COVID-19 LIVE UPDATES: 36.4% of Kansas residents have received at least 1 vaccine dose – KMBC Kansas City

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 Monday the state has 306,290 confirmed cases of COVID-19, and there have been 4,955 deaths since the outbreak started. Overall the state said 36.4% 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 Monday there have been 496,600 cases of COVID-19 since the start of the outbreak and 8,635 deaths. Overall, the state said 33.3% of the population has received at least one dose and 23.2% have completed vaccination. MONDAY1:30 p.m. — Even though he’s not required by the NFL to take the COVID-19 vaccine, Chiefs star quarterback Patrick Mahomes said Monday he’s fully vaccinated. While meeting with the media on Monday, Mahomes said he got the vaccine to help protect his 2-month-old daughter Sterling Skye Mahomes. READ MORE1:15 p.m. — The city of Independence is hosting a series of walk-in COVID-19 vaccine clinics this week. The clinics will be from 11 a.m. to 6:15 on Wednesday-Friday. The clinic will use the Pfizer vaccine and is intended for people getting their first round of the vaccine. You can sign up for the vaccine at this link. All Missouri adults and youth 16 or older are eligible to receive vaccines.1 p.m. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported an increase of 429 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its first update since last Friday, pushing the statewide total to 306,290 since the outbreak started.KDHE reported two new deaths, making the total since the start of the outbreak 4,955. The state reported hospitalizations increased by 17 to 9,955 since the start of the outbreak.The overall monthly positivity is at 2.9% 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 1,061,293 people, 1,720,591 total doses of the vaccine have been administered and 36.4% 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 57,136 cases. Sedgwick County is second with 55,533. Wyandotte County is third with 20,008 cases. Leavenworth County has 7,141 cases, Douglas County reports 8,704 and Miami County has 2,718.Health officials said they’re now monitoring 44 outbreak clusters – up from just 30 earlier this month. A total of 3,367 cases have been attributed to these clusters with 60 hospitalizations and 24 deaths. Noon — Marie Watson wanted to be among the first in line when she and other essential workers became eligible for the coronavirus vaccine — and with good reason. The maintenance parts buyer for a Mission Foods tortilla plant in Pueblo, Colorado, had lost her father to COVID-19 in the fall and was told by a doctor last year that she herself almost certainly had the virus. So when her union, the United Food Workers and Commercial Workers, secured appointments for the plant’s 200 workers, she jumped in her car and drove to a nearby drive-thru clinic for the first of two doses. “There was this sense of relief,” Watson said. “This was more confirmation that I’m on my way to being normal.”A growing number of labor unions and companies are securing shots for their employees as eligibility widens. Some large companies such as Amazon are offering workplace vaccinations through licensed health care providers, while smaller outfits are booking appointments for workers at outside locations.For employers, the vaccines are a critical step toward restoring normalcy at a time when they expect a spike in demand for their services as more people get inoculated. They are also betting that employees who did not initially trust the vaccine will have a change of heart when they see co-workers receiving it.For workers, employer assistance with the vaccine eliminates hurdles, including transportation issues or maneuvering through a patchwork of websites to find appointments. That access could help to narrow the racial and socioeconomic gaps that have opened in the country’s vaccination drive.While many essential workers have spent weeks trying to get time slots, Watson got her shot days after Colorado extended eligibility to food workers.Iliana de la Vega, owner of the Mexican restaurant El Naranjo in Austin, Texas, said she secured appointments for all 12 of her employees out of gratitude that they stuck with her through shutdown orders and capacity restrictions that ate into their pay.Some workers hesitated at first but were quickly persuaded with the promise of a day off, De la Vega said.“A couple of them said, ‘We are not sure.’ I said, ‘That’s not an option. Take it or leave it. Who knows when you will be able to get it again?’” de la Vega said.Despite the growing number of companies offering on-site vaccinations, there are signs that some may have lost interest. In March, when vaccine eligibility was widening and distribution efforts improving in the U.S., a survey by the consulting firm Gartner found 30% of companies planned to bring vaccines to their employees. That was down from 42% in January, when distribution was still spotty and obtaining appointments was still extremely difficult for most people.“The speed of the rollout has exceeded their expectations so companies are realizing they can take a back seat,” said Brian Kropp, chief of research at Gartner’s human resources practice.Vaccinating employees is also less urgent for a growing number of companies that are adopting permanent remote-work policies, Kropp said. While nearly two-thirds of companies plan to reopen their workplaces by the end of this year, the majority say they will allow many employees to keep working from home at least some days, according to Gartner, which surveyed 300 companies.Nonetheless, prominent companies continue to join the list of those offering on-site vaccinations.Ford Motor Co. and the United Auto Workers opened up on-site vaccinations Monday in Michigan, Kansas and Ohio. In Ohio, Gov. Mike DeWine had initially put a stop to workplace clinics out of concern they would tie up supply, but he allowed them to resume last week as demand dropped at the state’s mass vaccination sites.Amazon launched its long-anticipated on-site vaccinations last month in Kansas, Missouri and Nevada. Warehouse and other front-line workers can sign up for shots at kiosks or through Amazon’s employee app.Yogurt maker Chobani, which employs 2,200 people in the U.S., partnered with a local pharmacy to vaccinate hundreds of its employees at its Twin Falls, Idaho, plant, according to the company’s chief People and Culture Officer Grace Zuncic.American Airlines, Subaru, chicken producer Mountaire Farms, and agricultural equipment maker Vermeer are among 40 companies that brought vaccines to their employees through partnerships with Premise Health, a direct health care provider. American Airlines is administering vaccines at airports in Chicago, Charlotte, Tulsa and Dallas-Fort Worth, according to the company. At least 25,000 people have been vaccinated through the partnerships, said Premise President Jami Doucette. He expects that number to climb into the millions. Tyson Foods, one of the world’s largest food companies, said it has vaccinated nearly 40,000 employees — nearly one-third of its workforce — at vaccination events in 16 states. Tyson also expanded its on-site event last week to include eligible family members of employees. Bob Reinhard, who is leading Tyson’s vaccination effort, said a minority of employees have refused to get vaccinated while some others are interested but want more information and don’t want to go first. “That secondary group is now coming around,” Reinhard said.Employer-organized vaccination events, along with incentives such as bonuses or paid time off, allow companies to keep track of how many employees get vaccinated. Employer are legally allowed to require the vaccine, but the vast majority have shied away from doing so; some say it doesn’t make sense to do so until everyone is eligible and there is sufficient supply. Still, the idea is gaining some traction. While Gartner’s March survey showed just 8% of companies planned to require employees to show proof of vaccinations, that number was up from 2% in January.Chobani, which says it has avoided outbreaks at its plants and has seen few positive cases among employees, has not ruled out requiring the vaccines, Zuncic said. The company plans to assess how many of its workers have been vaccinated by midyear.