COVID-19 hospitalizations have eased a bit locally.

Mosaic Life Care reports it is treating 45 total COVID-19
patients as of Monday morning; 42 in St. Jospeh, one in Maryville, and two in
Albany.

&nbsp;Mosaic reported 49
total hospitalizations Friday.

The St. Joseph Health Department is scheduled to provide an official update of new coronavirus cases this afternoon.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostCOVID-19 hospitalizations have eased a bit locally.Mosaic Life Care reports it is treating 45 total COVID-19
patients as of Monday morning; 42 in St. Jospeh, one in Maryville, and two in
Albany.&nbsp;Mosaic reported 49
total hospitalizations Friday.The St. Joseph Health Department is scheduled to provide an official update of new coronavirus cases this afternoon.

Local COVID-19 hospitalizations down slightly

By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-26/kansas-coronavirus-cases-skyrocket-from-hundreds-to-thousands-per-week">Kansas News Service</a>

Kansas has managed to travel backward in pandemic time. Suddenly it’s February again.

Except this time, the state faces a version of COVID-19 that’s twice as contagious.

The
 delta variant is plowing through a lightly vaccinated population, and 
multiplying fast. In mid-June, Kansas saw hundreds of new cases a week. 
Now, there are thousands of new cases per week.

Say
 you get a shot of Pfizer tomorrow, then the second dose three weeks 
later. A couple more weeks must pass before your body has built up its 
arsenal of antibodies to guard you against hospitalization and death.

“Five
 weeks is a long time,” deputy state health officer Joan Duwve said. 
“That’s just a prime opportunity for this virus to find you, to make you
 sick and to spread to other members of your family.”

Yes, you can
 still catch COVID-19 after getting a vaccine, but misinformation about 
what that means deflects from this simple fact: For the vast majority of
 people, your vaccinated body will be ready for it.

“These are 
just heroic vaccines,” said Vaughn Cooper, who heads the Center for 
Evolutionary Biology and Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. “The 
chief scientific achievements of my lifetime.”

Around 99% of recent coronavirus deaths in the U.S. and 97% of the hospitalizations involved people who were <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/16/1017002907/u-s-covid-deaths-are-rising-again-experts-call-it-a-pandemic-of-the-unvaccinated" target="_blank">unvaccinated</a>.

Each day, a few thousand Kansans get a shot of the vaccine that scientists say can stop this pandemic.

Meantime, Kansas hospitals are filling beds fast, and some are <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-07-22/kansas-city-hospitals-at-tipping-point-as-beds-fill-up-with-more-than-just-covid-patients" target="_blank">turning away seriously ill COVID patients from other areas</a> and asking nurses to sign up for extra shifts.

In late April, Kansas identified its first case of the delta variant. Now <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">almost all</a> the COVID cases here are this flavor.

Kansas sits smack dab in the delta zone, wedged between <a href="https://fortune.com/2021/07/21/delta-variant-covid-cases-states-where-its-most-prevalent/" target="_blank">other states</a> with the same problem — most notably, Missouri, where preventable infections are overwhelming hospitals in <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/07/delta-missouri-pandemic-surge/619456/" target="_blank">Springfield</a>.

And
 so delta is doing what delta does best: spreading. The Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention lists Kansas as one of 17 states with <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_community" target="_blank">high transmission levels</a> right now.

Not satisfied with hugging the Missouri border, the variant has 
crisscrossed the state, fueling upticks around Junction City, Wichita 
and other areas.

On the past three Mondays, Ascension Via Christi’s St. Francis Hospital in Wichita went from 13 patients to 20 to 46.

Dr. Sam Antonios, Via Christi’s chief clinical officer, described the health system’s staff as “disheartened.”

“They obviously don't want to have to go back to the same level of severity of illness,” he said.

Ascension built up significant stores of protective garb, testing gear and other supplies in the wake of last year’s shortages.

“What
 will continue to be the challenge is getting all the right staff in the
 right places,” he said. “We’re bringing in extra staff where we can and
 where we need to. However, it would be better for us to not have to do 
any of that.”

And that’s possible, scientists say, if people lean on the same tools that helped combat other varieties of COVID-19.

You’ve heard it before. It matters again. Wearing masks. Social distancing. Limiting gatherings to outdoors or <a href="https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/our-work/pubs_archive/pubs-pdfs/2021/20210526-school-ventilation.pdf" target="_blank">well-ventilated</a> spaces. Getting the vaccine. Going for a <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/280/COVID-19-Testing" target="_blank">free coronavirus test</a> if you have so much as the sniffles.

Could
 it get as bad as last December, when daily COVID inpatients topped 
1,000 and desperate hospitals spent hours calling each other in search 
of a free bed, only to send critically ill patients hours by ambulance 
out of state to Omaha or whatever other Midwest city had a free spot 
that day?

Experts lean toward “no,” but with significant caveats.

The
 good news: 80% of the state’s residents 65 years and older got 
vaccinated. That group faced the biggest risks from COVID-19. So with 
far fewer older people landing in the hospital, the hope is to avoid 
running out of beds like last winter.

But the other 20% of people over the age of 65 who didn’t get vaccinated are still a lot of people.

And on the whole, less than half the state’s population got the shots. In many counties, less than a third.

That’s not enough to keep such a swift moving variant in check, as Springfield shows.

“We
 don’t, unfortunately, have high enough vaccination in Kansas or 
Missouri” to slow the spread, said Amber D’Souza, a professor of 
epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 
“It’s going to have to be preventive measures — distancing and 
behavioral changes.”

Delta “is just a harder battle,” she said. “Because it is spreading to more people each time someone is infected.”

The new variant generates <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01986-w" target="_blank">far more copies</a>
 of itself in a person, which helps it reach the next one. Even a 
vaccinated person with little in the way of symptoms could pass the 
germs along to an unvaccinated friend, who then gets very ill.

So 
while the U.S. as a whole shouldn’t see inpatient numbers and deaths 
spike as high as last winter, experts like D’Souza warn that some parts of the country could get clobbered just as bad this fall.

Last winter, the U.S. was racking up more than <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailytrendscases" target="_blank">200,000 new confirmed infections a day</a>,
 which fell to around 10,000 earlier this summer. With the advent of 
delta, the country is back to reporting more than 60,000 a day.

Kansas confirmed nearly 4,000 new cases last week and daily inpatient
 numbers have climbed back to nearly 400. The state hasn’t seen figures 
like that since February.

“It is scary,” said Duwve, from the state health department.

“That
 story has yet to be written,” she said. “Because we as individuals have
 a lot of control over our behavior, and we know that there are things 
we can do to prevent the ongoing spread.”

Schools face a tough decision for that reason: whether to make students mask up when classes restart in a few weeks.

“The
 safest thing to do is to wear masks all the time,” D’Souza said. “But 
there's a cost for that. For everyone's comfort, right?”

