Tag Archives: Coronavirus

School bus driver shortage impacting 4-states school districts

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JOPLIN, Mo. – Joplin Schools Transportation Director Mike Bevis gets back behind the wheel. Normally he would be in the office, making sure bus routes are running smoothly, but he’s been driving routes out of necessity.

“We started out this year about 15 drivers short,” says Bevis.

So if you’ve noticed buses running late, it’s not in your imagination.

“It always happens the first week of school anyway, even on a good year,” says Bevis. “You know, we are short on drivers, and with everybody coming off the virtual school from last year, now we’re finding we’re missing a lot of stops that we used to have. So we’re trying to reroute things. And it makes it chaotic. It makes us late… nobody likes to be late, nobody likes to be on the bus in the heat. But, that’s what we deal with. We’re just asking folks to be patient and we’ll get them there. Things are already smoothing out more, and we’re getting back to where we should be.”

While they may be getting things smoothed out, it’s not because they have as many drivers as they normally need. Right now, Joplin School District has 49 drivers when, on a good year, they have 62. They also only have three substitutes, when they like to have 12. To compensate, Bevis explains they’ve combined 12 routes to free up six of their drivers, and have hired five drivers. They still need to hire several more substitutes.

“We have a driver on (every) route, but as soon as one driver drops out for a trip or sickness, we can’t really combine the combinations like we did because there’s no wiggle room,” says Bevis.

School bus shortages aren’t a new thing — two years ago Joplin was facing a driver shortage as well. But this year, the shortage is nationwide and doesn’t appear to be getting any better. School ride-sharing company HopSkipDrive found that 80 percent of school districts that responded to a March survey are having trouble finding school bus drivers.

“I’ve had I think six applicants… in six months,” says Bevis.

In Carthage, Transportation Director Jeff Fries says, right now, what they need the most is substitute drivers.

“You throw COVID in there, and then you’re looking at more of a long-term absence because they could be quarantined for ten days or more, and that’s if they’re not sick. And then you’re looking to fill that position because the students still have to get to and from,” says Fries. “But with us, you know, there’s a small population of folks that actually want to do this job.”

And with the pandemic still hitting the four-states, getting the positions filled will take more time. So they ask parents to work with them as much as possible and be patient as the bumps are smoothed out.

“If you’re able to, transport your students,” says Bevis. “Otherwise, patience is the biggest thing.”

“Yeah, patience is key when it comes to transportation. We’re not always the fastest, but we’re always gonna be the safest,” says Fries.

If you may be interested in becoming a school bus driver in Joplin, you can apply here: http://joplin.ss11.sharpschool.com/cms/One.aspx?portalId=153084&pageId=427609

If you may be interested in a job in Carthage, you can apply here: https://www.applitrack.com/carthage/OnlineApp/default.aspx

COPYRIGHT 2021 BY KOAM NEWS NOW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.

Local health provider claims good results with at-home COVID-19 treatment

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FORT SCOTT, Kan. – In a small family practice in southeast Kansas, a healthcare provider claims to have found a better way.

“I’ve seen probably close to 50 at this point. Small sample around here,” says Ryan Lewis, a nurse practitioner at Fort Scott Family Medicine.

Lewis spends his time divided between the military and being a nurse practitioner at the clinic in Fort Scott. He says his military background drove him to find a way to save more lives, especially as nationally authorized treatment options for COVID-19 are slow to come out.

“I’m not a put myself out there type of person. But when family or friends or people you know die, and it seems like there’s nothing to be done, well,” says Lewis.

So after reading studies done on several potential treatments for the virus — he now claims to have found an effective regimen for treating COVID-19 symptoms at home.

“A lot of this at first came from Dr. Peter McCullough down in Texas,” says Lewis.

When a patient tells him they have tested positive, he does a couple of things. If their symptoms are mild, he tells them to take Famotidine (an over-the-counter antihistamine and antacid), Vitamin C, Vitamin D3, Zinc, Quercetin, Aspirin, and Berberine.