“It’s a discussion that continues,” Zuncic said. “We want to get a pulse and sense of how far along we are.”10:30 a.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 496,600 on Monday, which is an increase of 189 cases. The state also reported there have been 80,528 (+189) possible antigen cases to date. The state said there have now been 8,635 (+0) deaths since the start of the outbreak.The overall positivity rate for the state is at 5%, according to the MDHSS. That number is down from a high of 23.1% in November. The 5% positivity rate is still higher than what it has been in weeks.The state said it has administered 3,410,665 vaccine doses, 2,101,443 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,425,312 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 34.2% of the population has received at least one dose and 23.2% have completed vaccination.An estimated 33.3% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 32%, Clay County is at 27.2%, Platte County is at 23.2% and Cass County is at 27.6%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state reported there have been 2,352 positive cases over the last seven days and an average of 336 cases a day.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 38,040 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 31,209 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,161 cases in Clay County, 7,571 in Cass County and 3,254 in Platte County. 10 a.m. — After a second parent challenge, the Olathe school board voted unanimously Monday morning to again uphold the district’s mask mandate. The school board’s decision to keep the district’s mask mandate came after listening to a parent last week who challenged the requirement. It was the second challenge to the mask mandate the district has heard in the past two weeks. 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, six patients are in the ICU and three are on a ventilator. In addition, nine more patients remain in the hospital in the recovery phase. [ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] SUNDAY7 p.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 496,411 on Sunday, which is an increase of 254 cases. The state also reported there have been 80,528 (+116) possible antigen cases to date. The DHSS said it corrected an error in the database. The correction removed 11,454 cases that had been double counted.The state said there have now been 8,635 (+0) deaths since the start of the outbreak.The overall positivity rate for the state is at 4.9%, according to the MDHSS. That number is down from a high of 23.1% in November. Wile down .1% from Saturday, this is still higher than it’s been in weeks.The state said it has administered 3,401,597 vaccine doses, 2,096,776 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,420,881 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 34.2% of the population has received at least one dose and 23.2% have completed vaccination.An estimated 33.1% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 31.9%, Clay County is at 27.1%, Platte County is at 23.2% and Cass County is at 27.6%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state reported there have been 2,489 positive cases over the last seven days and an average of 356 cases a day.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 38,023 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 31,193 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,158 cases in Clay County, 7,568 in Cass County and 3,252 in Platte County. [ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] SATURDAY11 a.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 496,157 on Saturday, which is an increase of 381 cases. The state also reported there have been 80,412 possible antigen cases to date. The DHSS said it corrected an error in the database. The correction removed 11,454 cases that had been double counted.The state said there have now been 8,635 (+1) deaths since the start of the outbreak.The overall positivity rate for the state is at 5%, according to the MDHSS. That number is down from a high of 23.1% in November, but still higher than it’s been in weeks.The state said it has administered 3,376,471 vaccine doses, 2,083,946 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,408,344 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 34% of the population has received at least one dose and 22.9% have completed vaccination.An estimated 33% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 31.7%, Clay County is at 27%, Platte County is at 23% and Cass County is at 27.5%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state reported there have been 2,546 positive cases over the last seven days and an average of 364 cases a day.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 38,006 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 31,173 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,155 cases in Clay County, 7,561 in Cass County and 3,248 in Platte County.FRIDAY1 p.m. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported an increase of 541 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its first update since last Wednesday, pushing the statewide total to 305,861 since the outbreak started.KDHE reported nine new deaths, making the total since the start of the outbreak 4,953. The state reported hospitalizations increased by 33 to 9,944 since the start of the outbreak.The overall monthly positivity is 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 1,019,650 people, 1,617,994 total doses of the vaccine have been administered and 35% 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 57,068 cases. Sedgwick County is second with 55,462. Wyandotte County is third with 19,966 cases. Leavenworth County has 7,136 cases, Douglas County reports 8,685 and Miami County has 2,712.Health officials said they’re now monitoring 44 outbreak clusters – up from just 30 earlier this month. A total of 3,367 cases have been attributed to these clusters with 60 hospitalizations and 24 deaths. 12:15 p.m. — Missouri is preparing to launch a $5 million ad campaign to urge residents to get the coronavirus vaccine as appointment times begin to go unfilled in some places even though the state expanded eligibility to everyone age 16 or older.Called Stronger Together, the campaign will begin next month and will provide vaccination information through radio, TV, print and social media messages. “There is definitely misinformation, disinformation circulating,” said state health department spokeswoman Lisa Cox. “I think the challenge is very similar to what we saw throughout the last year, making people aware of why these efforts are important and the impact they make and how the virus works and what it is going to take to get back to as close to normal as we feel we can get.” Vaccinators this week reported hundreds of openings for appointments around the state, including in St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia and Jefferson City, despite the state opening eligibility to anyone 16 or older last week. “We are hoping that the more education that we can get out that, ‘Hey everyone 16 and up can do this now,’ hopefully that will help and cause people to seek out a vaccine,” Cox said. Just 33.3% of Missouri residents had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of Thursday, which is less than half what would be needed to achieve herd immunity.Cox also said the number of health agencies requesting vaccine fell by half last week compared to the previous week. “Some of them do feel like they have really hit a wall as far as who is interested,” Cox said, noting that the state’s vaccine supply did increase substantially last month.Health officials say it’s important to get people vaccinated as soon as possible because, among other reasons, safeguards are being lifted around the state.The tourist town of Branson did away with its mask mandate as of Friday, and Springfield businesses would be allowed to open to full capacity this weekend. In southeastern Missouri, wearing face masks became optional this week in the Scott County School District.Noon — On Wednesday, theJohnson County Department of Health and Environment vaccinated 3,120 people at its Lenexa clinic, the largest number of people vaccinated in one day at that location. “We estimate that by the end of Saturday’s clinic, vaccinations administered this week will total 11,000,” JCDHE said in a news release. “Currently, JCDHE data shows that 40% of the total eligible (16 years of age and older) Johnson County population has had at least one COVID-19 vaccine dose, and 25% of the total eligible Johnson County population is fully immunized.” During the next two weeks, JCDHE will continue to offer expanded COVID-19 vaccination hours, including evening and weekend availability. JCDHE opened up approximately 11,000 appointments for the next two weeks, administering both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. JCDHE expects to receive 14,840 first dose vaccines next week.10 a.