The 
ideal, she said, is for school districts to set a threshold. When the 
case rate in their area hits that number, it’s time to put on the masks.

But some school districts might find it difficult to communicate that plan to the public, she said.

So if superintendents have to make a call in August and stick with it, then they’ve got to look at the outlook now.

Apparently, Kansas City doctors think the situation is bad enough to warrant masking up.

Last week, 100 of them signed <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-22/despite-covid-surge-and-advice-from-health-experts-most-kansas-schoolkids-wont-have-to-wear-masks" target="_blank">an open letter</a> begging schools to have unvaccinated students and teachers wear masks this fall.

So far just one major Kansas school district — Kansas City, Kansas — has agreed.

Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627330587128.png" alt="Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3" />
 <figcaption>Carlos Moreno / KCUR 89.3</figcaption>
 </figure>By CELIA LLOPIS-JEPSEN <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-26/kansas-coronavirus-cases-skyrocket-from-hundreds-to-thousands-per-week">Kansas News Service</a>Kansas has managed to travel backward in pandemic time. Suddenly it’s February again.Except this time, the state faces a version of COVID-19 that’s twice as contagious.The
 delta variant is plowing through a lightly vaccinated population, and 
multiplying fast. In mid-June, Kansas saw hundreds of new cases a week. 
Now, there are thousands of new cases per week.That’s why time really matters.Say
 you get a shot of Pfizer tomorrow, then the second dose three weeks 
later. A couple more weeks must pass before your body has built up its 
arsenal of antibodies to guard you against hospitalization and death.“Five
 weeks is a long time,” deputy state health officer Joan Duwve said. 
“That’s just a prime opportunity for this virus to find you, to make you
 sick and to spread to other members of your family.”Yes, you can
 still catch COVID-19 after getting a vaccine, but misinformation about 
what that means deflects from this simple fact: For the vast majority of
 people, your vaccinated body will be ready for it.“These are 
just heroic vaccines,” said Vaughn Cooper, who heads the Center for 
Evolutionary Biology and Medicine at the University of Pittsburgh. “The 
chief scientific achievements of my lifetime.”Around 99% of recent coronavirus deaths in the U.S. and 97% of the hospitalizations involved people who were <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/07/16/1017002907/u-s-covid-deaths-are-rising-again-experts-call-it-a-pandemic-of-the-unvaccinated" target="_blank">unvaccinated</a>.Each day, a few thousand Kansans get a shot of the vaccine that scientists say can stop this pandemic.Meantime, Kansas hospitals are filling beds fast, and some are <a href="https://www.kcur.org/health/2021-07-22/kansas-city-hospitals-at-tipping-point-as-beds-fill-up-with-more-than-just-covid-patients" target="_blank">turning away seriously ill COVID patients from other areas</a> and asking nurses to sign up for extra shifts.<h2>The delta in Kansas</h2>In late April, Kansas identified its first case of the delta variant. Now <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/160/COVID-19-in-Kansas" target="_blank">almost all</a> the COVID cases here are this flavor.Kansas sits smack dab in the delta zone, wedged between <a href="https://fortune.com/2021/07/21/delta-variant-covid-cases-states-where-its-most-prevalent/" target="_blank">other states</a> with the same problem — most notably, Missouri, where preventable infections are overwhelming hospitals in <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2021/07/delta-missouri-pandemic-surge/619456/" target="_blank">Springfield</a>.And
 so delta is doing what delta does best: spreading. The Centers for 
Disease Control and Prevention lists Kansas as one of 17 states with <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#cases_community" target="_blank">high transmission levels</a> right now.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627330645256.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Not satisfied with hugging the Missouri border, the variant has 
crisscrossed the state, fueling upticks around Junction City, Wichita 
and other areas.On the past three Mondays, Ascension Via Christi’s St. Francis Hospital in Wichita went from 13 patients to 20 to 46.Dr. Sam Antonios, Via Christi’s chief clinical officer, described the health system’s staff as “disheartened.”“They obviously don't want to have to go back to the same level of severity of illness,” he said.Ascension built up significant stores of protective garb, testing gear and other supplies in the wake of last year’s shortages.“What
 will continue to be the challenge is getting all the right staff in the
 right places,” he said. “We’re bringing in extra staff where we can and
 where we need to. However, it would be better for us to not have to do 
any of that.”And that’s possible, scientists say, if people lean on the same tools that helped combat other varieties of COVID-19.You’ve heard it before. It matters again. Wearing masks. Social distancing. Limiting gatherings to outdoors or <a href="https://www.centerforhealthsecurity.org/our-work/pubs_archive/pubs-pdfs/2021/20210526-school-ventilation.pdf" target="_blank">well-ventilated</a> spaces. Getting the vaccine. Going for a <a href="https://www.coronavirus.kdheks.gov/280/COVID-19-Testing" target="_blank">free coronavirus test</a> if you have so much as the sniffles.<h2>The big question</h2>How bad will it get in Kansas?Could
 it get as bad as last December, when daily COVID inpatients topped 
1,000 and desperate hospitals spent hours calling each other in search 
of a free bed, only to send critically ill patients hours by ambulance 
out of state to Omaha or whatever other Midwest city had a free spot 
that day?Experts lean toward “no,” but with significant caveats.The
 good news: 80% of the state’s residents 65 years and older got 
vaccinated. That group faced the biggest risks from COVID-19. So with 
far fewer older people landing in the hospital, the hope is to avoid 
running out of beds like last winter.But the other 20% of people over the age of 65 who didn’t get vaccinated are still a lot of people.And on the whole, less than half the state’s population got the shots. In many counties, less than a third.That’s not enough to keep such a swift moving variant in check, as Springfield shows.“We
 don’t, unfortunately, have high enough vaccination in Kansas or 
Missouri” to slow the spread, said Amber D’Souza, a professor of 
epidemiology at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. 
“It’s going to have to be preventive measures — distancing and 
behavioral changes.”Delta “is just a harder battle,” she said. “Because it is spreading to more people each time someone is infected.”The new variant generates <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-021-01986-w" target="_blank">far more copies</a>
 of itself in a person, which helps it reach the next one. Even a 
vaccinated person with little in the way of symptoms could pass the 
germs along to an unvaccinated friend, who then gets very ill.So 
while the U.S. as a whole shouldn’t see inpatient numbers and deaths 
spike as high as last winter, experts like D’Souza warn that some parts of the country could get clobbered just as bad this fall.Last winter, the U.S. was racking up more than <a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#trends_dailytrendscases" target="_blank">200,000 new confirmed infections a day</a>,
 which fell to around 10,000 earlier this summer. With the advent of 
delta, the country is back to reporting more than 60,000 a day.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/7/1627330675834.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Kansas confirmed nearly 4,000 new cases last week and daily inpatient
 numbers have climbed back to nearly 400. The state hasn’t seen figures 
like that since February.“It is scary,” said Duwve, from the state health department.So what happens next?“That
 story has yet to be written,” she said. “Because we as individuals have
 a lot of control over our behavior, and we know that there are things 
we can do to prevent the ongoing spread.”<h2>The school debate</h2>Schools face a tough decision for that reason: whether to make students mask up when classes restart in a few weeks.“The
 safest thing to do is to wear masks all the time,” D’Souza said. “But 
there's a cost for that. For everyone's comfort, right?”The 
ideal, she said, is for school districts to set a threshold. When the 
case rate in their area hits that number, it’s time to put on the masks.But some school districts might find it difficult to communicate that plan to the public, she said.So if superintendents have to make a call in August and stick with it, then they’ve got to look at the outlook now.Apparently, Kansas City doctors think the situation is bad enough to warrant masking up.Last week, 100 of them signed <a href="https://www.kcur.org/news/2021-07-22/despite-covid-surge-and-advice-from-health-experts-most-kansas-schoolkids-wont-have-to-wear-masks" target="_blank">an open letter</a> begging schools to have unvaccinated students and teachers wear masks this fall.So far just one major Kansas school district — Kansas City, Kansas — has agreed.Celia
 Llopis-Jepsen reports on consumer health for the Kansas News Service. 
You can follow her on Twitter @celia_LJ or email her at celia@kcur.org.