For moderate symptoms, he has them take the previously mentioned supplements and medications but adds Zpack, Dexamethasone, Hydroxychloroquine, Ivermectin, and Fluvoxamine.

For severe cases, he adds a nebulizer treatment and/or supplemental oxygen if it’s needed.

Lewis explains that over the last few months, all but a few of the roughly 50 patients he’s treated this way have had good outcomes.

“Only one has been hospitalized, two had to go to the ER for more invasive.. they weren’t vented, but I believe they gave them Remdisivir,” says Lewis. “That’s it. Everybody else has had a complete and full recovery.”

But, several pieces of the protocol are not backed up by the nation’s top disease experts. The National Institutes of Health say there’s not enough data to recommend for or against vitamin C, D3, or Zinc for Covid treatment or prevention. Several of the other medications are the same — with studies ongoing, but more evidence being needed before recommendations are made. However, there are two medications the FDA actively warns against using. The FDA says Ivermectin can interact negatively with other medications, like blood thinners. The biggest danger with Ivermectin comes when large doses are administered, like what is found in farm supply stores.

The FDA also cautions against using hydroxychloroquine, stating it can cause serious heart rhythm problems and other safety issues. The Emergency Use Authorization for hydroxychloroquine was revoked by the FDA in June because “These medicines showed no benefit for decreasing the likelihood of death or speeding recovery.”

“From what I have seen, I can’t argue with the results. From what I hear from other providers that have done the same thing with a much larger patient base and had the same results… I can’t argue with that,” explains Lewis. “So, yeah, they say that, but then we also have a brain that we can use and go from there. I looked at all the counter-arguments. I’m very confident at this point… it’s at least something, as opposed to nothing.”

The FDA has authorized the use of Remdisivir and monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of COVID-19. And recently the FDA gave full authorization to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine for people 16 and older.

Breakdown of each piece of the protocol, and what is being said about them.

Vitamin C: The NIH states, “There is insufficient evidence for the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel (the Panel) to recommend either for or against the use of vitamin C for the treatment of COVID-19 in non-critically ill patients… and critically ill patients.”

Vitamin D3: The NIH states, “There is insufficient evidence to recommend either for or against the use of vitamin D for the prevention or treatment of COVID-19.”

Zinc: The NIH states, “There is insufficient evidence for the COVID-19 Treatment Guidelines Panel (the Panel) to recommend either for or against the use of zinc for the treatment of COVID-19. The Panel recommends against using zinc supplementation above the recommended dietary allowance for the prevention of COVID-19, except in a clinical trial.” According to the FDA, the recommended dietary daily allowance for zinc supplementation is 11 mg for adults and children aged 4 years and older.

Aspirin: A study published on the NIH website states, “The authors recommend a low-dose aspirin regimen for primary prevention of arterial thromboembolism in patients aged 40-70 years who are at high atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk, or an intermediate risk with a risk-enhancer and have a low risk of bleeding. Aspirin’s protective roles in COVID-19 associated with acute lung injury, vascular thrombosis without previous cardiovascular disease and mortality need further randomized controlled trials to establish causal conclusions.”

Famotidine: A study published on the NIH website states, “There was no association between incidence of COVID-19 and use of reflux medications, including famotidine at doses used orally to manage reflux and high dose PPIs. Reflux medications did not protect against or increase the risk of COVID-19.”

Berberine: A study published on the NIH website states, “As an ingredient recommended in guidelines issued by the China National Health Commission for COVID-19 to be combined with other therapy, berberine is a promising orally administered therapeutic candidate against SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2.”

Quercetin: A study published in the US National Library of Medicine states, “According to the results obtained both in vitro and in vivo, good perspectives have been opened for quercetin. Nevertheless, further studies are needed to better characterize the mechanisms of action underlying the beneficial effects of quercetin on inflammation and immunity.”