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 495,776 on Friday, which is an increase of 466 cases. The state also reported there have been 91,634 (+604) possible antigen cases to date.The state said there have now been 8,634 (+4) deaths since the start of the outbreak. The overall positivity rate for the state is at 5%, according to the MDHSS. That number is down from a high of 23.1% in November, but still higher than it’s been in weeks.The state said it has administered 3,305,940 vaccine doses, 2,046,730 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,373,435 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 33.3% of the population has received at least one dose and 22.4% have completed vaccination.An estimated 32.3% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 31%, Clay County is at 26.4%, Platte County is at 22.5% and Cass County is at 27.1%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state reported there have been 2,601 positive cases and an average of 372 cases a day in the last week.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 37,921 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 31,147 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,152 cases in Clay County, 7,550 in Cass County and 3,243 in Platte County.8:30 a.m. — Officials with the University of Kansas Health System said doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital are currently treating 14 active COVID-19 infections. Of those 14, three patients are in the ICU and all three are on a ventilator. In addition, 13 more patients remain in the hospital in the recovery phase.6 a.m. — Coronavirus vaccine supply is starting to outpace demand in Missouri, even after the state expanded eligibility, raising worries among some health care providers. Early on, mass vaccination clinics in rural areas sometimes had excess doses, but demand had remained strong in more populous areas until recently. The slowdown is occurring even though the state deemed anyone 16 or older eligible to get the shot last week and most residents remain unvaccinated. State data shows that just 32.8% of residents have received at least one dose as of Wednesday.“As a medical professional, I am concerned,” Dr. Davin Turner, chief medical officer at Mosaic Life Care, told the St. Joseph News-Press, noting that signups for vaccines have slowed down in the city. “We would like to see more folks getting vaccinated. Even if they had COVID, we still recommend vaccination.”After weeks of not enough vaccines, suddenly in St. Louis County there are more shots than people to fill appointments, KSDK reports. “As of this afternoon, we had about 1,600 appointments still open for tomorrow, and that’s all across St. Louis County locations,” said Sara Dayley with the St. Louis County health department on Wednesday.And at a FEMA-run operation at the Dome at America’s Center in downtown St. Louis, the vaccination pace is still less than half of what the agency says it could give out – 3,000 shots per day. The program is for St. Louis city and county residents. Dr. Alex Garza, the head of the St. Louis Metropolitan Pandemic Task Force, said it is too early to worry about not enough people wanting the shot.“I’m guessing by … this time next month that we’ll have a much better handle on how many people have been vaccinated … what the hesitancy looks like,” said Garza. “And then focus efforts on getting more people vaccinated.” In the Kansas City area, many appointments were available this week, including 2,000 on Thursday and Friday at a Cerner clinic location. Boone Health also has appointments available for vaccinations at Columbia Mall, KMIZ reports. “We have been able to fill the vast majority of our appointment slots to this point, but we have felt a shift,” spokesman Ben Cornelius said.In the Jefferson City area, the Cole County Health Department planned to give out 4,000 total doses this week at the Capital Mall and has only filled 1,600 appointments.Chezney Schulte with the Cole County Health Department said the clinic is accepting walk-ins. If the health department consistently can’t fill 4,000 spots in weeks to come, it will request fewer doses from the state, Schulte said.Vaccine hunters have formed Facebook pages to find appointments for people in the past, but now the pages post about the widespread availability of appointments.Jill Anderson, who has helped fill appointments through the “Missouri Covid 19 Vaccine Information” Facebook page, said getting a vaccine can now be described as “easy.” Anderson said most people on social media have found a dose and the focus now needs to be reaching other groups of people such as the homebound and people with language barriers to educate them on the vaccine if they remain hesitant.“When you talk about hesitant people, a lot of times they’re not saying, ‘No, I never want the vaccine.’ They’re saying I need a little bit more information,” Anderson said. [ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] THURSDAY4:48 p.m. — The Unified Government Public Health Department in Wyandotte County announced Thursday that it is expanding access to its mass vaccination facilities and updating hours to include early morning and evening hours. On Monday, April 19, all Kansas residents can make an appointment to be vaccinated at any of the UGPHD vaccination facilities on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Wyandotte County residents and individuals who work in Wyandotte County may still access the sites as walk-in patients.Kansans who wish to schedule an appointment can use the UGPHD Self Scheduling Tool. Go to WycoVaccines.org, and click on the blue button that says, “Click here to schedule an appointment online.” To see this page in Spanish, click on the word “Español” at the top of the page. Wyandotte County residents who don’t have an internet connection can call 311 (913-573-5311) for assistance in scheduling their vaccination appointment time and date.When coming in for your appointment, you may be asked to show that you live in Kansas, such as showing a drivers’ license, piece of mail addressed to you, or similar.12:45 p.m. — The Lawrence area has lifted more coronavirus restrictions, with a growing number of University of Kansas employees and students getting vaccinated.The Douglas County Commission voted Wednesday to eliminate the mass-gathering limit while keeping its mask mandate in place. The new health order also provides more flexibility about occupancy rules for businesses and venues, the Lawrence Journal-World reported.The county’s public health officer, Dr. Thomas Marcellino, said that especially with new variants of the virus, it was important to keep some restrictions in place.