Missouri opens up COVID-19 vaccines to all 16 and older

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The Kansas City metro area continues to reopen as more and more of the population gets the COVID-19 vaccine.What you need to know:The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said Friday the state has 304,236 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and there have been 4,938 deaths since the outbreak started. Overall the state said 33.2% of the population has been vaccinated with at least one dose. Kansas is now only updating COVID-19 data on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays.The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said Friday there have been 492,823 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak and 8,510 deaths. Overall the state said 29.8% of the population has received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.FRIDAY10:30 p.m. — Bed bugs forced a last-minute change of venue Friday for a COVID-19 vaccine clinic at the Leavenworth VA. The Department of Veterans Affairs said that someone showed up to the clinic with bed bugs. All scheduled shots were given but the clinic had to move outdoors. READ MORE.2:30 p.m. — The Johnson County Department of Health and Environment said Friday that 37% of the total eligible (16 years of age and older) Johnson County population has had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose and 21% of the total eligible Johnson County population is fully immunized. JCDHE expects to receive 18,840 first doses of vaccine next week.1 p.m. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported an increase of 469 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its first update since Wednesday, pushing the statewide total to 304,236 since the outbreak started.KDHE reported six new deaths, taking the total since the start of the outbreak to 4,938. The state reported hospitalizations increased by 28 to 9,852 since the start of the outbreak.The overall monthly positivity is at 2.7% for April 2021 to date, slightly up from earlier this month according to the KDHE. That number is still down from a high of 16.5% in November.The state also said it has vaccinated 968,016 people, 1,505,586 total doses of the vaccine have been administered and 33.2% of the population has been vaccinated with one dose.[ KANSAS COVID-19 COVID-19 DASHBOARD ]Johnson County is the county with the most confirmed COVID-19 cases since the start of the outbreak with 56,694 cases. Sedgwick County is second with 55,085. Wyandotte County is third with 19,829 cases. Leavenworth County has 7,096 cases, Douglas County reports 8,617 and Miami County has 2,686.Health officials said they are still monitoring 30 active outbreak clusters.12:45 p.m. — Pfizer submitted its request to expand use of its COVID-19 vaccine to include kids ages 12-15. The vaccine is already approved for everyone 16 and older. Last week, Pfizer announced its vaccine was highly effective in adolescents. READ MORE11:30 p.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 492,823 on Friday, which is an increase of 475 cases. The state also reported there have been 89,856 (+592) possible antigen cases to date. The state said there have now been 8,510 (+0) deaths since the start of the outbreak.The overall positivity rate for the state is at 4.7%, according to the MDHSS. That number is down from a high of 23.1% in November.The state said it has administered 2,928,149 vaccine doses, 1,832,020 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,175,241 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 29.8% of the population has received at least one dose and 19.1% have completed vaccination.An estimated 28.7% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 27.5%, Clay County is at 23.8%, Platte County is at 20.3% and Cass County is at 23.9%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state there have been 2,265 positive cases and an average of 324 cases a day in the last week.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 37,702 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 31,006 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,120 cases in Clay County, 7,505 in Cass County and 3,225 in Platte County.10:30 a.m. — Everyone 16 and older in Missouri is now eligible for COVID-19 vaccinations. State officials had announced last month that that vaccines would be opened to everyone old enough to receive one on April 9. State officials estimate that about 4.5 million Missouri residents are eligible as of Friday. About 1.8 million people in Missouri – or 29% of the state’s population – had received a first dose of a vaccine by Thursday, according to state officials. Of those, more than 1.1 million, or about 19% of the population, had been fully vaccinated. Nationwide, about 110 million people – more than 33% of the US population – have received at least one dose of a coronavirus vaccine, while about nearly 65 million people have completed their vaccination, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Missouri’s health department on Friday reported 2,265 confirmed coronavirus cases over the week starting March 31, or on average about 324 new cases per day. Cases were up about 1.5% from the week prior. Four new deaths were reported in the same week, bringing the total death toll in Missouri to at least 8,510.9:30 a.m.