Kan. COVID cases skyrocket from hundreds to thousands per week 

Our
renewed surge in COVID-19 cases continues.

The
St. Joseph Health Department reports a total of 254 new cases in Buchanan
County since last issuing a report on Monday; 73 on Tuesday, 84 on Wednesday,
and 97 on Thursday. The county now has a 15.43% positivity rate.

The
department also reports three additional coronavirus-related deaths; a man in
his 40's, a man in his 80's, and a woman in her 90's.

Mosaic
Life Care reports it is treating 52 COVID-19 patients in its system; 51 in St.
Joseph and one in Maryville.

Buchanan
County now has recorded 12,112 cases since the coronavirus pandemic began, resulting in 192 deaths.

Andrew
County reports 15 new cases on its COVID-19 dashboard with 84 active cases.
Andrew County has recorded 2,350 total cases and 24 deaths.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostOur
renewed surge in COVID-19 cases continues.The
St. Joseph Health Department reports a total of 254 new cases in Buchanan
County since last issuing a report on Monday; 73 on Tuesday, 84 on Wednesday,
and 97 on Thursday. The county now has a 15.43% positivity rate.The
department also reports three additional coronavirus-related deaths; a man in
his 40's, a man in his 80's, and a woman in her 90's.Mosaic
Life Care reports it is treating 52 COVID-19 patients in its system; 51 in St.
Joseph and one in Maryville.Buchanan
County now has recorded 12,112 cases since the coronavirus pandemic began, resulting in 192 deaths.Andrew
County reports 15 new cases on its COVID-19 dashboard with 84 active cases.
Andrew County has recorded 2,350 total cases and 24 deaths.

COVID-19 rebound continues locally

With the COVID-19 Delta variant surging in northwest Missouri, and with vaccination rates remaining low in certain areas, public health departments in Region H issued a Public Health Advisory due to the rising number of cases and hospitalizations locally.

The group most at risk is those who are unvaccinated and have resumed normal activities without practicing any type of social distancing measures, especially those who are immunocompromised.

Stephanie Malita, a health educator at the St. Joseph Health Department, hopes the issuance of the public health advisory encourages more people to protect themselves by getting immunized.

"We want to show a uniform message," Malita said. "That everyone in the region is concerned, and we are all hopeful that citizens in our counties will seek the vaccine at a higher rate."

Only 25 percent of all residents in Missouri's Region H are fully vaccinated. Buchanan County has the lowest rate, with only 19.7 percent of its population fully vaccinated. In DeKalb County, that rate is 20.3 percent.

Malita says there are many people in the region who will likely never get vaccinated. But if that's the case, she hopes those who are unvaccinated will practice social distancing measures in order to protect themselves and their communities.

"There are people in our communities that just do not want to get the vaccine," Malita said. "And while we wish they would, the other option to protect themselves and their community is wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing."

Teresa McDonald, the Tri-County Health Department Administrator, says the younger adult population is especially resistant to COVID vaccines.

"Overall, a general consensus amongst our 20-40 population is that they're going to be just fine if they get the vaccine or not," McDonald said. "They don't see the risk."

New cases have increased throughout Region H, particularly in Buchanan County, where there's been 323 cases reported within the last week. The county has been averaging 54.5 new cases per day over the last two weeks.

Malita says these numbers are higher than they were at this time last year, and the daily case rate is similar to what it was during the height of the pandemic last November and December.

"Upside is we have a vaccine now," she said. "It's just important we get more people vaccinated."

The highest rates of new COVID cases have been seen in southwest Missouri, where 265 patients are hospitalized in Greene County, which is higher than any other point in the pandemic.

Forty percent of residents in Greene County are fully vaccinated. With less than 20 percent of people fully vaccinated in Buchanan County, and with 53 patients hospitalized in the Mosaic Life Care system, Malita says the situation in the southwest is especially alarming for health officials in the northwest region.

"Four out of five people in our community are unvaccinated," she said, "so that is cause for concern absolutely."

While imposing new restrictions and mask mandates doesn't seem to be on the horizon for Buchanan County at the moment, Malita and others across Region H continue to urge their residents to get vaccinated.

While there have been a handful of new cases in fully vaccinated residents, symptoms are far less severe and the chances of hospitalization and death are far lower.

"What the vaccine does is reduce the risk of hospitalization or death," Malita said. "If you're someone with an immunocompromised system ad you're around people who are unvaccinated and you get COVID-19, that's a scary proposition.

"We have higher (cases and hospitalizations) now than we had at this time last year, and last year, we didn't have a vaccine available. So...we're moving in the wrong direction."

