TARKIO - Missouri's northwesternmost county continues to be a statewide leader in the battle against COVID-19.

Atchison County has administered over 2,600 doses of vaccine in a county that's home to just over 5,200 people. In all, over 31% of the county's population has been vaccinated.

That vaccination rate ranks second among Missouri's 117 counties and municipalities, trailing only Joplin, which has vaccinated 31.4% of its 50,000 residents.

Atchison County Health Department Administrator Julie Livengood says team work, and a little luck, helped the county get off to a quicker start than some of its neighbors.

"We took some proactive steps early on," she said. "As soon as we could sign up to be a COVID vaccinator, we did. There were many health departments and hospitals that were awaiting vaccinator approval even in January. We were giving out vaccines in December already. I think we just got a good head start before everybody else."

Atchison County's vaccination rate remains well ahead of others in Region H, such as Buchanan (14.3 percent), DeKalb (16 percent) and Platte counties (15.8 percent).

The Region H team and Missouri National Guard never had a mass vaccine clinic in Atchison County, though Livengood says many residents went to clinics earlier this year in Mound City and Savannah to get vaccinated.

There were a couple of smaller-scale, independently run clinics in Tarkio, where more than 200 people got vaccinated each time. Another clinic is planned for April 12 at the Tarkio Activity Center, as all Missouri adults will be eligible for vaccination on April 9.

Atchison County's COVID numbers have stayed relatively low with 439 total cases and 13 fatalities reported since the start of the pandemic. There are only five active cases in the county and nobody is hospitalized locally with virus complications.

All of this was done without any county-wide mask mandate, and no city-wide mandates in towns like Rock Port or Tarkio.

"I felt like the county did a great job of taking care of each other," Livengood said. "People were wearing masks. You don't see it as much now, but when we were in the height of the pandemic, people were wearing their masks and listening to our recommendations. So, we didn't feel like we had to put out a mandate for it."

However, many local health departments continue to monitor the spread of a new COVID variant called B.1.1.7. which has been found in all 50 states, including in <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/f69a3ab8-2cd1-4070-9200-e5d8449d5dc9">Shawnee County, Kansas</a>.

Livengood says Atchison County's positivity rate has ticked up slightly to 12.5 percent in recent days with four new cases reported last week and three more reported on Monday.

Livengood says the decline in testing is the main reason for the positivity rate going up, with only 30 or so tests being performed last week.

Still, with the overall rate of new cases and deaths down significantly both locally and statewide, and with more and more Missourians becoming eligible for the vaccine, Livengood is encouraged by the current trends, but still urges caution going forward.

"We're cautiously optimistic and we're very encouraged that things are looking better," she said. "But, you know, we still want to be a little bit cautious for awhile."

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

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostTARKIO - Missouri's northwesternmost county continues to be a statewide leader in the battle against COVID-19.Atchison County has administered over 2,600 doses of vaccine in a county that's home to just over 5,200 people. In all, over 31% of the county's population has been vaccinated.That vaccination rate ranks second among Missouri's 117 counties and municipalities, trailing only Joplin, which has vaccinated 31.4% of its 50,000 residents.Atchison County Health Department Administrator Julie Livengood says team work, and a little luck, helped the county get off to a quicker start than some of its neighbors."We took some proactive steps early on," she said. "As soon as we could sign up to be a COVID vaccinator, we did. There were many health departments and hospitals that were awaiting vaccinator approval even in January. We were giving out vaccines in December already. I think we just got a good head start before everybody else."Atchison County's vaccination rate remains well ahead of others in Region H, such as Buchanan (14.3 percent), DeKalb (16 percent) and Platte counties (15.8 percent).The Region H team and Missouri National Guard never had a mass vaccine clinic in Atchison County, though Livengood says many residents went to clinics earlier this year in Mound City and Savannah to get vaccinated.There were a couple of smaller-scale, independently run clinics in Tarkio, where more than 200 people got vaccinated each time. Another clinic is planned for April 12 at the Tarkio Activity Center, as all Missouri adults will be eligible for vaccination on April 9.Atchison County's COVID numbers have stayed relatively low with 439 total cases and 13 fatalities reported since the start of the pandemic. There are only five active cases in the county and nobody is hospitalized locally with virus complications.All of this was done without any county-wide mask mandate, and no city-wide mandates in towns like Rock Port or Tarkio."I felt like the county did a great job of taking care of each other," Livengood said. "People were wearing masks. You don't see it as much now, but when we were in the height of the pandemic, people were wearing their masks and listening to our recommendations. So, we didn't feel like we had to put out a mandate for it."However, many local health departments continue to monitor the spread of a new COVID variant called B.1.1.7. which has been found in all 50 states, including in <a href="https://stjosephpost.com/posts/f69a3ab8-2cd1-4070-9200-e5d8449d5dc9">Shawnee County, Kansas</a>.Livengood says Atchison County's positivity rate has ticked up slightly to 12.5 percent in recent days with four new cases reported last week and three more reported on Monday.Livengood says the decline in testing is the main reason for the positivity rate going up, with only 30 or so tests being performed last week.Still, with the overall rate of new cases and deaths down significantly both locally and statewide, and with more and more Missourians becoming eligible for the vaccine, Livengood is encouraged by the current trends, but still urges caution going forward."We're cautiously optimistic and we're very encouraged that things are looking better," she said. "But, you know, we still want to be a little bit cautious for awhile."<div><div id="fb-root"></div>
<script async defer crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v10.0" nonce="AtuwwhNY"></script></div><div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=288583542656742&amp;id=110622070452891" data-width="500" data-show-text="true"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=288583542656742&amp;id=110622070452891" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore">COVID-19 CASES
There were 4 cases from 3/22/2021 – 3/28/2021.
1 female, 1 male ages 0-19
1 male age 30-39
1 male age...Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Atchison-County-Missouri-Health-Department-110622070452891/">Atchison County Missouri Health Department</a> on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=288583542656742&amp;id=110622070452891">Monday, March 29, 2021</a></blockquote></div></div>You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Atchison County, Missouri maintains one of the state's highest vaccination rates

St. Joseph health officials report only three new coronavirus cases
on Tuesday, bringing the Buchanan County total since the pandemic began to
10,200.

