Tag Archives: COVID-19

Freeman takes pre-registration for April 9 covid vaccine clinic

Posted on by

JOPLIN, Mo. – Freeman Health System invites Missouri residents 18 and older to pre-register for its upcoming COVID-19 vaccine clinic. This, as the state prepares to activate more vaccine phases.

Last week, Missouri Governor Mike Parson announced the state will activate the following,

  • Phase 2 of the state’s COVID-19 Vaccination Plan on Monday, March 29, 2021
  • Phase 3 on Friday, April 9, 2021

(Related article: More Missourians will soon be eligible for COVID-19 vaccine)

Freeman COVID-19 Vaccine Clinics

Freeman is now accepting pre-registrations for its April 9th vaccine clinic. It’s scheduled for 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.

Those wanting a vaccination can call 417-502-SHOT to register for the vaccine or they can pre-register online at freemanhealth.com/service/covid-19. Pre-registration will prompt a return call from a Freeman employee to schedule a vaccination appointment.

Appointment times are still available for the first-dose clinic Thursday, March 25 (Read more: Freeman is taking appointments for March 25 COVID-19 vaccination clinic)

Since December 20, 2020, Freeman has given more than 15,600 doses to staff and the public. Freeman plans to give another 1,200 second doses this week and can give 1,400 first doses this week.

You can find more on vaccinations in Missouri here.

About Freeman Health System

Locally owned, not-for-profit and nationally recognized, Freeman Health System includes Freeman Hospital West, Freeman Hospital East, Freeman Neosho Hospital and Ozark Center – the area’s largest provider of behavioral health services – as well as two urgent care clinics, dozens of physician clinics and a variety of specialty services. In 2020, Freeman earned dozens of individual awards for medical excellence and patient safety from CareChex®, a quality rating system that helps consumers evaluate healthcare providers. U.S. News & World Report named Freeman Health System the Best Hospital in Southwest Missouri for 2020-2021. With more than 320 physicians on staff representing more than 80 specialties, Freeman provides cancer care, heart care, neurology and neurosurgery, orthopaedics, children’s services and women’s services. Additionally, Freeman is the only Children’s Miracle Network Hospital in a 70-mile radius. For more information, visit freemanhealth.com.

Freeman is taking appointments for March 25 COVID-19 vaccination clinic

Posted on by

JOPLIN, Mo. – Freeman Health System has open slots at its upcoming COVID-19 vaccination clinic.

If you are eligible in Missouri’s Phase 1A or Phase 1B, you can call 502-SHOT to make an appointment or register online at  www.freemanhealth.com.

The vaccination clinic is Thursday, March 25 from 7 AM to 6 PM.

You can find more about Missouri’s phases here.

Cherokee County Sheriff’s Office reflects on pandemic challenges

Posted on by

COLUMBUS, Kan. – In a press release Cherokee County Sheriff David Groves reflected on how the county met the challenges posed by the pandemic. One year ago today, Cherokee County reported the first case of COVID-19.

 

Full Release:

03/19/2021 – A Look Back on the Past Year

One year ago today, our team announced the first confirmed case of Corona-virus in the Four State Region.  On one hand it feels as if this past year has flown by but on the other hand it feels like it was five years ago that we made the announcement.  Over the past twelve months, our team has encountered numerous challenges, not entirely different than those faced by communities across the country.

Throughout the long and challenging days, though, one thing has remained consistent and to be honest, inspiring.  The level of commitment demonstrated by community leaders to help others has never wavered.

In addition to the countless hours of dedicated service put in by Health Department Administrator Betha Elliott, Emergency Manager Jason Allison and their staffs, an incredible response from our community, including school leaders and staff, medical providers, non-profit organizations, our county commissioners, city leaders, citizen volunteers, along with Dale and Christina at the K-State Extension Office, just to name a few, demonstrated day in and day out what makes Cherokee County truly a great place.

Despite the challenges, despite spirited debate at times regarding the best course of action, despite not knowing when the next curve ball will come our way, the people of Cherokee County care about one another and are always ready and willing to step up – however they can – to help our neighbors, friends and community.

Like most of you, I would have been perfectly content with not having heard so much about contact tracing, social distance, mass gatherings, quarantine, isolation, or knowing that being within six feet of someone for more than ten minutes meets a definition of ‘close contact,’ but I guess when it comes to a global pandemic, we are all in it together.  And, although we aren’t completely over this pandemic, we are making progress.