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1617126125108.jpeg" alt="Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostWith the COVID-19 Delta variant surging in northwest Missouri, and with vaccination rates remaining low in certain areas, public health departments in Region H issued a Public Health Advisory due to the rising number of cases and hospitalizations locally.The group most at risk is those who are unvaccinated and have resumed normal activities without practicing any type of social distancing measures, especially those who are immunocompromised.Stephanie Malita, a health educator at the St. Joseph Health Department, hopes the issuance of the public health advisory encourages more people to protect themselves by getting immunized."We want to show a uniform message," Malita said. "That everyone in the region is concerned, and we are all hopeful that citizens in our counties will seek the vaccine at a higher rate."Only 25 percent of all residents in Missouri's Region H are fully vaccinated. Buchanan County has the lowest rate, with only 19.7 percent of its population fully vaccinated. In DeKalb County, that rate is 20.3 percent.Malita says there are many people in the region who will likely never get vaccinated. But if that's the case, she hopes those who are unvaccinated will practice social distancing measures in order to protect themselves and their communities."There are people in our communities that just do not want to get the vaccine," Malita said. "And while we wish they would, the other option to protect themselves and their community is wearing a mask and maintaining social distancing."Teresa McDonald, the Tri-County Health Department Administrator, says the younger adult population is especially resistant to COVID vaccines."Overall, a general consensus amongst our 20-40 population is that they're going to be just fine if they get the vaccine or not," McDonald said. "They don't see the risk."New cases have increased throughout Region H, particularly in Buchanan County, where there's been 323 cases reported within the last week. The county has been averaging 54.5 new cases per day over the last two weeks.Malita says these numbers are higher than they were at this time last year, and the daily case rate is similar to what it was during the height of the pandemic last November and December."Upside is we have a vaccine now," she said. "It's just important we get more people vaccinated."The highest rates of new COVID cases have been seen in southwest Missouri, where 265 patients are hospitalized in Greene County, which is higher than any other point in the pandemic.Forty percent of residents in Greene County are fully vaccinated. With less than 20 percent of people fully vaccinated in Buchanan County, and with 53 patients hospitalized in the Mosaic Life Care system, Malita says the situation in the southwest is especially alarming for health officials in the northwest region."Four out of five people in our community are unvaccinated," she said, "so that is cause for concern absolutely."While imposing new restrictions and mask mandates doesn't seem to be on the horizon for Buchanan County at the moment, Malita and others across Region H continue to urge their residents to get vaccinated.While there have been a handful of new cases in fully vaccinated residents, symptoms are far less severe and the chances of hospitalization and death are far lower."What the vaccine does is reduce the risk of hospitalization or death," Malita said. "If you're someone with an immunocompromised system ad you're around people who are unvaccinated and you get COVID-19, that's a scary proposition."We have higher (cases and hospitalizations) now than we had at this time last year, and last year, we didn't have a vaccine available. So...we're moving in the wrong direction."<div><iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FStJosephHealthDepartment%2Fposts%2F4492612550773633&show_text=true&width=500" width="500" height="799" style="border:none;overflow:hidden" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" allow="autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; picture-in-picture; web-share"></iframe></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Region H health officials hope Public Health Advisory boosts COVID vaccination rate

The
St. Joseph Health Department reports new coronavirus cases continue to rise in
Buchanan County with the county positivity rate rising nearly a full percent.

Also,
the department reports an additional coronavirus-related death; a woman in her
50s. That brings the Buchanan County death toll since the pandemic began to
189. Buchanan County has reported 11,858 COVID-19 cases since the beginning of
the pandemic.

Mosaic
Life Care reports it is treating 56 COVID-19 patients as of Monday morning; 53
in St. Joseph and three in Maryville.

St.
Joseph health officials report 166 new coronavirus cases since last issuing a
formal report on Thursday. Officials report 63 cases on Friday and 103 on
Monday with no reporting on Saturday or Sunday.

The
Buchanan County positivity rate has increased from 14.55% to 15.43%.

Buchanan
County has a 19.7% vaccination rate with 17,204 residents completing their coronavirus
vaccination.

Andrew
County health officials report 64 active COVID-19 cases with 55 new cases
arising in the last seven days. Andrew County has recorded 2,293 cases since
the pandemic began, resulting in 23 deaths.

The
Kansas Department of Health reports Doniphan County has a total of 1,095 cases
since the pandemic began.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostThe
St. Joseph Health Department reports new coronavirus cases continue to rise in
Buchanan County with the county positivity rate rising nearly a full percent.Also,
the department reports an additional coronavirus-related death; a woman in her
50s. That brings the Buchanan County death toll since the pandemic began to
189. Buchanan County has reported 11,858 COVID-19 cases since the beginning of
the pandemic.Mosaic
Life Care reports it is treating 56 COVID-19 patients as of Monday morning; 53
in St. Joseph and three in Maryville.St.
Joseph health officials report 166 new coronavirus cases since last issuing a
formal report on Thursday. Officials report 63 cases on Friday and 103 on
Monday with no reporting on Saturday or Sunday.The
Buchanan County positivity rate has increased from 14.55% to 15.43%.Buchanan
County has a 19.7% vaccination rate with 17,204 residents completing their coronavirus
vaccination.Andrew
County health officials report 64 active COVID-19 cases with 55 new cases
arising in the last seven days. Andrew County has recorded 2,293 cases since
the pandemic began, resulting in 23 deaths.The
Kansas Department of Health reports Doniphan County has a total of 1,095 cases
since the pandemic began.

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

Mosaic Life Care reports it is treating 56 COVID-19 patients
in its system.

Mosaic says as of today, it is treating 53 of the patients at
the St. Joseph hospital with three being treated in Maryville. Those are the
same numbers as Mosaic released Sunday.

St. Joseph health officials reported 63 new coronavirus cases
in Buchanan County Friday, which followed a report of 78 on Thursday.

Andrew County reports 55 COVID-19 cases in the last seven days
with 64 active county cases.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostMosaic Life Care reports it is treating 56 COVID-19 patients
in its system.Mosaic says as of today, it is treating 53 of the patients at
the St. Joseph hospital with three being treated in Maryville. Those are the
same numbers as Mosaic released Sunday.St. Joseph health officials reported 63 new coronavirus cases
in Buchanan County Friday, which followed a report of 78 on Thursday.Andrew County reports 55 COVID-19 cases in the last seven days
with 64 active county cases.

Mosaic Life Care reports treating 56 COVID-19 patients

New coronavirus cases continue their roller coaster ride this
week with the St. Joseph Health Department reporting 78 new COVID-19 cases in
Buchanan County on Thursday.

That number follows a report of 39 new cases on Wednesday and
135 on Tuesday.

St. Joseph health officials also report two additional deaths;
a man in his 80s and a woman in her 60s.

Meanwhile, Mosaic Life Care reports no change in its COVID-19
patient count from Thursday. Mosaic reports that as of Friday morning, it has
51 COVID-19 patients in its system; 48 in St. Joseph and three in Maryville.

Buchanan County continues to have a low vaccination rate with
under 20% of the county population completing the COVID-19 vaccinations.

Andrew County reports seven new COVID-19 cases with 74 active
cases. Andrew County reports 61 new cases in the past week.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostNew coronavirus cases continue their roller coaster ride this
week with the St. Joseph Health Department reporting 78 new COVID-19 cases in
Buchanan County on Thursday.That number follows a report of 39 new cases on Wednesday and
135 on Tuesday.St. Joseph health officials also report two additional deaths;
a man in his 80s and a woman in her 60s.Meanwhile, Mosaic Life Care reports no change in its COVID-19
patient count from Thursday. Mosaic reports that as of Friday morning, it has
51 COVID-19 patients in its system; 48 in St. Joseph and three in Maryville.Buchanan County continues to have a low vaccination rate with
under 20% of the county population completing the COVID-19 vaccinations.Andrew County reports seven new COVID-19 cases with 74 active
cases. Andrew County reports 61 new cases in the past week.