Zpack (AKA Azithromycin). A study published in The Journal of the American Medical Association states, “Among outpatients with SARS-CoV-2 infection, treatment with a single dose of azithromycin compared with placebo did not result in greater likelihood of being symptom free at day 14. These findings do not support the routine use of azithromycin for outpatient SARS-CoV-2 infection.”

Dexamethasone: The NIH has recommended the use of Dexamethasone, “In hospitalized patients with COVID-19 who require invasive mechanical ventilation or ECMO,” and, “The Panel recommends the use of dexamethasone plus tocilizumab for patients who are within 24 hours of admission to the ICU.” A study in the New England Journal of Medicine also states, “Our results show that among hospitalized patients with Covid-19, the use of dexamethasone for up to 10 days resulted in lower 28-day mortality than usual care in patients who were receiving invasive mechanical ventilation at randomization.”

Hydroxychloroquine: The FDA actively cautions against using Hydroxychloroquine to treat COVID-19, reporting heart rhythm problems and other serious issues.

Ivermectin: The FDA actively cautions against using Ivermectin, stating, “Even the levels of ivermectin for approved uses can interact with other medications, like blood-thinners. You can also overdose on ivermectin, which can cause nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hypotension (low blood pressure), allergic reactions (itching and hives), dizziness, ataxia (problems with balance), seizures, coma and even death.”

Fluvoxamine: Fluvoxamine is a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor, approved by the FDA as a treatment for OCD, depression and other diseases. The NIH states, “Fluvoxamine is not FDA-approved for the treatment of any infection.”

News to Know (8/25/21)

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COLUMBIA, Mo. – Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt files a lawsuit seeking to stop school districts from enforcing mask mandates and requirements aimed at slowing the spread of covid-19. The lawsuit names Columbia Public Schools along with the district’s Board of Education and board members but is a class action lawsuit that would apply to any Missouri district requiring masks.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Missouri’s alcohol to-go law becomes permanent this weekend. The state first started allowing to-go sales of alcohol from bars and restaurants in April of 2020. Due to a new law that takes effect this Saturday, that policy becomes permanent. Under the law, the drink must be in a sealable container and the customer must make a food purchase along with the alcohol.

FAIRLAND, Okla. – The town of Fairland, Oklahoma in Ottawa County is down to three police officers, after the Chief, Assistant Chief, and most of the officers, resigned last week. Last night, the city hosted a special meeting with the public to discuss the situation. The chief’s resignation letter says it’s due to a hostile work environment, plus slanderous allegations made about him by a board of trustees member. Before the meeting, they interviewed Gordon Williams, a deputy with the Ottawa County Sheriff’s Office, to fill the roll of chief.

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. – The leaders of legislative re-districting committees say newly-drawn Oklahoma House districts approved by the legislature earlier this year will have to be redrawn.
The announcement follows the release of U.S. Census Bureau data that shows population increases in urban and suburban parts of Oklahoma. The Oklahoma legislature approved new house and senate districts based on U.S. Census Bureau estimates, not the final numbers released earlier this month.

KOAM InstaPoll: Should the decision to require masks in schools be left of up to the parents — the school district — the city or county government — or be decided at the state level? http://koamnewsnow.com/vote

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Third doses versus booster doses: What’s the difference?

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CRAWFORD COUNTY, Kan. – It’s been less than a week since news about third and booster doses has come out, and local health providers are already seeing interest.

“We started getting quite a few phone calls from people asking if they would qualify, and when we were gonna have that available,” says Crawford County Health Department Director Teddi Van Kam.

“We have seen an interest in both the third dose and the booster,” says Sarah Boyd at Mercy Hospital.

But when and who’s eligible aren’t the only questions they’ve received.

“There’s been a little bit of confusion about third doses versus booster doses,” says Van Kam.

So here’s a breakdown.

