Following is the Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for Wednesday.

●One additional member of our community has lost their life to COVID-19 since our last update on Monday,&nbsp;bringing the total number of deaths of Saline County residents to 164.

●There have been 48 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Saline County since our last update.

●Salina Regional Health Center reports that 12 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.

●306 variants have been identified in the 430 samples sent from Saline County to KDHE for sequencing.

More data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012ul-xvjFd1rQuVsUh25nvhnaJGzZf8AAepmq3LlBZY6uWP_o6ytGEvaGpLnoip2DwTJ94_VD0Gp9b1Dd0iAB3bn18oswbu-FE55WIIzHYsZzEjjhYo7-1JIsZWx1V1y1X_VOgTCBFIYpXS5gRKb7As3JhCCTMkZP&amp;c=jGM9TlK3ZmzqRMhfh2e-krpUdazF870CSAYrNYQt4j1jay560jn7oA==&amp;ch=77QKpEX40n7op3Ih2BfTMbXA57i6zBsOO8XyowrGKonQs5HKjgKUCg==" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012ul-xvjFd1rQuVsUh25nvhnaJGzZf8AAepmq3LlBZY6uWP_o6ytGEkU8MdTXWZ6D1F_llm1kdtiLz9AmZakc92_hEBp-_1bhz-jk43dqBowmLk60rIJmAn1ZfmmXjrRozJ6CwCqLKkmHCLecU8na7P56xg-qlqy69L270vu-S5UNB78XNZ58jDLdSU6CU5gf&amp;c=jGM9TlK3ZmzqRMhfh2e-krpUdazF870CSAYrNYQt4j1jay560jn7oA==&amp;ch=77QKpEX40n7op3Ih2BfTMbXA57i6zBsOO8XyowrGKonQs5HKjgKUCg==" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012ul-xvjFd1rQuVsUh25nvhnaJGzZf8AAepmq3LlBZY6uWP_o6ytGEo5kRtiTs462Ak1RvLlXzDkm5xUepCVvD62TOmKdEhxXLtSK35Uz1sInLjESEoRNjnPb5lJ_yt8YHtHwKXeqiT4piKkrZstZqMLE6NocG9aNOtrK7cOO8sshjf8TH9IoZpF-szJyvEa3&amp;c=jGM9TlK3ZmzqRMhfh2e-krpUdazF870CSAYrNYQt4j1jay560jn7oA==&amp;ch=77QKpEX40n7op3Ih2BfTMbXA57i6zBsOO8XyowrGKonQs5HKjgKUCg==" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<a href="https://www.vaccinatesalinecountyks.com/testing">Click here for local COVID-19 testing options</a>

COVID Vaccination Update for Saline County

●An additional 203 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 this week, an increase of .2 percent.

●A total of 26,400 residents of Saline County have been vaccinated, accounting for 48.9 percent of the total population.

<a href="https://www.vaccines.gov/">Click here for vaccination locations</a>

The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 and thus prevent mutation of the virus is:

●Get tested&nbsp;if you feel unwell, even if you don’t believe it is COVID.You can find testing centers at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012ul-xvjFd1rQuVsUh25nvhnaJGzZf8AAepmq3LlBZY6uWP_o6ytGErp_S0CrSrFITLJwJTrLuok4VGooORIh2TZywdsbGSSEDjzYsKeipyJm18au3iZckvq6U71EPh--X6VXXPTs54ohocEE8MEzqSWzh3Ck3GMbCC9shczVjIk=&amp;c=jGM9TlK3ZmzqRMhfh2e-krpUdazF870CSAYrNYQt4j1jay560jn7oA==&amp;ch=77QKpEX40n7op3Ih2BfTMbXA57i6zBsOO8XyowrGKonQs5HKjgKUCg==" target="_blank">VaccinateSalineCountyKS.com/testing</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.

●Get vaccinated.You can find a vaccine at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012ul-xvjFd1rQuVsUh25nvhnaJGzZf8AAepmq3LlBZY6uWP_o6ytGEtdPpJOPeygBMlE60NVH6H2e1KgA-yyi79lUZ6nAuiodTaszzTOnn4xv7_YJstWIkPtTM_xvL9aj9MYJdzE0HVAXOPr13T2Jyg==&amp;c=jGM9TlK3ZmzqRMhfh2e-krpUdazF870CSAYrNYQt4j1jay560jn7oA==&amp;ch=77QKpEX40n7op3Ih2BfTMbXA57i6zBsOO8XyowrGKonQs5HKjgKUCg==" target="_blank">vaccines.gov</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.

●Wear a mask, especially if you are not fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, wear a mask when indoors in crowded spaces.

●Maintain at least6 feet of distancebetween yourself and those with whom you do not live.

●Do not travel to&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012ul-xvjFd1rQuVsUh25nvhnaJGzZf8AAepmq3LlBZY6uWP_o6ytGEtdPpJOPeygBkP8cCq2xFUTGz5LqAC23KIQfZOBL1g1voJp9cA-FGrW3OYJC-3MYQYY2UJpNzYo7UJfwHquk4zuye_JRdtLAWtdad8u7C6WFCGChOf1l21Qpk1KnI_mZ7NFZSf4B2HpFTbBZDRNVK-T1iDibLCjIlJWjAkPFZAsi&amp;c=jGM9TlK3ZmzqRMhfh2e-krpUdazF870CSAYrNYQt4j1jay560jn7oA==&amp;ch=77QKpEX40n7op3Ih2BfTMbXA57i6zBsOO8XyowrGKonQs5HKjgKUCg==" target="_blank">“hot spots."</a>

●If you test positive, isolate immediately and be open and honest with COVID caseworkers about your contacts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635975765598.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Following is the Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for Wednesday.●One additional member of our community has lost their life to COVID-19 since our last update on Monday,&nbsp;bringing the total number of deaths of Saline County residents to 164.●There have been 48 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Saline County since our last update.●Salina Regional Health Center reports that 12 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.●306 variants have been identified in the 430 samples sent from Saline County to KDHE for sequencing.More data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012ul-xvjFd1rQuVsUh25nvhnaJGzZf8AAepmq3LlBZY6uWP_o6ytGEvaGpLnoip2DwTJ94_VD0Gp9b1Dd0iAB3bn18oswbu-FE55WIIzHYsZzEjjhYo7-1JIsZWx1V1y1X_VOgTCBFIYpXS5gRKb7As3JhCCTMkZP&amp;c=jGM9TlK3ZmzqRMhfh2e-krpUdazF870CSAYrNYQt4j1jay560jn7oA==&amp;ch=77QKpEX40n7op3Ih2BfTMbXA57i6zBsOO8XyowrGKonQs5HKjgKUCg==" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012ul-xvjFd1rQuVsUh25nvhnaJGzZf8AAepmq3LlBZY6uWP_o6ytGEkU8MdTXWZ6D1F_llm1kdtiLz9AmZakc92_hEBp-_1bhz-jk43dqBowmLk60rIJmAn1ZfmmXjrRozJ6CwCqLKkmHCLecU8na7P56xg-qlqy69L270vu-S5UNB78XNZ58jDLdSU6CU5gf&amp;c=jGM9TlK3ZmzqRMhfh2e-krpUdazF870CSAYrNYQt4j1jay560jn7oA==&amp;ch=77QKpEX40n7op3Ih2BfTMbXA57i6zBsOO8XyowrGKonQs5HKjgKUCg==" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012ul-xvjFd1rQuVsUh25nvhnaJGzZf8AAepmq3LlBZY6uWP_o6ytGEo5kRtiTs462Ak1RvLlXzDkm5xUepCVvD62TOmKdEhxXLtSK35Uz1sInLjESEoRNjnPb5lJ_yt8YHtHwKXeqiT4piKkrZstZqMLE6NocG9aNOtrK7cOO8sshjf8TH9IoZpF-szJyvEa3&amp;c=jGM9TlK3ZmzqRMhfh2e-krpUdazF870CSAYrNYQt4j1jay560jn7oA==&amp;ch=77QKpEX40n7op3Ih2BfTMbXA57i6zBsOO8XyowrGKonQs5HKjgKUCg==" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.&nbsp;&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vaccinatesalinecountyks.com/testing">Click here for local COVID-19 testing options</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635975536564.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>COVID Vaccination Update for Saline County ●An additional 203 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 this week, an increase of .2 percent.●A total of 26,400 residents of Saline County have been vaccinated, accounting for 48.9 percent of the total population.<a href="https://www.vaccines.gov/">Click here for vaccination locations</a>The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 and thus prevent mutation of the virus is:●Stay home&nbsp;if you are sick.●Get tested&nbsp;if you feel unwell, even if you don’t believe it is COVID.You can find testing centers at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012ul-xvjFd1rQuVsUh25nvhnaJGzZf8AAepmq3LlBZY6uWP_o6ytGErp_S0CrSrFITLJwJTrLuok4VGooORIh2TZywdsbGSSEDjzYsKeipyJm18au3iZckvq6U71EPh--X6VXXPTs54ohocEE8MEzqSWzh3Ck3GMbCC9shczVjIk=&amp;c=jGM9TlK3ZmzqRMhfh2e-krpUdazF870CSAYrNYQt4j1jay560jn7oA==&amp;ch=77QKpEX40n7op3Ih2BfTMbXA57i6zBsOO8XyowrGKonQs5HKjgKUCg==" target="_blank">VaccinateSalineCountyKS.com/testing</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.●Get vaccinated.You can find a vaccine at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012ul-xvjFd1rQuVsUh25nvhnaJGzZf8AAepmq3LlBZY6uWP_o6ytGEtdPpJOPeygBMlE60NVH6H2e1KgA-yyi79lUZ6nAuiodTaszzTOnn4xv7_YJstWIkPtTM_xvL9aj9MYJdzE0HVAXOPr13T2Jyg==&amp;c=jGM9TlK3ZmzqRMhfh2e-krpUdazF870CSAYrNYQt4j1jay560jn7oA==&amp;ch=77QKpEX40n7op3Ih2BfTMbXA57i6zBsOO8XyowrGKonQs5HKjgKUCg==" target="_blank">vaccines.gov</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.●Wear a mask, especially if you are not fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, wear a mask when indoors in crowded spaces.●Maintain at least6 feet of distancebetween yourself and those with whom you do not live.●Do not travel to&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=0012ul-xvjFd1rQuVsUh25nvhnaJGzZf8AAepmq3LlBZY6uWP_o6ytGEtdPpJOPeygBkP8cCq2xFUTGz5LqAC23KIQfZOBL1g1voJp9cA-FGrW3OYJC-3MYQYY2UJpNzYo7UJfwHquk4zuye_JRdtLAWtdad8u7C6WFCGChOf1l21Qpk1KnI_mZ7NFZSf4B2HpFTbBZDRNVK-T1iDibLCjIlJWjAkPFZAsi&amp;c=jGM9TlK3ZmzqRMhfh2e-krpUdazF870CSAYrNYQt4j1jay560jn7oA==&amp;ch=77QKpEX40n7op3Ih2BfTMbXA57i6zBsOO8XyowrGKonQs5HKjgKUCg==" target="_blank">“hot spots."</a>●If you test positive, isolate immediately and be open and honest with COVID caseworkers about your contacts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Saline County: 1 additional death, 48 new COVID-19 cases

The Saline County Health Department announced today that the Saline County Vaccination Collaboration is planning pediatric vaccination clinics.

"Please stay tuned for more information about these local vaccination opportunities," the health department noted in a news release this afternoon. "We encourage parents with questions to talk to their pediatrician, primary care provider, or local pharmacist to learn more about the vaccine and the importance of getting their children vaccinated."

Governor Laura Kelly announced today that Kansas will adopt the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) recommendations for administering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5-11 under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), making all Kansans 5 and older eligible for the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine.

