8 a.m. COVID-19 update

YOU IN THE STUDIO JOHNNY.THANK YOU.A LONG-OVERDUE CORONAVIRUSRELIEF PACKAGE IS NOW ON THE WAYTO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S DESK FOR ASIGNATURE AND IT COULD MEANMONEY IN AMERICANS POCKETS.VERY SOON COMES AS A NEW STRAINOF THE VIRUS IS IN THE UKCAUSING WORLDWIDE CONCERN ABC’SFAITH WHO BAY IS I WASHINGTONWITH THE LATEST.THIS MORNING FEARSOME MUTATEDAND POTENTIALLY HIGHLYCONTAGIOUS VERSION OF THECORONAVIRUS IS ALREADY HERE INTHE US AFTER BEING FIRSTDISCOVERED IN THE UNITED KINGDOMWHEN WE START TO LOOK FOR IT.WE’RE GOING TO FIND IT THE UKWAKING UP TO A NEW ROUND OFSTRICT LOCKDOWNS WHILE LEADERSSCRAMBLED TO CONTAIN THE NEWCOVID STRAINED.WE TOOK PROMPT AND DECISIVEACTION PRIME MINISTER BORISJOHNSON SAYING THE NEW VARIANTIS MORE CONTAGIOUS AND LEA TOMORE SEVERE ILLNESS BUTSCIENTISTS AROUND THE WORLD NOTYET IN AGREEMENT INCLUDING THEHEAD OF THE U.S.OPERATION TO FIGHT THE VIRUS.I THINK SCIENTIFICALLY TO DATETHERE IS NO HARD EVIDENCE THATTHIS VIRUS IS ACTUALLY MORETRANSMISSIBLE MORE THAN 40COUNTRIES NOW BANNING TRAVEL TOAND FROM THE UK, BUT SO FAR THEUS ISN’T ONE OF THEM THIS AS THENATION SEES ITS WORST MONTH YETOF THE PANDEMIC AVERAGING MORETHAN 26 HUNDRED DEATHS A DAY ANEW DAILY.RECORD MORE THAN 115,000 300PEOPLE FIGHTING THE DISEASE INHOSPITAL BEDS WHEN YOU GET UP TOTHE ICU YOU FEEL LIKE YOU’REALMOST GETTING IT’S LIKE A WARZONE.MEANWHILE MILLIONS SLIDING INTOPOVERTY AS THE VIRUS BLUDGEONSTHE ECONOMY OVERNIGHT BOTH THEHOUSE AND SENATE PASSING AMUCH-NEEDED NEARLY 900 BILLIONDOLLAR RELIEF PACKAGE THE BILLATTACHED TO A MASSIVE GOVERNMENTSPENDING BILL INCLUDES THREEHUNDRED DOLLARS IN WEEKLYFEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITSAND SI DOLLARS IN DIRECTPAYMENTS.INDIVIDUAL AMERICANS BILLIONS OFDOLLARS TO DISTRIBUTE VACCINESAND SAVE CASH-STRAPPEDBUSINESSES.I PERSONALLY THINK IT’S LONGPAST TO DO $600.IS IT GOING TO HELP A LOT OF THEAVERAGE AMERICANS?JUST TRYING TO GET BY APRESIDENT TRUMP IS EXPECTED TOSIGN THE BILL QUICKLY.MEANWHILE TREASURY SECRETARY.STEVE MINUCHIN SAYS THAT THEFIRST CHECKS COULD GET TO THOSEIN NEED AS AS NEXT WEEK.WHEN IT COMES TO THE NEW STRAINOF THE CORONAVIRUS ONE OF THEQUESTIONS LOTS OF PEOPLE AREASKING IS WHETHER WILL BERESISTANT TO VACCINES.WELL SCIENTISTS SAY THAT’S NOTVERY LIKELY BOTH US AND UKHEALTH EXPERTS HAVE SAID THATTHEY DON’T EXPECT THE NEW STRAINHAVE AN IMPACT ON VACCINES.IT’S BECAUSE THE SHOTS INDUCEDBROUGHT RESPONSES IN THE IMMUNESYSTEM THE CEO OF BY OWEN TECHTHE COMPANY THAT WORKED WITHPFIZER TO PRODUCE THE VACCINESAID THAT THIS MORNING HE ISCONFIDENT