– The City of Lee’s Summit – in collaboration with the state of Missouri – is hosting a drive-thru mass vaccination event on April 14 and April 15 at the Legacy Park Soccer Park.In a news release, the city said the vaccination event will be held from noon to 8 p.m. on both days, with up to 2,200 doses of the Pfizer vaccine expected to be administered per day. READ MORE7 a.m. — In Jackson County, Missouri, the health department is making some major moves on Friday, changing longstanding health restrictions.All essential and nonessential businesses can now open at full capacity on Friday. Restaurants, bars and taverns can also operate at full capacity to serve food and alcohol. There’s also no longer a limit on gatherings.But there are a few protocols that are still in place: The health department still requires masks and social distancing.6 a.m. — On Friday, Missouri moves into Phase 3 of its vaccine rollout plan. That means all Missourians – 16 and older – now have access to the coronavirus vaccines. Don’t forget, right now, only the Pfizer vaccine is approved for those 16 and 17-years-old. You must be 18 or older to get a Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. [ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] THURSDAY9:50 p.m. — Johnson County Community College is paying its employees to get COVID-19 vaccinations in the hopes of getting more students on campus this fall. A shot in the arm means $250 in the bank. READ MORE.9:40 p.m. — Mid-Continent Public Library said its Grandview Branch at 12930 Booth Lane is temporarily closed due to COVID-19 exposure and will resume services on Saturday. The book drop will remain open for returns. Holds on materials that were available at the branch before the closure will be extended. 1:30 p.m. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment has amended its travel quarantine list to add several states and countries. The new quarantine list includes Connecticut and Pennsylvania and the countries of Andorra, Bermuda, Curacao, Poland, Serbia and Uruguay. READ MORE11:30 p.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 492,348 on Thursday, which is an increase of 358 cases. The state also reported there have been 89,264 (+278) possible antigen cases to date. The state said there have now been 8,510 (+1) deaths since the start of the outbreak.The overall positivity rate for the state is at 4.6%, according to the MDHSS. That number is down from a high of 23.1% in November.The state said it has administered 2,866,785 vaccine doses, 1,800,058 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,139,058 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 29.3% of the population has received at least one dose and 18.6% have completed vaccination.An estimated 28% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 26.9%, Clay County is at 23.4%, Platte County is at 19.8% and Cass County is at 23.6%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state there have been 2,166 positive cases and an average of 309 cases a day in the last week.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 37,657 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 30,987 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,117 cases in Clay County, 7,498 in Cass County and 3,223 in Platte County.11 a.m. — Nebraska colleges and universities are encouraging students to get vaccinated for the coronavirus, but they won’t require the shots before students return to campus in the fall.The University of Nebraska-Lincoln, the Nebraska State College System and the state’s largest private colleges all said this week that they have no plans to require students or staff to get vaccinated, according to the Lincoln Journal Star.“We do think they are a good idea, and we would encourage people to get vaccinated,” UNL spokeswoman Leslie Reed said. “But we don’t plan to mandate that.”Private colleges, including Hastings College and Nebraska Wesleyan, Midland, Doane and Concordia universities, also said they have no plans to mandate vaccines.Doane, Midland and Hastings all hosted vaccine clinics for students on Wednesday to make it easy for them to get their shots.Rachel Czerny, director of campus wellness at Doane’s campus in Crete, said the university will treat students who have been fully vaccinated in accordance with recommendations from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.“This excludes them from campus testing and quarantine protocols unless they become symptomatic,” she said.Doane plans to continue requiring everyone on campus to wear masks “until we are confident that an adequate amount of individuals on campus have been vaccinated,” Czerny said.9 a.m.