Mosaic Life Care reports only three COVID-19 patients in its system; all in St. Joseph.

Missouri state health officials have been updating COVID-19
records, including updating death records. State officials informed the
St. Joseph Health Department Tuesday of six additional deaths of Buchanan County
residents over the past couple of months. The new coronavirus-related deaths
are a woman in her 50s, two women in their 70s, a woman in her 90s, and a man
in his 80s.

Andrew County health officials report a total of 2,020 cases of COVID-19, resulting in 20 deaths.

Doniphan County, Kansas reports a total of 959 cases.

Missouri health officials report a total of 486,917
cases statewide since the pandemic began with 8,434 deaths.

In Kansas, health officials report 300,125 total
cases, resulting in 4,850 deaths.

This article has been updated with new figures from Mosaic Life Care.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report only three new coronavirus cases
on Tuesday, bringing the Buchanan County total since the pandemic began to
10,200.Mosaic Life Care reports only three COVID-19 patients in its system; all in St. Joseph.Missouri state health officials have been updating COVID-19
records, including updating death records. State officials informed the
St. Joseph Health Department Tuesday of six additional deaths of Buchanan County
residents over the past couple of months. The new coronavirus-related deaths
are a woman in her 50s, two women in their 70s, a woman in her 90s, and a man
in his 80s.Andrew County health officials report a total of 2,020 cases of COVID-19, resulting in 20 deaths.Doniphan County, Kansas reports a total of 959 cases.Missouri health officials report a total of 486,917
cases statewide since the pandemic began with 8,434 deaths.In Kansas, health officials report 300,125 total
cases, resulting in 4,850 deaths.This article has been updated with new figures from Mosaic Life Care.

St. Joseph reports only 3 new COVID-19 cases

Since its last report on Thursday, St. Joseph health officials report 18 new cases of COVID-19 in Buchanan County and one new virus-related fatality.

The victim was a woman in her 70s, putting Buchanan County's virus death toll at 173. The county's case total is now 10,197.

Nearly 18,000 doses of the COVID vaccine have been administered in Buchanan County, with 13.1 percent of the county's population getting vaccinated so far.

Mosaic Life Care reports five COVID patients in its system Monday. All five of those patients are being treated in St. Joseph.

Over 5,000 doses of vaccine have been administered in Andrew County for a vaccination rate of 17.4 percent.

Over two million doses of vaccine have been administered across Missouri for a vaccination rate off 22.1 percent.

In Kansas, over 676,000 doses have been administered for a vaccination rate of 23.2 percent. Over the weekend, Kansas surpassed 300,000 total COVID-19 cases with 4,850 fatalities.

Doniphan County has reported 959 total cases.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSince its last report on Thursday, St. Joseph health officials report 18 new cases of COVID-19 in Buchanan County and one new virus-related fatality.The victim was a woman in her 70s, putting Buchanan County's virus death toll at 173. The county's case total is now 10,197.Nearly 18,000 doses of the COVID vaccine have been administered in Buchanan County, with 13.1 percent of the county's population getting vaccinated so far.Mosaic Life Care reports five COVID patients in its system Monday. All five of those patients are being treated in St. Joseph.Over 5,000 doses of vaccine have been administered in Andrew County for a vaccination rate of 17.4 percent.Over two million doses of vaccine have been administered across Missouri for a vaccination rate off 22.1 percent.In Kansas, over 676,000 doses have been administered for a vaccination rate of 23.2 percent. Over the weekend, Kansas surpassed 300,000 total COVID-19 cases with 4,850 fatalities.Doniphan County has reported 959 total cases.

St. Joseph health officials report 18 new COVID cases, one new death since Thursday

St. Joseph health officials report just seven new COVID-19 cases in Buchanan County since Friday and no new fatalities.

The county's case total stands at 10,158 with 172 virus-related fatalities since the pandemic began.

Over 16,000 doses of the COVID cases have been administered in Buchanan County.

Andrew County has eclipsed over 2,000 total COVID cases with 20 fatalities.&nbsp; Over 4,500 doses of vaccine have been administered in Andrew County.

Mosaic Life Care reports 11 COVID-19 patients in its system - 10 of those patients are being treated in St. Joseph with one in Maryville.

On Monday, Mosaic announced changes to their patient visitor policy, with two visitors-per-patient now being allowed. The age restrictions on Mosaic hospital visitors have also been lifted.

Statewide, over 1.1 million Missourians have been vaccinated while over 550,000 Kansans have received their first dose of the COVID vaccine.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report just seven new COVID-19 cases in Buchanan County since Friday and no new fatalities.The county's case total stands at 10,158 with 172 virus-related fatalities since the pandemic began.Over 16,000 doses of the COVID cases have been administered in Buchanan County.Andrew County has eclipsed over 2,000 total COVID cases with 20 fatalities.&nbsp; Over 4,500 doses of vaccine have been administered in Andrew County.Mosaic Life Care reports 11 COVID-19 patients in its system - 10 of those patients are being treated in St. Joseph with one in Maryville.On Monday, Mosaic announced changes to their patient visitor policy, with two visitors-per-patient now being allowed. The age restrictions on Mosaic hospital visitors have also been lifted.Statewide, over 1.1 million Missourians have been vaccinated while over 550,000 Kansans have received their first dose of the COVID vaccine.

St. Joseph health officials report seven new COVID cases, hospitalizations up slightly

St. Joseph health officials report eight new COVID-19 cases on
Friday, the last time they issued a report.

Buchanan County has now recorded 10,151 cases.

