Unified Command leaders encourage all Douglas County residents to follow guidance from the local health officers, particularly those who are not vaccinated, who are at higher risk of facing complications due to COVID. They also encourage anyone 12 and older who has not yet done so to make a vaccination appointment, LDCHealth.org/COVIDVaccine, particularly in light of the emergence of the Delta variant, which has been found to be more contagious and has impacted young people in ways previous variants have not, according to the CDC.
LDCPH will not publish this COVID Update on Monday, July 5, in observance of the Independence Day holiday. The next update will be Tuesday, July 6.
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The following update is accurate for Douglas County
as of 1 p.m., July 2
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Average today Daily Case Count: 2.00 (this is a 14-day moving average)
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Cumulative Case Count: 9,408
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New Reported Cases to LDC Public Health: 17 (since Wednesday)
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Average Positivity Rate: 1.1% (percent of positive tests over the past 14 days)
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Number of Current Active Cases: 50
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Current number of COVID inpatients at LMH Health: 4
(2 active COVID cases, and 2 recovering)
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Cumulative residents hospitalized with COVID since March 2020: 341
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*Total Number of COVID-19 deaths: 85
(Most recent death reported to LDCPH: June 8.)
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14-Day Incidence Rate: 23.28 (incidence rate per 100,000)
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Data in this email is compiled from the Douglas County COVID-19 Dashboard. The button above takes you to that dashboard. Data is considered preliminary as there are frequent changes due to reporting delays, jurisdictional re-assignment, and data entry corrections. Data on the dashboard will be updated by
3 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
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Douglas County Community Members Can Request Vaccine Clinics for Businesses, Events |
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Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health is pleased to offer COVID-19 vaccine clinics on site for businesses and organizations with the goal of helping provide access to those who have not yet had the opportunity to make an appointment.
A form is now available at LDCHealth.org/COVIDClinic for community members to request a clinic on site at their event or business.
"While our community members have done a great job so far in coming forward to get vaccinated, our partners in the community are coming together with new strategies to increase access to the vaccine and offer potential incentives so that we can work to get an even higher vaccination rate in our community," said Business Systems Analyst Charlie Bryan, chair of the Vaccination Planning Unit of Douglas County's Unified Command response.
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Douglas County has the highest vaccination rate in the state.
Find out more on how to you can help participate.
Check LDCHealth.org/70for70 for opportunities on vaccination clinics and events in the community with incentives if you still are looking to make a vaccination appointment.
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With Four Confirmed Cases of Delta Variant,
Health Officers Urge Vaccinations, Precaution
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As the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and LDCPH disease investigators monitor variants of concern of the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, testing has identified four Douglas County cases in the past month of the Delta variant. The variant spread widely in India and Britain, and U.S. public health officials have voiced concern about the contagious variant spreading in communities with low vaccination rates, including recently in southwestern Missouri.
Douglas County's Local Health Officers, Dr. Thomas Marcellino and Dr. Jennifer Schrimsher, offered this message to Douglas County residents who can help keep our numbers low and mitigate future spread of COVID-19:
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Get vaccinated if you are 12 or older and have not yet. Visit LDCHealth.org/COVIDVaccine or see below for how to book an appointment.
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The current vaccines available in the United States have demonstrated to be effective at preventing hospitalization and death due to COVID-19. Early research on the vaccines' effectiveness against the Delta variant is encouraging. However, people may consider still using masks and distancing when in larger crowds and reviewing the guidelines we published in late May when the local public health order expired.
- Some communities in the region with lower rates of vaccination have seen a significant rise in cases recently due to the Delta variant.
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In Douglas County, we have one of the highest rates of vaccination in the state, but we still sit at 52% of eligible adults fully vaccinated and 59% with one dose, so the more people who come forward in the coming days and weeks to get vaccinated will continue to protect our community. Watch LDCHealth.org/70for70 for information about vaccination events in the community and incentives for those who have not yet been vaccinated.