– Officials with the University of Kansas Health System said doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital are currently treating eight active COVID-19 infections. Of those eight, two patients are in the ICU and two are on a ventilator. In addition, 18 more patients remain in the hospital in the recovery phase.6:30 a.m. — The Missouri state health department on Wednesday reported 2,175 confirmed coronavirus cases over the week of March 29, or on average about 311 new cases per day. Cases are down about 3% from the week prior. Six new deaths were reported in the past week, bringing the total death toll in Missouri to at least 8,509.6 a.m. — Kansas health officials say the state is expecting to receive significantly fewer Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines in the coming weeks. The Department of Health and Environment said Wednesday Kansas expects to receive 5,000 doses next week and 1,700 each of the last two weeks of April. Kansas previously expected to receive 15,800 doses during those weeks. The health department didn’t give a reason for the reduction, but Johnson & Johnson had to discard 15 million doses because a batch made at a Baltimore plant didn’t meet quality standards. Vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna are expected to remain consistent in coming weeks. [ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] WEDNESDAY5:35 p.m. — Kansas health officials say the state is expecting to receive significantly fewer Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccines in the coming weeks. The Department of Health and Environment said Wednesday Kansas expects to receive 5,000 doses next week and 1,700 each of the last two weeks of April. READ MORE.2 p.m.– The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported an increase of 540 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its first update since last Monday, pushing the statewide total to 303,767 since the outbreak started.KDHE reported 5 new deaths, taking the total since the start of the outbreak to 4,932. The state reported hospitalizations increased by 39 to 9,824 since the start of the outbreak.The overall monthly positivity remained at 2.8% for April 2021 to date, slightly up from earlier this month according to the KDHE. That number is still down from a high of 16.5% in November.The state also said it has vaccinated 931,653 people, 1,435,128 total doses of the vaccine have been administered and 32% of the population has been vaccinated with one dose.[ KANSAS COVID-19 COVID-19 DASHBOARD ]Johnson County is the county with the most confirmed COVID-19 cases since the start of the outbreak with 56,566 cases. Sedgwick County is second with 55,000. Wyandotte County is third with 19,795 cases. Leavenworth County has 7,088 cases, Douglas County reports 8,597 and Miami County has 2,681.Health officials said they are still monitoring 30 active outbreak clusters.Noon — It appears more vaccine doses are coming to the Sunflower State.11:30 p.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 491,990 on Wednesday, which is an increase of 458 cases. The state also reported there have been 89,264 (+492) possible antigen cases to date. The state said there have now been 8,509 (+1) deaths since the start of the outbreak.The overall positivity rate for the state is at 4.5%, according to the MDHSS. That number is down from a high of 23.1% in November.The state said it has administered 2,817,892 vaccine doses, 1,772,667 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,114,370 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 28.9% of the population has received at least one dose and 18.2% have completed vaccination.An estimated 27.6% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 26.3%, Clay County is at 23%, Platte County is at 19.5% and Cass County is at 23.2%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state there have been 2,175 positive cases and an average of 311 cases a day in the last week.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 37,637 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 30,954 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,114 cases in Clay County, 7,489 in Cass County and 3,221 in Platte County.9 a.m. — Texas Gov. Greg Abbott is using his executive power to ban state government and some private entities from requiring COVID-19 “vaccine passports” to access services. Abbott signed the mandate Tuesday. It blocks state agencies, political subdivisions and public and private organizations that receive public funding in Texas from requiring proof of inoculation against the coronavirus. READ MORE8 a.m. –Dr. Nancy Stewart, pulmonologist, critical care, and sleep specialist is rejoining the University of Kansas Health System COVID-19 Panel Wednesday to go over an update on her research around sleep during a pandemic. 7:30 a.m. — The Blue Valley School District is trying once again to hold a meeting to discuss the district’s mask mandate after an attempt yesterday was stopped when an individual in the meeting refused to put on a mask or leave.6 a.m. — Missouri’s health department on Tuesday announced it identified the first case of a new vaccine variant in the state. Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services announced a Jackson County resident tested positive for a COVID-19 variant first identified in South Africa. The agency said a commercial lab identified the variant during genome sequencing.Health department Director Dr. Randall Williams in a statement urged people to continue taking preventative measures, such as wearing a mask and social distancing, as new variants spread to Missouri. “We also continue to ask that individuals consider getting vaccinated when they are able,” Williams said. “The vaccines that are currently available in the United States appear to be effective against these variant viruses.”Missouri found cases of another variant, this one first identified in the U.K., back in February. The agency said there are at least 35 active cases of that faster-spreading variant in the state. Meanwhile, the University of Missouri is planning to have full-capacity, in-person classes and activities on the Columbia campus for the fall semester beginning in August, university officials announced Tuesday.University President Mun Choi said in a news release that school officials will stay in touch with local health officials as they plan for football, concerts and classes. The university had 13 active student cases as of Tuesday, Choi said.Some faculty and staff are already working on campus, and all are expected to be back by May 17 to prepare for the full-capacity return this fall.The seven-day rolling average of daily new cases in Missouri has held steady over the past 14 days at about 590. Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicates that 28.5% of the population had received at least one dose of vaccine as of Monday and 16.5% had been fully vaccinated.5 a.m. — The Valley Center school district is considering dropping its mask mandates and social distancing rules after a former Sedgwick County commissioner complained the policies are “irrational” because the number of COVID-19 cases is declining.The school board held a special meeting Monday in response to the complaint from former commissioner Richard Ranzau, who invoked a new state law that requires a school board hearing within three days of a complaint being filed and a final decision within a week of the hearing.On Tuesday, the Blue Valley School District in Overland Park canceled a similar hearing after a man who attended refused to wear a mask or leave. The Valley Center board decided to meet again Thursday to vote on the objection. The district had planned to keep the restrictions in place for the final weeks of the school year, The Wichita Eagle reported. Ranzau, whose son attends Valley Center High School, said the restrictions implemented in August are no longer valid because COVID-19 infection rates in Sedgwick County have dropped to between 3% and 4% and school employees now all have access to vaccinations.He also argued the policies are harming children by depriving them of face-to-face contact, and that his 17-year-old son is not being allowed to build his his immune system by being exposed to childhood diseases. Assistant Superintendent Mike Bonner, who leads the district’s COVID committee, argued the mask mandate should continue because the infection rate among children is higher than for others. He cited state data showing the positive test rate for COVID-19 at 8.97% for ages 10-14 and 7.58% for ages 14-17.The district also estimated only about half of its 550 total staff have been vaccinated. Ranzau also wants the district to end all automatic quarantines and testing for students exposed to the virus but who don’t show symptoms.Bonner said the district is following the latest guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and other health agencies concerning mask and social distancing requirements. And he argued masks substantially reduce how many children would have to quarantine when a classmate tests positive for the virus.He said the district had to send only three students home after two children at a school tested positive last week. About 50 people who were close contacts with the infected students did not have to quarantine because they wore masks, he said.In Blue Valley, a meeting scheduled after a parent complained about the district’s COVID-19 restrictions was canceled when a man refused to put on a mask or leave. A large crowd had gathered for the meeting, and several voiced frustrations at not being able to discuss the restrictions because of the man’s actions, KMBC-TV reported.When the man remained seated without a mask, the board abruptly canceled the hearing and said a virtual meeting would be scheduled. Mark Tallman, associate executive director of the Kansas Association of School Boards, said districts expect to face complaints over mask and social distancing rules, but the group doesn’t track how many are rescinding policies because of the threat of lawsuits. [ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] TUESDAY6:50 p.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said it has identified the state’s first case of the South African variant of COVID-19.Health officials said the variant was identified in a sample from the patient, identified only as an adult living in Jackson County. READ MORE.5:20 p.m. — Douglas County, Kansas health officials say they anticipate 1,900 available openings for Wednesday’s mass vaccination clinic at the Douglas County Fairgrounds.Any Douglas County resident 16 and older who would like to make a vaccine appointment can enter the code 284987 at LDCHealth.org/GetMyVaccine. The drive-thru clinic will offer doses of the Pfizer vaccine, and anyone 16 and older is eligible. Appointment registration is available first-come, first served until all slots are full. Appointments are available from 11:30 a.m. to 4:20 p.m.3:45 p.m. — The