No new deaths have been reported. The Buchanan County death
toll remains at 172.

Andrew County reports 1,290 total cases of COVID-19.

Doniphan County, Kansas reports 957 total cases.

The state of Missouri reports 483,748 total cases since the
pandemic began, resulting in 8,310 death.

Kansas reports its case total is closing in on 300,000 with 297,748
total cases reported with 4,824 deaths.

Mosaic Life Care reports eight COVID-19 patients in its system
on Sunday; seven in St. Joseph and one in Maryville.

By BRENT MARTINSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report eight new COVID-19 cases on
Friday, the last time they issued a report.Buchanan County has now recorded 10,151 cases.No new deaths have been reported. The Buchanan County death
toll remains at 172.Andrew County reports 1,290 total cases of COVID-19.Doniphan County, Kansas reports 957 total cases.The state of Missouri reports 483,748 total cases since the
pandemic began, resulting in 8,310 death.Kansas reports its case total is closing in on 300,000 with 297,748
total cases reported with 4,824 deaths.Mosaic Life Care reports eight COVID-19 patients in its system
on Sunday; seven in St. Joseph and one in Maryville.

Mosaic Life Care reports 8 COVID-19 patients in its system

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 778 to a total of 297,229, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;

Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4,851, an increase of 35.

<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.

TOPEKA— The number of confirmed coronavirus cases in Kansas increased by 778 to a total of 297,229, the state health department reported Wednesday afternoon.&nbsp;Coronavirus deaths were reported at 4,851, an increase of 35.<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.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/3/1615399528241.png" alt="Wednesday March 10, 2021 KDHE image" />
 <figcaption>Wednesday March 10, 2021 KDHE image</figcaption>
 </figure>

KDHE: Latest coronavirus numbers in Kansas

TOPEKA – In conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance issued Monday for those who have been vaccinated, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is issuing similar guidance in Kansas, according to a media release from the agency.

Two weeks after Kansans receive their completed vaccination (two weeks after the second dose for Pfizer and Moderna, two weeks after the single dose for Johnson &amp; Johnson), Kansans may begin to gather in their private homes with other fully vaccinated people, in small groups, without masks or social distancing.

The guidance also allows for vaccinated people to gather in private homes with unvaccinated people so long as the unvaccinated people are from a single household and are at low risk for developing severe disease.

“These changes are an important step in moving forward,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said. “This will allow grandparents to socialize with families, friends and neighbors to gather.”

While private home guidance has changed for those who are fully vaccinated, public health measures in public still apply to everyone, including those vaccinated.

“Thank you for continuing to keep your fellow Kansans safe,” Dr. Norman said.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/1/1610057767019.png" alt="“These changes are an important step in moving forward,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said. “This will allow grandparents to socialize with families, friends and neighbors to gather.”" />
 <figcaption>“These changes are an important step in moving forward,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said. “This will allow grandparents to socialize with families, friends and neighbors to gather.”</figcaption>
 </figure>TOPEKA – In conjunction with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidance issued Monday for those who have been vaccinated, the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) is issuing similar guidance in Kansas, according to a media release from the agency.<div><blockquote class="twitter-tweet">In conjunction with new <a href="https://twitter.com/CDCgov?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@CDCgov</a> guidance, KDHE is issuing similar guidance. Two weeks after completing the vaccination, KSans may gather in private homes with other fully vaccinated people, in small groups, w/out masks or distancing. Complete details: <a href="https://t.co/UsDjFE3CTe">https://t.co/UsDjFE3CTe</a> <a href="https://t.co/d68H3HCxaV">pic.twitter.com/d68H3HCxaV</a>&mdash; KDHE (@KDHE) <a href="https://twitter.com/KDHE/status/1369702030831390722?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></div>Two weeks after Kansans receive their completed vaccination (two weeks after the second dose for Pfizer and Moderna, two weeks after the single dose for Johnson &amp; Johnson), Kansans may begin to gather in their private homes with other fully vaccinated people, in small groups, without masks or social distancing.The guidance also allows for vaccinated people to gather in private homes with unvaccinated people so long as the unvaccinated people are from a single household and are at low risk for developing severe disease.“These changes are an important step in moving forward,” Dr. Lee Norman, KDHE Secretary, said. “This will allow grandparents to socialize with families, friends and neighbors to gather.”While private home guidance has changed for those who are fully vaccinated, public health measures in public still apply to everyone, including those vaccinated.<ul>
 <li>Wear a mask</li><li>Stay at least 6 feet away from others</li><li>Avoid crowds</li><li>Avoid poorly ventilated spaces</li><li>Wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol</li>
 </ul>“Thank you for continuing to keep your fellow Kansans safe,” Dr. Norman said.

KDHE guidance for Kansans who are vaccinated

St. Joseph health officials report just 12 new COVID-19 cases in Buchanan County from over the weekend, with 10 of those being reported Monday.

The case total is now 10,115, but there hasn't been a COVID-related fatality in Buchanan County for about a week, leaving the county's death toll stable at 172.

The county's positivity rate has also fallen to 3.07 percent - down from 4.09 percent the week prior. In addition, over 9,300 Buchanan County residents have gotten their dose of the COVID vaccine.

Mosaic Life Care reports five COVID inpatients in its system. All five of the patients are being treated in the St. Joseph hospital.

Since Friday, Kansas reports 590 new cases and four new fatalities related to COVID. Doniphan County, Kansas reports 948 total cases.

Missouri reports nearly 481,000 total cases and over 8,100 fatalities, with over one million Missourians getting vaccinated.