“What we don’t want to do is let off the throttle here too quickly,” he said. The move came on the same day that Andrew Foster, the university’s emergency management coordinator, shared on a video update that 62.7% of school employees and 17.7% of its students had received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of Monday. The numbers represent those who have been vaccinated through the university and those who have told the school that they were vaccinated elsewhere. Foster said he thinks the true percentage is higher, and he is encouraging those who haven’t yet shared that they were vaccinated through a pharmacy or in their home county to tell the university so that the school will get a better sense of how protected it is.The university hasn’t decided yet whether to require students to get vaccinated before returning to campus next fall.Chancellor Douglas Girod said during a school senate meeting last week that as of then, the university would probably not require vaccinations, but that things could change by the summer. He said the challenge was that the vaccines have been authorized for use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration under an emergency use authorization, which he said makes it legally difficult to require them.Some legal experts disagree, pointing out that many colleges already require students to take coronavirus tests that are approved under the same Food and Drug Administration emergency authorization.Girod said he also recognized that there was a “subcomponent” of the population that is hesitant about getting vaccinated and that he would need to think about how to address such concerns. He said it might be easier to require the vaccine for certain groups, such as students who live in campus housing.Some universities, such as Rutgers University, the University of Notre Dame and Brown University, have already announced that they will require students to have a COVID-19 vaccine.Conditions have been improving in Kansas. The latest report from the White House COVID-19 Task Force, dated Friday but released on Tuesday, showed Kansas having “moderate” community spread. That is an improvement from “substantial” transmission a week before, The Wichita Eagle reports.10 a.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 495,310 on Thursday, which is an increase of 613 cases. The state also reported there have been 91,030 (+296) possible antigen cases to date.The state said there have now been 8,630 (+5) deaths since the start of the outbreak. The overall positivity rate for the state is at 5%, according to the MDHSS. That number is down from a high of 23.1% in November, but still higher than it’s been in weeks.The state said it has administered 3,237,004 vaccine doses, 2,010,582 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,338,159 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 32.8% of the population has received at least one dose and 21.8% have completed vaccination.An estimated 31.4% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 30.5%, Clay County is at 25.7%, Platte County is at 22.2% and Cass County is at 26.5%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state reported there have been 2,572 positive cases and an average of 367 cases a day in the last week.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 37,876 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 31,123 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,145 cases in Clay County, 7,537 in Cass County and 3,243 in Platte County.8:30 a.m. — Officials with the University of Kansas Health System said doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital are currently treating 12 active COVID-19 infections. Of those 12, four patients are in the ICU and two are on a ventilator. In addition, eight more patients remain in the hospital in the recovery phase.7 a.m. — Kansas has crossed the threshold of vaccinating more than 1 million people as a third highly contagious variant is detected in the state. That means 35% of the state’s 2.9 million residents have received at least one shot, according to state data released Wednesday.The state hit the mark one day after the Kansas Department of Health and Environment announced that a particularly contagious variant of COVID-19 that is sweeping through Brazil has been detected for the first time in Kansas. The agency said it is investigating how someone in Sedgwick County became infected with the P.1 variant and whether others may have been exposed. Earlier this month, t he South African variant was identified for the first time in Kansas in someone from Finney County. Another variant first identified in the United Kingdom also has been found in several Kansas counties. Lee Norman, secretary of health and environment, urged Kansans in a statement to wear masks, physically distance and get vaccinated. The number of COVID-19 cases rose by 601 from Monday to Wednesday to 305,320 and the number of deaths increased by 14 to 4,944. Adrienne Byrne, Sedgwick County Health Director, said the identification of the Brazilian variant shows the importance of getting tested for the virus.6 a.m. — When one of the nation’s top health officials this week suggested states dealing with a spring spike of coronavirus cases should “shut things down,” the remark landed with a thud.Even Democratic governors and lawmakers who supported tough stay-at-home orders and business closures to stem previous COVID-19 outbreaks say they’re done with that approach. It’s a remarkable turnaround for governors who have said from the beginning of the pandemic that they will follow the science in their decision-making, but it’s also a nod to reality: Another round of lockdown orders would likely just be ignored by a pandemic-weary public.The political dynamics have changed markedly in recent weeks as vaccination rates have grown, warmer weather has returned, and the public and business owners have become increasingly vocal about reopening schools and loosening restrictions around social gatherings.“I think we have a real compliance issue if we try to go back to the sort of restrictions that were in place in March and April of last year,” said Pennsylvania state Rep. Mike Zabel, a Democrat who had supported previous shutdown orders by Gov. Tom Wolf, a fellow Democrat. “I don’t think there’s any appetite for that in Pennsylvania at all.”COVID-19 cases have been increasing in Pennsylvania, and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows it has one of the highest per capita case counts in the nation over the past week. Even so, Wolf’s administration said it “has no plans at this time to reinstitute any shutdown orders.” It instead noted that mask-wearing, gathering limits and social distancing remain required as the state gradually reopens. Other governors also are staying on course to reopen society as they simultaneously expand vaccine eligibility, potentially complicating President Joe Biden’s efforts to conquer the pandemic.Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, a Democrat, has pleaded unsuccessfully with the Biden administration to redirect more vaccine doses to her state as it struggles with the nation’s highest COVID-19 case rate. But the CDC director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said Monday that vaccines wouldn’t immediately quell a surge because they take up to six weeks to take full effect. “The answer to that is to really close things down, to go back to our basics, to go back to where we were last spring, last summer and to shut things down, to flatten the curve, to decrease contact with one another, to test,” Walensky said. That didn’t seem to sway Whitmer, who kept tough restrictions in place for months when COVID-19 cases surged last spring and fall but has been reluctant this time to go beyond the mask mandate and capacity limits. She has instead urged a voluntary two-week suspension of indoor restaurant dining, in-person high school classes and youth sports. “When we can’t take action to protect ourselves, the government must step in. That’s where we were a year ago. That’s where we were four months ago,” Whitmer said. “We’re in a different moment. Every one of us has the ability and knowledge to do what it takes.”She primarily blamed lack of compliance and the new coronavirus variants for the recent spike in cases. Adopting language used by Republican governors earlier in the pandemic, Whitmer and some other Democratic governors are urging people to take personal responsibility for behaviors that will help limit the spread of the virus.Since the start of this year, the number of people going to restaurants and bars has noticeably increased while public support has declined for shutting down businesses and limiting travel, according to the COVID States Project, which has surveyed public attitudes and behaviors since the pandemic began. That means governors must weigh what the public would be willing to do as they consider how to respond to a resurgence of cases fueled by the new variants, said James Druckman, a political science professor at Northwestern University in Illinois who is part of the survey consortium.