Kansas City COVID Cont'd: Mask Redux, Scarcity & NetGen Impact

The stats say that the plague is rapidly worsening and this time around its impacting younger students and hitting the already battered US economy.

Tonight we share a collection of local news on the topic of dire COVID numbers despite vaxx progress and promises.

Check TKC news links . . .

KC hospitals, EMS, school districts experience major disruptions due to staffing issues

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The latest surge of COVID-19 cases has stretched local hospitals and emergency management thin. Ryan Jacobsen, medical director of Johnson County EMS System, says ambulances often do not know where to drop off 911 patients with many hospitals busting at the seams. Patients then have to decide where they would like to be treated and are often taken to hospitals that are not their choice.

Park Hill School Board voted Friday night to bring back mask mandate for all school facilities

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Park Hill School Board voted in a special meeting Friday night to bring back the district's mask mandate. The vote was 6-1 with board member Scott Monsees as the lone no vote. The mandate will begin Jan. 9 and run through Feb. 3.

Medical team arrives at KC's Research Medical Center to help with COVID-19 support

A team of medical professionals sent by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services arrived in Kansas City Friday to help with patient care at Research Medical Center.The hospital said it requested additional help from the state of Missouri to care for the growing number of COVID-19 patients and to expand the hospital's ability to treat other patients in need of care.The 15-member team from the National Disaster Medical System will provide short-term surge support to the hospital.

Weather, staffing and more contributing to COVID test struggles in KC area

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The line for the COVID-19 testing site at the Heavy Construction Laborers Union off Prospect stretched from 79th Street to 75th. Some in line said they've been desperately looking for tests. "I was looking for about three days because most of them require appointments, and this is one of them that didn't require an appointment," Gloria Estrada said.

COVID-related issues leave nearly 1,000 staff out at The University of Kansas Health System

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Organizations of all types are quickly feeling the impact of the number of employees who have become sick from the latest COVID-19 surge. During its daily call with doctors and reporters Friday, The University of Kansas Health System reported more than 950 employees were out either with COVID-19 or related to COVID-19 testing.

More than 400 Children's Mercy staff out with COVID-19 as child hospitalizations remain high

Children's Mercy Hospital is seeing some of its highest COVID-19 hospitalization rates since the pandemic began. It comes as more than 400 staff members are out with the virus.

Metro school districts battle short staffing due to Covid-19 cases

KANSAS CITY, MO (KCTV) --- Staffing shortages are crippling industries across the metro. The latest to shutdown was a charter school in Kansas City. University Academy canceled classes Friday because they didn't have enough teachers due to Covid-19 infections.

Allen Fieldhouse at KU to require masks

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Allen Fieldhouse, the indoor arena located at the University of Kansas in Lawrence, will require masks following a mask mandate passed by Douglas County, where the arena is located. "For the most part, this county mandate doesn't change anything on our Lawrence campus because we have been implementing our own university mask mandate since last August," University Chancellor Douglas A.

Kansas Supreme Court reverses Johnson County judge's ruling that pandemic law is unconstitutional

The Kansas Supreme Court on Friday overturned a Johnson County judge's decision that a 2021 Kansas law enacted to address COVID-19 emergency measures is unconstitutional. The Supreme Court, though, made clear it was not expressing an opinion on the constitutionality of the law, Senate Bill 40.

Kansas sets new single-day record for Covid-19 cases

TOPEKA, KS. ( WIBW) - The state's surge of COVID-19 cases shows no signs of letting up, with Kansas logging another record for new cases in a single day. The Kansas Dept. of Health and Environment's update Friday showed 5,048 new COVID cases diagnosed Jan. 4, 2022.

Mid-Missouri COVID hospitalizations increase as state surpasses record hospitalizations

COLUMBIA - With the positivity rate continuing to increase in mid-Missouri, hospitals statewide have hit a record high with an increasing number of people coming in with COVID-19. Especially with children, Missouri is seeing the rate of kids being hospitalized for COVID-19 at a record-high level.

Kansas City temp agency busy as COVID-19 surge causes staffing shortages

COVID-19 is causing staffing shortages at hospitals, schools and businesses all over Kansas City. In some places, it's leading to closings.If too many employees are out sick, it's hard to run a business. Temp agencies have been stepping in to fill the gap in some cases.It's a busy time if you're in the business of helping businesses hire."We never stopped.

All Shawnee Mission middle, high schools to mask for at least 2 weeks

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - Two more Shawnee Mission School District buildings have joined the list of schools with more than 3% of students or staff in quarantine.

Missouri schools can close for a period of time if COVID cases get too high

KANSAS CITY, Mo. - The Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education is trying to plan ahead, just in case mask requirements in certain cities and school districts don't work. "The options that Missouri school districts have in front of them this year is what we call the Alternative Methods of Instruction Statute, or AMI," spokeswoman Mallory McGowin said Friday.

As schools mask back up, some raise concerns about student mental health

When the subject of masks in schools comes up, invariably so does the topic of mental health.

You decide . . .