Over 465,000 Kansans have gotten their first dose of the COVID vaccine so far.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report just 12 new COVID-19 cases in Buchanan County from over the weekend, with 10 of those being reported Monday.The case total is now 10,115, but there hasn't been a COVID-related fatality in Buchanan County for about a week, leaving the county's death toll stable at 172.The county's positivity rate has also fallen to 3.07 percent - down from 4.09 percent the week prior. In addition, over 9,300 Buchanan County residents have gotten their dose of the COVID vaccine.Mosaic Life Care reports five COVID inpatients in its system. All five of the patients are being treated in the St. Joseph hospital.Since Friday, Kansas reports 590 new cases and four new fatalities related to COVID. Doniphan County, Kansas reports 948 total cases.Missouri reports nearly 481,000 total cases and over 8,100 fatalities, with over one million Missourians getting vaccinated.Over 465,000 Kansans have gotten their first dose of the COVID vaccine so far.

COVID cases and positivity rate fall, number of vaccinations go up in Buchanan County

St. Joseph health officials report just seven new cases of COVID-19 Thursday, bringing Buchanan County's case total to 10,095.

For a second straight day, there were no new fatalities in Buchanan County, but 172 residents have died from virus complications since the pandemic began.

Over 8,800 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far.

Mosaic Life Care reports five COVID patients in its system Thursday. Four are being treated in St. Joseph, with one in Albany.&nbsp;

Statewide, there have been more than 479,000 reported cases of COVID-19 in Missouri, resulting in more than 8,100 fatalities.

Over 900,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Missouri has received a shipment of 50,000 doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine this week.

In Kansas, Doniphan County reports 942 total cases. Over 400,000 Kansans have received the first dose of the COVID vaccine to date.

Governor Laura Kelly told St. Joseph Post this week that it'll be "awhile" before Kansas finishes Phase 2 of its vaccination plan, and may not enter Phase 3 until sometime in April.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report just seven new cases of COVID-19 Thursday, bringing Buchanan County's case total to 10,095.For a second straight day, there were no new fatalities in Buchanan County, but 172 residents have died from virus complications since the pandemic began.Over 8,800 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far.Mosaic Life Care reports five COVID patients in its system Thursday. Four are being treated in St. Joseph, with one in Albany.&nbsp;Statewide, there have been more than 479,000 reported cases of COVID-19 in Missouri, resulting in more than 8,100 fatalities.Over 900,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. Missouri has received a shipment of 50,000 doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine this week.In Kansas, Doniphan County reports 942 total cases. Over 400,000 Kansans have received the first dose of the COVID vaccine to date.Governor Laura Kelly told St. Joseph Post this week that it'll be "awhile" before Kansas finishes Phase 2 of its vaccination plan, and may not enter Phase 3 until sometime in April.

Seven new cases of COVID-19 in Buchanan County, Missouri receives Johnson and Johnson vaccine

St. Joseph health officials report 10 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, putting Buchanan County's case total at 10,088.

There were no new fatalities reported, as 172 Buchanan County residents have died from virus complications.

Over 8,100 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far.

Mosaic Life Care reports four COVID patients in its system Wednesday. Two are being treated in St. Joseph, with one in Maryville and another in Albany.

Missouri reports over 479,000 total cases statewide with 8,148 fatalities.&nbsp;

More than 892,000 Missourians have gotten the first dose of the vaccine so far. Phase 1b Tier 3 of Missouri's vaccination plan starts March 15. This includes educators and childcare workers, government employees and others who are considered to be "critical infrastructure."

Kansas reports over 295,000 total cases, with 807 new cases since Monday. They also report more than 4,800 deaths statewide with 73 fatalities since Monday.

More than 411,000 Kansans have gotten the first dose of the vaccine to date.

Doniphan County, Kansas reports 942 total cases. Brown County reports 1,215 and Atchison County reports 1,532 total cases of COVID-19.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report 10 new cases of COVID-19 Wednesday, putting Buchanan County's case total at 10,088.There were no new fatalities reported, as 172 Buchanan County residents have died from virus complications.Over 8,100 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine so far.Mosaic Life Care reports four COVID patients in its system Wednesday. Two are being treated in St. Joseph, with one in Maryville and another in Albany.Missouri reports over 479,000 total cases statewide with 8,148 fatalities.&nbsp;More than 892,000 Missourians have gotten the first dose of the vaccine so far. Phase 1b Tier 3 of Missouri's vaccination plan starts March 15. This includes educators and childcare workers, government employees and others who are considered to be "critical infrastructure."Kansas reports over 295,000 total cases, with 807 new cases since Monday. They also report more than 4,800 deaths statewide with 73 fatalities since Monday.More than 411,000 Kansans have gotten the first dose of the vaccine to date.Doniphan County, Kansas reports 942 total cases. Brown County reports 1,215 and Atchison County reports 1,532 total cases of COVID-19.

Health officials report 10 new COVID-19 cases in Buchanan County Wednesday

St. Joseph health officials report one additional COVID-19 related death in Buchanan County and 18 new cases from over the last weekend.

The death was in a woman in her 70s, putting the county's death toll at 172. The case total now stands at 10,072.

Over 7,700 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Mosaic Life Care reports only four COVID-19 patients in its system - three are being treated in St. Joseph with one in Maryville. Statewide, nearly 850,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the vaccine.

Doniphan County, Kansas reports 942 total cases of COVID-19, while over 393,000 Kansas residents have received the first dose of the vaccine.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report one additional COVID-19 related death in Buchanan County and 18 new cases from over the last weekend.The death was in a woman in her 70s, putting the county's death toll at 172. The case total now stands at 10,072.Over 7,700 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.Mosaic Life Care reports only four COVID-19 patients in its system - three are being treated in St. Joseph with one in Maryville. Statewide, nearly 850,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the vaccine.Doniphan County, Kansas reports 942 total cases of COVID-19, while over 393,000 Kansas residents have received the first dose of the vaccine.

One new COVID-related death, 18 new cases reported in Buchanan County this past weekend

WASHINGTON (AP) — Just five weeks ago, Los Angeles County was conducting more than 350,000 weekly coronavirus tests, including at a massive drive-thru site at Dodger Stadium, as health workers raced to contain the worst COVID-19 hotspot in the U.S.