COVID cases locally down, then up

COVID cases continue to spike across portions of Missouri, including in the northwest region where vaccination rates remain low.

In Buchanan County, 176 new cases were reported from July 8-12, and 135 more were reported on Tuesday alone.

Mosaic Life Care is currently treating 53 COVID patients - 51 in St. Joseph and two in Maryville. This comes as less than 20 percent of Buchanan County is fully vaccinated.

St. Joseph City Councilmember Kent O'Dell says a full return to normalcy and reaching herd immunity cannot be achieved if more people don't get vaccinated.

"Unfortunately in Missouri, Arkansas and a few other states, they have hard-headed people that have decided they don't want to get a vaccination and that's holding us up," he said. "We can't reach herd immunity if everyone's just going to reserve the right to not get a vaccination and stay away from herd immunity, which we're all dying to have."

O'Dell says he and other councilmembers have been receiving a lot of emails and comments from constituents who are concerned about the rising level of cases and hospitalizations.

While reimplementing restrictions and mandates doesn't appear to be on the table any time soon, O'Dell simply urges those in St. Joseph and the surrounding area to do their part in stopping the pandemic.

"Vaccines work," he stated. "It's your choice to not have a vaccine, so be it. You choose the bed you lay in, but you're holding back everybody else."

In Andrew County, there have been 87 new cases since July 1, with 68 cases currently active - some of the highest daily rates in the county since late December and early January.

Jayne White, nurse manager at the Andrew County Health Department, says they have a vaccine clinic on a weekly basis in Savannah, and also work with faith-based groups and others to get the shot out to those who need it.

She says the rising number of cases has encouraged more people to at least consider the vaccination after being initially hesistant.

"It has increased our vaccination uptake here," White said. "We've had more people coming for vaccines or at least calling and asking about it. So, I'm hopeful that's part of it as well. People just thought it was going to go away on its own."

Over 4,400 people, or 25.2 percent of Andrew County residents, have completed vaccination. While the health department has advocated for mandates and restrictions before, White says getting out of this pandemic will come down to personal responsibility.

"Let's be honest, I don't really know if (restrictions) worked the first time," she said. "Kind of like vaccines. They're either going to take it or they're not. So, I think the message has to be clear. This is what is best and this is how you can protect yourself, and we have to be accountable for our actions."

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

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1622643904241.jpeg" alt="Stock photo." />
 <figcaption>Stock photo.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostCOVID cases continue to spike across portions of Missouri, including in the northwest region where vaccination rates remain low.In Buchanan County, 176 new cases were reported from July 8-12, and 135 more were reported on Tuesday alone.Mosaic Life Care is currently treating 53 COVID patients - 51 in St. Joseph and two in Maryville. This comes as less than 20 percent of Buchanan County is fully vaccinated.St. Joseph City Councilmember Kent O'Dell says a full return to normalcy and reaching herd immunity cannot be achieved if more people don't get vaccinated."Unfortunately in Missouri, Arkansas and a few other states, they have hard-headed people that have decided they don't want to get a vaccination and that's holding us up," he said. "We can't reach herd immunity if everyone's just going to reserve the right to not get a vaccination and stay away from herd immunity, which we're all dying to have."O'Dell says he and other councilmembers have been receiving a lot of emails and comments from constituents who are concerned about the rising level of cases and hospitalizations.While reimplementing restrictions and mandates doesn't appear to be on the table any time soon, O'Dell simply urges those in St. Joseph and the surrounding area to do their part in stopping the pandemic."Vaccines work," he stated. "It's your choice to not have a vaccine, so be it. You choose the bed you lay in, but you're holding back everybody else."In Andrew County, there have been 87 new cases since July 1, with 68 cases currently active - some of the highest daily rates in the county since late December and early January.Jayne White, nurse manager at the Andrew County Health Department, says they have a vaccine clinic on a weekly basis in Savannah, and also work with faith-based groups and others to get the shot out to those who need it.She says the rising number of cases has encouraged more people to at least consider the vaccination after being initially hesistant."It has increased our vaccination uptake here," White said. "We've had more people coming for vaccines or at least calling and asking about it. So, I'm hopeful that's part of it as well. People just thought it was going to go away on its own."Over 4,400 people, or 25.2 percent of Andrew County residents, have completed vaccination. While the health department has advocated for mandates and restrictions before, White says getting out of this pandemic will come down to personal responsibility."Let's be honest, I don't really know if (restrictions) worked the first time," she said. "Kind of like vaccines. They're either going to take it or they're not. So, I think the message has to be clear. This is what is best and this is how you can protect yourself, and we have to be accountable for our actions."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post.

Local officials express concern, urge vaccination with COVID numbers rising

By MATTHEW PERRONE and MIKE STOBBE, Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Johnson &amp; Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine may pose a “small possible risk” of a rare but potentially dangerous neurological reaction, U.S. health officials said Monday.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement it has received reports of 100 people who got the shot developing Guillain-Barré syndrome, an immune system disorder that can cause muscle weakness and occasionally paralysis.

That number represents a tiny fraction of the nearly 13 million Americans who have received the one-dose vaccine. Most cases of the side effect were reported in men — many 50 years old and up — and usually about two weeks after vaccination.

The CDC said it would ask its panel of outside vaccine experts to review the issue at an upcoming meeting. J&amp;J didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

he government said the vaccines most used in the U.S., made by Pfizer and Moderna, show no risk of the disorder after more than 320 million doses have been administered.

Guillain-Barre syndrome occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks some of its nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis that typically is temporary. An estimated 3,000 to 6,000 people develop the syndrome each year, according to the CDC.

Vaccines historically provide broad protection with little risk but come with occasional side effects just like other drugs and medical therapies. The three COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. were each tested in tens of thousands of people, but even such huge studies can’t rule out extremely rare side effects.

The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration have been monitoring side effect reports submitted by physicians, drugmakers and patients to a federal vaccine safety database.

Guillain-Barre can be triggered by a number of infections, including flu, cytomegalovirus and Zika virus. But there have been rare cases in which people develop the disorder days or weeks after receiving certain vaccines.

J&amp;J’s vaccine was highly anticipated because of its one-and-done formulation and easy-to-ship refrigeration. But early on, it was linked to another rare risk, of blood clots, and the company hasn’t been able to produce as much as expected because of problems at a Baltimore factory that helps make the shots.