Just as I have been during previous events, I’m proud of Cherokee County and how we come together, demonstrating grit and perseverance to overcome and get through challenging times.

Stay safe, stay healthy and God Bless,

Sheriff David Groves

Joplin Library to help residents register for COVID-19 vaccine

Posted on by

JOPLIN, Mo. – The Joplin Public Library will help residents register to get the COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday, March 17. Workers will be there to help from 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

It’s part of a partnership between the Joplin Library and the Area Agency on Aging. The non-profit organization will have representatives at the library to assist community members in locating an available COVID-19 vaccine, registering for it, sending appointment reminders and even providing transportation to the vaccination appointment.

Anyone who meets the State of Missouri’s criteria of eligibility to receive the COVID-19 vaccine will be offered this free registration service. They will help folks on a first-come-first-served basis, in a drop-in format. If you can’t attend this registration event, you can call the Area Agency on Aging Region X directly at 417-781-7562 to receive the same service.

Official: Kansas can handle 5 times as much COVID vaccine

Posted on by

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Kansas’ top public health administrator told legislators Monday that the state could distribute five times as many COVID-19 vaccine doses as it is receiving now from the federal government.

(You can find more vaccine information for Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma here)

Dr. Lee Norman, head of the state health department, said the biggest issue facing Kansas in getting people inoculated is the vaccine supply. His comments came four days after President Joe Biden vowed to make all adult Americans eligible for vaccinations by May 1.

The GOP-controlled Legislature has criticized what it sees as a slow distribution of vaccines by Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration. Kelly and Norman have said Kansas has had trouble keeping up with recording shots.

The health department’s timetable anticipates that vaccinations won’t be available for all Kansas residents 16 and older until June. Norman said the state is receiving between 140,000 and 150,000 vaccine doses a week.

“The federal supply continues to be the largest barrier,” Norman told the Senate health committee during a briefing. “Probably, without even working overly hard at it — five times the amount, if it would come to us, we would be able to push it out.”

He added: “We have enough vaccinating sites, probably, for 10 times the amount of vaccine that we’re currently getting.”

Wilson County hosts walk-in immunization clinic

Posted on by

FREDONIA, Kan. – The Wilson County Health Department hosts a walk-in immunization clinic Monday.

Kansas residents needing an immunization such as a booster shot or children’s vaccines can get inoculated appointment-free at the Health Department in Fredonia, Kansas today from 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.

This is not a COVID-19 vaccine clinic. Those who need the COVID-19 shot need to set an appointment.

Kansas is currently in Phase 2 of its vaccination plan. It includes people aged 65 and older, people in congregate settings, high-contact critical workers, healthcare workers, residents of long-term care facilities and workers critical to pandemic response continuity.

*KOAM has corrected the article to point out this is not a COVID-19 clinic

Sunday marks one year since first confirmed covid-19 case in Missouri

Posted on by

SOUTHWEST MISSOURI — This weekend marks a big milestone in the pandemic – one year since the first official case of coronavirus was confirmed in the state of Missouri. A lot has happened since then.

Kandy Frazier, Carthage, said, “This has been a tough year.”

A common theme for the last 12 months. That’s how long it’s been since the first confirmed case of covid-19 in Missouri on March 7th.

Dr. Rob McNab, Freeman Covid-19 Services, said, “I think this time last year the only thing I knew about covid was the word.”

Since then, it’s been a steep learning curve for the medical profession.

“We literally had no treatment – not one treatment. So this past year has been a grand experiment in what is effective and what is not effective in treating covid.”

Interacting in public went from a stay-at-home order to mask mandates and social distancing. Restaurants went curbside and there were extra precautions for first responders.

Steve Lawver, CJ City Administrator, said, “It hit the PD really hard there for awhile.”

And then there were the schools. Schools went virtual at Spring break.

Steve Gilbreth, JHS Principal, said, “The whole world got shut down; not just Joplin, not just the state of Missouri not just the us, everywhere in the world.”

Most re-opened in the Fall with pandemic protocols. Joplin High School took the precaution of a hybrid schedule which is just now returning to five days a week on campus.

“We think wow we’ve learned so many things maybe we have a different mindset for doing school.”

Not something limited to JHS or the city of Joplin.

“After 32 years in education, I can honestly say this has been the most challenging and surprising year,” said Frazier.