<a href="https://www.gogettested.com/kansas">Click here </a>for testing locations in Kansas.

Now, county officials say testing has nearly collapsed. More than 180 government-supported sites are operating at only a third of their capacity.

“It’s shocking how quickly we’ve gone from moving at 100 miles an hour to about 25,” said Dr. Clemens Hong, who leads the county’s testing operation.

After a year of struggling to boost testing, communities across the country are seeing plummeting demand, shuttering testing sites or even trying to return supplies.

The drop in screening comes at a significant moment in the outbreak: Experts are cautiously optimistic that COVID-19 is receding after killing more than 500,000 people in the U.S. but concerned that emerging variants could prolong the epidemic.

“Everyone is hopeful for rapid, widespread vaccinations, but I don’t think we’re at a point where we can drop our guard just yet,” said Hong. “We just don’t have enough people who are immune to rule out another surge.”

U.S. testing hit a peak on Jan. 15, when the country was averaging more than 2 million tests per day. Since then, the average number of daily tests has fallen more than 28%. The drop mirrors declines across all major virus measures since January, including new cases, hospitalizations and deaths.

Officials say those encouraging trends, together with harsh winter weather, the end of the holiday travel season, pandemic fatigue and a growing focus on vaccinations are sapping interest in testing.

“When you combine all those together you see this decrease,” said Dr. Richard Pescatore of the health department in Delaware, where daily testing has fallen more than 40% since the January peak. “People just aren’t going to go out to testing sites.”

But testing remains important for tracking and containing the outbreak.

L.A. County is opening more testing options near public transportation, schools and offices to make it more convenient. And officials in Santa Clara County are urging residents to “continue getting tested regularly,” highlighting new mobile testing buses and pop-up sites.

President Joe Biden has promised to revamp the nation’s testing system by investing billions more in supplies and government coordination. But with demand falling fast, the country may soon have a glut of unused supplies. The U.S. will be able to conduct nearly 1 billion monthly tests by June, according to projections from researchers at Arizona State University. That’s more than 25 times the country’s current rate of about 40 million tests reported per month.

With more than 150 million new vaccine doses due for delivery by late March, testing is likely to fall further as local governments shift staff and resources to giving shots.

“You have to pick your battles here,” said Dr. Jeffrey Engel of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. “Everyone would agree that if you have one public health nurse, you’re going to use that person for vaccination, not testing.”

Some experts say the country must double down on testing to avoid flare-ups from coronavirus variants that have taken hold in the U.K., South Africa and other places.

“We need to use testing to continue the downward trend,” said Dr. Jonathan Quick of the Rockefeller Foundation, which has been advising Biden officials. “We need to have it there to catch surges from the variants.”

Last week, Minnesota began urging families to get tested every two weeks through the end of the school year as more students return to the classroom.

“To protect this progress, we need to use all the tools at our disposal,” said Dan Huff, an assistant state health commissioner.

But some of the most vocal testing proponents are less worried about the declines in screening. From a public health viewpoint, testing is effective if it helps to quickly find the infected, trace their contacts and isolate them to stop the spread. In most parts of the U.S., that never happened.

Over the holiday season, many Americans still had to wait days to receive test results, rendering them largely useless. That’s led to testing fatigue and dwindling interest, said Dr. Michael Mina of Harvard University.

“It doesn’t exactly give you a lot of gratifying, immediate feedback,” Mina said. “So people’s willingness or interest in getting tested starts to go down.”

Still, U.S. test manufacturers continue ramping up production, with another 110 million rapid and home-based tests expected to hit the market next month.

Government officials long assumed this growing arsenal of cheap, 15-minute tests would be used to regularly screen millions of students and teachers as in-person classes resume. But recent guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention don’t emphasize testing, describing it as an “additional layer” of protection, behind basic measures like masking and social distancing.

Even without strong federal backing, educational leaders say testing programs will be important for marshaling public confidence needed to fully reopen schools, including in the fall when cases are expected to rise again.

“Schools have asked themselves, justifiably, ‘Is the juice worth the squeeze to set up a big testing effort?’” said Mike Magee, CEO of Chiefs for Change, a nonprofit that advises districts in more than 25 states. “Our message to the school systems we work with is: ‘Yes, you need to stand up comprehensive testing because you’re going to need it.’”