By MATTHEW PERRONE and MIKE STOBBE, Associated PressWASHINGTON (AP) — Johnson &amp; Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine may pose a “small possible risk” of a rare but potentially dangerous neurological reaction, U.S. health officials said Monday.The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said in a statement it has received reports of 100 people who got the shot developing Guillain-Barré syndrome, an immune system disorder that can cause muscle weakness and occasionally paralysis.That number represents a tiny fraction of the nearly 13 million Americans who have received the one-dose vaccine. Most cases of the side effect were reported in men — many 50 years old and up — and usually about two weeks after vaccination.The CDC said it would ask its panel of outside vaccine experts to review the issue at an upcoming meeting. J&amp;J didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.he government said the vaccines most used in the U.S., made by Pfizer and Moderna, show no risk of the disorder after more than 320 million doses have been administered.Guillain-Barre syndrome occurs when the body’s immune system mistakenly attacks some of its nerve cells, causing muscle weakness and sometimes paralysis that typically is temporary. An estimated 3,000 to 6,000 people develop the syndrome each year, according to the CDC.Vaccines historically provide broad protection with little risk but come with occasional side effects just like other drugs and medical therapies. The three COVID-19 vaccines used in the U.S. were each tested in tens of thousands of people, but even such huge studies can’t rule out extremely rare side effects.The CDC and the Food and Drug Administration have been monitoring side effect reports submitted by physicians, drugmakers and patients to a federal vaccine safety database.Guillain-Barre can be triggered by a number of infections, including flu, cytomegalovirus and Zika virus. But there have been rare cases in which people develop the disorder days or weeks after receiving certain vaccines.J&amp;J’s vaccine was highly anticipated because of its one-and-done formulation and easy-to-ship refrigeration. But early on, it was linked to another rare risk, of blood clots, and the company hasn’t been able to produce as much as expected because of problems at a Baltimore factory that helps make the shots.___

US officials flag "small" risk with J&J vaccine

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer says it plans to meet with top U.S. health officials Monday to discuss the drugmaker’s request for federal authorization of a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine as President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser acknowledged that “it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely” that booster shots will be needed.

The company said it was scheduled to have the meeting with the Food and Drug Administration and other officials Monday, days after Pfizer asserted that booster shots would be needed within 12 months.

Pfizer’s Dr. Mikael Dolsten&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-34c3f2536747a7c08980d7359a8de70c">told The Associated Press&nbsp;</a>last week that early data from the company’s booster study suggests people’s antibody levels jump five- to 10-fold after a third dose, compared to their second dose months earlier — evidence it believes supports the need for a booster.

On Sunday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/director" target="_blank">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>&nbsp;didn’t rule out the possibility but said it was too soon for the government to recommend another shot. He said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA did the right thing last week by pushing back against Pfizer’s assertion with their statement that they did not view booster shots as necessary “at this time.”

Fauci said clinical studies and laboratory data have yet to fully bear out the need for a booster to the current two-shot Pfizer and Moderna vaccines or the one-shot Johnson &amp; Johnson regimen.

“Right now, given the data and the information we have, we do not need to give people a third shot,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we stop there. ... There are studies being done now ongoing as we speak about looking at the feasibility about if and when we should be boosting people.”

He said it was quite possible in the coming months “as data evolves” that the government may urge a booster based on such factors as age and underlying medical conditions. “Certainly it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely at some time, we will need a boost,″ Fauci said.

Monday’s planned meeting between Pfizer and U.S. health officials was first reported by The Washington Post.

Currently only about 48% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated. Some parts of the country have far lower immunization rates, and in those places the delta variant is surging. Last week, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said that’s leading to “two truths” — highly immunized swaths of America are getting back to normal while hospitalizations are rising in other places.

Fauci said it was inexplicable that some Americans are so resistant to getting a vaccine when scientific data show how effective it is in staving off COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, and he was dismayed by efforts to block making vaccinations more accessible, such as Biden’s suggestion of door-to-door outreach.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., agreed Sunday that there is a vaccine resistance in Southern and rural states like his because “you have that more conservative approach, skepticism about government.”

Describing his efforts to boost vaccinations in his state, which is seeing rising infections, Hutchinson said “no one wants an agent knocking on a door,” but “we do want those that do not have access otherwise to make sure they know about it.”

The grassroots component of the federal vaccination campaign has been in operation since April, when supplies of shots began outpacing demand. It was outlined and funded by Congress in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill passed in March and overwhelmingly is carried out by local officials and private sector workers and volunteers.

Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., blasted opposition to vaccination efforts from some GOP lawmakers as “absolute insanity.” He said House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California and others in the party need to speak out against “these absolute clown politicians playing on your vaccine fears for their own selfish gain.”

Fauci appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union,” ABC’s “This Week” and CBS’ “Face the Nation”; Hutchinson spoke on ABC, and Kinzinger was on CNN.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Pfizer says it plans to meet with top U.S. health officials Monday to discuss the drugmaker’s request for federal authorization of a third dose of its COVID-19 vaccine as President Joe Biden’s chief medical adviser acknowledged that “it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely” that booster shots will be needed.The company said it was scheduled to have the meeting with the Food and Drug Administration and other officials Monday, days after Pfizer asserted that booster shots would be needed within 12 months.Pfizer’s Dr. Mikael Dolsten&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/europe-coronavirus-pandemic-science-health-34c3f2536747a7c08980d7359a8de70c">told The Associated Press&nbsp;</a>last week that early data from the company’s booster study suggests people’s antibody levels jump five- to 10-fold after a third dose, compared to their second dose months earlier — evidence it believes supports the need for a booster.On Sunday,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.niaid.nih.gov/about/director" target="_blank">Dr. Anthony Fauci</a>&nbsp;didn’t rule out the possibility but said it was too soon for the government to recommend another shot. He said the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the FDA did the right thing last week by pushing back against Pfizer’s assertion with their statement that they did not view booster shots as necessary “at this time.”Fauci said clinical studies and laboratory data have yet to fully bear out the need for a booster to the current two-shot Pfizer and Moderna vaccines or the one-shot Johnson &amp; Johnson regimen.“Right now, given the data and the information we have, we do not need to give people a third shot,” he said. “That doesn’t mean we stop there. ... There are studies being done now ongoing as we speak about looking at the feasibility about if and when we should be boosting people.”He said it was quite possible in the coming months “as data evolves” that the government may urge a booster based on such factors as age and underlying medical conditions. “Certainly it is entirely conceivable, maybe likely at some time, we will need a boost,″ Fauci said.Monday’s planned meeting between Pfizer and U.S. health officials was first reported by The Washington Post.Currently only about 48% of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated. Some parts of the country have far lower immunization rates, and in those places the delta variant is surging. Last week, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the CDC director, said that’s leading to “two truths” — highly immunized swaths of America are getting back to normal while hospitalizations are rising in other places.Fauci said it was inexplicable that some Americans are so resistant to getting a vaccine when scientific data show how effective it is in staving off COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations, and he was dismayed by efforts to block making vaccinations more accessible, such as Biden’s suggestion of door-to-door outreach.Gov. Asa Hutchinson, R-Ark., agreed Sunday that there is a vaccine resistance in Southern and rural states like his because “you have that more conservative approach, skepticism about government.”Describing his efforts to boost vaccinations in his state, which is seeing rising infections, Hutchinson said “no one wants an agent knocking on a door,” but “we do want those that do not have access otherwise to make sure they know about it.”The grassroots component of the federal vaccination campaign has been in operation since April, when supplies of shots began outpacing demand. It was outlined and funded by Congress in the $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief bill passed in March and overwhelmingly is carried out by local officials and private sector workers and volunteers.Rep. Adam Kinzinger, R-Ill., blasted opposition to vaccination efforts from some GOP lawmakers as “absolute insanity.” He said House Republican leader Kevin McCarthy of California and others in the party need to speak out against “these absolute clown politicians playing on your vaccine fears for their own selfish gain.”Fauci appeared on CNN’s “State of the Union,” ABC’s “This Week” and CBS’ “Face the Nation”; Hutchinson spoke on ABC, and Kinzinger was on CNN.