READ: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/33bc06d6-d71e-479a-8a8e-e6d162526039">Governor on Kansas plan to vaccinate kids age 5-11</a>

The Saline County Health Department announced today that the Saline County Vaccination Collaboration is planning pediatric vaccination clinics."Please stay tuned for more information about these local vaccination opportunities," the health department noted in a news release this afternoon. "We encourage parents with questions to talk to their pediatrician, primary care provider, or local pharmacist to learn more about the vaccine and the importance of getting their children vaccinated."Governor Laura Kelly announced today that Kansas will adopt the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Center for Disease Control’s (CDC) recommendations for administering the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine to children ages 5-11 under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), making all Kansans 5 and older eligible for the COVID-19 Pfizer vaccine.READ: <a href="https://salinapost.com/posts/33bc06d6-d71e-479a-8a8e-e6d162526039">Governor on Kansas plan to vaccinate kids age 5-11</a>

Vax collaboration planning clinics for Saline County children

TOPEKA —Governor Kelly discussed Kansas' plan to vaccinate children ages 5-11 years-old at the Safer Classrooms Workgroup virtual meeting Wednesday. It began just after 1p.m.

The state expects to receive nearly 128,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 through 11 next week, and the state also announced Wednesday that all of them will be eligible for shots. 

According to Gov. Kelly, Kansas is following recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccinating children. 

Kansas has about 276,000 children from 5 through 11, and the doses it expects to receive will be enough for 46% of them to get the first of two shots. Federal health authorities gave the final go-ahead Tuesday for a vaccine made by Pfizer for younger children.

TOPEKA —Governor Kelly discussed Kansas' plan to vaccinate children ages 5-11 years-old at the Safer Classrooms Workgroup virtual meeting Wednesday. It began just after 1p.m.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Cdn1YlkaONE?start=144" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The state expects to receive nearly 128,000 doses of a COVID-19 vaccine for children aged 5 through 11 next week, and the state also announced Wednesday that all of them will be eligible for shots. According to Gov. Kelly, Kansas is following recommendations from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on vaccinating children. Kansas has about 276,000 children from 5 through 11, and the doses it expects to receive will be enough for 46% of them to get the first of two shots. Federal health authorities gave the final go-ahead Tuesday for a vaccine made by Pfizer for younger children.

🎥 Governor on Kansas plan to vaccinate kids age 5-11 

ATLANTA (AP) —U.S. health officials on Tuesday gave the final signoff to Pfizer’s kid-size COVID-19 shot, a major expansion of the nation’s vaccination campaign.

The Food and Drug Administration already authorized the shots for children ages 5 to 11 — doses just a third of the amount given to teens and adults. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends who should receive FDA-cleared vaccines.

The announcement by CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky came only hours after an advisory panel unanimously decided Pfizer’s shots should be opened to the 28 million youngsters in that age group.

Millions of shots made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech have already been shipped to states, doctors’ offices and pharmacies, to be ready for CDC’s decision.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635890433225.png" alt="CDC Director Rochelle Walensky" />
 <figcaption>CDC Director Rochelle Walensky</figcaption>
 </figure>ATLANTA (AP) —U.S. health officials on Tuesday gave the final signoff to Pfizer’s kid-size COVID-19 shot, a major expansion of the nation’s vaccination campaign.The Food and Drug Administration already authorized the shots for children ages 5 to 11 — doses just a third of the amount given to teens and adults. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends who should receive FDA-cleared vaccines.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635537216378.png" alt="The vaccine for children has an orange cap-Photo courtesy Pfizer" />
 <figcaption>The vaccine for children has an orange cap-Photo courtesy Pfizer</figcaption>
 </figure>The announcement by CDC director Dr. Rochelle Walensky came only hours after an advisory panel unanimously decided Pfizer’s shots should be opened to the 28 million youngsters in that age group.Millions of shots made by Pfizer and its partner BioNTech have already been shipped to states, doctors’ offices and pharmacies, to be ready for CDC’s decision.___

US gives final clearance to COVID-19 shots for kids 5 to 11

Following is the Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for Monday.

●There have been 46 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Saline County since our last update.

●The Saline County Health Department is actively monitoring 363 cases.

 ●296 variants have been identified in the 420 samples sent from Saline County to KDHE for sequencing.

More data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MS2nTJQnkK32arEnoRXRIGfTd2PgaCAQSZGQBCMpo6eimHCynSCnwP-Mwjj7YJSr7cnhmeas-SLbjJ3TU_rneKUcCgprgePQSb3bP6T58-qnRBMcrEAoNM331nbuvsAHRFKR7W6ZZjUHGxYOe4ooFFNMGP0SjMpi&amp;c=4fp68zGODxwVEv0Fu-2hV85UdSS9EG9n6ovsoU5L5aL7OhWcP0yVJA==&amp;ch=dOVA4onTRmeNFRl0imsDZejSaRM64MhaEuuHB-KnzOfpvD_lyQzCnQ==" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MS2nTJQnkK32arEnoRXRIGfTd2PgaCAQSZGQBCMpo6eimHCynSCnwGc5cmEXr4o0E0cMsMYXe1FPQqoCqeRArXJrTagvb6XDJlkb0y0u4rBH0Y6quPrrehX0SlJDVWLUpxVAQ3lM4S7oZqYP67VD9MeHxw14nRvsnqPEO-KK_vt-SdvtrY3b9kbxCrfUjL0B&amp;c=4fp68zGODxwVEv0Fu-2hV85UdSS9EG9n6ovsoU5L5aL7OhWcP0yVJA==&amp;ch=dOVA4onTRmeNFRl0imsDZejSaRM64MhaEuuHB-KnzOfpvD_lyQzCnQ==" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MS2nTJQnkK32arEnoRXRIGfTd2PgaCAQSZGQBCMpo6eimHCynSCnwB4UnRbsVVUPjNoteXDBRuvpnrXCHRs1-bU1tqbDXveP5GYRe10gGdg2Dvrhsux-19N_E6Sf7kNVoyWqyK3cBO1SLKsAiFQA-OJiXaVcAx7D3vVT0YaBkSK1hEvFQ1dznJiQnA8mIQMc&amp;c=4fp68zGODxwVEv0Fu-2hV85UdSS9EG9n6ovsoU5L5aL7OhWcP0yVJA==&amp;ch=dOVA4onTRmeNFRl0imsDZejSaRM64MhaEuuHB-KnzOfpvD_lyQzCnQ==" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.

●Get tested&nbsp;if you feel unwell, even if you don’t believe it is COVID. You can find testing centers at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MS2nTJQnkK32arEnoRXRIGfTd2PgaCAQSZGQBCMpo6eimHCynSCnwJ1IOTS1GI66V5eiW-JigTHyynMSTfCWSWHhrFV3lYgCvqh_GSP_wYzRWTfxwJN8gRYbRA1IHLMra3rK7NYxTKmnyKxo4nwFGx66uNgHbYj6o09V5vqvnBk=&amp;c=4fp68zGODxwVEv0Fu-2hV85UdSS9EG9n6ovsoU5L5aL7OhWcP0yVJA==&amp;ch=dOVA4onTRmeNFRl0imsDZejSaRM64MhaEuuHB-KnzOfpvD_lyQzCnQ==" target="_blank">VaccinateSalineCountyKS.com/testing</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.

●Get vaccinated.You can find a vaccine at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MS2nTJQnkK32arEnoRXRIGfTd2PgaCAQSZGQBCMpo6eimHCynSCnwDDa4r2OKd6B7zBTK25JKKv2CymWHryUWEtwgRDCX7owPvAQdrXK9UeMxSy5F0RSMfy10yi1gbd1Ou4u0JrMQ1xeWDlSdIdSVA==&amp;c=4fp68zGODxwVEv0Fu-2hV85UdSS9EG9n6ovsoU5L5aL7OhWcP0yVJA==&amp;ch=dOVA4onTRmeNFRl0imsDZejSaRM64MhaEuuHB-KnzOfpvD_lyQzCnQ==" target="_blank">vaccines.gov</a>or contact your local medical provider.

●Maintain at least 6 feet of distancebetween yourself and those with whom you do not live.

●Do not travel to&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MS2nTJQnkK32arEnoRXRIGfTd2PgaCAQSZGQBCMpo6eimHCynSCnwDDa4r2OKd6BlYXtzdwwgNAYI-b9CionVkA-9iflULSK3xF1rCmiiFOM2OvuM_5B4ELeSVKYxo4oocyMx6Mc6G8VrlnpTcoOmUayLPr5AT8KHKmM3IojF9hxtOLd3gjIxTl3uIUgS8TkjnGTiGTbpXxRedAC_z556a7WjYEwlhDd&amp;c=4fp68zGODxwVEv0Fu-2hV85UdSS9EG9n6ovsoU5L5aL7OhWcP0yVJA==&amp;ch=dOVA4onTRmeNFRl0imsDZejSaRM64MhaEuuHB-KnzOfpvD_lyQzCnQ==" target="_blank">“hot spots."</a>

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635804544311.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Following is the Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for Monday.●There have been 46 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Saline County since our last update.●Salina Regional Health Center reports that 12 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.●The Saline County Health Department is actively monitoring 363 cases. ●296 variants have been identified in the 420 samples sent from Saline County to KDHE for sequencing.More data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MS2nTJQnkK32arEnoRXRIGfTd2PgaCAQSZGQBCMpo6eimHCynSCnwP-Mwjj7YJSr7cnhmeas-SLbjJ3TU_rneKUcCgprgePQSb3bP6T58-qnRBMcrEAoNM331nbuvsAHRFKR7W6ZZjUHGxYOe4ooFFNMGP0SjMpi&amp;c=4fp68zGODxwVEv0Fu-2hV85UdSS9EG9n6ovsoU5L5aL7OhWcP0yVJA==&amp;ch=dOVA4onTRmeNFRl0imsDZejSaRM64MhaEuuHB-KnzOfpvD_lyQzCnQ==" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MS2nTJQnkK32arEnoRXRIGfTd2PgaCAQSZGQBCMpo6eimHCynSCnwGc5cmEXr4o0E0cMsMYXe1FPQqoCqeRArXJrTagvb6XDJlkb0y0u4rBH0Y6quPrrehX0SlJDVWLUpxVAQ3lM4S7oZqYP67VD9MeHxw14nRvsnqPEO-KK_vt-SdvtrY3b9kbxCrfUjL0B&amp;c=4fp68zGODxwVEv0Fu-2hV85UdSS9EG9n6ovsoU5L5aL7OhWcP0yVJA==&amp;ch=dOVA4onTRmeNFRl0imsDZejSaRM64MhaEuuHB-KnzOfpvD_lyQzCnQ==" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MS2nTJQnkK32arEnoRXRIGfTd2PgaCAQSZGQBCMpo6eimHCynSCnwB4UnRbsVVUPjNoteXDBRuvpnrXCHRs1-bU1tqbDXveP5GYRe10gGdg2Dvrhsux-19N_E6Sf7kNVoyWqyK3cBO1SLKsAiFQA-OJiXaVcAx7D3vVT0YaBkSK1hEvFQ1dznJiQnA8mIQMc&amp;c=4fp68zGODxwVEv0Fu-2hV85UdSS9EG9n6ovsoU5L5aL7OhWcP0yVJA==&amp;ch=dOVA4onTRmeNFRl0imsDZejSaRM64MhaEuuHB-KnzOfpvD_lyQzCnQ==" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.