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2020/6/1591208066312.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Just five weeks ago, Los Angeles County was conducting more than 350,000 weekly coronavirus tests, including at a massive drive-thru site at Dodger Stadium, as health workers raced to contain the worst COVID-19 hotspot in the U.S.<a href="https://www.gogettested.com/kansas">Click here </a>for testing locations in Kansas.Now, county officials say testing has nearly collapsed. More than 180 government-supported sites are operating at only a third of their capacity.“It’s shocking how quickly we’ve gone from moving at 100 miles an hour to about 25,” said Dr. Clemens Hong, who leads the county’s testing operation.After a year of struggling to boost testing, communities across the country are seeing plummeting demand, shuttering testing sites or even trying to return supplies.The drop in screening comes at a significant moment in the outbreak: Experts are cautiously optimistic that COVID-19 is receding after killing more than 500,000 people in the U.S. but concerned that emerging variants could prolong the epidemic.“Everyone is hopeful for rapid, widespread vaccinations, but I don’t think we’re at a point where we can drop our guard just yet,” said Hong. “We just don’t have enough people who are immune to rule out another surge.”U.S. testing hit a peak on Jan. 15, when the country was averaging more than 2 million tests per day. Since then, the average number of daily tests has fallen more than 28%. The drop mirrors declines across all major virus measures since January, including new cases, hospitalizations and deaths.Officials say those encouraging trends, together with harsh winter weather, the end of the holiday travel season, pandemic fatigue and a growing focus on vaccinations are sapping interest in testing.“When you combine all those together you see this decrease,” said Dr. Richard Pescatore of the health department in Delaware, where daily testing has fallen more than 40% since the January peak. “People just aren’t going to go out to testing sites.”But testing remains important for tracking and containing the outbreak.L.A. County is opening more testing options near public transportation, schools and offices to make it more convenient. And officials in Santa Clara County are urging residents to “continue getting tested regularly,” highlighting new mobile testing buses and pop-up sites.President Joe Biden has promised to revamp the nation’s testing system by investing billions more in supplies and government coordination. But with demand falling fast, the country may soon have a glut of unused supplies. The U.S. will be able to conduct nearly 1 billion monthly tests by June, according to projections from researchers at Arizona State University. That’s more than 25 times the country’s current rate of about 40 million tests reported per month.With more than 150 million new vaccine doses due for delivery by late March, testing is likely to fall further as local governments shift staff and resources to giving shots.“You have to pick your battles here,” said Dr. Jeffrey Engel of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. “Everyone would agree that if you have one public health nurse, you’re going to use that person for vaccination, not testing.”Some experts say the country must double down on testing to avoid flare-ups from coronavirus variants that have taken hold in the U.K., South Africa and other places.“We need to use testing to continue the downward trend,” said Dr. Jonathan Quick of the Rockefeller Foundation, which has been advising Biden officials. “We need to have it there to catch surges from the variants.”Last week, Minnesota began urging families to get tested every two weeks through the end of the school year as more students return to the classroom.“To protect this progress, we need to use all the tools at our disposal,” said Dan Huff, an assistant state health commissioner.But some of the most vocal testing proponents are less worried about the declines in screening. From a public health viewpoint, testing is effective if it helps to quickly find the infected, trace their contacts and isolate them to stop the spread. In most parts of the U.S., that never happened.Over the holiday season, many Americans still had to wait days to receive test results, rendering them largely useless. That’s led to testing fatigue and dwindling interest, said Dr. Michael Mina of Harvard University.“It doesn’t exactly give you a lot of gratifying, immediate feedback,” Mina said. “So people’s willingness or interest in getting tested starts to go down.”Still, U.S. test manufacturers continue ramping up production, with another 110 million rapid and home-based tests expected to hit the market next month.Government officials long assumed this growing arsenal of cheap, 15-minute tests would be used to regularly screen millions of students and teachers as in-person classes resume. But recent guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention don’t emphasize testing, describing it as an “additional layer” of protection, behind basic measures like masking and social distancing.Even without strong federal backing, educational leaders say testing programs will be important for marshaling public confidence needed to fully reopen schools, including in the fall when cases are expected to rise again.“Schools have asked themselves, justifiably, ‘Is the juice worth the squeeze to set up a big testing effort?’” said Mike Magee, CEO of Chiefs for Change, a nonprofit that advises districts in more than 25 states. “Our message to the school systems we work with is: ‘Yes, you need to stand up comprehensive testing because you’re going to need it.’”___

Plunging demand for COVID-19 tests may leave US exposed

St. Joseph health officials report nine new cases of COVID-19 in Buchanan County Friday, putting the county's case total at 10,056.

Over 7,100 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID vaccine. The county has also lost 174 people due to virus complications.

The Tri-County Health Department, which covers Worth, Gentry and DeKalb counties, reported no new cases Friday.

As of Thursday, Mosaic Life Care reports just four COVID-19 inpatients system wide - all of whom are being treated in the St. Joseph hospital.

Missouri reports over 477,000 cases and 7,913 fatalities. Over 780,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the COVID vaccine.

Since Wednesday, Kansas reports 826 more COVID-19 cases (293,663 total) and 11 more fatalities (4,735 total). Doniphan County, Kansas has seen nine new cases since Wednesday for a total of 939.

Over 370,000 Kansans have received their first dose of the COVID vaccine, as the state works through Phase 2 of its vaccination plan.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report nine new cases of COVID-19 in Buchanan County Friday, putting the county's case total at 10,056.Over 7,100 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID vaccine. The county has also lost 174 people due to virus complications.The Tri-County Health Department, which covers Worth, Gentry and DeKalb counties, reported no new cases Friday.As of Thursday, Mosaic Life Care reports just four COVID-19 inpatients system wide - all of whom are being treated in the St. Joseph hospital.Missouri reports over 477,000 cases and 7,913 fatalities. Over 780,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the COVID vaccine.Since Wednesday, Kansas reports 826 more COVID-19 cases (293,663 total) and 11 more fatalities (4,735 total). Doniphan County, Kansas has seen nine new cases since Wednesday for a total of 939.Over 370,000 Kansans have received their first dose of the COVID vaccine, as the state works through Phase 2 of its vaccination plan.

New COVID-19 cases remain low locally, over 7,100 in Buchanan County have gotten vaccine

St. Joseph health officials report just four new cases of COVID-19 in Buchanan County Thursday, bringing the county's case total to 10,047.

There were no new fatalities reported Thursday, but 171 Buchanan County residents have died from virus complications since the pandemic began.

Over 7,000 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with over 3,200 getting their second dose.

Mosaic Life Care's COVID hospitalization numbers remain low with only four inpatients system-wide. All four of those patients are being treated in the St. Joseph hospital.

Statewide, Missouri reports just over 477,000 cases and 7,902 fatalities. Over 756,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the vaccine.

Doniphan County, Kansas reports 936 total cases .

Kansas reports 292,837 total cases and 4,724 fatalities. Over 350,000 Kansas residents have been vaccinated so far.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report just four new cases of COVID-19 in Buchanan County Thursday, bringing the county's case total to 10,047.There were no new fatalities reported Thursday, but 171 Buchanan County residents have died from virus complications since the pandemic began.Over 7,000 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine, with over 3,200 getting their second dose.Mosaic Life Care's COVID hospitalization numbers remain low with only four inpatients system-wide. All four of those patients are being treated in the St. Joseph hospital.Statewide, Missouri reports just over 477,000 cases and 7,902 fatalities. Over 756,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the vaccine.Doniphan County, Kansas reports 936 total cases .Kansas reports 292,837 total cases and 4,724 fatalities. Over 350,000 Kansas residents have been vaccinated so far.