University of Missouri is planning to have full-capacity, in-person classes and activities on the Columbia campus for the fall semester beginning in August, university officials announced Tuesday. University President Mun Choi said in a news release that MU officials will stay in touch with local health officials as they plan for football, concerts and classes. READ MORE2:30 p.m. — The Olathe School District is holding a hearing to discuss its mask mandate after a new Kansas law allows parents to challenge districts on similar mandates.1 p.m. — The Valley Center school district is planning to vote Thursday on whether to drop its mask and social distancing requirements. The discussion comes after the board received a complaint from former Sedgwick County Commissioner Richard Ranzau, who opposes all COVID-19 restrictions. The board held a special hearing Monday to discuss the complaint from Ranzau, whose son attends Valley Center High School. He invoked a new state law that requires a speedy hearing for anyone objecting to COVID-19 restrictions. Ranzau argues the mask mandate and social distancing requirements implemented in August are no longer needed because COVID-19 infection rates have dropped.12:30 p.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 491,442 on Tuesday, which is an increase of 309 cases. The state also reported there have been 88,772 (+133) possible antigen cases to date. The state said there have now been 8,508 (+4) deaths since the start of the outbreak.The overall positivity rate for the state is at 4.5%, according to the MDHSS. That number is down from a high of 23.1% in November.The state said it has administered 2,753,578 vaccine doses, 1,739,965 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,077,342 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 28.4% of the population has received at least one dose and 17.6% have completed vaccination.An estimated 27.2% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 25.9%, Clay County is at 22.8%, Platte County is at 19.3% and Cass County is at 23%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state there have been 2,112 positive cases and an average of 302 cases a day in the last week.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 37,608 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 30,920 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,110 cases in Clay County, 7,472 in Cass County and 3,221 in Platte County.11 a.m. — Frustrated parents filled the hallways at Blue Valley School District’s central office building in Overland Park on Tuesday morning after the abrupt cancellation of a hearing to discuss the district’s mask mandate. A group convened for a hearing Tuesday morning after a parent complaint in the wake of the passage of a new law in Kansas. That law allows anyone in the district to petition the school board — forcing a meeting within 72 hours — to discuss the removal of mask mandates and safety precautions. The Blue Valley School District Board of Education Room at the District Office was full when district officials attempted to start the meeting. But an individual in the back of the room refused to wear a mask or leave the hearing. READ MORE8:30 a.m. — Officials with the University of Kansas Health System said doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital are currently treating eight active COVID-19 infections. Of those eight, three patients are in the ICU and one is on a ventilator. In addition, 14 more patients remain in the hospital in the recovery phase.8 a.m. — Officials with the University of Kansas Health System said doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital are currently treating seven active COVID-19 infections. Of those seven, three patients are in the ICU. In addition, 15 more patients remain in the hospital in the recovery phase.7 a.m. — In addition to the Blue Valley School District’s special hearing on Tuesday, the Olathe School District is meeting at 2:30 p.m. Tuesday to discuss Kansas Senate Bill 40. The hearings will take place after Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly’s executive order aimed at encouraging Kansas counties to keep COVID-19 mask mandates was revoked Thursday by the Republican-controlled Legislative Coordinating Council. The LLC’s move comes after Senate Bill 40 was passed recently. That bill included a provision that revoked all executive orders related to the COVID-19 pandemic.According to the school districts, the new legislation “gives local boards of education sole authority to take actions in response to the COVID-19 state of disaster emergency related to school closures, learning modes and COVID-19 mitigation efforts.” The legislation also provides that employees, students and parents or guardians of students who are unhappy with the COVID-19 interventions in place may request a hearing, the Blue Valley School District said.6 a.m. — ICYMI: After weeks of declining COVID-19 transmissions across Missouri, experts worry that the drop has stalled and caseloads could start to rise again.