<a href="https://www.vaccinatesalinecountyks.com/testing">Click here for local COVID-19 testing options</a><a href="https://www.vaccines.gov/">Click here for vaccination locations</a>The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 and thus prevent mutation of the virus is:●Stay home&nbsp;if you are sick.●Get tested&nbsp;if you feel unwell, even if you don’t believe it is COVID. You can find testing centers at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MS2nTJQnkK32arEnoRXRIGfTd2PgaCAQSZGQBCMpo6eimHCynSCnwJ1IOTS1GI66V5eiW-JigTHyynMSTfCWSWHhrFV3lYgCvqh_GSP_wYzRWTfxwJN8gRYbRA1IHLMra3rK7NYxTKmnyKxo4nwFGx66uNgHbYj6o09V5vqvnBk=&amp;c=4fp68zGODxwVEv0Fu-2hV85UdSS9EG9n6ovsoU5L5aL7OhWcP0yVJA==&amp;ch=dOVA4onTRmeNFRl0imsDZejSaRM64MhaEuuHB-KnzOfpvD_lyQzCnQ==" target="_blank">VaccinateSalineCountyKS.com/testing</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.●Get vaccinated.You can find a vaccine at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MS2nTJQnkK32arEnoRXRIGfTd2PgaCAQSZGQBCMpo6eimHCynSCnwDDa4r2OKd6B7zBTK25JKKv2CymWHryUWEtwgRDCX7owPvAQdrXK9UeMxSy5F0RSMfy10yi1gbd1Ou4u0JrMQ1xeWDlSdIdSVA==&amp;c=4fp68zGODxwVEv0Fu-2hV85UdSS9EG9n6ovsoU5L5aL7OhWcP0yVJA==&amp;ch=dOVA4onTRmeNFRl0imsDZejSaRM64MhaEuuHB-KnzOfpvD_lyQzCnQ==" target="_blank">vaccines.gov</a>or contact your local medical provider.●Wear a mask, especially if you are not fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, wear a mask when indoors in crowded spaces.●Maintain at least 6 feet of distancebetween yourself and those with whom you do not live.●Do not travel to&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001MS2nTJQnkK32arEnoRXRIGfTd2PgaCAQSZGQBCMpo6eimHCynSCnwDDa4r2OKd6BlYXtzdwwgNAYI-b9CionVkA-9iflULSK3xF1rCmiiFOM2OvuM_5B4ELeSVKYxo4oocyMx6Mc6G8VrlnpTcoOmUayLPr5AT8KHKmM3IojF9hxtOLd3gjIxTl3uIUgS8TkjnGTiGTbpXxRedAC_z556a7WjYEwlhDd&amp;c=4fp68zGODxwVEv0Fu-2hV85UdSS9EG9n6ovsoU5L5aL7OhWcP0yVJA==&amp;ch=dOVA4onTRmeNFRl0imsDZejSaRM64MhaEuuHB-KnzOfpvD_lyQzCnQ==" target="_blank">“hot spots."</a>●If you test positive, isolate immediately and be open and honest with COVID caseworkers about your contacts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Saline County: 46 new cases of COVID-19; 8,088 of 8,614 recovered

Three drive-through booster vaccination clinics using the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are scheduled for November.

The clinics will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in Kenwood Park. Please see the map for the location.

The clinics are sponsored by the Saline County Vaccination Collaboration, Saline County Health Department, Salina Family Healthcare Center, and Salina Regional Health Center.

●To be eligible for the booster, you must have received your second Moderna or Pfizer shot six or more months ago or the Johnson &amp; Johnson shot two or more months ago, according to information from the Saline County Vaccination Collaboration.

●You will need to take your vaccination card.

●There is no out-of-pocket cost to anyone. Insurance will be billed, if applicable.

●Please come with paperwork completed. You can download the paperwork at vaccinatesalinecountyks.com or pick up a copy at the Saline County Health Department, 125 W. Elm Street, or the Salina Family Healthcare Center, 651 E. Prescott Road.

By SALINA POSTThree drive-through booster vaccination clinics using the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine are scheduled for November.The clinics will be from 10 a.m.-4 p.m. in Kenwood Park. Please see the map for the location.<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/11/1635794283065.png" alt="Map courtesy&nbsp;Saline County Vaccination Collaboration" />
 <figcaption>Map courtesy&nbsp;Saline County Vaccination Collaboration</figcaption>
 </figure>Dates for the clinics are as follows.ThursdayNov. 11Nov. 18The clinics are sponsored by the Saline County Vaccination Collaboration, Saline County Health Department, Salina Family Healthcare Center, and Salina Regional Health Center.Things to know about the clinics●To be eligible for the booster, you must have received your second Moderna or Pfizer shot six or more months ago or the Johnson &amp; Johnson shot two or more months ago, according to information from the Saline County Vaccination Collaboration.●You will need to take your vaccination card.●There is no out-of-pocket cost to anyone. Insurance will be billed, if applicable.●Please come with paperwork completed. You can download the paperwork at vaccinatesalinecountyks.com or pick up a copy at the Saline County Health Department, 125 W. Elm Street, or the Salina Family Healthcare Center, 651 E. Prescott Road.●Show up prepared to bare your arm.

Three COVID-19 booster vaccination clinics set in Salina

The&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-five-million-dead-memorials-acd5a25aabb50f203c8ee059803a1bec">global death toll</a>&nbsp;from COVID-19 topped 5 million on Monday, less than two years into a crisis that has not only devastated poor countries but also humbled wealthy ones with first-rate health care systems.

Together, the United States, the European Union, Britain and Brazil — all upper-middle- or high-income countries — account for one-eighth of the world’s population but nearly half of all reported deaths. The U.S. alone has recorded over 740,000 lives lost, more than any other nation.

“This is a defining moment in our lifetime,” said Dr. Albert Ko, an infectious disease specialist at the Yale School of Public Health. “What do we have to do to protect ourselves so we don’t get to another 5 million?”

The death toll, as tallied by Johns Hopkins University, is about equal to the populations of Los Angeles and San Francisco combined. It rivals the number of people killed in battles among nations since 1950, according to estimates from the Peace Research Institute Oslo. Globally, COVID-19 is now the third leading cause of death, after heart disease and stroke.

The staggering figure is almost certainly an undercount because of limited testing and people dying at home without medical attention, especially in poor parts of the world, such as India.

Hot spots have shifted over the 22 months since the outbreak began, turning different places on the world map red. Now,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-europe-pandemics-moscow-b844be49c2811a454440d4e84d5e5338">the virus is pummeling Russia</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-religion-europe-eastern-europe-2c9668cdc75b37ed140345405fcc3f54">Ukraine and other parts of Eastern Europe</a>, especially where rumors, misinformation and distrust in government have hobbled vaccination efforts. In Ukraine, only 17% of the adult population is fully vaccinated; in Armenia, only 7%.

“What’s uniquely different about this pandemic is it hit hardest the high-resource countries,” said Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, director of ICAP, a global health center at Columbia University. “That’s the irony of COVID-19.”

Wealthier nations with longer life expectancies have larger proportions of older people, cancer survivors and nursing home residents, all of whom are especially vulnerable to COVID-19, El-Sadr noted. Poorer countries tend to have larger shares of children, teens and young adults, who are less likely to fall seriously ill from the coronavirus.

India, despite its terrifying delta surge that peaked in early May, now has a much lower reported daily death rate than wealthier Russia, the U.S. or Britain, though there is uncertainty around its figures.

The seeming disconnect between wealth and health is a paradox that disease experts will be pondering for years. But the pattern that is seen on the grand scale, when nations are compared, is different when examined at closer range. Within each wealthy country, when deaths and infections are mapped, poorer neighborhoods are hit hardest.

In the U.S., for example, COVID-19 has taken an outsize toll on Black and Hispanic people, who are more likely than white people to live in poverty and have less access to health care.

“When we get out our microscopes, we see that within countries, the most vulnerable have suffered most,” Ko said.

Wealth has also played a role in the global vaccination drive, with rich countries accused of locking up supplies. The U.S. and others are already dispensing booster shots at a time when millions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-technology-business-cape-town-health-48046e5255cc3e4fa27455fc12ab5e52">across Africa haven’t received a single dose</a>, though the rich countries are also shipping hundreds of millions of shots to the rest of the world.

Africa remains the world’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-lifestyle-europe-philanthropy-31fd688936caec29ff082412ef23e30a">least vaccinated region</a>, with just 5% of the population of 1.3 billion people fully covered.

In Kampala, Uganda, Cissy Kagaba lost her 62-year-old mother on Christmas Day and her 76-year-old father days later.

“Christmas will never be the same for me,” said Kagaba, an anti-corruption activist in the East African country that has been through multiple lockdowns against the virus and where a curfew remains in place.

The pandemic has united the globe in grief and pushed survivors to the breaking point.

“Who else is there now? The responsibility is on me. COVID has changed my life,” said 32-year-old Reena Kesarwani, a mother of two boys, who was left to manage her late husband’s modest hardware store in a village in India.

Her husband, Anand Babu Kesarwani, died at 38 during India’s crushing coronavirus surge earlier this year. It overwhelmed one of the most chronically underfunded public health systems in the world and killed tens of thousands as hospitals ran out of oxygen and medicine.

In Bergamo, Italy, once the site of the West’s first deadly wave, 51-year-old Fabrizio Fidanza was deprived of a final farewell as his 86-year-old father lay dying in the hospital. He is still trying to come to terms with the loss more than a year later.

“For the last month, I never saw him,” Fidanza said during a visit to his father’s grave. “It was the worst moment. But coming here every week, helps me.”

Today, 92% of Bergamo’s eligible population have had at least one shot, the highest vaccination rate in Italy. The chief of medicine at Pope John XXIII Hospital, Dr. Stefano Fagiuoli, said he believes that’s a clear result of the city’s collective trauma, when the wail of ambulances was constant.

In Lake City, Florida, LaTasha Graham, 38, still gets mail almost daily for her 17-year-old daughter, Jo’Keria, who died of COVID-19 in August, days before starting her senior year of high school. The teen, who was buried in her cap and gown, wanted to be a trauma surgeon.

“I know that she would have made it. I know that she would have been where she wanted to go,” her mother said.

In Rio de Janeiro, Erika Machado scanned the list of names engraved on a long, undulating sculpture of oxidized steel that stands in Penitencia cemetery as an homage to some of Brazil’s COVID-19 victims. Then she found him: Wagner Machado, her father.

“My dad was the love of my life, my best friend,” said Machado, 40, a saleswoman who traveled from Sao Paulo to see her father’s name. “He was everything to me.”

