COVID-19


U.S. House passes federal funding extension

Congressional leaders moved on Wednesday to buy more time to strike an elusive deal on an economic relief measure to address the ruin wrought by the pandemic, but with time running short, it was unclear whether a compromise would pass.… more

Coping with COVID: New executive order requires COVID-19 testing in Kansas adult care facilities

Governor Laura Kelly held a press conference Wednesday to provide updates regarding COVID-19 in Kansas, joined by KDADS Secretary Laura Howard and KDHE Secretary Dr. Lee Norman. Kelly announced she has signed Executive Order #20-69, requiring COVID-19 testing in certain adult care… more

KU Hospital, metro seeing rapid depletion of ICU beds

During the University of Kansas Health System's daily coronavirus briefing Wednesday morning, Dr. Dana Hawkinson, the hospital's director of infection prevention and control, noted that of the hospital's 89 patients with an acute COVID-19 infection, 47 of them are in the… more

Coping with COVID: Final trials show AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine safe with 70 percent efficacy

AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine was 70 percent effective at preventing infection from the virus in more than 11,000 participants in late-stage international trials, according to results published Dec. 8 in The Lancet.  The vaccine was only about 60 percent effective among people… more

Kansas CARES Act program to deliver backlogged payments

The Kansas Department of Labor announced Friday development with the state's Pandemic Unemployment Assistance Program (PUA). Funded through the CARES Act,  the program pays unemployment insurance benefits to those who wouldn't typically qualify for it such as self-employed and gig… more

Coping with COVID: Slight drop in active COVID-19 patients at KU Health reverses, ticks back up

After a few days of declines, the number of active COVID-19 patients being treated at The University of Kansas Health System is back up today. Ninety-four people with the active virus are hospitalized, up from 82 yesterday. Fifty-two patients are… more

Grocery, meatpacking workers receive Kansas vaccine priority

Kansas laborers in the grocery and meatpacking plant areas of the food industry are second up to receive the COVID-19, according to a Friday announcement from Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly. The decision arrives shortly after the announcement that healthcare workers… more

Missouri virtual job fair to seek filling healthcare worker jobs

On Tuesday, Dec. 22, the Missouri Office of Workforce Development (OWD) will host a Return Strong Virtual Job Fair in partnership with the Missouri Hospital Association. This fair will specifically seek job candidates to fill entry-level clinical and non-clinical positions… more

KCK school board delays in-person classes until April

In-person classes have been delayed once again for K-12 students in the Kansas City, Kan. Public School district. The district school board voted last week, opting to continue remote learning and push back a return to classrooms until April 2021. According… more

Kansas pushes for approval of additional stimulus legislation

The Kansas Governor’s Council on Tax Reform has joined Governor Laura Kelly along with small businesses and other individuals in asking Congress to support enactment of another round of federal stimulus legislation. Government officials are seeking federal funding it says… more