“It’s unrealistic to engage in complete shutdowns or closing of public spaces at this point,” he said. “I think you’d see a lot of people, including business owners, not following those types of things.”New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and other top Democratic and Republican leaders have not expressed any support for putting restrictions back in place, even though Cuomo has acknowledged the state is facing increased detection of potentially more contagious variants.The Democratic governor has said people want their children in classrooms and that the struggling hospitality and restaurant industries need help. He blamed any uptick in COVID-19 cases on “human behavior.”“It is a matter of personal responsibility,” Cuomo said at a Tuesday event that he barred reporters from attending. “You tell me how you act, I’ll tell you your likelihood of getting COVID.”New York Assembly Minority Leader Will Barclay, a Republican, said he would be against re-imposing a lockdown: “Taking any steps backward would have serious social and economic consequences,” he said.In Colorado, a statewide mask mandate remains in effect until May 6. But Democratic Gov. Jared Polis plans to transfer decisions about other public health orders to county governments on Friday. That will put Colorado in line with some Republican-led states such as Missouri, which has left decisions about business shutdowns in the hands of local officials since last summer. Although Colorado has seen COVID-19 cases and deaths rise over the past two weeks, Polis said the lack of hospitalizations among older adults shows vaccines are working. The governor said he doesn’t think closures are necessary, but “people should honor that at the local level” if imposed. A spokesperson said Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker, a Democrat, is concerned about a recent increase in COVID-19 cases but noted that hospitals have capacity and added that there is no need to repeat the earlier shutdowns. In Delaware, where cases have been high, Democratic Gov. John Carney said he hopes to avoid tightening restrictions that he has gradually eased over recent months.Reinstituting shutdowns not only would lead to political backlash but also would be psychologically difficult for some people, who just recently have begun to experience renewed freedoms after a year of restrictions. “From a social science perspective, the decision from the governor to not go towards a lockdown I think is a sensible one,” said Dominique Brossard, chair of the Department of Life Sciences Communication at the University of Wisconsin. “You need to work with what you have as far as people’s psychological state.” [ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] WEDNESDAY9:30 p.m. — Douglas County, Kansas commissioners unanimously approved changes Wednesday to its public health order.The updated order removes the county’s mass gathering limit of 50 people.It keeps the mask mandate and social distancing requirements, as well as a 50% capacity at businesses. But businesses can opt out with written notice to the county and signs at the entrance.The order goes into effect after midnight and lasts through May 26.2 p.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 494,697 on Wednesday, which is an increase of 540 cases. The state also reported there have been 91,030 (+313) possible antigen cases to date.The state said there have now been 8,625 (+3) 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 3,182,216 vaccine doses, 1,979,131 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,312,376 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 32.2% of the population has received at least one dose and 21.4% have completed vaccination.An estimated 30.9% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 29.9%, Clay County is at 25.4%, Platte County is at 21.9% and Cass County is at 25.8%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state reported there have been 2,443 positive cases and an average of 349 cases a day in the last week.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 37,820 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 31,096 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,137 cases in Clay County, 7,534 in Cass County and 3,237 in Platte County.1 p.m. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported an increase of 601 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its first update since last Monday, pushing the statewide total to 305,320 since the outbreak started.KDHE reported 14 new deaths, making the total since the start of the outbreak 4,944. The state reported hospitalizations increased by 39 to 9,911 since the start of the outbreak.The overall monthly positivity is at 2.9% 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 1,019,650 people, 1,617,994 total doses of the vaccine have been administered and 35% 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 56,962 cases. Sedgwick County is second with 55,347. Wyandotte County is third with 19,918 cases. Leavenworth County has 7,121 cases, Douglas County reports 8,652 and Miami County has 2,701.Health officials said they’re now monitoring 44 outbreak clusters – up from just 30 earlier this month. A total of 3,367 cases have been attributed to these clusters with 60 hospitalizations and 24 deaths. 11:15 a.m. — Ball’s Foods announced that 4,000 new Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine appointments time slots will be available the week of April 19. Also, there are currently Moderna vaccine appointments available at Balls Foods Pharmacies. Balls Foods Customers can register for the vaccine at ballsfoodspharmacy.com.9 a.m. — Balls Food Stores pharmacies, including Hen House Pharmacy, Balls Price Chopper Pharmacy, and Sun Fresh Pharmacy, have paused the administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccination in accordance with CDC and FDA recommendations. “We will not be administering this vaccine at any of our locations until the investigation into the adverse events has been completed,” Balls said in a news release. “We have reached out to everyone with a currently scheduled Johnson & Johnson vaccine appointment at our pharmacies to let them know that these appointments have been cancelled. “We do have a limited number of Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine appointments on both sides of the state line available at www.ballsfoodspharmacy.com and encouraged those with a Johnson and Johnson appointment to make an appointment for one of the other two vaccine types.”Balls said for anyone who received the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine and develops severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider.“Our pharmacy teams will be working with the states to help ensure that our pharmacies to have COVID-19 vaccine available,” the news release said. “We appreciate that the CDC and FDA are taking reports of possible adverse events seriously and will follow their guidance. We will continue to work towards our goal of protecting our Kansas City community from COVID-19 in a safe and effective manner.”8:30 a.m. — Officials with the University of Kansas Health System said doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital are currently treating 13 active COVID-19 infections. Of those 13, five patients are in the ICU and two are on a ventilator. In addition, seven more patients remain in the hospital in the recovery phase.7 a.m. — Missouri joined other states Tuesday and suspended the use of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine as federal agencies look into six cases in which women who received the single-dose drug developed blood clots.Dr. Randall Williams, director of the state’s Department of Health and Senior Services, said in a news release that Missouri was taking the step out of “an abundance of caution.” He made the announcement after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration advised pausing the use of the drug while they investigate the six cases. “We anticipate having more information shortly to make further decisions about overall vaccine distribution in light of this new development and will continue to update citizens who have been vaccinated with the J&J vaccine after the advisory committee meets at the federal level tomorrow,” Williams said. More than 6.8 million doses of the J&J vaccine have been administered in the U.S., the vast majority with no or mild side effects. In the six cases, the clots occurred in veins that drain blood from the brain and the patients also had low platelet counts. All six were in women between the ages of 18 and 48, including one who died. St. Louis County has administered about 1,800 of J&J doses, primarily to people who were homebound, and it had planned to use it to vaccinate the homeless, Dr. Faisal Khan, the director of the county’s health department, said during a video call with reporters.He said the county was reaching out to all of the people who got the J&J doses to see if any were experiencing adverse reactions aside from the normal chills and fever that many patients get soon after being immunized, including with other companies’ COVID-19 vaccines.He said the county had received a relatively modest amount of the J&J vaccine and would simply switch to only using the two-dose versions made by Pfizer and Moderna. That would allow it to continue its vaccine rollout largely as planned, although he acknowledged there would be some hassles because they require two doses three or four weeks apart.“The convenience afforded by the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was that it was a one shot and you are done kind of deal so you would only have to visit a particular individual once,” he said.He said his “greatest worry” is that the investigation could add to some people’s hesitancy to get vaccinated. Despite expanding eligibility to everyone age 16 or older in the state, vaccine demand has slowed even though cases have been rising.The St. Louis health department on Monday reported that the city has seen an increase over the past two weeks in new COVID-19 cases, with the seven-day average increasing to 28, from 20. Meanwhile, mass vaccinations at The Dome at America’s Center in downtown St. Louis haven’t been able to use all the doses they’ve been allotted. “This is not a cause for people to hesitate to get the shots that are available to them,” Khan said. “This is simply the regulatory agencies and the premiere public health care agencies intervening to make sure that we minimize the risk even further.”The Kansas City Health Department requested the J&J vaccine but has not received any, spokeswoman Michelle Pekarsky told The Kansas City Star.Platte County’s health department, meanwhile, asked anyone who was scheduled to get the J&J vaccine to reschedule.And the vaccine’s suspension caused problems for people who were scheduled to get it at Kansas City-area Sun Fresh, Hen House and Price Chopper stores. Amanda Applegate, immunization coordinator for Balls Food, which owns the stores, said people with canceled J&J appointments were being advised to sign up for either the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine, as they still have appointments openings for the two-dose shots.“A vaccine is still the best way to combat this virus,” Applegate said.6:30 a.m. — Kansas’ top health official says the state is suspending distribution of Johnson & Johnson’s coronavirus vaccines as federal health officials investigate reports of potentially dangerous blood clots. Lee Norman, secretary of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, predicted the pause won’t have a “big impact” on the state’s overall rate of shots. That’s because less than 4% of the shots administered in Kansas have been from Johnson & Johnson, according to KDHE data. However, Norman noted some clinics scheduled for Tuesday morning had been put on hold. 6 a.m. — Sikhs across the United States are holding toned-down Vaisakhi celebrations this week, joining people of other faiths in observing major holidays cautiously this spring as COVID-19 keeps an uneven hold on the country. Vaisakhi, which falls April 13 or 14 depending on which of two dueling calendars one follows, marks the day in 1699 when Sikhism took its current form. Communities typically celebrate by gathering at gurdwaras, or places of worship, for prayer and the reading of hymns, and there are often processions, parades, other activities and food. While the ongoing pandemic has many people celebrating remotely this year just as in 2020, some, especially in the United States, are joining in masked, socially distant Vaisakhi gatherings. “Sikh community members, especially those who faced hardships and loss during the pandemic, view Vaisakhi as a fresh start and a sign of hope that things will be better once again,” said Sahej Preet Singh, community development manager at the Sikh Coalition, a national organization based in New York. “The Sikh worldview embraces resilience and Chardi Kala (relentless optimism).” For the second year in a row, outdoor festivities at the Midwest Sikh Gurdwara and the traditional parade in the city of Shawnee, Kansas, have been canceled. But in an improvement over 2020, some events will be held at the temple and via social media. Komalpreet Kaul, a 16-year-old high school student in nearby Olathe, Kansas, said the parade is “the one big event of the year where everyone gets together, and we welcome other members of the community to participate. … This is like our Christmas, and it’s something we look forward to so much.” “But we are going to find alternatives this year to celebrate,” she added. Kaul has been lobbying officials in several area cities trying to get them to declare April Sikh Awareness and Appreciation Month, so far winning one such proclamation from Lenexa, Kansas. Kaul, who was raised in New York City before moving with her family to Kansas in 2017, said she wants to make others more familiar with her faith. “Increasing awareness can combat the negativity and hate,” she said. In California’s San Joaquin Valley, the Stockton Gurdwara Sahib organized a Tuesday evening service of prayers, readings from the Guru Granth Sahib scripture and music, held in-person while following health guidelines, said Tejpaul Singh Bainwal, a temple member and student of early Sikh American history. A more involved celebration including a vaccination clinic will be held this weekend, also under masking and social distancing rules. In a normal year there would be a parade that attracts thousands, but it has been called off this year. Bainwal expects attendance at the events to be much lower as people focus instead on selfless service. “People are practicing their faith in a different way since COVID,” he said.At Guru Nanak Darbar of Long Island, in Hicksville, New York, normally there’s a giant tent set up in the parking lot to accommodate crowds of up to 2,000 people at a time coming for festivities and treats. This year the celebrations were marked by temperature monitors, social distancing and bagged meals to take home. Temple members set a more restrictive attendance level than required, allowing about 150 into prayer services that can normally accommodate 600.