By CARLA K. JOHNSON, Associated PressThe&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-five-million-dead-memorials-acd5a25aabb50f203c8ee059803a1bec">global death toll</a>&nbsp;from COVID-19 topped 5 million on Monday, less than two years into a crisis that has not only devastated poor countries but also humbled wealthy ones with first-rate health care systems.Together, the United States, the European Union, Britain and Brazil — all upper-middle- or high-income countries — account for one-eighth of the world’s population but nearly half of all reported deaths. The U.S. alone has recorded over 740,000 lives lost, more than any other nation.“This is a defining moment in our lifetime,” said Dr. Albert Ko, an infectious disease specialist at the Yale School of Public Health. “What do we have to do to protect ourselves so we don’t get to another 5 million?”The death toll, as tallied by Johns Hopkins University, is about equal to the populations of Los Angeles and San Francisco combined. It rivals the number of people killed in battles among nations since 1950, according to estimates from the Peace Research Institute Oslo. Globally, COVID-19 is now the third leading cause of death, after heart disease and stroke.The staggering figure is almost certainly an undercount because of limited testing and people dying at home without medical attention, especially in poor parts of the world, such as India.Hot spots have shifted over the 22 months since the outbreak began, turning different places on the world map red. Now,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-europe-pandemics-moscow-b844be49c2811a454440d4e84d5e5338">the virus is pummeling Russia</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-health-religion-europe-eastern-europe-2c9668cdc75b37ed140345405fcc3f54">Ukraine and other parts of Eastern Europe</a>, especially where rumors, misinformation and distrust in government have hobbled vaccination efforts. In Ukraine, only 17% of the adult population is fully vaccinated; in Armenia, only 7%.“What’s uniquely different about this pandemic is it hit hardest the high-resource countries,” said Dr. Wafaa El-Sadr, director of ICAP, a global health center at Columbia University. “That’s the irony of COVID-19.”Wealthier nations with longer life expectancies have larger proportions of older people, cancer survivors and nursing home residents, all of whom are especially vulnerable to COVID-19, El-Sadr noted. Poorer countries tend to have larger shares of children, teens and young adults, who are less likely to fall seriously ill from the coronavirus.India, despite its terrifying delta surge that peaked in early May, now has a much lower reported daily death rate than wealthier Russia, the U.S. or Britain, though there is uncertainty around its figures.The seeming disconnect between wealth and health is a paradox that disease experts will be pondering for years. But the pattern that is seen on the grand scale, when nations are compared, is different when examined at closer range. Within each wealthy country, when deaths and infections are mapped, poorer neighborhoods are hit hardest.In the U.S., for example, COVID-19 has taken an outsize toll on Black and Hispanic people, who are more likely than white people to live in poverty and have less access to health care.“When we get out our microscopes, we see that within countries, the most vulnerable have suffered most,” Ko said.Wealth has also played a role in the global vaccination drive, with rich countries accused of locking up supplies. The U.S. and others are already dispensing booster shots at a time when millions&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-technology-business-cape-town-health-48046e5255cc3e4fa27455fc12ab5e52">across Africa haven’t received a single dose</a>, though the rich countries are also shipping hundreds of millions of shots to the rest of the world.Africa remains the world’s&nbsp;<a href="https://apnews.com/article/coronavirus-pandemic-business-lifestyle-europe-philanthropy-31fd688936caec29ff082412ef23e30a">least vaccinated region</a>, with just 5% of the population of 1.3 billion people fully covered.In Kampala, Uganda, Cissy Kagaba lost her 62-year-old mother on Christmas Day and her 76-year-old father days later.“Christmas will never be the same for me,” said Kagaba, an anti-corruption activist in the East African country that has been through multiple lockdowns against the virus and where a curfew remains in place.The pandemic has united the globe in grief and pushed survivors to the breaking point.“Who else is there now? The responsibility is on me. COVID has changed my life,” said 32-year-old Reena Kesarwani, a mother of two boys, who was left to manage her late husband’s modest hardware store in a village in India.Her husband, Anand Babu Kesarwani, died at 38 during India’s crushing coronavirus surge earlier this year. It overwhelmed one of the most chronically underfunded public health systems in the world and killed tens of thousands as hospitals ran out of oxygen and medicine.In Bergamo, Italy, once the site of the West’s first deadly wave, 51-year-old Fabrizio Fidanza was deprived of a final farewell as his 86-year-old father lay dying in the hospital. He is still trying to come to terms with the loss more than a year later.“For the last month, I never saw him,” Fidanza said during a visit to his father’s grave. “It was the worst moment. But coming here every week, helps me.”Today, 92% of Bergamo’s eligible population have had at least one shot, the highest vaccination rate in Italy. The chief of medicine at Pope John XXIII Hospital, Dr. Stefano Fagiuoli, said he believes that’s a clear result of the city’s collective trauma, when the wail of ambulances was constant.In Lake City, Florida, LaTasha Graham, 38, still gets mail almost daily for her 17-year-old daughter, Jo’Keria, who died of COVID-19 in August, days before starting her senior year of high school. The teen, who was buried in her cap and gown, wanted to be a trauma surgeon.“I know that she would have made it. I know that she would have been where she wanted to go,” her mother said.In Rio de Janeiro, Erika Machado scanned the list of names engraved on a long, undulating sculpture of oxidized steel that stands in Penitencia cemetery as an homage to some of Brazil’s COVID-19 victims. Then she found him: Wagner Machado, her father.“My dad was the love of my life, my best friend,” said Machado, 40, a saleswoman who traveled from Sao Paulo to see her father’s name. “He was everything to me.”___

COVID-19's global death toll tops 5 million 

Following is the Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for Friday.

●One additional member of our community has lost their life to COVID-19 since our last update on Wednesday.

●Salina Regional Health Center reports that they have 11 patients currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.

●There have been 64 new cases of COVID-19 reported since Wednesday.

 ●KDHE has identified 286 variants in the 410 samples sent from Saline County for sequencing.

●The staff at the Saline County Health Department is currently monitoring 391 cases of COVID-19.

More in-depth data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcH2EXa1LCGoKs1tp_FLb0cmwYnRa_OQxKbKPIIDNcsPoRgBjz_e9C1lxMsRzH1v-NyfKodNyT8OlHuWS3uySIXisvkZHXnTOBEj_17jLbhq_&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcLp9M2VHxiYy9LL53BFZeRdUHuNumVJJ98g601GHy20fUk_vWpPWR6GLIbXuRH4bBs-IXQ_NyH4yNERjzYMBWOPpQMYp99qzgWEZGu9mlabXqZ1ZUYfW58AGS6jsoQ8uXJP3ImCxvsSo&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcDuj0KwWiPVorinaQV0KnQCFzu5i7IhiWyu7XdiwQ8Lu2FSpOyBqMo0Beo0aa_bQRNyAZffpgosKRuVe6duMqitwPKIZhuVG2JigpVYPe-0Fo6IIjeJ7IMVqlTL2ko1Q1Fc3zUwcyMXL&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635543547891.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Following is the Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for Friday.●One additional member of our community has lost their life to COVID-19 since our last update on Wednesday.●Salina Regional Health Center reports that they have 11 patients currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.●There have been 64 new cases of COVID-19 reported since Wednesday. ●KDHE has identified 286 variants in the 410 samples sent from Saline County for sequencing.●The staff at the Saline County Health Department is currently monitoring 391 cases of COVID-19.More in-depth data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcH2EXa1LCGoKs1tp_FLb0cmwYnRa_OQxKbKPIIDNcsPoRgBjz_e9C1lxMsRzH1v-NyfKodNyT8OlHuWS3uySIXisvkZHXnTOBEj_17jLbhq_&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcLp9M2VHxiYy9LL53BFZeRdUHuNumVJJ98g601GHy20fUk_vWpPWR6GLIbXuRH4bBs-IXQ_NyH4yNERjzYMBWOPpQMYp99qzgWEZGu9mlabXqZ1ZUYfW58AGS6jsoQ8uXJP3ImCxvsSo&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcDuj0KwWiPVorinaQV0KnQCFzu5i7IhiWyu7XdiwQ8Lu2FSpOyBqMo0Beo0aa_bQRNyAZffpgosKRuVe6duMqitwPKIZhuVG2JigpVYPe-0Fo6IIjeJ7IMVqlTL2ko1Q1Fc3zUwcyMXL&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.

Saline County: 1 additional death, 64 new COVID-19 cases

If you've been wondering when you can get a booster for your Moderna COVID-19 vaccination, the Saline County Vaccination Collaboration wants you to know that it is planning several Moderna booster vaccination clinics in the upcoming weeks.  

Salina Post will have additional details as they become available.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635538169687.jpeg" alt="Image courtesy Saline County Vaccination Collaboration" />
 <figcaption>Image courtesy Saline County Vaccination Collaboration</figcaption>
 </figure>If you've been wondering when you can get a booster for your Moderna COVID-19 vaccination, the Saline County Vaccination Collaboration wants you to know that it is planning several Moderna booster vaccination clinics in the upcoming weeks. Salina Post will have additional details as they become available.

Vax collaboration plans several Moderna booster clinics

Following is the Saline County COVID-19 update for Wednesday.

●One additional member of our community has lost their life to COVID-19 since our last update on Monday,&nbsp;bringing the total number of deaths of Saline County residents to 162.

●There have been 73 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Saline County since our last update.

●Salina Regional Health Center reports that 13 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.

●285 variants have been identified in the 409 samples sent from Saline County to KDHE for sequencing.

More data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y4_O8nJWOneY_eYCUjLc1Dm5zuAkRg31d9A_XwbZQT2JByDV_UWcl7kJgO3UdG5yuWJkD_gWn9jLjTPaU1_HcLvBPno0ksTzFGBLNi9MvQl8WxcKjuN-oQgEwwqZhqOqqRPvR5IajwND-9Tp5mDZW-RTY4x4ePl_&amp;c=daIQCV-UeTaJoBj-HF5trtHfs1xvvSgnj-lnGrCpnfv-s9h2P3sqqQ==&amp;ch=OYsnG073dkk2NXavdXzduVUIPgbqIfBLgsk03yhU5dvdEo8mUlvuKQ==" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y4_O8nJWOneY_eYCUjLc1Dm5zuAkRg31d9A_XwbZQT2JByDV_UWclz5wC2RWgQRuIquz0e-iyJIec8omMCYEDQ3cOrd7eJbLehNN3Y892tSNRHeilQcvNbQb4t-pQdRSgFuf11jIdtMpKpWxx7aZJeTpXBH_LosJ5vdsYmrYSLsAlt_khB-oVz_e-ul0gZtQ&amp;c=daIQCV-UeTaJoBj-HF5trtHfs1xvvSgnj-lnGrCpnfv-s9h2P3sqqQ==&amp;ch=OYsnG073dkk2NXavdXzduVUIPgbqIfBLgsk03yhU5dvdEo8mUlvuKQ==" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y4_O8nJWOneY_eYCUjLc1Dm5zuAkRg31d9A_XwbZQT2JByDV_UWcl4NBLd7BPMZr29WNGvSc6bmnKsSY3Hb5OvBRk3doaDRWXqhi8xNok-LnUkh68TAUawY-owMwmgUHGe5ZErWM8oPudyB-bgETW_K5U5dmvxXcPmJPI8wQ1LQ_70AsOU1e5w_0WisFXkGG&amp;c=daIQCV-UeTaJoBj-HF5trtHfs1xvvSgnj-lnGrCpnfv-s9h2P3sqqQ==&amp;ch=OYsnG073dkk2NXavdXzduVUIPgbqIfBLgsk03yhU5dvdEo8mUlvuKQ==" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.

COVID Vaccination Update for Saline County

●An additional 330 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 this week, an increase of .8 percent.

●A total of 26,400 residents of Saline County have been vaccinated, accounting for 48.9 percent of the total population.

<a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view%7CKansas%7C20169%7CRisk%7Ccommunity_transmission_level">Click here for the CDC Data Tracker</a>

The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 and thus prevent mutation of the virus is:

●Stay home&nbsp;if you are sick.

●Get tested&nbsp;if you feel unwell, even if you don’t believe it is COVID. You can find testing centers at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y4_O8nJWOneY_eYCUjLc1Dm5zuAkRg31d9A_XwbZQT2JByDV_UWcl3Wct-WTN_Pq4f0zbzihu1t7ogPINMVaQATsj2jRatwt7wSfuya-9Q1p8gRgWp7UUdPOdGuOZbS_VAlbounXaftNOylrxukaOodACLuzI7XDui3iwLFsyUM=&amp;c=daIQCV-UeTaJoBj-HF5trtHfs1xvvSgnj-lnGrCpnfv-s9h2P3sqqQ==&amp;ch=OYsnG073dkk2NXavdXzduVUIPgbqIfBLgsk03yhU5dvdEo8mUlvuKQ==" target="_blank">VaccinateSalineCountyKS.com/testing</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.

●Get vaccinated. You can find a vaccine at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y4_O8nJWOneY_eYCUjLc1Dm5zuAkRg31d9A_XwbZQT2JByDV_UWcl9Rn5YsCxqy-lYS963AKQXvFdGx6GmD9yKJgpccuDaed6oa2nq5gi1qLC_-2IBzA05BJ_z97Ggmn6zyr2pPCvc9HjCqvAGAyUw==&amp;c=daIQCV-UeTaJoBj-HF5trtHfs1xvvSgnj-lnGrCpnfv-s9h2P3sqqQ==&amp;ch=OYsnG073dkk2NXavdXzduVUIPgbqIfBLgsk03yhU5dvdEo8mUlvuKQ==" target="_blank">vaccines.gov</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.

●Wear a mask, especially if you are not fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, wear a mask when indoors in crowded spaces.

●Maintain at least 6 feet of distance&nbsp;between yourself and those with whom you do not live.