THE SHOTS WILL WORKAGAINST THE NEW STREAM BECAUSEOF ITS SIMILARITY TO OTHERSTRAINS THE RUNNING TESTS JUSTTO MAKE SURE I DON’T KNOW.RESULTS IN A COUPLE WEEKS ANDCOVID-19 VACCINATIONS BEGIN THISMORNING FOR THE STAFF AT NORTHKANSAS CITY HOSPITAL.JAMIE SAYS MARTIN AUGUSTINE.IS THERE LIVE MARTIN GOODMORNING TO YOU KNOW, HOW MANYSHOTS ARE GOING OUT TODAY.WELL THE THE HOME FROM THEHOSPITAL IS TO HAVE 700 MEDICALSTAFF AND EMPLOYEES VACCINATEDHERE BY TOMORROW NIGHT AND TOHAVE EVERYBODY WHO WORKS HERVACCINATED BY THE FIRST PART OFTHE YEAR, BUT VACCINATION NUMBERONE.WELL THAT HAPPENED THIS MORNINGSHORTLY AFTER 6 O’CLOCK.BECKY HOFFMAN IS THE HEADEMERGENCY ROOM NURSE.HE WAS PATIENT NUMBER ONE TODAYTOOK THAT SHOT IN HER RIGHTSHOULDER.SHE WAS HAPPY TO IT SHE WASCONFIDENT IN THIS VACCINE HAS NOQUALMS ABOUT IT.SHE WANTS OTHERS TO GET THE SHOTAS SOON AS IT’S AVAILABLE TOTHEM BECAUSE ONCE EVERYBODY GETSIMMUNIZED OR OR MANY MORE PEOPLEGET IMMUNIZED THAN WERE MUCHFARTHER DOWN THE ROAD INTACKLING COVID-19.THAT DOESN’T MEAN HOWEVER THATTHIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING OFTHE END FOR WHAT HAS BEEN ADIFFICULT DIFFICULT YEAR.IT’S WORRY LIKE YOU’RE REALLYEMOTIONALLY DRAINED EVERY DAYBECAUSE YOU WORRY ABOUT YOURPATIENTS AND WHAT WE’RE GOING TOHOW ARE THEY GOING TO SURVIVE?ARE THEY GOING TO MAKE IT OUT OFOFF OF THE VENTILATOR THOSE TYPEOF THINGS?IT’S IT’S REALLY PERSONAL FOREACH OF US.THE IMMUNIZATION THAT SHERECEIVED WAS THE PFIZER VACCINEAND THAT’S WHAT EVERYBODY ISRECEIVING HERE AT NORTH KANSASCITY HOSPITAL.SO THEY DO HAVE TO GET A BOOSTERSHOT AFTER A FEW WEEKS ANDGETTING EVERYBODY VACCINATEDHERE IS DEPENDENT A LITTLE BITUP ON THE SUPPLY OF THAT VACCINEWELL REPORTING LIVE.MARTIN AUGUSTINE KMBC 9 NEWSMARTIN.THANK YOU SO MUCH ME WHILE THEFIRST VIAL IS HAVE THE DARKNESSCORONAVIRUS VACCINE HAVE ARRIVEDIN THE KANSAS CITY METRO THEJOHNSON COUNTY AND LORDS DOUGLASCOUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT’S HAVERECEIVED THEIR FIRST SHIPMENTSYESTERDAY AND THEY KANSAS CITY’SVA MEDICAL CENTER AND WYANDOTTECOUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT EXPECTTHEIR FIRST DOSE HAS THIS WEEK.IT IS FIRST SHIPMENT, BUTBARONESS IT OUT NEARLY 6 MILLIONDOSES TO MORE THAN 3,700LOCATIONS IN ALL 50 STATESNEARLY 3 MILLION DOSES OF THEPFIZER VACCINE HAVE BEENDISTRIBUTED FAR WITH MORETHAN 600,000 SHOT.HAVE AN OUT.AS VACCINES CONTINUE TO MAKETHEIR WAY TO THE METRO DOCTORSWITH THE UNIVERSITY OF KANSASHEALTH SYSTEM OR ADDRESSING WHOWILL GET THE SHOTS FIRST STAFFWHO HAVE THE HIGHEST DEGREE OFEXPOSURE TO THE VIRUS.YOU’RE GETTING VACCINATED