“Every time you think this pandemic is going to keep going down, it throws you a new curve ball,” Dr. Alex Garza, the head of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force, told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. The number of new daily cases of the coronavirus peaked in January then began to drop sharply. Missouri’s seven-day average dropped below 500 a day last month, for the first time since the summer. The St. Louis region’s daily average hospital admissions tumbled to 35, the lowest in eight months.With vaccinations on the rise, the St. Louis region is on track to get about 75% of the adult population vaccinated by late June.But experts note that caseloads and hospitalizations have stalled at current levels for about four weeks. Many worry that people are letting their guard down prematurely.The state’s tally on Monday showed that Missouri has reported 491,133 confirmed cases of the virus and 8,504 deaths.[ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] MONDAY10:35 p.m. — The City of Grandview will host a drive-thru mass COVID-19 vaccination on April 10 in partnership with the State Emergency Management Administration Department for Public Safety, Jackson County Health Department, and the Missouri National Guard. Vaccinators will be prepared to deliver at least 2,200 doses at the Grandview High School parking lot from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those wanting to receive the vaccine in Grandview must first register with the state’s vaccine navigator at www.covidvaccine.mo.gov/navigator to receive a patient ID. They should receive an email with a link to register for the Grandview vaccinations.2:30 p.m. — Gov. Laura Kelly said Monday that she has no plans to have Kansas issue vaccine passports, which are designed to help inoculated residents travel, shop and dine out more freely. The Democratic governor also signed into law a largely symbolic measure approved by the Republican-controlled Legislature to require public schools to offer full-time, in-person classes to all students for the rest of the current semester. READ MORE2:15 p.m. — Gov. Mike Parson reiterated his stance on Monday that he won’t require vaccine passports in Missouri. A message Parson posted to Twitter and Facebook Monday is going viral, “I do NOT support a vaccine passport and have no intention of implementing one in the State of Missouri.” READ MORE1:30 p.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 491,133 on Monday, which is an increase of 206 cases. The state also reported there have been 88,772 (+113) possible antigen cases to date. The state said there have now been 8,504 (+0) deaths since the start of the outbreak.The overall positivity rate for the state is at 4.3%, according to the MDHSS. That number is down from a high of 23.1% in November.The state said it has administered 2,710,012 vaccine doses, 1,713,877 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,057,241 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 27.9% of the population has received at least one dose and 17.2% have completed vaccination.An estimated 26.8% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 25.5%, Clay County is at 22.6%, Platte County is at 19.1% and Cass County is at 22.7%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state there have been 1,948 positive cases and an average of 278 cases a day in the last week.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 37,585 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 30,905 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,107 cases in Clay County, 7,465 in Cass County and 3,217 in Platte County.1:15 p.m.– The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported an increase of 354 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its first update since last Friday, pushing the statewide total to 303,227 since the outbreak started.KDHE reported zero new deaths, keeping the total since the start of the outbreak to 4,927. The state reported hospitalizations increased by 32 to 9,785 since the start of the outbreak.The overall monthly positivity remained at 2.7% for April 2021 to date, slightly up from earlier this month according to the KDHE. That number is still down from a high of 16.5% in November.The state also said it has vaccinated 895,716 people, 1,373,913 total doses of the vaccine have been administered and 30.7% of the population has been vaccinated with one dose.[ KANSAS COVID-19 COVID-19 DASHBOARD ]Johnson County is the county with the most confirmed COVID-19 cases since the start of the outbreak with 56,398 cases. Sedgwick County is second with 54,913. Wyandotte County is third with 19,739 cases. Leavenworth County has 7,076 cases, Douglas County reports 8,575 and Miami County has 2,674.Health officials said they are still monitoring 39 active outbreak clusters.8 a.m. — Officials with the University of Kansas Health System said doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital are currently treating seven active COVID-19 infections. Of those seven, three patients are in the ICU and two are on a ventilator. In addition, 13 more patients remain in the hospital in the recovery phase.6 a.m. –Drops in coronavirus transmission rates in the St. Louis area are beginning to stall, raising concerns that residents are dropping their guard too soon and that caseloads could soon rise again.The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the number of daily new coronavirus