Third doses, of either Moderna or Pfizer, are exclusively for people who are immunocompromised. These additional doses were approved by the FDA last week, and are aimed at getting the immune response of someone with a compromised immune system to the same level of immune response as everyone else who’s currently considered fully vaccinated. These people are eligible for an additional dose 28 days after receiving their second dose. The CDC has a more in-depth list of who’s eligible for a third shot here: COVID-19 Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People

Booster doses are for everyone else. While the CDC does not currently recommend American’s receive a booster dose, HHS has laid out a plan to start offering booster doses of Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccines this fall — the week of September 20th. In that plan, HHS says booster doses should be administered eight months after the second dose. So while the vaccine itself is the same, the who, when, why, and what they are called are different.

More information on booster doses can be found here: COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shot.

“When the information first started coming out it was a little bit vague. So we too sort of wondered as well,” says Van Kam. “But it is… we really want to make sure we’re getting the people who are having more issues, or are immune-compromised, that we’re seeing to their needs.”

Van Kam has also been asked why people should wait eight months to get a booster shot.

“In the information I’ve read, some studies have indicated that some people… their immunity starts to wane somewhat after eight months,” says Van Kam.

Dr. Anthony Fauci has also said that waiting the full eight months would give your body a chance to get used to the vaccine before getting a booster.

Waiting to get a booster would also allow vaccine administrators more opportunity to prepare for when they’ll be doing four different vaccine rounds: first doses, second doses, third doses for immunocompromised, and booster doses.

“Logistics are always going to be a concern. So, we are just trying to work through that process. We have the benefit of having electronic health records to be able to help us track those doses,” says Boyd. “So we do have tools available to help us walk through this process.”

“We’re assuming we will need to expand vaccine clinics — start offering them on Fridays and Mondays, as well as Tuesdays like we are now,” says Van Kam. “As we did for the first go around, we’ll just adjust as we need to so we can meet everyone’s needs.”

The Crawford County Health Department has scheduled their first third dose clinic. It will happen this Friday, at the health department, from 9:00 a.m.to 12:30 p.m., and from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. If you plan to attend the clinic, Van Kam says you will be required to sign a form listing your compromised health condition(s) upon arrival. Both Moderna and Pfizer will be available.

Mercy Hospital is currently scheduling appointments for third-dose clinics. You can sign up for an appointment at https://www.mercy.net/service/covid-19-vaccine/. If you have any questions regarding eligibility, Boyd recommends calling the hospital or reaching out to your normal health provider.

Related COVID-19 coverage by KOAM: https://www.koamnewsnow.com/i/what-does-full-approval-of-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-mean/

https://www.koamnewsnow.com/i/what-does-full-approval-of-pfizers-covid-19-vaccine-mean/

https://www.koamnewsnow.com/what-to-know-as-fda-approves-third-covid-vaccine-doses-for-certain-americans/

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News to Know (8/24/21)

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JOPLIN, Mo. – State numbers show the city of Joplin is out-pacing other cities in the state when it comes to vaccination numbers, becoming the first to hit 50 percent fully vaccinated. State data shows 50.9% of the state is fully vaccinated. 62% of all adults 18 and older have started the vaccination process. Joplin leads the state in vaccinations with 50 percent of its population fully vaccinated against covid-19. Nine jurisdictions in the state are at least 40 percent vaccinated. Joplin is outpacing the rest of Missouri on vaccination rates

ATLANTA, Ga. – Pfizer’s covid-19 vaccine becomes the first in the U.S. to receive full approval from the FDA. The approval comes after eight months of emergency use, when more than 200-million doses of the vaccine were administered. The approval is for those 16 and older, but it still has emergency use authorization for teens 12 to 15 years old. What does full approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine mean?