“In a normal year we have a lot of stalls, a lot of food,” said Harcharan Singh Gulati, the general secretary. “But this year we don’t want to take any risk. We want people to take it home.” After all Vaisakhi celebrations were shut down in 2020, this year people were allowed inside the gurdwara in small groups for prayer, readings and religious songs. “It’s not like two or three years ago,” Gulati said, “but it is better than what we had last year.” [ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] TUESDAY2:30 p.m. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emerging variant known as the Brazilian, or P.1 variant, has been identified in an individual in Sedgwick County. READ MORE2 p.m. — In coordination with the Federal Drug Administration, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment is immediately pausing administration of Johnson & Johnson single-dose vaccine.“JCDHE is following federal and state guidance to pause Johnson & Johnson doses,” said Dr. Sanmi Areola, JCDHE director. “Although these side effects are extremely rare, we support further investigation to promote safety of vaccine administration. These platelet-related concerns have not been reported with the Pfizer and Moderna doses. It’s crucial that vaccinations continue, so we can stop COVID-19 and its variants from continuing to spread. “Most people will experience mild side effects or reactions with the vaccines. COVID-19 has claimed far too many lives in our community, and our efforts to vaccinate must continue.” JCDHE vaccine clinics are currently administering Pfizer, and to a much lesser extent, Moderna vaccines. JCDHE said 7,200 Johnson & Johnson doses have been allocated to Johnson County. Because it only requires one dose, the JCDHE said these have been largely reserved for those who might have challenges getting to a vaccine clinic twice, such as homebound residents and those who are experiencing homelessness, or who have disabilities.Federal health officials have shared that those who have experienced serious side effects with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have been women, between the ages of 18 and 48. 1:15 p.m. — Following recommendations of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, CDC and FDA, the Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health said Tuesday it will pause administration of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.The federal agencies are investigating reports of six recipients in the United States who developed a rare disorder involving blood clots within about two weeks of vaccination. No known cases have been reported in Kansas. In Douglas County, roughly 1,300 doses of Johnson & Johnson have been administered through LDCPH’s allotment either given to providers or at smaller clinics in recent weeks, including at the Lied Center of Kansas and Holcom Recreation Center last Saturday through a KDHE grant. Individual pharmacies and providers could have received their own allocations of J&J doses as well. Douglas County Unified Command partners are currently exploring using Pfizer doses for smaller clinics to help provide open and easy access through a variety of clinic types to reach as many in our community as possible. As of Tuesday, 9,419 Moderna first doses and 38,492 Pfizer first doses have been administered in Douglas County. “All of our clinics at the fairgrounds the next two weeks will administer Pfizer doses, as we have primarily at these events since late January. This will not affect vaccine availability there,” Sonia Jordan with the health department said. “We have no planned Johnson & Johnson clinics at this time, so we are at a good place for pausing and waiting for additional guidance that CDC, FDA and KDHE can provide on this. As it is important to administer the vaccines right now, it is critical to ensure those vaccines are safe.”Noon — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 494,157 on Tuesday, which is an increase of 429 cases. The state also reported there have been 90,717 (+228) possible antigen cases to date.The state said there have now been 8,622 (+107) deaths since the start of the outbreak. Normally when there is a spike in deaths, the state says it can be attributed to a reconciliation of death certificates.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 3,135,710 vaccine doses, 1,954,964 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,286,041 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 31.9% of the population has received at least one dose and 21% have completed vaccination.An estimated 30.4% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 29.4%, Clay County is at 25.1%, Platte County is at 21.7% and Cass County is at 25.5%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state there have been 2,335 positive cases and an average of 334 cases a day in the last week.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 37,797 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 31,076 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,135 cases in Clay County, 7,530 in Cass County and 3,234 in Platte County.10 a.m. — Hen House, Price Chopper and Sun Fresh Pharmacies in the Kansas City metro area said after the CDC and FDA recommended the pause on all administration of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine that they are working to reschedule appointments with customers that had appointments to get the vaccine this week.“If you would like to move your vaccine appointment to a location that is administering Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccinations, we currently have a limited number of appointments available for those vaccines at www.ballsfoodspharmacy.com,” the grocery chains said in an email to customers that had appointments. “We will continue to work towards our goal of protecting our Kansas City community from COVID-19 in a safe and effective manner and will communicate further once more is known.”9:15 a.m. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment officially issued notice that the KDHE will pause all administration of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine after the CDC and FDA recommendation early Tuesday morning. “There are reports of six recipients in the United States who developed a rare disorder involving blood clots within about two weeks of vaccination,” officials said in a statement. “No known cases have been reported in Kansas to date.”Just as important as getting vaccines into arms — is making sure those vaccines are safe,” Governor Laura Kelly said. “While this appears to have affected six people in the nearly seven million doses administered, out of an abundance of caution, Kansas will suspend Johnson and Johnson until the CDC and FDA clear it for use again. In the meantime, we anticipate our shipments of Pfizer and Moderna to continue and we will build on the one-third of Kansans who have already received their first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.”KDHE officials said anyone who has already received the J&J vaccine should contact their health care provider if they have any adverse symptoms, and report any illness to the VAERS reporting system. 8:50 a.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said Tuesday morning that all administration of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine will be paused until further notice.“In an abundance of caution and as per federal guidelines, we are pausing vaccination with Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine until further notice in Missouri,” said Dr. Randall Williams, director of the DHSS. “We anticipate having more information shortly to make further decisions about overall vaccine distribution in light of this new development and will continue to update citizens who have been vaccinated with the J&J vaccine after the advisory committee meets at the federal level tomorrow.” Officials added to anyone who has already received the J&J vaccine, if you develop severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination, you should immediately contact your healthcare provider.Any Missouri healthcare provider with J&J vaccine stores on hand should place it in storage and label it “quarantine — do not use” until further notice. 