●Do not travel to&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y4_O8nJWOneY_eYCUjLc1Dm5zuAkRg31d9A_XwbZQT2JByDV_UWcl9Rn5YsCxqy-pgOzS0w5O3BJgqdmRbFXzuALa7Ta6hJa4oMKNXWisW87Ez_PUPCL7fZBF0Id0V4tvCR3Ogzri6yT7l6pExQc_uU4DRDxA0z-F4Yn7wLo0Ba6A-4Uaof99qalSDtpHCpLi_BbFpKSpzfKxJzNKaXw-c8ZSm1v2w9g&amp;c=daIQCV-UeTaJoBj-HF5trtHfs1xvvSgnj-lnGrCpnfv-s9h2P3sqqQ==&amp;ch=OYsnG073dkk2NXavdXzduVUIPgbqIfBLgsk03yhU5dvdEo8mUlvuKQ==" target="_blank">“hot spots."</a>

●If you test positive, isolate immediately and be open and honest with COVID caseworkers about your contacts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635370975921.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Following is the Saline County COVID-19 update for Wednesday.●One additional member of our community has lost their life to COVID-19 since our last update on Monday,&nbsp;bringing the total number of deaths of Saline County residents to 162.●There have been 73 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Saline County since our last update.●Salina Regional Health Center reports that 13 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.●285 variants have been identified in the 409 samples sent from Saline County to KDHE for sequencing.More data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y4_O8nJWOneY_eYCUjLc1Dm5zuAkRg31d9A_XwbZQT2JByDV_UWcl7kJgO3UdG5yuWJkD_gWn9jLjTPaU1_HcLvBPno0ksTzFGBLNi9MvQl8WxcKjuN-oQgEwwqZhqOqqRPvR5IajwND-9Tp5mDZW-RTY4x4ePl_&amp;c=daIQCV-UeTaJoBj-HF5trtHfs1xvvSgnj-lnGrCpnfv-s9h2P3sqqQ==&amp;ch=OYsnG073dkk2NXavdXzduVUIPgbqIfBLgsk03yhU5dvdEo8mUlvuKQ==" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y4_O8nJWOneY_eYCUjLc1Dm5zuAkRg31d9A_XwbZQT2JByDV_UWclz5wC2RWgQRuIquz0e-iyJIec8omMCYEDQ3cOrd7eJbLehNN3Y892tSNRHeilQcvNbQb4t-pQdRSgFuf11jIdtMpKpWxx7aZJeTpXBH_LosJ5vdsYmrYSLsAlt_khB-oVz_e-ul0gZtQ&amp;c=daIQCV-UeTaJoBj-HF5trtHfs1xvvSgnj-lnGrCpnfv-s9h2P3sqqQ==&amp;ch=OYsnG073dkk2NXavdXzduVUIPgbqIfBLgsk03yhU5dvdEo8mUlvuKQ==" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y4_O8nJWOneY_eYCUjLc1Dm5zuAkRg31d9A_XwbZQT2JByDV_UWcl4NBLd7BPMZr29WNGvSc6bmnKsSY3Hb5OvBRk3doaDRWXqhi8xNok-LnUkh68TAUawY-owMwmgUHGe5ZErWM8oPudyB-bgETW_K5U5dmvxXcPmJPI8wQ1LQ_70AsOU1e5w_0WisFXkGG&amp;c=daIQCV-UeTaJoBj-HF5trtHfs1xvvSgnj-lnGrCpnfv-s9h2P3sqqQ==&amp;ch=OYsnG073dkk2NXavdXzduVUIPgbqIfBLgsk03yhU5dvdEo8mUlvuKQ==" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.

<a href="https://www.vaccinatesalinecountyks.com/testing">Click here for local COVID-19 testing options</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635370609431.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>COVID Vaccination Update for Saline County ●An additional 330 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 this week, an increase of .8 percent.●A total of 26,400 residents of Saline County have been vaccinated, accounting for 48.9 percent of the total population.<a href="https://www.vaccines.gov/">Click here for vaccination locations</a><a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view%7CKansas%7C20169%7CRisk%7Ccommunity_transmission_level">Click here for the CDC Data Tracker</a>The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 and thus prevent mutation of the virus is:●Stay home&nbsp;if you are sick.●Get tested&nbsp;if you feel unwell, even if you don’t believe it is COVID. You can find testing centers at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y4_O8nJWOneY_eYCUjLc1Dm5zuAkRg31d9A_XwbZQT2JByDV_UWcl3Wct-WTN_Pq4f0zbzihu1t7ogPINMVaQATsj2jRatwt7wSfuya-9Q1p8gRgWp7UUdPOdGuOZbS_VAlbounXaftNOylrxukaOodACLuzI7XDui3iwLFsyUM=&amp;c=daIQCV-UeTaJoBj-HF5trtHfs1xvvSgnj-lnGrCpnfv-s9h2P3sqqQ==&amp;ch=OYsnG073dkk2NXavdXzduVUIPgbqIfBLgsk03yhU5dvdEo8mUlvuKQ==" target="_blank">VaccinateSalineCountyKS.com/testing</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.●Get vaccinated. You can find a vaccine at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y4_O8nJWOneY_eYCUjLc1Dm5zuAkRg31d9A_XwbZQT2JByDV_UWcl9Rn5YsCxqy-lYS963AKQXvFdGx6GmD9yKJgpccuDaed6oa2nq5gi1qLC_-2IBzA05BJ_z97Ggmn6zyr2pPCvc9HjCqvAGAyUw==&amp;c=daIQCV-UeTaJoBj-HF5trtHfs1xvvSgnj-lnGrCpnfv-s9h2P3sqqQ==&amp;ch=OYsnG073dkk2NXavdXzduVUIPgbqIfBLgsk03yhU5dvdEo8mUlvuKQ==" target="_blank">vaccines.gov</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.●Wear a mask, especially if you are not fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, wear a mask when indoors in crowded spaces.●Maintain at least 6 feet of distance&nbsp;between yourself and those with whom you do not live.●Do not travel to&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001y4_O8nJWOneY_eYCUjLc1Dm5zuAkRg31d9A_XwbZQT2JByDV_UWcl9Rn5YsCxqy-pgOzS0w5O3BJgqdmRbFXzuALa7Ta6hJa4oMKNXWisW87Ez_PUPCL7fZBF0Id0V4tvCR3Ogzri6yT7l6pExQc_uU4DRDxA0z-F4Yn7wLo0Ba6A-4Uaof99qalSDtpHCpLi_BbFpKSpzfKxJzNKaXw-c8ZSm1v2w9g&amp;c=daIQCV-UeTaJoBj-HF5trtHfs1xvvSgnj-lnGrCpnfv-s9h2P3sqqQ==&amp;ch=OYsnG073dkk2NXavdXzduVUIPgbqIfBLgsk03yhU5dvdEo8mUlvuKQ==" target="_blank">“hot spots."</a>●If you test positive, isolate immediately and be open and honest with COVID caseworkers about your contacts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Saline County: 1 additional death, 73 new COVID-19 cases

●There have been 32 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Saline County since our last update.

●Salina Regional Health Center reports that 17 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.

●The Saline County Health Department is actively monitoring 265 cases.

●285 variants have been identified in the 409 samples sent from Saline County to KDHE for sequencing.

More data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YXSOF5YsJhkXmKOHZNQiXziCkoa6yFJtNt4atL-Ncuh-jsjHZzH4djCEDa33WqzLEk7KNkwA3mhz13bSXYclgXa2GdQat1Qk_Z8_bOGeL8D9KrvGNpEgyyvjabO-KF0RzkI_Zqy0urzXFhVx9CrBOF9byCBIgRng&amp;c=ZvViBx1jMUl13QWORsavGG7u6VYYC4tzwzL3_kPpKypzUAMAKSF9Ig==&amp;ch=Yum142q6hFMsqPnjjob885WAhsaI0baqsVj_jonGin0ita2nr9NnOg==" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YXSOF5YsJhkXmKOHZNQiXziCkoa6yFJtNt4atL-Ncuh-jsjHZzH4dmrQlbgioVRPjZGxhYHOcHuuSPOkMtBtoWhGIu0PWn2w5TOul495wHryd0R3TSu_IXOqip2jUG6VfXFiB2AV4n6XxefiK0pR6NuAjyWCc_bQd7E_P0N6Ah60Q8ar9Lx0wwU6uKytpbKo&amp;c=ZvViBx1jMUl13QWORsavGG7u6VYYC4tzwzL3_kPpKypzUAMAKSF9Ig==&amp;ch=Yum142q6hFMsqPnjjob885WAhsaI0baqsVj_jonGin0ita2nr9NnOg==" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YXSOF5YsJhkXmKOHZNQiXziCkoa6yFJtNt4atL-Ncuh-jsjHZzH4diydNHKJU5W-MROn6xYvFdwLmWLUSGNgrr5kjHHnZGTXGKUdAGqWnuZecsv57ea7wOhw7oK29FqXmUCJH1Y8bUtS2bEtrRePWIoSDfqPJjeVZdHheRlddcGWj8CX3B6ElGifnFwHvfNT&amp;c=ZvViBx1jMUl13QWORsavGG7u6VYYC4tzwzL3_kPpKypzUAMAKSF9Ig==&amp;ch=Yum142q6hFMsqPnjjob885WAhsaI0baqsVj_jonGin0ita2nr9NnOg==" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.

●Stay home&nbsp;if you are sick.

●Get tested&nbsp;if you feel unwell, even if you don’t believe it is COVID.You can find testing centers at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YXSOF5YsJhkXmKOHZNQiXziCkoa6yFJtNt4atL-Ncuh-jsjHZzH4dqUEj2T4oAK0F31u3EUFIR4ukTKcwmOdduymLTXwpVa2dZb9wS-14uY3JvT_jX9vf8fxSfvLPcJPTCwYWg4xW88hv8Sa9gZwy2rLyqKQWUs7UH832NYgWGY=&amp;c=ZvViBx1jMUl13QWORsavGG7u6VYYC4tzwzL3_kPpKypzUAMAKSF9Ig==&amp;ch=Yum142q6hFMsqPnjjob885WAhsaI0baqsVj_jonGin0ita2nr9NnOg==" target="_blank">VaccinateSalineCountyKS.com/testing</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.

●Get vaccinated. You can find a vaccine at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YXSOF5YsJhkXmKOHZNQiXziCkoa6yFJtNt4atL-Ncuh-jsjHZzH4dtVJQmWzOyNko9Fy2uy_T0VX6iXvG-98ndaN968AlQFIttyXb9_AIPpeMqHUkUtaS09w6dhgii6bMTtYP9bVSNsbgUHFoLrbHg==&amp;c=ZvViBx1jMUl13QWORsavGG7u6VYYC4tzwzL3_kPpKypzUAMAKSF9Ig==&amp;ch=Yum142q6hFMsqPnjjob885WAhsaI0baqsVj_jonGin0ita2nr9NnOg==" target="_blank">vaccines.gov</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.

●Wear a mask, especially if you are not fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, wear a mask when indoors in crowded spaces.

●Maintain at least6 feet of distancebetween yourself and those with whom you do not live.