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – With the FDA authorization, Cox Health has moved to require covid-19 vaccinations among its employees. Hospital officials say the decision was led by the health system’s physician leaders, and was due in part to the FDA’s full authorization of the Pfizer vaccine. Cox Health CEO Steve Edwards said in a media release quote, “This decision is ultimately led by science, which has shown us that vaccinations are the way we can end this pandemic.” To date, nearly 70% of Cox Health employees are already vaccinated against covid-19, as well as more than 90 percent of physicians. CoxHealth moves forward with vaccine requirement for employees

MIAMI, Okla. – Police in Miami, Oklahoma, investigate a stabbing death at B Street Northeast Monday morning. Officers found 37-year-old Johnny Euran lying in the yard with stab wounds. Euran died at the hospital. Authorities then identified a suspect, and arrested that person at a Miami home across town. Suspect arrested following deadly stabbing in Miami, Oklahoma

KOAM InstaPoll: When out and about, do you keep a mask with you, sometimes forget, or do not worry about it? http://koamnewsnow.com/vote

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Vaccine providers: “Pfizer’s FDA approval could impact local vaccination rates”

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WEBB CITY, Mo. – “Those who have been waiting for full approval should go get your shot now,” says President Joe Biden during a Monday press conference.

The FDA has given Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine full approval for use in people 16 and older. Those who are between 12 and 15 can still get the vaccine under emergency use authorization. It goes the same for immunocompromised people looking to get a third dose.

Convincing more people in the 4-states to get vaccinated is what pharmacists at Prater’s Pharmacy and Stone’s Corner Pharmacy hope the news will do.

“I hope that that gives people in the community another sense of encouragement that the vaccine is working and that there’s trust from the FDA,” says Amanda Wilson, a pharmacist at Prater’s Pharmacy in Webb City. “For some people, I do think that was a hesitancy that they had. So hopefully it will increase our vaccination numbers for the counties around here.”

Prater’s Pharmacy does vaccination by appointment. When KOAM spoke with Wilson on Monday, there hadn’t been many new appointments made. But, Wilson says that’s not surprising, since the news came out early in the day when many are at work. They are prepared to serve more people as they come.

“We do have Pfizer vaccine in stock in case there is more interest in that,” says Wilson.

“We’ve had some people in that have come in because of the FDA approval. And so, clearly, for some it’s gonna make a difference,” explains Chad Isaacs, a pharmacist and the owner of Stone’s Corner Pharmacy in Webb City. “People just want to feel comfortable about it. They want to feel like they’re making the right decision. This is at least a step in a direction to help people BE more comfortable getting vaccinated.”

Isaacs says since they offer the Pfizer vaccine on a walk-in basis, it’s hard to gauge how much more interest there was for the vaccine on the first day of approval.

Another aspect of the news that will be hard to gauge is the real-world impact on vaccine hesitancy. Many people have already taken to social media to say the approval doesn’t change their minds. Iola, Kansas resident Mikki Herrera explains that she is still on the fence.

“I am still leary of that,” says Herrera. “There are several Facebook groups out there with people who have had really bad reactions to the vaccine. So that scares me with those reactions, and I’m worried about that.”

Herrera explains that she and her husband both tested positive for COVID-19 in July. Their symptoms were mild, so they didn’t have to be hospitalized. Even after having the virus, she’s still apprehensive about the vaccines.

“In talking to my doctor after I recovered from COVID, he said I have natural antibodies. So he said he wasn’t in a big rush for me to be vaccinated,” says Herrera. “I just kind of want to see what long-term effects are and more studies. Cause I know it’s still so new, and I know like my doctor even said they’re still finding out new things about covid and the new strains that are coming out. I just kind of want to wait and see.”

The CDC says, “Serious side effects that could cause a long-term health problem are extremely unlikely following any vaccination, including COVID-19 vaccination.” The CDC also says people wh0 have already had and recovered from COVID-19 should be vaccinated, saying, “…unvaccinated people who already had COVID-19 are more than 2 times as likely than fully vaccinated people to get COVID-19 again.”

