Staff Report
Jan. 11 COVID-19 update from the health department
Douglas County reported 7,233 cases of COVID-19 as of Monday, an increase of 187 cases since Friday.
In Douglas County, 6,073 out of the 7,233 cases are inactive or beyond the infectious period, according to Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, meaning 1,160 cases are active.
The county has averaged about 64 new cases per day over the last 14 days, according to a 14-day moving average graph updated weekdays by the health department. The current average of 64.43 new cases per day is down from a recent high of 78 cases per day in mid-November and up from a recent low of 43 cases per day in December.
photo by: Contributed Photo/Heartland Community Health Center
From left, Dr. Cooper Nickel, a primary care provider at Heartland Community Health Center, and his father, Dr. Graig Nickel, a family physician at Watkins Student Health Center at the University of Kansas, receive the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020, at Heartland.
COVID-19 vaccinations in Kansas have been underway for a little less than a month, with priority being given to health care workers, EMS responders and residents in long-term care facilities. This past week, some health care workers received the second dose of the Pfizer vaccine, meaning they are now fully vaccinated.
George Diepenbrock, Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health
photo by: Contributed Photo
LMH Health pharmacy technician Priscilla Johnson receives a COVID-19 vaccine from her son Tyler Johnson, who is a pharmacy student intern in the LMH Health inpatient pharmacy.
When Priscilla Johnson, LMH Health pharmacy technician in the oncology pharmacy department, rolled up her sleeve to receive a COVID-19 vaccine on Dec. 19, a familiar face was preparing the needle her son Tyler Johnson.
“Honestly, it was a blessed moment for me. With my own son giving me my vaccine, I was able to experience his education firsthand,” she said. “He explained things very well to me and encouraged me to get the correct information. I had no pain with the initial shot. I had some soreness later at the injection site, and I was a bit tired the first day. But I had no other symptoms or reactions.”
photo by: Mackenzie Clark
Chairs are spaced apart at the Flory Meeting Hall of the Douglas County Fairgrounds on Dec. 18, 2020. Douglas County District Court made plans to hold jury trials at the building beginning in 2021.
Jury trials that were set to begin this month in Douglas County District Court are going to be postponed, the chief judge said Thursday.
The court has a plan approved by the state Office of Judicial Administration and by Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health to resume holding jury trials safely amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Trials were set to begin Monday, Jan. 11, using the Flory Meeting Hall at the Douglas County Fairgrounds to provide adequate space for social distancing, among other precautions.
photo by: Sylas May/Journal-World Illustration
Douglas County students may continue attending classes in person for the time being, but increasing rates for the coronavirus may lead to changes in instruction soon.
Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health announced Thursday that its guidance to schools would remain for another week in the yellow tier, which calls for schools to use hybrid or fully in-person classes. The color-coded guidance is meant to help county school districts navigate reopening schools and conducting activities as the pandemic continues during the school year.
However, both of Douglas County’s 14-day average number of cases and 14-day average positivity rate for the virus have risen recently. If the trend continues, it could push the health department’s recommendation back into the orange tier.