COVID-19 updates: Jackson County masks, Garth Brooks vaccines, Springfield cases dip
Here’s the latest on COVID-19 in the Kansas City region:
Low vaccine uptake at Garth Brooks show
Only 35 of the nearly 75,000 people attending the Garth Brooks mega-concert over the weekend received vaccines from a pop-up clinic organized by health officials, according to the Kansas City Department
Health workers set up a vaccine clinic in the Arrowhead Stadium parking lot ahead of the country music star’s sold-out show. The health department’s mobile vaccination clinic ran from 3-7 p.m. Saturday.
Those who received the vaccine —including people from Missouri, Kansas and Oklahoma — were also entered into a drawing to have their seats upgraded at the concert. The day before the concert, Brooks, who is fully vaccinated, encouraged others to do the same.
Jackson County official wants mask order repealed
Dan Tarwater, chairman of the Jackson County Legislature, told a constituent he wants the county’s new mask order to be repealed before the current September deadline.
“Right now we don’t have the votes to override the mandate,” Tarwater said in a private message to a constituent that she then posted on Facebook. “I am hoping that in a week or so we can vote on it and get rid of the mandate.”
It would take at least five of the nine county legislators to reverse the health order signed by County Executive Frank White, health director Bridgette Shaffer and White’s chief of staff Caleb Clifford in his role as interim emergency management coordinator.
Springfield health officials report ‘encouraging’ case drop
While hospitalizations among those infected by the coronavirus are down in Springfield-area hospitals, southwest Missouri isn’t out of the woods yet.
Erik Frederick, Mercy Springfield’s chief administrative officer, said Tuesday that Mercy Hospital Springfield was caring for 89 infectious COVID-19 patients. This is in addition to 29 COVID-19 patients who were no longer infectious, and 20 other infectious patients across Mercy’s regional hospitals, a hospital spokeswoman said.
“Big drop over the last 72 hours,” Frederick tweeted Tuesday. “Very encouraging and a needed respite for all of our coworkers.”
This story was originally published August 11, 2021 at 7:22 AM.