Related stories:

https://www.koamnewsnow.com/i/fda-gives-full-approval-to-pfizer-covid-19-vaccine/

https://www.koamnewsnow.com/coxhealth-moves-forward-was-vaccine-requirements-for-workers-at-hospitals/

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Southeast Kansas Hospitals support letter asking community to take more Covid-19 precautions

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PITTSBURG & NEODESHA, Kan.–After dealing with the pandemic for over a year and a half, healthcare workers say they’ve been doing all they can to keep the community safe.

Now it’s time for the community to do their part.

That’s why multiple Southeast Kansas hospitals, including Ascention Via Christi, and Wilson Medical Center asking residents to do their part to slow the current spread of Covid-19.

Which includes being vaccinated.

You can read the full statement here:

Dear citizens of southeast Kansas,
As the doctors, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, chief nursing officers, and CEOs of Fredonia Regional Hospital, Wilson Medical Center, Labette Health, Coffeyville Regional Medical Center, Girard Medical Center, Neosho Memorial Regional Medical Center, and Ascension Via Christi Pittsburg, we ask for your help during this healthcare crisis – a crisis much bigger than COVID-19.
Last week, a doctor in southeast Kansas had to call 21 different hospitals in our region to find a hospital bed for a patient critically ill with non-COVID related respiratory failure. While working for nine hours to transfer this patient to an ICU, the doctor and medical team managed the patient on a ventilator before finally being able to transfer him to a larger hospital with medically necessary ICU resources.
This scenario is not unique to a single hospital in southeast Kansas. Our organizations have been working together throughout the pandemic, helping each other as best we can. As we discussed
our most recent challenges in a virtual meeting this week, we found that each of our hospitals are experiencing some degree of staffing shortages, an inability to transfer patients to larger hospitals, the need to care for sicker patients than we normally would, shortages of life-saving medications, and inadequate beds and supplies to care for routine but significant medical conditions because we are overwhelmed by the number of COVID cases in our communities.
Our hospitals, clinics, providers, and staff have the training and experience to treat you and your families for the vast majority of medical conditions, and we are honored to provide you top
level services. However, our ability to care for the sick and injured in our own hometowns has been severely strained with the recent rise and rapid spread of COVID cases over the last few weeks.
We are being stretched thin as COVID continues to spread and we care for more and more sick patients. We are nearing a crisis point with our capacity to take care of routine conditions, such as heart attacks, strokes, car accidents, and broken bones that arrive at our emergency departments, conditions that are outside of the realm of COVID.
The impact of COVID is not isolated to our communities. We are seeing surrounding hospitals in larger cities reach capacity as well. Our rural and urban hospitals depend on each other to provide care to all who need medical attention. While our providers and staff have worked tirelessly to care for you and your loved ones through the last year and a half, our facilities across almost all of Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Arkansas are at breaking point shortages of hospital beds, staffing, medications, and supplies.
While we do everything in our power to treat people with every condition that walks through our doors, healthcare has always required teamwork. This disease is spreading faster than ever and
requires you, our community members, to be part of the team.
We ask that you help us to significantly reduce the spread of COVID by taking these actions now:
● Wear a mask in public settings;
● Get vaccinated;
● Stay home if you are ill or exposed;
● Social distance when possible;
● Avoid large gatherings and crowds;
● Get tested.
We all want this pandemic to be behind us, but with the current spike of Delta variant cases and the risk for more variants in our future, we need your help to ensure we can care for all medical conditions – both COVID and non-COVID.
As a citizen of southeast Kansas, you have the power to make a difference in the health of your family members, your neighbors, and our communities. Reducing the spread of COVID will help us make it through this pandemic and allow us to provide optimal care to your families and loved ones.

“One of my major concerns is that the vaccination rate isn’t as high as we need it to be and I know a lot of people have been hesitant to get the vaccine for different reasons. But I would encourage everyone that has been hesitant up to this point to reconsider,” said Dr. Jarin Redman from Ascention Via Christi.

Right now, 29% of patients in Southeast Kansas are being treated for Covid-19. Which puts even more strain on smaller communities like Neodesha.