Fauci: Too soon to say if you may need vaccine booster

St. Joseph health officials report 104 new coronavirus cases
since last issuing a report on Monday.

A big spike in COVID-19 cases came on Wednesday and Thursday.
The St. Joseph Health Department reports 52 cases both days, the highest number
of new cases since July 1st, when the department reported 55 new
cases.

Buchanan County has a 13.2% positivity rate.

Buchanan County has recorded 11,304 COVID-19 cases
since the pandemic began, resulting in a total of 186 deaths.

The county vaccination rate remains low with 16,923
residents completing their vaccinations, only 19.4% of the county
population.

Mosaic Life Care reports it is treating 40 COVID-19 patients in its system, all at the St. Joseph hospital.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report 104 new coronavirus cases
since last issuing a report on Monday.A big spike in COVID-19 cases came on Wednesday and Thursday.
The St. Joseph Health Department reports 52 cases both days, the highest number
of new cases since July 1st, when the department reported 55 new
cases.Buchanan County has a 13.2% positivity rate.Buchanan County has recorded 11,304 COVID-19 cases
since the pandemic began, resulting in a total of 186 deaths.The county vaccination rate remains low with 16,923
residents completing their vaccinations, only 19.4% of the county
population.Mosaic Life Care reports it is treating 40 COVID-19 patients in its system, all at the St. Joseph hospital.

St. Joseph health officials report spike in new COVID-19 cases

St. Joseph health officials report 59 new COVID-19 cases over the Fourth of July weekend, though the number of completed tests was lower due to the holiday.

The county’s seven-day positivity rate is at 11 percent - about a two percent decrease from the week prior.

COVID hospitalizations are up at Mosaic Life Care. There are 32 COVID patients being treated at Mosaic - all at the St. Joseph hospital. That's up from 26 patients reported Sunday.

Mosaic announced last week a change in its visitor policy at the St. Joseph hospital. Only one visitor per patient is being allowed at this time. That policy will remain in place for at least another three weeks.

Vaccination rates are still low in Buchanan County and other parts of northwest Missouri. Just 21.2 percent of the Buchanan County population has initiated vaccination and only 19.3 percent have completed it.

Less than 30 percent of residents in Holt, Andrew, Platte, DeKalb, Worth, Harrison, Daviess and Caldwell counties are fully vaccinated.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report 59 new COVID-19 cases over the Fourth of July weekend, though the number of completed tests was lower due to the holiday.The county’s seven-day positivity rate is at 11 percent - about a two percent decrease from the week prior.COVID hospitalizations are up at Mosaic Life Care. There are 32 COVID patients being treated at Mosaic - all at the St. Joseph hospital. That's up from 26 patients reported Sunday.Mosaic announced last week a change in its visitor policy at the St. Joseph hospital. Only one visitor per patient is being allowed at this time. That policy will remain in place for at least another three weeks.Vaccination rates are still low in Buchanan County and other parts of northwest Missouri. Just 21.2 percent of the Buchanan County population has initiated vaccination and only 19.3 percent have completed it.Less than 30 percent of residents in Holt, Andrew, Platte, DeKalb, Worth, Harrison, Daviess and Caldwell counties are fully vaccinated.

St. Joseph Health Department reports 59 new cases in Buchanan County since Thursday

COVID-19 hospitalizations jumped in hard-hit southwest
Missouri over the Independence Day holiday weekend, leading to a temporary ventilator shortfall and a public call
for help from respiratory therapists.

Local hospitalizations have
risen slightly.

Coronavirus concerns in
southwest Missouri have increase so much that they have prompted one Missouri
hospital official to say anyone making disparaging remarks about the COVID-19
vaccine should “shut up.”

Health officials in southwest
Missouri worry that deep vaccine resistance has allowed the delta
variant, first identified India, to take hold in the state, straining
hospitals, particularly in the Springfield area.

“If you are making wildly
disparaging comments about the vaccine, and have no public health expertise,
you may be responsible for someone’s death. Shut up,” tweeted Steve Edwards,
who is the CEO of CoxHealth in Springfield.

CoxHealth and the city's other
hospital, Mercy Springfield, were treating 168 COVID-19 patients Friday, up
from 31 on May 24th, before the surge began.

Spokesman Aaron Schekorra with the Springfield-Greene
County Health Department says 36 of the COVID-19 patients were on ventilators.

Erik Frederick, the chief
administrative officer of Mercy Springfield, also turned to Twitter in an
effort to bolster vaccinations, saying vaccinations save lives.

“So if you’re vaccinated there is a
light at the end of a tunnel,” he stated. “If you’re unvaccinated that’s
probably a train.”

Mosaic Life Care has reported a rise in
its system, but only a small increase from 26 COVID-19 patients on Sunday to 32
this morning. All of the coronavirus patients in the Mosaic system are being
treated at the St. Joseph hospital.

The St. Joseph Health Department reports
an increase of 150 cases on Thursday from its last report on Monday, with 55
new cases reported Thursday. The health department did not issue a normal
Monday report, because of the holiday. It is scheduled to issue another report
today.

