County COVID trend looks promising

St.
Joseph health officials report three new COVID-19 related deaths and 109 new
cases in Buchanan County since last issuing a report on Thursday.

 The St. Joseph Health Department reports the three deaths were all women -
two in their 80s and one in her 70s. The Buchanan County COVID death toll now
stands at 252.

COVID
hospitalizations continue to fall locally. Mosaic Life Care reports it is treating 17 COVID-19 patients in its system - all of whom are at the St. Joseph hospital. That’s down
from 27 patients from last week.

The
test positivity rate in Buchanan County stands at 13.32% - that’s down
2.31 percentage points from last week.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostSt.
Joseph health officials report three new COVID-19 related deaths and 109 new
cases in Buchanan County since last issuing a report on Thursday. The St. Joseph Health Department reports the three deaths were all women -
two in their 80s and one in her 70s. The Buchanan County COVID death toll now
stands at 252.COVID
hospitalizations continue to fall locally. Mosaic Life Care reports it is treating 17 COVID-19 patients in its system - all of whom are at the St. Joseph hospital. That’s down
from 27 patients from last week.The
test positivity rate in Buchanan County stands at 13.32% - that’s down
2.31 percentage points from last week.

St. Joseph reports 3 new COVID-19 deaths; drop in hospitalizations

Health departments across the region are beginning to see positive cases of COVID-19 steadily drop. &nbsp;

St. Joseph Health Educator Nancy King says the numbers have declined enough that for now it's safe to take a breath, but she's unsure for how long.&nbsp;

"That's the thing about the virus is that we just aren't really sure at what point are we going to be moving from the pandemic designation to an endemic type of designation," King tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post&nbsp;

Andrew County Health Nurse Manager Jayne White says numbers are also declining in Andrew County.

"Our numbers have declined as well and that's kind of what we've seen throughout the pandemic, is that we'll have a sharp increase and then a few weeks goes by and typically we see it come back down, and we're absolutely seeing that here too," White says.&nbsp;

King says the health department's concern as the numbers drop, is if another variant of COVID-19 is on the way. &nbsp;

"It's just the concern of, is there another variant that's going to come along that may be as contagious or more contagious than Omicron, is it going to cause more serious illness, those are just some things to be concerned with," King explains. "They're already talking about the BA.2 subvariant, they're calling it like a stealth Omicron."&nbsp;

King says that with a lower number of cases, it's ok to go back to doing normal activities and gathering together, not being as strict about safety.&nbsp;

But King also says that it's important to keep up on the news to be aware if something were to change. &nbsp;

"To see if there is an increase in cases that may want to cause us to go back to some of the measures like masking, or social distancing, or avoiding those crowded indoor places," King says. "But you know a lot of it is going to depend on how serious a new variant may be."&nbsp;

As of Friday, the St. Joseph Health Department was reporting 22 positive cases of COVID-19. Mosaic LIfe Care reports 19 COVID hospitalizations, all in St. Joseph.&nbsp;

In Kansas, the Doniphan County Health Department reports 16 active cases of COVID-19, the northeast Kansas county has seen 2, 124 positive cases.&nbsp;

By MATT PIKE&nbsp;St. Joseph Post&nbsp;Health departments across the region are beginning to see positive cases of COVID-19 steadily drop. &nbsp;St. Joseph Health Educator Nancy King says the numbers have declined enough that for now it's safe to take a breath, but she's unsure for how long.&nbsp;"That's the thing about the virus is that we just aren't really sure at what point are we going to be moving from the pandemic designation to an endemic type of designation," King tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post&nbsp;Andrew County Health Nurse Manager Jayne White says numbers are also declining in Andrew County."Our numbers have declined as well and that's kind of what we've seen throughout the pandemic, is that we'll have a sharp increase and then a few weeks goes by and typically we see it come back down, and we're absolutely seeing that here too," White says.&nbsp;King says the health department's concern as the numbers drop, is if another variant of COVID-19 is on the way. &nbsp;"It's just the concern of, is there another variant that's going to come along that may be as contagious or more contagious than Omicron, is it going to cause more serious illness, those are just some things to be concerned with," King explains. "They're already talking about the BA.2 subvariant, they're calling it like a stealth Omicron."&nbsp;King says that with a lower number of cases, it's ok to go back to doing normal activities and gathering together, not being as strict about safety.&nbsp;But King also says that it's important to keep up on the news to be aware if something were to change. &nbsp;"To see if there is an increase in cases that may want to cause us to go back to some of the measures like masking, or social distancing, or avoiding those crowded indoor places," King says. "But you know a lot of it is going to depend on how serious a new variant may be."&nbsp;As of Friday, the St. Joseph Health Department was reporting 22 positive cases of COVID-19. Mosaic LIfe Care reports 19 COVID hospitalizations, all in St. Joseph.&nbsp;In Kansas, the Doniphan County Health Department reports 16 active cases of COVID-19, the northeast Kansas county has seen 2, 124 positive cases.&nbsp;