Freeman Hospital sees decline in COVID inpatients

Posted on by

 

JOPLIN, Mo. – Some good news came out of Tuesday’s COVID-19 briefing at Freeman Hospital.

Freeman officials say the number of COVID-19 inpatients has declined. A total of thirteen COVID patients were getting treatment in Freeman West and Freeman Neosho Tuesday. That’s compared to 66 patients at the peak.

Freeman currently has one COVID patient in ICU, so the hospital is converting unit space to handle other patients. But they say the space could be equipped for COVID patients again if necessary.

Officials say the declining numbers are due in part to resident’s complying with COVID-19 safety precautions.

“The community has a whole have stepped up to limit the spread of that infection,” said Freeman Director of COVID-19 Dr. Rob McNab. “What we are doing is working. It is not like the virus has left town and forgotten about us. It is still here you know. The things that we have designed over the past year has worked very very well.”

Dr. McNabb says even people who get the vaccine could potentially spread the virus to others. So they should continue to wear masks and social distance.

CHC/SEK taking vaccination appointments for COVID-19

Posted on by

PITTSBURG, Kan. – The Community Health Center of Southeast Kansas (CHC/SEK) is now offering COVID-19 vaccine appointments for people aged 65 and older. There is no out-of-pocket cost to receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccinations will be available at all CHC/SEK clinic locations.

To schedule an appointment, patients need to call (866) 888-8650 any day of the week from 7 a.m. – 7 p.m. There is an additional line for Spanish speakers, available at (620) 240-8940, answered from 7 a.m. – 5 p.m., Monday through Friday.

CHC/SEK is one of 250 health centers nationally selected to receive a direct supply of COVID-19 vaccine to ensure underserved communities are equitably vaccinated. The health center expects 4,000 doses of Moderna vaccine to arrive the week of March 1.

CHC/SEK will follow the state priorities for what populations are eligible to receive the vaccine, however vaccine recipients will not be restricted by county residency, nor do they have to be a patient of CHC/SEK.

“This is a gift to the people of Southeast Kansas, the least healthy and most economically challenged region of the state,” said Krista Postai, President & CEO of CHC/SEK. “With almost 20 percent of our population over 65, the ability to reach out to provide this potentially life-saving vaccine is probably one of the most important initiatives in our history.”

Vaccine appointments will be available at CHC/SEK locations.

In Pittsburg, CHC/SEK has established a vaccine center at 924 N. Broadway, with extended and weekend hours to make receiving a COVID-19 vaccination as convenient as possible. The health center has also formed special vaccination outreach teams to target special populations by taking the vaccine to them.

“Based on the calls we’ve been receiving, we know many people are eager to get vaccinated and so afraid they’ll be overlooked because they live in rural Kansas,” Postai said. “It is so wonderful to tell them they’ve actually been prioritized nationally.”

Flu case numbers plummet amid coronavirus pandemic

Posted on by

SOUTHWEST MISSOURI — Coronavirus is at the forefront of everyone’s minds — but a different virus has been seeing a drop in cases.

How does the flu compare this year to year’s past? Doctors say the flu numbers have been non-existent this year. Freeman Health System doctors say they have been treating less flu and patients.

Joel Dermott, Administrator Barton County Health Dept., said, “The flu is nonexistent more and less not only in this part of the state and statewide if you look at national trends it’s very much the same.”

The Barton County Health Department says there have been only 1,200 cases of the flu in the state of Missouri from the 2020 to 2021 flu season, which is a dramatic drop.

“Compared to this time last year there was 44,000 so we are seeing dramatic decreases of flu not just in Southwest Missouri, but statewide and if you look at national numbers. If you look at numbers for other states and they are very much the same as what we are experiencing.”

Doctors at Freeman Health System say people changing their behavior is helping lower flu cases.

Rob McNab, Director of Covid Services, said, “The things we can point to are human behaviors. I think the masking, I think the social distancing, and I think the real emphasis on hand hygiene has made the biggest difference. I don’t think the flu patterns the way that it spreads across the world has changed.”

Doctor McNab says he and other physicians have also noticed a drop in other respiratory issues.

“The number of emphysema flare ups and other respiratory issues that typically we deal with in Fall and Winter long have also been extremely light.”

Doctor McNab says he has only admitted one flu patient this season compared to 10 to 20 during a normal flu season. He says to keep flu numbers low in the future — at risk patients with chronic bronchitis or emphysema should wear masks throughout the flu season.