Buchanan County remains near the bottom
in vaccination rates in Missouri with only 19% of the county population
completing coronavirus vaccinations.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostCOVID-19 hospitalizations jumped in hard-hit southwest
Missouri over the Independence Day holiday weekend, leading to a temporary ventilator shortfall and a public call
for help from respiratory therapists.Local hospitalizations have
risen slightly.Coronavirus concerns in
southwest Missouri have increase so much that they have prompted one Missouri
hospital official to say anyone making disparaging remarks about the COVID-19
vaccine should “shut up.”Health officials in southwest
Missouri worry that deep vaccine resistance has allowed the delta
variant, first identified India, to take hold in the state, straining
hospitals, particularly in the Springfield area.“If you are making wildly
disparaging comments about the vaccine, and have no public health expertise,
you may be responsible for someone’s death. Shut up,” tweeted Steve Edwards,
who is the CEO of CoxHealth in Springfield.CoxHealth and the city's other
hospital, Mercy Springfield, were treating 168 COVID-19 patients Friday, up
from 31 on May 24th, before the surge began.Spokesman Aaron Schekorra with the Springfield-Greene
County Health Department says 36 of the COVID-19 patients were on ventilators.Erik Frederick, the chief
administrative officer of Mercy Springfield, also turned to Twitter in an
effort to bolster vaccinations, saying vaccinations save lives.“So if you’re vaccinated there is a
light at the end of a tunnel,” he stated. “If you’re unvaccinated that’s
probably a train.”Mosaic Life Care has reported a rise in
its system, but only a small increase from 26 COVID-19 patients on Sunday to 32
this morning. All of the coronavirus patients in the Mosaic system are being
treated at the St. Joseph hospital.The St. Joseph Health Department reports
an increase of 150 cases on Thursday from its last report on Monday, with 55
new cases reported Thursday. The health department did not issue a normal
Monday report, because of the holiday. It is scheduled to issue another report
today.Buchanan County remains near the bottom
in vaccination rates in Missouri with only 19% of the county population
completing coronavirus vaccinations.The Associated Press contributed to this report.

COVID-19 worries rise in SW MO; hospitalizations increase locally as well

Mosaic Life Care is seeing a rising number of COVID-19 patients in its St. Joseph hospital as Buchanan County continues to see a rise in cases.

As of Tuesday, Mosaic reports 26 COVID patients system-wide - 25 in St. Joseph and one in Maryville.

Chief medical officer Dr. Davin Turner says the vast majority of these inpatients are unvaccinated, and the number of those hospitalized is likely to go up.

"If you look back over the history in our hospital and the number of patients we've had, we can expect to see 30-60 COVID patients in our hospital over the next several weeks at one time," Turner said.

The vaccination rate in Buchanan County has been stagnant for weeks. Just 19.1 percent of the county's population is fully vaccinated.

"That's really what hurts the most," Turner admitted. "To know that a vaccine is available, it's very effective and folks aren't taking that vaccine to help protect themselves."

There have been 77 new cases in Buchanan County since Thursday. There was also an additional virus-related death in that time. The victim was a man in his 60s. That puts the Buchanan County virus death toll at 186.

"It had been several weeks since we had anyone pass from COVID," Turner said. "It was a very sad day to know that once again, we have people in our hospital who are dying from this disease."

Of the 26 COVID patients being treated at Mosaic, only two of them are fully vaccinated. Ninety percent of the inpatients are above the age of 50.

Turner says the vaccine won't stop people from contracting the virus altogether, but it's still the best defense against falling seriously ill or dying from the virus.

"The vaccine is still your best chance," he said. "Even if you contract COVID, you will not become severely ill and succumb to your illness."

Those who are older and have underlying health conditions are still at greatest risk of dying from COVID, but with the Delta variant confirmed in Buchanan County and other parts of northwest Missouri, Turner says more cases have been showing up in the younger population.

"So, we're not seeing younger people become hospitalized, but we're seeing increased positivity rates in kids who are under 17," Turner said, pointing out that those who are under age 12 still aren't eligible for the vaccine.

The St. Joseph Health Department will start offering walk-in, on-site COVID vaccinations on a regular basis, starting July 1 from 8 - 11 a.m. and from 1-4 p.m. That'll be going on Monday-Friday.

The vaccine is also readily available at Mosaic's clinics and at local pharmacies.

Turner doesn't expect to see a big surge in vaccinations in the immediate future, but he hopes that people take steps to protect themselves and others as Buchanan County and other parts of Missouri deal with this recent COVID surge.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/6/1624999844033.jpeg" alt="Mosaic Chief Medical Officer Dr. Davin Turner addresses reporters at the St. Joseph hospital Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac." />
 <figcaption>Mosaic Chief Medical Officer Dr. Davin Turner addresses reporters at the St. Joseph hospital Tuesday. Photo by Tommy Rezac.</figcaption>
 </figure>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMosaic Life Care is seeing a rising number of COVID-19 patients in its St. Joseph hospital as Buchanan County continues to see a rise in cases.As of Tuesday, Mosaic reports 26 COVID patients system-wide - 25 in St. Joseph and one in Maryville.Chief medical officer Dr. Davin Turner says the vast majority of these inpatients are unvaccinated, and the number of those hospitalized is likely to go up."If you look back over the history in our hospital and the number of patients we've had, we can expect to see 30-60 COVID patients in our hospital over the next several weeks at one time," Turner said.The vaccination rate in Buchanan County has been stagnant for weeks. Just 19.1 percent of the county's population is fully vaccinated."That's really what hurts the most," Turner admitted. "To know that a vaccine is available, it's very effective and folks aren't taking that vaccine to help protect themselves."There have been 77 new cases in Buchanan County since Thursday. There was also an additional virus-related death in that time. The victim was a man in his 60s. That puts the Buchanan County virus death toll at 186."It had been several weeks since we had anyone pass from COVID," Turner said. "It was a very sad day to know that once again, we have people in our hospital who are dying from this disease."Of the 26 COVID patients being treated at Mosaic, only two of them are fully vaccinated. Ninety percent of the inpatients are above the age of 50.Turner says the vaccine won't stop people from contracting the virus altogether, but it's still the best defense against falling seriously ill or dying from the virus."The vaccine is still your best chance," he said. "Even if you contract COVID, you will not become severely ill and succumb to your illness."Those who are older and have underlying health conditions are still at greatest risk of dying from COVID, but with the Delta variant confirmed in Buchanan County and other parts of northwest Missouri, Turner says more cases have been showing up in the younger population."So, we're not seeing younger people become hospitalized, but we're seeing increased positivity rates in kids who are under 17," Turner said, pointing out that those who are under age 12 still aren't eligible for the vaccine.The St. Joseph Health Department will start offering walk-in, on-site COVID vaccinations on a regular basis, starting July 1 from 8 - 11 a.m. and from 1-4 p.m. That'll be going on Monday-Friday.The vaccine is also readily available at Mosaic's clinics and at local pharmacies.Turner doesn't expect to see a big surge in vaccinations in the immediate future, but he hopes that people take steps to protect themselves and others as Buchanan County and other parts of Missouri deal with this recent COVID surge."Get vaccinated," Turner said. "Use common sense. Use good hand hygiene. If you don't know (someone's vaccination) status, wear a mask. Protect yourself. We don't want you to become ill. We don't want you to become hospitalized."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Coronavirus Update