COVID-19 cases continue to steadily decline across the region

New
COVID-19 cases continue to decline locally, with the St. Joseph Health
Department reporting only 115 new cases since last issuing a report on Monday.

St.
Joseph health officials report 27 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, 52 on
Wednesday, and 36 on Thursday.

That
is in stark contrast to the cases reported at the end of last month when St.
Joseph health officials reported a total of 729 new cases with daily numbers well
above 200 and some even close to 300.

Mosaic Life Care continues to report a drop in COVID hospitalizations. Mosaic reports it is treating 30 COVID-19 patients system-wide; 29 in St. Joseph and one in Maryville.

This article has been updated with the latest numbers.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNew
COVID-19 cases continue to decline locally, with the St. Joseph Health
Department reporting only 115 new cases since last issuing a report on Monday.St.
Joseph health officials report 27 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, 52 on
Wednesday, and 36 on Thursday.That
is in stark contrast to the cases reported at the end of last month when St.
Joseph health officials reported a total of 729 new cases with daily numbers well
above 200 and some even close to 300.Mosaic Life Care continues to report a drop in COVID hospitalizations. Mosaic reports it is treating 30 COVID-19 patients system-wide; 29 in St. Joseph and one in Maryville.This article has been updated with the latest numbers.

COVID-19 cases continue to drop in Buchanan County

COVID-19 hospitalizations and cases are continuing to trend downward in Buchanan County. 

St. Joseph health officials report 104 new positive cases of coronavirus, 33 on Friday and 71 cumulatively between Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. The three day weekend numbers are not finalized due to Lincoln's birthday on Friday and state offices were closed. 

Health officials also report one new death due to COVID complications, a woman in her 80's.  

The Buchanan County positivity rate continues to decline dropping 5.74%, to 15.63%.

Mosaic Life Care reports 36 COVID patients system wide with 35 in St. Joseph and one in Maryville.

By MATT PIKESt. Joseph PostCOVID-19 hospitalizations and cases are continuing to trend downward in Buchanan County. St. Joseph health officials report 104 new positive cases of coronavirus, 33 on Friday and 71 cumulatively between Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. The three day weekend numbers are not finalized due to Lincoln's birthday on Friday and state offices were closed. Health officials also report one new death due to COVID complications, a woman in her 80's. The Buchanan County positivity rate continues to decline dropping 5.74%, to 15.63%.Mosaic Life Care reports 36 COVID patients system wide with 35 in St. Joseph and one in Maryville.

Buchanan County continuing to see steady decline in COVID numbers

By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph Post

New
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to ease in Buchanan County.

By BRENT MARTIN St. Joseph PostNew
COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations continue to ease in Buchanan County.The
St. Joseph Health Department reports 227 new coronavirus cases since last
issuing an official report on Monday, with 58 on Tuesday, 119 on Wednesday, and
50 on Thursday.The
department does report an additional death from COVID complications, a man in
his 60’s who died late last month.The
Buchanan County positivity rate dropped as well, falling more than five percent
to 21.37%.Mosaic
Life Care reports a drop in COVID-19 patients with 41 being treated
system-wide; 40 in St. Joseph and one in Maryville.

Coronavirus Update