●Do not travel to&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YXSOF5YsJhkXmKOHZNQiXziCkoa6yFJtNt4atL-Ncuh-jsjHZzH4dtVJQmWzOyNktqW4YwcMhMoznNa95BvTxBtQxczUapbjzvcvkC6z3OCiWSqXMVIP5gye1xV3KuI2zkIEiyyuHPL5xrG4qeJzHkFux9I_uWecqS5JNxiqVQrUT2LsFnJ2jVuY7lM6yNWSre3WgTW-rrM5kO-qpLanRGkKFump7PYR&amp;c=ZvViBx1jMUl13QWORsavGG7u6VYYC4tzwzL3_kPpKypzUAMAKSF9Ig==&amp;ch=Yum142q6hFMsqPnjjob885WAhsaI0baqsVj_jonGin0ita2nr9NnOg==" target="_blank">“hot spots."</a>

●If you test positive, isolate immediately and be open and honest with COVID caseworkers about your contacts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1635198460001.png" alt="" />
 <figcaption></figcaption>
 </figure>Following is the Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for Monday.●There have been 32 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Saline County since our last update.●Salina Regional Health Center reports that 17 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.●The Saline County Health Department is actively monitoring 265 cases. ●285 variants have been identified in the 409 samples sent from Saline County to KDHE for sequencing.More data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YXSOF5YsJhkXmKOHZNQiXziCkoa6yFJtNt4atL-Ncuh-jsjHZzH4djCEDa33WqzLEk7KNkwA3mhz13bSXYclgXa2GdQat1Qk_Z8_bOGeL8D9KrvGNpEgyyvjabO-KF0RzkI_Zqy0urzXFhVx9CrBOF9byCBIgRng&amp;c=ZvViBx1jMUl13QWORsavGG7u6VYYC4tzwzL3_kPpKypzUAMAKSF9Ig==&amp;ch=Yum142q6hFMsqPnjjob885WAhsaI0baqsVj_jonGin0ita2nr9NnOg==" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YXSOF5YsJhkXmKOHZNQiXziCkoa6yFJtNt4atL-Ncuh-jsjHZzH4dmrQlbgioVRPjZGxhYHOcHuuSPOkMtBtoWhGIu0PWn2w5TOul495wHryd0R3TSu_IXOqip2jUG6VfXFiB2AV4n6XxefiK0pR6NuAjyWCc_bQd7E_P0N6Ah60Q8ar9Lx0wwU6uKytpbKo&amp;c=ZvViBx1jMUl13QWORsavGG7u6VYYC4tzwzL3_kPpKypzUAMAKSF9Ig==&amp;ch=Yum142q6hFMsqPnjjob885WAhsaI0baqsVj_jonGin0ita2nr9NnOg==" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YXSOF5YsJhkXmKOHZNQiXziCkoa6yFJtNt4atL-Ncuh-jsjHZzH4diydNHKJU5W-MROn6xYvFdwLmWLUSGNgrr5kjHHnZGTXGKUdAGqWnuZecsv57ea7wOhw7oK29FqXmUCJH1Y8bUtS2bEtrRePWIoSDfqPJjeVZdHheRlddcGWj8CX3B6ElGifnFwHvfNT&amp;c=ZvViBx1jMUl13QWORsavGG7u6VYYC4tzwzL3_kPpKypzUAMAKSF9Ig==&amp;ch=Yum142q6hFMsqPnjjob885WAhsaI0baqsVj_jonGin0ita2nr9NnOg==" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.

<a href="https://www.vaccinatesalinecountyks.com/testing">Click here for local COVID-19 testing options</a><a href="https://www.vaccines.gov/">Click here for vaccination locations</a><a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view%7CKansas%7C20169%7CRisk%7Ccommunity_transmission_level">Click here for the CDC Data Tracker</a>The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 and thus prevent mutation of the virus is:●Stay home&nbsp;if you are sick.●Get tested&nbsp;if you feel unwell, even if you don’t believe it is COVID.You can find testing centers at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YXSOF5YsJhkXmKOHZNQiXziCkoa6yFJtNt4atL-Ncuh-jsjHZzH4dqUEj2T4oAK0F31u3EUFIR4ukTKcwmOdduymLTXwpVa2dZb9wS-14uY3JvT_jX9vf8fxSfvLPcJPTCwYWg4xW88hv8Sa9gZwy2rLyqKQWUs7UH832NYgWGY=&amp;c=ZvViBx1jMUl13QWORsavGG7u6VYYC4tzwzL3_kPpKypzUAMAKSF9Ig==&amp;ch=Yum142q6hFMsqPnjjob885WAhsaI0baqsVj_jonGin0ita2nr9NnOg==" target="_blank">VaccinateSalineCountyKS.com/testing</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.●Get vaccinated. You can find a vaccine at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YXSOF5YsJhkXmKOHZNQiXziCkoa6yFJtNt4atL-Ncuh-jsjHZzH4dtVJQmWzOyNko9Fy2uy_T0VX6iXvG-98ndaN968AlQFIttyXb9_AIPpeMqHUkUtaS09w6dhgii6bMTtYP9bVSNsbgUHFoLrbHg==&amp;c=ZvViBx1jMUl13QWORsavGG7u6VYYC4tzwzL3_kPpKypzUAMAKSF9Ig==&amp;ch=Yum142q6hFMsqPnjjob885WAhsaI0baqsVj_jonGin0ita2nr9NnOg==" target="_blank">vaccines.gov</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.●Wear a mask, especially if you are not fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, wear a mask when indoors in crowded spaces.●Maintain at least6 feet of distancebetween yourself and those with whom you do not live.●Do not travel to&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001YXSOF5YsJhkXmKOHZNQiXziCkoa6yFJtNt4atL-Ncuh-jsjHZzH4dtVJQmWzOyNktqW4YwcMhMoznNa95BvTxBtQxczUapbjzvcvkC6z3OCiWSqXMVIP5gye1xV3KuI2zkIEiyyuHPL5xrG4qeJzHkFux9I_uWecqS5JNxiqVQrUT2LsFnJ2jVuY7lM6yNWSre3WgTW-rrM5kO-qpLanRGkKFump7PYR&amp;c=ZvViBx1jMUl13QWORsavGG7u6VYYC4tzwzL3_kPpKypzUAMAKSF9Ig==&amp;ch=Yum142q6hFMsqPnjjob885WAhsaI0baqsVj_jonGin0ita2nr9NnOg==" target="_blank">“hot spots."</a>●If you test positive, isolate immediately and be open and honest with COVID caseworkers about your contacts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Saline County: 32 new COVID-19 cases; 8,005 of 8,431 recovered

If you need to get a COVID-19 vaccination or a booster, you can do so at a clinic Tuesday in Salina.

Salina Family Healthcare Center is conducting a COVID-19 vaccination clinic from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday in the College Center at Kansas State University Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus, 2310 Centennial Road. Look for the yard signs outside. The clinic is open to the public.

For a map of the K-State Salina campus, <a href="https://www.salina.k-state.edu/about/documents/Campus-Map.pdf">click here</a>.

Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccinations will be available, according to information from Salina Family Healthcare Center.

People who are immunocompromised can get their third dose. Others who are six month out from their initial two vaccinations also can get their booster vaccinations at the clinic, according to Salina Family Healthcare Center.

By SALINA POSTIf you need to get a COVID-19 vaccination or a booster, you can do so at a clinic Tuesday in Salina.Salina Family Healthcare Center is conducting a COVID-19 vaccination clinic from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Tuesday in the College Center at Kansas State University Salina Aerospace and Technology Campus, 2310 Centennial Road. Look for the yard signs outside. The clinic is open to the public.For a map of the K-State Salina campus, <a href="https://www.salina.k-state.edu/about/documents/Campus-Map.pdf">click here</a>.Pfizer, Moderna, and Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccinations will be available, according to information from Salina Family Healthcare Center.People who are immunocompromised can get their third dose. Others who are six month out from their initial two vaccinations also can get their booster vaccinations at the clinic, according to Salina Family Healthcare Center.

Public COVID-19 vaccination clinic Tuesday at K-State Salina

●Four additional members of our community have lost their lives to COVID-19 since our last update on Wednesday.

●Salina Regional Health Center reports that they have 16 patients currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.

●There have been 70 new cases of COVID-19 reported since Wednesday.. KDHE has identified 284 variants in the 408 samples sent from Saline County for sequencing.

●The staff at the Saline County Health Department is currently monitoring 246 cases of COVID-19.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634938743012.png" alt="COVID by the Numbers 10222021.png" />
 <figcaption>COVID by the Numbers 10222021.png</figcaption>
 </figure>Following is the Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for Friday.●Four additional members of our community have lost their lives to COVID-19 since our last update on Wednesday.●Salina Regional Health Center reports that they have 16 patients currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.●There have been 70 new cases of COVID-19 reported since Wednesday.. KDHE has identified 284 variants in the 408 samples sent from Saline County for sequencing.●The staff at the Saline County Health Department is currently monitoring 246 cases of COVID-19.More in-depth data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcH2EXa1LCGoKs1tp_FLb0cmwYnRa_OQxKbKPIIDNcsPoRgBjz_e9C1lxMsRzH1v-NyfKodNyT8OlHuWS3uySIXisvkZHXnTOBEj_17jLbhq_&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcLp9M2VHxiYy9LL53BFZeRdUHuNumVJJ98g601GHy20fUk_vWpPWR6GLIbXuRH4bBs-IXQ_NyH4yNERjzYMBWOPpQMYp99qzgWEZGu9mlabXqZ1ZUYfW58AGS6jsoQ8uXJP3ImCxvsSo&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001f_M444ezNhbtvfVRB53gHctWKlsBn7wbz4lwfcLO9r-MnSPgUgsVcDuj0KwWiPVorinaQV0KnQCFzu5i7IhiWyu7XdiwQ8Lu2FSpOyBqMo0Beo0aa_bQRNyAZffpgosKRuVe6duMqitwPKIZhuVG2JigpVYPe-0Fo6IIjeJ7IMVqlTL2ko1Q1Fc3zUwcyMXL&amp;c=&amp;ch=" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.

<a href="https://www.vaccinatesalinecountyks.com/testing">Click here for local COVID-19 testing options</a><a href="https://www.vaccines.gov/">Click here for vaccination locations</a><a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view%7CKansas%7C20169%7CRisk%7Ccommunity_transmission_level">Click here for the CDC Data Tracker</a>

Saline County: 4 additional deaths, 70 new COVID-19 cases

WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions more Americans can get a COVID-19 booster and choose a different company’s vaccine for that next shot, federal health officials said Thursday.

Certain people who received Pfizer vaccinations months ago already are eligible for a booster and now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says specific Moderna and Johnson &amp; Johnson recipients qualify, too. And in a bigger change, the agency is allowing the flexibility of “mixing and matching” that extra dose regardless of which type people received first.

The Food and Drug Administration had already authorized such an expansion of the nation’s booster campaign on Wednesday, and it was also endorsed Thursday by a CDC advisory panel. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky had the final word on who gets the extra doses.

“These past 20 months have taught us many things, but mostly to have humility,” she told the panel. “We are constantly learning about this virus, growing the evidence base and accumulating more data.”

There still are restrictions on who qualifies and when for a booster. Starting six months past their last Pfizer or Moderna vaccination, people are urged to get a booster if they’re 65 or older, nursing home residents, or at least 50 and at increased risk of severe disease because of health problems. Boosters also were allowed, but not urged, for adults of any age at increased risk of infection because of health problems or their jobs or living conditions. That includes health care workers, teachers and people in jails or homeless shelters.

Moderna’s booster will come at half the dose of the original two shots.

As for recipients of the single-shot J&amp;J vaccine, a COVID-19 booster is recommended for everyone at least two months after their vaccination. That’s because the J&amp;J vaccine hasn’t proved as protective as the two-dose Moderna or Pfizer options.

The CDC panel didn’t explicitly recommend anyone get a different brand than they started with but left open the option — saying only that a booster of some sort was recommended. And some of the advisers said they would prefer that J&amp;J recipients receive a competitor’s booster, citing preliminary data from an ongoing government study that suggested a bigger boost in virus-fighting antibodies from that combination.

“We’re at a different place in the pandemic than we were earlier” when supply constraints meant people had to take whatever shot they were offered, noted CDC adviser Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University.

She called it “priceless” to be able to choose a different kind for the booster if, for example, someone might be at risk for a rare side effect from a specific vaccine.

About two-thirds of Americans eligible for COVID-19 shots are fully vaccinated, and the government says getting first shots to the unvaccinated remain the priority. While health authorities hope boosters will shore up waning immunity against milder coronavirus infections, all the vaccines still offer strong protection against hospitalizations and death, even as the extra-contagious delta variant burned through the country.