Only four new COVID-19 cases in Buchanan County, Mosaic hospitalizations remain low

St. Joseph health officials announced the deaths of seven more Buchanan County residents who passed away from COVID-19 complications.

All of these deaths occurred over the last several months and were reported directly to the state rather than the local health department.

Officials also reported 30 new COVID-19 cases in Buchanan County Wednesday, but roughly half of those occurred over the last few months as well.

 Buchanan County has reported over 10,000 COVID-19 cases and 171 virus related fatalities since the pandemic began.

Mosaic Life Care reports just five COVID-19 patients in their system - all of whom are being treated in St. Joseph.

Statewide, Missouri reports more than 476,000 cases and over 7,800 virus related fatalities. Over 700,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the vaccine.

Doniphan County, Kansas, who just this week lifted their mask mandate, has 936 total cases - an increase of six since Monday.

Kansas reports 1,122 new cases (292,837 total) and 81 new fatalities (4,724) since Monday. Over 350,000 Kansas residents have been vaccinated to date.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials announced the deaths of seven more Buchanan County residents who passed away from COVID-19 complications.All of these deaths occurred over the last several months and were reported directly to the state rather than the local health department.Officials also reported 30 new COVID-19 cases in Buchanan County Wednesday, but roughly half of those occurred over the last few months as well. Buchanan County has reported over 10,000 COVID-19 cases and 171 virus related fatalities since the pandemic began.Mosaic Life Care reports just five COVID-19 patients in their system - all of whom are being treated in St. Joseph.Statewide, Missouri reports more than 476,000 cases and over 7,800 virus related fatalities. Over 700,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the vaccine.Doniphan County, Kansas, who just this week lifted their mask mandate, has 936 total cases - an increase of six since Monday.Kansas reports 1,122 new cases (292,837 total) and 81 new fatalities (4,724) since Monday. Over 350,000 Kansas residents have been vaccinated to date.

St. Joseph health officials announce seven previously unreported COVID-related deaths

St. Joseph health officials report just six new cases of COVID-19 in Buchanan County Tuesday and no additional fatalities.

There have been 10,013 total cases and 164 deaths related to the virus in Buchanan County since the pandemic began.

The department also sent a correction in Buchanan County's COVID positivity rate. Instead of the 16.8 percent positivity rate reported Monday, the correct rate in Buchanan County is 5.02 percent - up only slightly from the 4.14 percent reported on Feb. 10.

Mosaic Life Care reports seven COVID-19 patients in its system Tuesday, which is up from just three last Wednesday. All seven of the inpatients are being treated in St. Joseph.

Over 6,900 people in Buchanan County have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Statewide, Missouri reports over 475,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 7,800 deaths.

Over 700,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the vaccine to date.

Doniphan County, Kansas reports 930 total cases. Nearly 340,000 Kansans have gotten the first dose of the vaccine so far, according to the KDHE dashboard.

Statewide, Kansas reports more than 291,000 total cases and over 4,600 total fatalities.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostSt. Joseph health officials report just six new cases of COVID-19 in Buchanan County Tuesday and no additional fatalities.There have been 10,013 total cases and 164 deaths related to the virus in Buchanan County since the pandemic began.The department also sent a correction in Buchanan County's COVID positivity rate. Instead of the 16.8 percent positivity rate reported Monday, the correct rate in Buchanan County is 5.02 percent - up only slightly from the 4.14 percent reported on Feb. 10.Mosaic Life Care reports seven COVID-19 patients in its system Tuesday, which is up from just three last Wednesday. All seven of the inpatients are being treated in St. Joseph.Over 6,900 people in Buchanan County have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.Statewide, Missouri reports over 475,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 7,800 deaths.Over 700,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the vaccine to date.Doniphan County, Kansas reports 930 total cases. Nearly 340,000 Kansans have gotten the first dose of the vaccine so far, according to the KDHE dashboard.Statewide, Kansas reports more than 291,000 total cases and over 4,600 total fatalities.

St. Joseph health officials report error in COVID positivity rate, new cases remain low

Buchanan County has exceeded 10,000 total COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.

St. Joseph health officials report 31 new cases of COVID-19 in Buchanan County since Friday, putting the county's case total at 10,007.

There were also two more fatalities in the county since Friday. The victims were a man in his 70s and a woman in her 60s. A total of 164 Buchanan County residents have died from virus complications.

Buchanan County's positivity rate has also shot back up to 16.8 percent - over four times higher than the 4.1 percent rate reported on Feb. 10.

Mosaic Life Care reports just six total COVID-19 patients in its system Monday - a slight increase from the low of three inpatients last Wednesday.

More than 7,000 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.

Statewide, Missouri reports over 475,000 COVID-19 cases and 7,700 deaths. Over 700,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the vaccine to date.

In Kansas, Doniphan County reports 930 total cases. Nearly 340,000 Kansas residents have gotten the first dose of the vaccine so far, according to the KDHE dashboard.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostBuchanan County has exceeded 10,000 total COVID-19 cases since the start of the pandemic.St. Joseph health officials report 31 new cases of COVID-19 in Buchanan County since Friday, putting the county's case total at 10,007.There were also two more fatalities in the county since Friday. The victims were a man in his 70s and a woman in her 60s. A total of 164 Buchanan County residents have died from virus complications.Buchanan County's positivity rate has also shot back up to 16.8 percent - over four times higher than the 4.1 percent rate reported on Feb. 10.Mosaic Life Care reports just six total COVID-19 patients in its system Monday - a slight increase from the low of three inpatients last Wednesday.More than 7,000 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.Statewide, Missouri reports over 475,000 COVID-19 cases and 7,700 deaths. Over 700,000 Missourians have received the first dose of the vaccine to date.In Kansas, Doniphan County reports 930 total cases. Nearly 340,000 Kansas residents have gotten the first dose of the vaccine so far, according to the KDHE dashboard.Statewide, Kansas reports more than 291,000 total cases and over 4,600 total fatalities.