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Examine Detailed Vaccine Data on the COVID Dashboard |
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Vaccine Opportunities
The consent form for parents and guardians is also available at LDCHealth.org/COVIDVaccine. Parents or guardians can also accompany a child to the appointment to provide consent, or vaccination staff will call parents to obtain consent over the phone.
LMH Health family medicine clinics also offer the Pfizer vaccine to patients 12 years of age and older. Visit lmh.org/primarycare for a list of primary care clinics and additional contact information.
Pfizer doses are for anyone 12 and older.
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Las citas para vacunas están disponibles en las istalaciones para cualquier persona de 12 años o más. Ingrese el código para la fecha que seleccione en LDCHealth.org/getmyvaccine
Todas las clínicas de vacunas serán vacunas Pfizer. Nota: Debe programar su segunda dosis como mínimo 21 días después de su primera dosis.
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Pharmacies Offering the Vaccine - Make an Appointment!
There are plenty of opportunities to get a COVID-19 vaccine from Douglas County pharmacies. They also might be able to accommodate an early morning or evening appointment if it works better for your schedule. We have offered the list of pharmacies below. You can contact them directly to learn about eligibility and how to sign up for an appointment.
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Farmacias que ofrecen la vacuna: ¡Programe una Cita!
Hay muchas oportunidades para obtener una vacuna COVID-19 en las farmacias del Condado de Douglas. Las farmacias también pueden agendar una cita por la mañana o por la tarde si funciona mejor con su horario. Ofrecemos la lista de farmacias a continuación. Usted puede comunicarse con ellos directamente para obtener información sobre la elegibilidad y cómo inscribirse para una cita.
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Independence Day Fireworks Display to Celebrate Community's Perseverance During Pandemic |
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In celebration of Independence Day and our community’s perseverance during the pandemic, the City of Lawrence and its Unified Command partners: Douglas County, LMH Health, Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health, the University of Kansas and the Lied Center of Kansas have coordinated support of the Lawrence Jaycees’ community fireworks display, creating a Fabulous Fourth.
The Fabulous Fourth fireworks celebration will take place at approximately 9:45 p.m. Sunday, July 4, at the Shenk Sports Complex, located at 23rd and Iowa streets; however, parking at the sports complex will not be available due to the radius required to ensure safety during the fireworks.
The Lied Center of Kansas, 1600 Stewart Drive, will be available as a viewing spot and will have free live music beginning at 7:30 p.m.
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Free Hand Sanitizer Available |
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Douglas County Emergency Management and Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health have started distribution of hand sanitizer and masks (thank you to 23rd Street Brewery) to community members.
Plenty of supplies are still available for those who might be interested, especially if you have a community event planned for the summer.
If any restaurant, school, child care center, church, nonprofit, summer program, library, or other agency would like hand sanitizer for FREE, please sign up here: http://dgcoks.org/handsanitizerrequest.
People will be able to pick up the hand sanitizer between 9 a.m. and 10 a.m. Fridays and Mondays at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, 2120 Harper Street. Location details are provided on the request form and signage will be posted at the fairgrounds.
If you have questions, please contact Emergency Management Specialist Josh Taylor at jtaylor@douglascountyks.org or 785-832-5260.
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Free COVID Tests Available |
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Thanks very much to Black Summer for having LDCPH team members to offer COVID-19 tests at the Juneteenth BBQ Get Down last Saturday at Watson Park. Ruaa Hassaballa-Muhammad, COVID testing equity project manager, is shown with the Wheel of Testing Fortune where anyone who collected a COVID test saliva sample could spin the wheel to receive a gift card.
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Behavioral Health Resources |
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Douglas County is working to share messages of hope and inspiration with the hashtag, #DGKS❤️
Include the tag with uplifting posts of the people who are spreading positivity through Douglas County.
The Unified Command structure was developed to lead a comprehensive pandemic response, combining local government, health, education and business leaders, and it added the Community Well-being Branch in November. The new branch is intended to work with community partners to meet the emotional and social health needs of essential workers, high-risk people and anyone else in the community who’s experiencing mental health problems amid the pandemic.
A new community resource website hosted by Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health is available at LDCHealth.org/hope.
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