And CDC’s advisers wrestled with whether people who didn’t really need boosters might be getting them, especially young, otherwise healthy adults whose only qualification was their job.

Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University voiced concerns about opening those people to rare but serious side effects from another dose if they already were adequately protected.

“I have my own concerns that we appear to be recommending vaccines for people who I don’t think need it,” added Dr. Beth Bell of the University of Washington.

But she stressed that the vaccines work and that moving forward with the recommendations makes sense for the sake of being clear and allowing flexibility when it comes to boosters.

Despite the concerns by some members, the panels’ votes ended up being unanimous.

The vast majority of the nearly 190 million Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have received the Pfizer or Moderna options, while J&amp;J recipients account for only about 15 million.

<figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634854349255.png" alt="CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky had the final word on who gets the extra doses." />
 <figcaption>CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky had the final word on who gets the extra doses.</figcaption>
 </figure>WASHINGTON (AP) — Millions more Americans can get a COVID-19 booster and choose a different company’s vaccine for that next shot, federal health officials said Thursday.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Qoqia5YkwHc?start=24501" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>Certain people who received Pfizer vaccinations months ago already are eligible for a booster and now the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says specific Moderna and Johnson &amp; Johnson recipients qualify, too. And in a bigger change, the agency is allowing the flexibility of “mixing and matching” that extra dose regardless of which type people received first.The Food and Drug Administration had already authorized such an expansion of the nation’s booster campaign on Wednesday, and it was also endorsed Thursday by a CDC advisory panel. CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky had the final word on who gets the extra doses.“These past 20 months have taught us many things, but mostly to have humility,” she told the panel. “We are constantly learning about this virus, growing the evidence base and accumulating more data.”There still are restrictions on who qualifies and when for a booster. Starting six months past their last Pfizer or Moderna vaccination, people are urged to get a booster if they’re 65 or older, nursing home residents, or at least 50 and at increased risk of severe disease because of health problems. Boosters also were allowed, but not urged, for adults of any age at increased risk of infection because of health problems or their jobs or living conditions. That includes health care workers, teachers and people in jails or homeless shelters.Moderna’s booster will come at half the dose of the original two shots.As for recipients of the single-shot J&amp;J vaccine, a COVID-19 booster is recommended for everyone at least two months after their vaccination. That’s because the J&amp;J vaccine hasn’t proved as protective as the two-dose Moderna or Pfizer options.The CDC panel didn’t explicitly recommend anyone get a different brand than they started with but left open the option — saying only that a booster of some sort was recommended. And some of the advisers said they would prefer that J&amp;J recipients receive a competitor’s booster, citing preliminary data from an ongoing government study that suggested a bigger boost in virus-fighting antibodies from that combination.“We’re at a different place in the pandemic than we were earlier” when supply constraints meant people had to take whatever shot they were offered, noted CDC adviser Dr. Helen Keipp Talbot of Vanderbilt University.She called it “priceless” to be able to choose a different kind for the booster if, for example, someone might be at risk for a rare side effect from a specific vaccine.About two-thirds of Americans eligible for COVID-19 shots are fully vaccinated, and the government says getting first shots to the unvaccinated remain the priority. While health authorities hope boosters will shore up waning immunity against milder coronavirus infections, all the vaccines still offer strong protection against hospitalizations and death, even as the extra-contagious delta variant burned through the country.And CDC’s advisers wrestled with whether people who didn’t really need boosters might be getting them, especially young, otherwise healthy adults whose only qualification was their job.Dr. Sarah Long of Drexel University voiced concerns about opening those people to rare but serious side effects from another dose if they already were adequately protected.“I have my own concerns that we appear to be recommending vaccines for people who I don’t think need it,” added Dr. Beth Bell of the University of Washington.But she stressed that the vaccines work and that moving forward with the recommendations makes sense for the sake of being clear and allowing flexibility when it comes to boosters.Despite the concerns by some members, the panels’ votes ended up being unanimous.The vast majority of the nearly 190 million Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have received the Pfizer or Moderna options, while J&amp;J recipients account for only about 15 million.___

🎥 COVID-19 vaccine: CDC panel backs expanded booster rollout

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators on Wednesday signed off on extending COVID-19 boosters to Americans who got the Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine and said anyone eligible for an extra dose can get a brand different from the one they received initially.

The Food and Drug Administration’s decisions mark a big step toward expanding the U.S. booster campaign, which began with extra doses of the Pfizer vaccine last month. But before more people roll up their sleeves, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will consult an expert panel Thursday before finalizing official recommendations for who should get boosters and when.

The latest moves would expand by tens of millions the number of Americans eligible for boosters and formally allow “mixing and matching” of shots — making it simpler to get another dose, especially for people who had a side effect from one brand but still want the proven protection of vaccination.

Specifically, the FDA authorized a third Moderna shot for seniors and others at high risk from COVID-19 because of their health problems, jobs or living conditions — six months after their last shot. One big change: Moderna’s booster will be half the dose that’s used for the first two shots, based on company data showing that was plenty to rev up immunity again.

For J&amp;J’s single-shot vaccine, the FDA said all U.S. recipients, no matter their age, could get a second dose at least two months following their initial vaccination.

The FDA rulings differ because the vaccines are made differently, with different dosing schedules — and the J&amp;J vaccine has consistently shown a lower level of effectiveness than either of the two-shot Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.

As for mixing and matching, the FDA said it’s OK to use any brand for the booster regardless of which vaccination people got first. The interchangeability of the shots is expected to speed the booster campaign, particularly in nursing homes and other institutional settings where residents have received different shots over time.

FDA’s acting commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock said the agency wanted to make its booster guidance as flexible as possible, given that many people don’t remember which brand they first received. In other cases, some people may want to try a different vaccine if they previously experienced common side effects like muscle ache or chills.

Still, regulators said it’s likely many people will stick with the same vaccine brand.

The decision was based on preliminary results from a government study of different booster combinations that showed an extra dose of any type revs up levels of virus-fighting antibodies. That study also showed recipients of the single-dose J&amp;J vaccination had a far bigger response if they got a full-strength Moderna booster or a Pfizer booster rather than a second J&amp;J shot. The study didn’t test the half-dose Moderna booster.

Health authorities stress that the priority still is getting first shots to about 65 million eligible Americans who remain unvaccinated. But the booster campaign is meant to shore up protection against the virus amid signs that vaccine effectiveness is waning against mild infections, even though all three brands continue to protect against hospitalization and death.

“Today the currently available data suggest waning immunity in some populations of fully vaccinated people,” Woodcock told reporters. “The availability of these authorized boosters is important for continued protection against COVID-19 disease.”

The Moderna booster decision essentially matches FDA’s ruling that high-risk groups are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, which is made with the same technology.

FDA recommended that everyone who’d gotten the single-shot J&amp;J vaccine get a booster since it has consistently shown lower protection than its two-shot rivals. And several independent FDA advisers who backed the booster decision suggested J&amp;J’s vaccine should have originally been designed to require two doses.

Experts continue to debate the rationale of the booster campaign. Some warn that the U.S. government hasn’t clearly articulated the goals of boosters given that the shots continue to head off the worst effects of COVID-19, and wonder if the aim is to tamp down on virus spread by curbing, at least temporarily, milder infections.

FDA’s top vaccine official suggested regulators would move quickly to expand boosters to lower age groups, such as people in their 40s and 50s, if warranted.

“We are watching this very closely and will take action as appropriate to make sure that the maximum protection is provided to the population,” said FDA’s Dr. Peter Marks.

In August, the Biden administration announced plans for an across-the-board booster campaign aimed at all U.S. adults, but outside experts have repeatedly argued against such a sweeping effort.

On Thursday an influential panel convened by the CDC is expected to offer more specifics on who should get boosters and when. Their recommendations are subject to approval by the CDC director.

The vast majority of the nearly 190 million Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have received the Pfizer or Moderna options, while about 15 million have received the J&amp;J vaccine.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. regulators on Wednesday signed off on extending COVID-19 boosters to Americans who got the Moderna or Johnson &amp; Johnson vaccine and said anyone eligible for an extra dose can get a brand different from the one they received initially.<div><iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/rou7tf4vaUU?start=414" title="YouTube video player" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>The Food and Drug Administration’s decisions mark a big step toward expanding the U.S. booster campaign, which began with extra doses of the Pfizer vaccine last month. But before more people roll up their sleeves, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will consult an expert panel Thursday before finalizing official recommendations for who should get boosters and when.The latest moves would expand by tens of millions the number of Americans eligible for boosters and formally allow “mixing and matching” of shots — making it simpler to get another dose, especially for people who had a side effect from one brand but still want the proven protection of vaccination.Specifically, the FDA authorized a third Moderna shot for seniors and others at high risk from COVID-19 because of their health problems, jobs or living conditions — six months after their last shot. One big change: Moderna’s booster will be half the dose that’s used for the first two shots, based on company data showing that was plenty to rev up immunity again.For J&amp;J’s single-shot vaccine, the FDA said all U.S. recipients, no matter their age, could get a second dose at least two months following their initial vaccination.The FDA rulings differ because the vaccines are made differently, with different dosing schedules — and the J&amp;J vaccine has consistently shown a lower level of effectiveness than either of the two-shot Moderna and Pfizer vaccines.As for mixing and matching, the FDA said it’s OK to use any brand for the booster regardless of which vaccination people got first. The interchangeability of the shots is expected to speed the booster campaign, particularly in nursing homes and other institutional settings where residents have received different shots over time.FDA’s acting commissioner Dr. Janet Woodcock said the agency wanted to make its booster guidance as flexible as possible, given that many people don’t remember which brand they first received. In other cases, some people may want to try a different vaccine if they previously experienced common side effects like muscle ache or chills.Still, regulators said it’s likely many people will stick with the same vaccine brand.The decision was based on preliminary results from a government study of different booster combinations that showed an extra dose of any type revs up levels of virus-fighting antibodies. That study also showed recipients of the single-dose J&amp;J vaccination had a far bigger response if they got a full-strength Moderna booster or a Pfizer booster rather than a second J&amp;J shot. The study didn’t test the half-dose Moderna booster.Health authorities stress that the priority still is getting first shots to about 65 million eligible Americans who remain unvaccinated. But the booster campaign is meant to shore up protection against the virus amid signs that vaccine effectiveness is waning against mild infections, even though all three brands continue to protect against hospitalization and death.“Today the currently available data suggest waning immunity in some populations of fully vaccinated people,” Woodcock told reporters. “The availability of these authorized boosters is important for continued protection against COVID-19 disease.”The Moderna booster decision essentially matches FDA’s ruling that high-risk groups are eligible for the Pfizer vaccine, which is made with the same technology.FDA recommended that everyone who’d gotten the single-shot J&amp;J vaccine get a booster since it has consistently shown lower protection than its two-shot rivals. And several independent FDA advisers who backed the booster decision suggested J&amp;J’s vaccine should have originally been designed to require two doses.Experts continue to debate the rationale of the booster campaign. Some warn that the U.S. government hasn’t clearly articulated the goals of boosters given that the shots continue to head off the worst effects of COVID-19, and wonder if the aim is to tamp down on virus spread by curbing, at least temporarily, milder infections.FDA’s top vaccine official suggested regulators would move quickly to expand boosters to lower age groups, such as people in their 40s and 50s, if warranted.“We are watching this very closely and will take action as appropriate to make sure that the maximum protection is provided to the population,” said FDA’s Dr. Peter Marks.In August, the Biden administration announced plans for an across-the-board booster campaign aimed at all U.S. adults, but outside experts have repeatedly argued against such a sweeping effort.On Thursday an influential panel convened by the CDC is expected to offer more specifics on who should get boosters and when. Their recommendations are subject to approval by the CDC director.The vast majority of the nearly 190 million Americans who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 have received the Pfizer or Moderna options, while about 15 million have received the J&amp;J vaccine.___

🎥 FDA answers questions after approval to mix COVID vaccines

●Two additional members of our community have lost their lives to COVID-19 since our last update on Monday,&nbsp;bringing the total number of deaths of Saline County residents to 157.