Buchanan County exceeds 10,000 COVID-19 cases, positivity rate shoots back up

TROY, KS - The Doniphan County Health Department is set to vaccinate another 200 people this week after experiencing weather-related delays last week.

Doniphan County was supposed to receive a shipment of 200 vaccines on Feb. 17, but the snow and extreme cold foiled those plans.

The week wasn't a complete loss, however. Doniphan County Health Administrator Sheryl Pierce says the department held a vaccine clinic at the Troy Community Center on the morning of Feb. 16, when morning lows were around 20-below zero.

Around 100 people age 65 or older still received their first dose of the vaccine, despite the extreme conditions.

"They came in their wheelchairs and walkers and canes," Pierce said. "Every one of them showed up. I think we only had five people who canceled that day, but we were easily able to get their slots filled."

The clinic that was canceled last Wednesday has been rescheduled to this Thursday, Feb. 25, at the Troy Community Center with appointment times remaining the same.

Kansas is still in Phase 2 of their COVID-19 vaccination plan. This includes anyone over the age of 65, people who work in congregate settings and high-contact critical workers.

Phase 3 will include people ages 16-64 "with severe medical risks" and "other critical workers." Pierce believes this will present challenges in prioritizing who gets a shot first in Doniphan County.

"Everybody thinks they're essential, everybody thinks they're critical," Pierce said. "We've been getting phone calls from many entities that say, 'My boss says I'm critical or I'm essential.'"

Pierce said the biggest frustration continues to be the limited availability of vaccine. She says the Doniphan County Health Department has the plans and people in place to vaccinate up to 500 people per day.

"We've exercised the drive-thru (clinics)," Pierce said. "We've done them practically every year for many years. We just need the vaccine."

<div><div id="fb-root"></div>
<script async defer crossorigin="anonymous" src="https://connect.facebook.net/en_US/sdk.js#xfbml=1&version=v9.0" nonce="tKTkXmMZ"></script></div><div><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/DoniphanCountyHealthDepartmentHomeHealth/posts/830779904317766" data-width="500" data-show-text="true"><blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/DoniphanCountyHealthDepartmentHomeHealth/posts/830779904317766" class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore">This is Doniphan Co. Health Dept. with an important message regarding your upcoming COVID-19 vaccine appointment...Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/DoniphanCountyHealthDepartmentHomeHealth/">Doniphan County Health Dept./Home Health</a> on&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/DoniphanCountyHealthDepartmentHomeHealth/posts/830779904317766">Wednesday, February 17, 2021</a></blockquote></div></div>By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostTROY, KS - The Doniphan County Health Department is set to vaccinate another 200 people this week after experiencing weather-related delays last week.Doniphan County was supposed to receive a shipment of 200 vaccines on Feb. 17, but the snow and extreme cold foiled those plans.The week wasn't a complete loss, however. Doniphan County Health Administrator Sheryl Pierce says the department held a vaccine clinic at the Troy Community Center on the morning of Feb. 16, when morning lows were around 20-below zero.Around 100 people age 65 or older still received their first dose of the vaccine, despite the extreme conditions."They came in their wheelchairs and walkers and canes," Pierce said. "Every one of them showed up. I think we only had five people who canceled that day, but we were easily able to get their slots filled."The clinic that was canceled last Wednesday has been rescheduled to this Thursday, Feb. 25, at the Troy Community Center with appointment times remaining the same.Kansas is still in Phase 2 of their COVID-19 vaccination plan. This includes anyone over the age of 65, people who work in congregate settings and high-contact critical workers.Phase 3 will include people ages 16-64 "with severe medical risks" and "other critical workers." Pierce believes this will present challenges in prioritizing who gets a shot first in Doniphan County."Everybody thinks they're essential, everybody thinks they're critical," Pierce said. "We've been getting phone calls from many entities that say, 'My boss says I'm critical or I'm essential.'"Pierce said the biggest frustration continues to be the limited availability of vaccine. She says the Doniphan County Health Department has the plans and people in place to vaccinate up to 500 people per day."We've exercised the drive-thru (clinics)," Pierce said. "We've done them practically every year for many years. We just need the vaccine."You can follow Tommy on Twitter @TommyKFEQ and St. Joseph Post @StJosephPost.

Doniphan County Health ready to hold vaccine clinic Thursday after delay last week

Mosaic Life Care reports just six total COVID-19 patients in their system Friday - a slight increase from the three inpatients on Wednesday.

St. Joseph health officials reported two additional virus-related deaths Thursday. The deaths were in a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s. The Buchanan County death toll is now 162.

By TOMMY REZACSt. Joseph PostMosaic Life Care reports just six total COVID-19 patients in their system Friday - a slight increase from the three inpatients on Wednesday.St. Joseph health officials reported two additional virus-related deaths Thursday. The deaths were in a man in his 70s and a woman in her 90s. The Buchanan County death toll is now 162.The county saw only 14 new COVID cases Friday, bringing the case total to 9,976. On the flipside, 9,569 Buchanan County residents have received the first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.Statewide, Missouri reports 474,021 total COVID-19 cases (562 new) and 7,709 total fatalities.Doniphan County, Kansas reports 929 total cases - that’s up three since Wednesday. Brown County is now over 1,200 cases with 1,201 total.Kansas reports 290,832 total cases (2,115 new) and 4,614 fatalities - 93 of those coming since Wednesday.

Coronavirus Update