infections fell precipitously after a peak in January. Missouri’s seven-day average dropped below 500 a day last month, for the first time since last summer. At the same time, the St. Louis region’s daily average hospital admissions tumbled to 35, the lowest in eight months.Meanwhile, the region is now on track to reach widespread immunity by late June — with about 75% of the adult population vaccinated — an expectation weeks better than mid-August estimates made just last month.Yet state and regional caseloads and hospitalizations have now stalled at current levels for about four weeks. “Everyone is in this prevention-methods burnout phase,” said Tim Wiemken, a St. Louis University professor and infectious disease expert. “The weather is getting nicer and people are just over it.”There also are concerns that more infectious versions of the virus may be adding to caseloads, adding urgency to the vaccination effort.“That’s the race here, and it’s neck and neck for the foreseeable future,” said Wiemken.[ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] SUNDAY8 a.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 490,981 on Sunday, which is an increase of 279 cases. The state also reported there have been 88,609 (+284) possible antigen cases to date. The state said there have now been 8,504 (+0) deaths since the start of the outbreak.The overall positivity rate for the state is at 4.5%, according to the MDHSS. That number is down from a high of 23.1% in November.The state said it has administered 2,703,098 vaccine doses, 1,709,982 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,053,940 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 27.9% of the population has received at least one dose and 17.2% have completed vaccination.An estimated 26.7% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 25.5%, Clay County is at 22.5%, Platte County is at 19.1% and Cass County is at 22.7%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state there have been 2,119 positive cases and an average of 303 cases a day in the last week.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 37,566 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 30,898 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,107 cases in Clay County, 7,463 in Cass County and 3,216 in Platte County.6 a.m. –Wichita State University has announced it’s dropping its coronavirus restrictions after GOP lawmakers overrode Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s newly reissued mask order.The Wichita Eagle reports that Friday’s announcement means masks are no longer required at the school and that there will be no limits on mass gatherings. In a letter posted on its website, the university encouraged persons on campus to “engage in these practices when possible” and encouraged “everyone to get the vaccine when eligible.”Interim President Dr. Rick Muma said in a virtual town hall meeting that the school had followed orders issued by the state. “We are also going to have to fall under those guidelines, so we are not going to be able to require masks, social distancing, mass gathering limitations,” he said. Last week, Sedgwick County dropped its COVID-19 restrictions in anticipation of the Kansas legislature solidifying the law that entitles objectors of COVID-19 mandates to a lightning-fast 72-hour review by a judge. The statewide mask order was overturned by a the Legislative Coordinating Council on Thursday.Health officials have cautioned it’s too early for people to let down their guards, noting that a fourth wave of the virus could be close despite rising vaccination rates.[ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] SATURDAY8:45 a.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 490,648 on Saturday, which is an increase of 327 cases. The state also reported there have been 88,325 (+411) possible antigen cases to date.The state said there have now been 8,504 (+3) deaths since the start of the outbreak.The overall positivity rate for the state is at 4.4%, according to the MDHSS. That number is down from a high of 23.1% in November.The state said it has administered 2,658,351 vaccine doses, 1,683,011 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,034,982 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 27.4% of the population has received at least one dose and 16.9% have completed vaccination.An estimated 26.3% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 25.2%, Clay County is at 22.2%, Platte County is at 18.7% and Cass County is at 22.6%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state there have been 2,162 positive cases and an average of 309 cases a day in the last week.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 37,548 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 30,888 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,107 cases in Clay County, 7,461 in Cass County and 3,215 in Platte County.[ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] FRIDAY9:50 p.m. — Johnson County officials said the Olathe Motor Vehicle Office at 782 N. Ridgeview Road will remain closed through the week of April 5. County officials said there are staffing shortages because of a COVID-19 outbreak. READ MORE.3 p.m. — Balls Food Stores’ Price Chopper location at 4820 North Oak Trafficway in Kansas City, Missouri, will open a COVID-19 vaccination clinic with appointments for 1,200 vaccinations per week beginning Monday, April 5. This site will be administering Pfizer vaccinations, customers 16 years and older who are currently eligible to receive the vaccine can register for a time slot using the Balls Food Pharmacy website.2:45 p.m. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said an emerging COVID-19 variant known as the South African variant has been identified in Kansas. At this point, it is not known to cause more severe disease, and it is not clear whether it spreads more readily than other strains. READ MORE2:30 p.m. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported an increase of 501 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its first update since Wednesday, pushing the statewide total to 302,873 since the outbreak started.KDHE reported 19 new deaths, pushing the total since the start of the outbreak to 4,932. The state reported hospitalizations increased by 25 to 9,753 since the start of the outbreak.The overall monthly positivity remained at 2.7%, for April 2021 to date, slightly up from earlier this month according to the KDHE. That number is still down from a high of 16.5% in November.The state also said it has vaccinated 868,292 people, 1,323,890 total doses of the vaccine have been administered and 29.8% of the population has been vaccinated with one dose.[ KANSAS COVID-19 COVID-19 DASHBOARD ]Johnson County is the county with the most confirmed COVID-19 cases since the start of the outbreak with 56,299 cases. Sedgwick County is second with 54,861. Wyandotte County is third with 19,709 cases. Leavenworth County has 7,069 cases, Douglas County reports 8,559 and Miami County has 2,670.Health officials said they are still monitoring 39 active outbreak clusters.1 p.m. — The Blue Valley School District said it will hold a special hearing next week to review its mask mandate after a parent challenged the district’s face covering requirement. READ MORE11:15 a.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 490,321 on Friday, which is an increase of 540 cases. The state also reported there have been 87,914 (+203) possible antigen cases to date.The state said there have now been 8,501 (+2) deaths since the start of the outbreak.The overall positivity rate for the state is at 4.3%, according to the MDHSS. That number is down from a high of 23.1% in November.The state said it has administered 2,597,781 vaccine doses, 1,651,494 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,004,724 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 26.9% of the population has received at least one dose and 16.4% have completed vaccination.An estimated 25.6% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 24.6%, Clay County is at 21.5%, Platte County is at 18.4% and Cass County is at 22.3%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state there have been 2,158 positive cases and an average of 308 cases a day in the last week.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 37,503 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 30,870 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,099 cases in Clay County, 7,456 in Cass County and 3,213 in Platte County.10:45 a.m. — The Jackson County Health Department said Friday it is phasing out its vaccine survey and transitioning to adding vaccine clinics to its community calendar.10 a.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services confirmed a second mass vaccination clinic is coming to Arrowhead Stadium in late April. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson said Thursday there will be another mass vaccination clinic in Kansas City this month, and the MDHSS confirmed Friday the event will take place on Thursday, April 29 and Friday, April 30 at Arrowhead. READ MORE9 a.m. — Officials with the University of Kansas Health System said doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital are currently treating 10 active COVID-19 infections. Of those 10, five patients are in the ICU and one is on a ventilator. In addition, 16 more patients remain in the hospital in the recovery phase.8 a.m. — Sunday is Easter, our second in this COVID-19 pandemic. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends outdoor celebrations and church services, rather than observing indoors. The CDC also recommends that online worship remains the safest option and families should limit holiday meals to immediate family members.6 a.m. — The vaccine rollout is picking up steam in our area. More people will get their doses this weekend in a two-day mass vaccination clinic that starts Friday at Raymore-Peculiar High School. This will be a drive-thru vaccination clinic from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday, where people will be getting their first dose of the Pfizer vaccine. It’s for Missourians eligible under the first two phases of the state’s vaccination plan. Appointments are required, and no walk-ups will be accepted. You can get signed up online at CassCounty.com, or if you don’t have internet access, you can call 816-380-8425.[ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] The Associated Press contributed to this story.