●There have been 58 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Saline County since our last update.

●Salina Regional Health Center reports that 18 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.

●274 variants have been identified in the 398 samples sent from Saline County to KDHE for sequencing.

More data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yfaJRDJGs8AciT8hMscnuozT-Z8BPLJg-pD7T3_Nb1oVbkzelyiiVFSZ6fBIvbr6ccACDhPgfMIMb1yaO9jBQ-99Kq8rs11PXIuyWIGvupls7mCH-CKN0c8Hc1cylGaAcZ45-lVsEayuENi3n9wEu8SWwAEB1bxJ&amp;c=2HHXJd9Q9dkDIwNvHk7C9JO0lrslGqpsrXnwP4XmXYSOrds537zTmQ==&amp;ch=LqcJTfCh9GtquleAJ3M4bcAOyteHcdlkuuVcYWc1ePaBXJE591iDmw==" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yfaJRDJGs8AciT8hMscnuozT-Z8BPLJg-pD7T3_Nb1oVbkzelyiiVH7yIOnC2DArwSYSbe8uRVkMa1xb9OraNY-6He6q_j6I9Hz_z8UV8Fw90OKrIM2wq6R4sukxlIfEqgHnj6o8keC2pvYFE45F-T7EMwKQDSh6sv-KsgEvGE2YG80ejHXznNHGp1ZL1-le&amp;c=2HHXJd9Q9dkDIwNvHk7C9JO0lrslGqpsrXnwP4XmXYSOrds537zTmQ==&amp;ch=LqcJTfCh9GtquleAJ3M4bcAOyteHcdlkuuVcYWc1ePaBXJE591iDmw==" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yfaJRDJGs8AciT8hMscnuozT-Z8BPLJg-pD7T3_Nb1oVbkzelyiiVKRdnsJ4GQt5muf1sPkWBzXf48be3evfdOR--wTY3YiPznwoW_fj_kSAhTFnMUaSPGj720I3mXoc-fHYsQ9Vu4WRdD6aI9JjeGswKVsRX-Q31nBOkVaiRz1hfSBXaVgmhWmcdLsH4C6t&amp;c=2HHXJd9Q9dkDIwNvHk7C9JO0lrslGqpsrXnwP4XmXYSOrds537zTmQ==&amp;ch=LqcJTfCh9GtquleAJ3M4bcAOyteHcdlkuuVcYWc1ePaBXJE591iDmw==" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.

COVID vaccination update for Saline County

●An additional 212 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 this week, an increase of .4 percent.

●A total of 26,070 residents of Saline County have been vaccinated, accounting for 48.1 percent of the total population.

●Stay home&nbsp;if you are sick.

●Get tested&nbsp;if you feel unwell, even if you don’t believe it is COVID. You can find testing centers at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yfaJRDJGs8AciT8hMscnuozT-Z8BPLJg-pD7T3_Nb1oVbkzelyiiVCZ0n9ltW96nh6mZaSv5g9RArF23QIAJOU5hB1Tj-BCTmdnltaawNEwNenvegXll_YjK5nNPAq11eWVoWaQBXnPLV9MrMe-TxDtvBd5cfAoRivxQTF9whHw=&amp;c=2HHXJd9Q9dkDIwNvHk7C9JO0lrslGqpsrXnwP4XmXYSOrds537zTmQ==&amp;ch=LqcJTfCh9GtquleAJ3M4bcAOyteHcdlkuuVcYWc1ePaBXJE591iDmw==" target="_blank">VaccinateSalineCountyKS.com/testing</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.

●Get vaccinated. You can find a vaccine at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yfaJRDJGs8AciT8hMscnuozT-Z8BPLJg-pD7T3_Nb1oVbkzelyiiVEarWr5pk8qVuUtRYVl4gt39ZwUW0M1fZSIehJ6GrppMQQeuQRq8RWNQ6Va3OrS0lv5NS4MWJXBXLz8CG-uT5YTnKm-tRoDhXQ==&amp;c=2HHXJd9Q9dkDIwNvHk7C9JO0lrslGqpsrXnwP4XmXYSOrds537zTmQ==&amp;ch=LqcJTfCh9GtquleAJ3M4bcAOyteHcdlkuuVcYWc1ePaBXJE591iDmw==" target="_blank">vaccines.gov</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.

●Wear a mask, especially if you are not fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, wear a mask when indoors in crowded spaces.

●Maintain at least 6 feet of distance between yourself and those with whom you do not live.

●Do not travel to&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yfaJRDJGs8AciT8hMscnuozT-Z8BPLJg-pD7T3_Nb1oVbkzelyiiVEarWr5pk8qV_G6PXS-18IHvCEjY2EkbumyKTZPtVPlBznB96fHM_MHg6C9kQoQnSbFylU1871PawWeK1oYEOr2tDpeQY8iVU4wivQVPLyjYc6_yMkoXxwco575lYol0CqWK5c5svx8JFn16WmrR46W3_ltA4-cVGBdwd_eg7Vzp&amp;c=2HHXJd9Q9dkDIwNvHk7C9JO0lrslGqpsrXnwP4XmXYSOrds537zTmQ==&amp;ch=LqcJTfCh9GtquleAJ3M4bcAOyteHcdlkuuVcYWc1ePaBXJE591iDmw==" target="_blank">“hot spots."</a>

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 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634766228931.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>Following is the Saline County Health Department COVID-19 update for Wednesday.●Two additional members of our community have lost their lives to COVID-19 since our last update on Monday,&nbsp;bringing the total number of deaths of Saline County residents to 157.●There have been 58 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Saline County since our last update.●Salina Regional Health Center reports that 18 people are currently hospitalized due to COVID-19.●274 variants have been identified in the 398 samples sent from Saline County to KDHE for sequencing.More data and additional information can be found on the&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yfaJRDJGs8AciT8hMscnuozT-Z8BPLJg-pD7T3_Nb1oVbkzelyiiVFSZ6fBIvbr6ccACDhPgfMIMb1yaO9jBQ-99Kq8rs11PXIuyWIGvupls7mCH-CKN0c8Hc1cylGaAcZ45-lVsEayuENi3n9wEu8SWwAEB1bxJ&amp;c=2HHXJd9Q9dkDIwNvHk7C9JO0lrslGqpsrXnwP4XmXYSOrds537zTmQ==&amp;ch=LqcJTfCh9GtquleAJ3M4bcAOyteHcdlkuuVcYWc1ePaBXJE591iDmw==" target="_blank">Saline County Coronavirus webpage</a>,&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yfaJRDJGs8AciT8hMscnuozT-Z8BPLJg-pD7T3_Nb1oVbkzelyiiVH7yIOnC2DArwSYSbe8uRVkMa1xb9OraNY-6He6q_j6I9Hz_z8UV8Fw90OKrIM2wq6R4sukxlIfEqgHnj6o8keC2pvYFE45F-T7EMwKQDSh6sv-KsgEvGE2YG80ejHXznNHGp1ZL1-le&amp;c=2HHXJd9Q9dkDIwNvHk7C9JO0lrslGqpsrXnwP4XmXYSOrds537zTmQ==&amp;ch=LqcJTfCh9GtquleAJ3M4bcAOyteHcdlkuuVcYWc1ePaBXJE591iDmw==" target="_blank">KDHE COVID-19 Information Site</a>, and&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yfaJRDJGs8AciT8hMscnuozT-Z8BPLJg-pD7T3_Nb1oVbkzelyiiVKRdnsJ4GQt5muf1sPkWBzXf48be3evfdOR--wTY3YiPznwoW_fj_kSAhTFnMUaSPGj720I3mXoc-fHYsQ9Vu4WRdD6aI9JjeGswKVsRX-Q31nBOkVaiRz1hfSBXaVgmhWmcdLsH4C6t&amp;c=2HHXJd9Q9dkDIwNvHk7C9JO0lrslGqpsrXnwP4XmXYSOrds537zTmQ==&amp;ch=LqcJTfCh9GtquleAJ3M4bcAOyteHcdlkuuVcYWc1ePaBXJE591iDmw==" target="_blank">CDC COVID-19 Tracker</a>.

<a href="https://www.vaccinatesalinecountyks.com/testing">Click here for local COVID-19 testing options</a><figure>
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 </figure>COVID vaccination update for Saline County ●An additional 212 people were vaccinated against COVID-19 this week, an increase of .4 percent.●A total of 26,070 residents of Saline County have been vaccinated, accounting for 48.1 percent of the total population.<a href="https://www.vaccines.gov/">Click here for vaccination locations</a><a href="https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker/#county-view%7CKansas%7C20169%7CRisk%7Ccommunity_transmission_level">Click here for the CDC Data Tracker</a><figure>
 <img src="https://media.eaglewebservices.com/public/2021/10/1634766029372.png" alt="" />
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 </figure>The best way to stop the spread of COVID-19 and thus prevent mutation of the virus is:●Stay home&nbsp;if you are sick.●Get tested&nbsp;if you feel unwell, even if you don’t believe it is COVID. You can find testing centers at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yfaJRDJGs8AciT8hMscnuozT-Z8BPLJg-pD7T3_Nb1oVbkzelyiiVCZ0n9ltW96nh6mZaSv5g9RArF23QIAJOU5hB1Tj-BCTmdnltaawNEwNenvegXll_YjK5nNPAq11eWVoWaQBXnPLV9MrMe-TxDtvBd5cfAoRivxQTF9whHw=&amp;c=2HHXJd9Q9dkDIwNvHk7C9JO0lrslGqpsrXnwP4XmXYSOrds537zTmQ==&amp;ch=LqcJTfCh9GtquleAJ3M4bcAOyteHcdlkuuVcYWc1ePaBXJE591iDmw==" target="_blank">VaccinateSalineCountyKS.com/testing</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.●Get vaccinated. You can find a vaccine at&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yfaJRDJGs8AciT8hMscnuozT-Z8BPLJg-pD7T3_Nb1oVbkzelyiiVEarWr5pk8qVuUtRYVl4gt39ZwUW0M1fZSIehJ6GrppMQQeuQRq8RWNQ6Va3OrS0lv5NS4MWJXBXLz8CG-uT5YTnKm-tRoDhXQ==&amp;c=2HHXJd9Q9dkDIwNvHk7C9JO0lrslGqpsrXnwP4XmXYSOrds537zTmQ==&amp;ch=LqcJTfCh9GtquleAJ3M4bcAOyteHcdlkuuVcYWc1ePaBXJE591iDmw==" target="_blank">vaccines.gov</a>&nbsp;or contact your local medical provider.●Wear a mask, especially if you are not fully vaccinated. If you are fully vaccinated, wear a mask when indoors in crowded spaces.●Maintain at least 6 feet of distance between yourself and those with whom you do not live.●Do not travel to&nbsp;<a href="https://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001yfaJRDJGs8AciT8hMscnuozT-Z8BPLJg-pD7T3_Nb1oVbkzelyiiVEarWr5pk8qV_G6PXS-18IHvCEjY2EkbumyKTZPtVPlBznB96fHM_MHg6C9kQoQnSbFylU1871PawWeK1oYEOr2tDpeQY8iVU4wivQVPLyjYc6_yMkoXxwco575lYol0CqWK5c5svx8JFn16WmrR46W3_ltA4-cVGBdwd_eg7Vzp&amp;c=2HHXJd9Q9dkDIwNvHk7C9JO0lrslGqpsrXnwP4XmXYSOrds537zTmQ==&amp;ch=LqcJTfCh9GtquleAJ3M4bcAOyteHcdlkuuVcYWc1ePaBXJE591iDmw==" target="_blank">“hot spots."</a>●If you test positive, isolate immediately and be open and honest with COVID caseworkers about your contacts.&nbsp;&nbsp;

Coronavirus Update