“And that puts us in a situation which we’ve had in the last  week, we’ve had two patients that we had difficulty finding place for them to go,” said Dennis Shelby, CEO of Wilson Medical Center. 

On Ascention Via Christi’s Facebook page where the letter was posted, they stated that a doctor in the Southeast Kansas area had to call 21 different hospitals in the region to find one bed for a non-Covid patient.

“We have the ability to take care of patients but it is increasingly difficult to transfer patients to higher level of care in bigger cities because the capacity is getting to be quite a challenge,” said Jamie Cravens, Infection Control Director at Ascention Via Christi.

Which is why hospitals are asking the public, to take precautions as they reach a point of crisis.

“We all thought hey this thing is going down, were coming to an end, it’s rising, so people need to get vaccinated, if they can, if not they need to protect themselves with PPE, wear your mask, stay away from large groups, just be safe,” said Shelby.

COPYRIGHT 2021 BY KOAM NEWS NOW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.

Joplin is outpacing the rest of Missouri on vaccination rates

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JOPLIN, Mo. — State numbers show the city of Joplin is outpacing other cities in Missouri when it comes to vaccination numbers, becoming the first to hit 50% fully vaccinated.
State data shows that 50.9% of the state is fully vaccinated. 61% of all adults 18 and older have started the vaccination process.

Joplin leads the state in vaccinations with 50% of its population fully vaccinated against Covid-19.

9 jurisdictions in the state are at least 40% vaccinated.

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CoxHealth moves forward with vaccine requirement for employees

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LAMAR, Mo. – CoxHealth moves forward with a universal vaccine requirement for all physicians, vendors, students, and employees who are on CoxHealth’s campuses.

The announcement comes after the FDA gives full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. All employees must have their first vaccine dose by October 15th.

“Ultimately, this decision has been made in support of our most urgent priority of protecting our employees, patients, and community. We have seen great tragedy over the past 18 months: Hundreds of lives lost due to COVID-19, even more left with long-term impacts, and untold moments of pain for our employees and community members due to this dreadful virus. We take this opportunity to unify and move forward together as we work to protect our community, as we have been called to do in health care.” says Steve Edwards, president and CEO of CoxHealth.

CoxHealth says nearly 70 percent of employees, as well as 90 percent of physicians, are already vaccinated against COVID-19.

You can read the full release here: CoxHealth begins universal employee COVID-19 vaccinations

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COVID-19 booster shots available in 4-State area

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JOPLIN, Mo. – COVID-19 booster shots are now available at Joplin’s Freeman Hospital and many other locations, but only for patients meeting certain medical criteria.

“Those patients who have severe or untreated HIV infection would qualify, those that are actively receiving cancer treatments would qualify, those that are severely immunocompromised or have some autoimmune disease, they would also qualify,” said Jessica Liberty, Freeman’s Infection Prevention and Control Manager.

The CDC says that starting September 20th, members of the general public who received a Moderna or Pfizer Coronavirus vaccine can receive a corresponding booster shot as long as it happens at least 8 months from their second dose.

Freeman has Pfizer vaccines but pharmacies like Stone’s Corner in Webb City have both.

“We’ve been able to start those booster doses and they just need to be 28 days past their second dose for those at are eligible, and we’d be happy to help,” said Stone’s Corner pharmacist Chad Isaacs.

Natalie Mast is an immunocompromised Joplin resident who is especially vulnerable to the Coronavirus. She’s eager to get a booster shot and hopes all who are eligible will do the same.

“The more we let this go, the more it’s going to become more resistant to antibodies either from natural infection or from vaccines. That’s going to make it much harder for people like me to fight it off should we get breakthrough infections or should we get a severe infection,” said Mast.

Freeman Hospital says their COVID-19 booster shots will be offered free of charge.

 

COPYRIGHT 2021 BY KOAM NEWS NOW. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS MATERIAL MAY NOT BE PUBLISHED, BROADCAST, REWRITTEN OR REDISTRIBUTED.