8:40 a.m. — Dr. Sanmi Areola, Director of the Johnson County, Kansas Department of Health and Environment said JoCo officials will temporarily pause the usage of all Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccines and will await direction from Kansas health authorities.Areola added that this decision does not affect the county’s vaccination clinics — the Pfizer vaccine is used for county clinics. 8:30 a.m. — Officials with the University of Kansas Health System said doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital are currently treating 13 active COVID-19 infections. Of those 13, five patients are in the ICU and two are on a ventilator. In addition, 12 more patients remain in the hospital in the recovery phase.8:15 a.m. — Dr. David Wild with the University of Kansas Health System said the University of Kansas Hospital in Kansas City, Kansas, has never received shipments of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. This will not impact their vaccination plans. Some smaller clinics in the health system across Kansas received small shipments just this week — any plans to administer those vaccinations will be paused.8:05 a.m. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment said it is following CDC/FDA recommendations to pause usage of Johnson and Johnson vaccine.”It’s a small number, but you can’t turn a blind eye to something significant as that,” Dr. Lee Norman said during Tuesday morning’s University of Kansas Health System COVID-19 update.Norman doesn’t expect it to have a big impact on the state’s vaccination rate, saying the state’s supply of the J&J vaccine was relatively small, however, there were several vaccine clinics scheduled for as early as this morning that have been canceled.”Transparency and safety are of the utmost importance,” said Dr. Dana Hawkinson with the University of Kansas Health System.8 a.m. — The Kansas City VA’s clinic today for veterans and their families was scheduled to give out the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. The KCVA tells KMBC 9 News they were able to switch to the Pfizer vaccine and will continue as scheduled.7:45 a.m.– The Platte County Health Department said Tuesday it will pause on the Johnson and Johnson vaccine after recommendations from the Food and Drug Administration and Centers for Disease Control. Anyone who has an appointment for the Johnson and Johnson vaccine on Tuesday through the Platte County Health Department, is asked to reschedule their appointment through Missouri’s Vaccine Navigator system https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/navigator/or by calling 1-877-435-8411.7 a.m. — The U.S. is recommending a “pause” in the administration of the single-dose Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine to investigate reports of potentially dangerous blood clots.In a joint statement Tuesday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration said they were investigating clots in six women that occurred 6 to 13 days after vaccination. The clots were observed in the sinuses of the brain along with reduced platelet counts — making the usual treatment for blood clots, the blood thinner heparin, potentially “dangerous.” READ MORE[ HOW TO GET THE VACCINE IN KANSAS, MISSOURI ][ WHERE WE STAND: MAPS, CHARTS SHOW COVID-19 CASES, VACCINATION RATES ] MONDAY8 p.m. — The Missouri House on Monday advanced a bill that would ban private businesses from requiring proof of vaccination from either employees or customers.The GOP-led House voted 88-56 to tack the provision on another bill. READ MORE.6 p.m. — The city of Olathe announced Monday that Frontier Pool is not scheduled to open for the 2021 season.City officials said that is because COVID-19 has affected staffing. But the city said it will review that decision if there is enough personnel to safely staff the facility.Black Bob Bay, Mill Creek Pool, and Oregon Trail Pool will open. The Beach, Marina, and Sprayground at Lake Olathe will also open. READ MORE.4:45 p.m. — The city of Independence, Missouri, announced that it will be eliminating capacity limits for bars and restaurants and reducing other COVID-19 restrictions starting at 12 a.m. Friday, April 23. READ MORE2 p.m. — The Jackson County Health Department announced Monday it is teaming up with Care Beyond the Boulevard to vaccinate homeless and uninsured individuals in Jackson County. READ MORE1 p.m. — The Kansas Department of Health and Environment reported an increase of 483 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in its first update since last Friday, pushing the statewide total to 304,719 since the outbreak started.KDHE reported zero new deaths, keeping the total since the start of the outbreak to 4,938. The state reported hospitalizations increased by 20 to 9,872 since the start of the outbreak.The overall monthly positivity is at 2.9% 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 995,616 people, 1,564,848 total doses of the vaccine have been administered and 34.2% 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 56,806 cases. Sedgwick County is second with 55,198. Wyandotte County is third with 19,877 cases. Leavenworth County has 7,111 cases, Douglas County reports 8,637 and Miami County has 2,688.Health officials said they are still monitoring 30 active outbreak clusters.9:30 a.m. — Officials with the University of Kansas Health System said doctors at the University of Kansas Hospital are currently treating 12 active COVID-19 infections. Of those 12, five patients are in the ICU and two are on a ventilator. In addition, 12 more patients remain in the hospital in the recovery phase.9:15 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. All Missourians over the age of 16 are eligible to register for an appointment. READ MORE9 a.m. — The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services announced the state’s total of confirmed COVID-19 cases reached 493,728 on Monday, which is an increase of 198 cases. The state also reported there have been 90,489 (+134) possible antigen cases to date.The state said there have now been 8,515 (+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 3,085,012 vaccine doses, 1,925,321 people have initiated vaccination (or received one dose) and 1,260,765 people have received a second dose. Overall, the state said 31.4% of the population has received at least one dose and 20.5% have completed vaccination.An estimated 30.1% of Kansas City residents have received at least one dose of the vaccine, while Jackson County is at 29.1%, Clay County is at 24.8%, Platte County is at 21.4% and Cass County is at 25.2%.[ MISSOURI COVID-19 DASHBOARD]Missouri does not list how many people have recovered from COVID-19.The state there have been 2,229 positive cases and an average of 318 cases a day in the last week.Looking at local numbers, the DHSS reported 37,762 confirmed cases in Kansas City, Missouri, and 31,040 cases in Jackson County. The state also lists 8,135 cases in Clay County, 7,517 in Cass County and 3,232 in Platte County.8:30 a.m. — The Kansas City VA Medical Center continues to offer COVID-19 vaccinations across the Kansas City metro and beyond. All veterans, regardless enrollment status, are eligible for the vaccine. Additionally, veteran’s family members and caregivers are eligible for vaccinations without an appointment. For week’s vaccine clinics, KCVA will administer the single-dose Janssen (J&J) vaccine.This week’s vaccine clinics are at the follow dates/locations:Tuesday, April 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. KCVA Honor Annex, 4251 Northern Ave., Kansas City, MO 64133Thursday, April 15 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Memorial Church International, 11424 Hickman Mills Dr., Kansas City, MO 64134Appointments are not required but are highly encouraged to guarantee a vaccine dose. Veterans can call 816-922-2619 to schedule a vaccination appointment. Veterans, their family members, and caregivers over the age of 18 can also walk-in to either of these clinics without an appointment and receive their COVID-19 vaccine “on the spot.”[ 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.