BEFOREANYONE ELSE AT THE HEALTH SYSTEMDOCTORS SAY IS MORE DOSES BECOMEAVAILABLE THAT HIERARCHY MAYCHANGE.WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER.IT IS NOT EITHER ONE IT IS WETHE PEOPLE AND ONLY IF WE TAKECARE OF WE THE PEOPLE WILL WE BEABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY COMBAT THISVIRUS?NOW THE DOCTORS SAY OVER THENEXT YEAR EVERYONE IN THEGENERAL POPULATION A LIKELY GETVACCINATED IF THEY WANT BY THISTIME NEXT YEAR.THEY SAY WE SHOULD BE IN QUOTEGOOD SHAPE.WELL CENTRAL WORKERS IN ADULTSOVER 75 SHOULD BE THE PRIORITYIN THE NEXT ROUND OF VACCINEDISTRIBUTION CDC ADVISORYCOMMITTEE VOTED ON THAT OVER THEWEEKEND.THEY’RE CALLING IT PHASE 1 B IS1 C WILL LIKELY INCLUDE PEOPLEOVER 65 PEOPLE WITH PRE-EXISTINGAND OTHER ESSENTIAL WORKERS.AND IT’S ALSO STILL UNCLEAR WHENKIDS CAN GET THE VACCINE.DR. ANTHONY FAUCI SAYS PEDIATRICVACCINE TRIALS COULD START ASEARLY AS JANUARY IF ALL GOESWELL KIDS WOULD BE ABLE TORECEIVE DOSES WITHIN A COUPLE OFMONTHS AND AS WE WAIT FORVACCINES TO BE APPROVED FOR KIDSPEDIATRIC COVID-19 CASES ARERISING THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OFPEDIATRICS SAYS THEY HAVE GONEUP 25 PERCENT OVER THE PAST TWOWEEKS AND SO FAR MORE THAN 1.8MILLION CHILDREN UNDER 17 YEARSOLD HAVE TESTED POSITIVE FORCORONAVIRUS.THE AAP SAYS THAT NUMBERSPROBABLY UNDERESTIMATED BECAUSENOT ALL STATES REPORT DATA THESAME WAY CHILDREN GETTINGSEVERELY SICK OR DYING FROMCOVID IS STILL RARE, BUT EXPERTSSAY THAT THEY STILL HAVE MORE TOLEARN ABOUT LONG-TERM EFFECTS.AND RIGHT NOW CORONAVIRUS CASESON BOTH SIDES OF THE STATE LINEARE GOING DOWN IN MISSOURI THESEVEN-DAY ROLLING AVERAGE OFDAILY NEW CASES IS DOWN TO 3100IN KANSAS 4100 NEW CASES HAVEBEEN ADDED SINCE FRIDAY.THE MULTI POSITIVITY RATE ISDOWN TO 14.2% IN KANSAS THATPOSITIVITY RATE AND MISSOURI ISSTAYING AROUND 17.3% KMBC 9 NEWSIS INVESTIGATING A DISTURBINGTREND AMID.THE PANDEMIC ELDER ABUSE ISGOING UNREPORTED UNTIL IT’S TOOLATE IN MISSOURI CALLS TO THEELDER ABUSE HOTLINE HAVE DROPPEDBY SIX PERCENT SINCE LAST YEAR,BUT THAT’S NOT GOOD BECAUSECALLS WERE INCREASING STEADILYFOR YEARS ON THE FLIPSIDE ELDERNEGLECT ATTORNEY AT RACHEL STAHLSAYS THAT THE PANDEMIC HAS MOREPEOPLE CALLING HER OFFICE.SINCE LOVED ONES CAN’T GO INTOTHE NURSING HOME.WE’RE GETTING VERY VERY SADCALLS A LOT OF TIMES.THEY DON’T KNOW UNTIL THEIRLOVED ONES BEEN SENT TO THEHOSPITAL.AND THEN THEY FINALLY ARE ABLETO SEE THEM IN THE HOSPITAL.EXPERTS SAY THAT IF YOU HAVESOMEONE OLDER YOU LOVE MAKEEXTRA CALLS TO THEM OR SOMEONETAKING CARE OF THEM.ALSO, ASK OPEN-ENDED QUESTIONSABOUT THEIR HEALTH AND ASK IFTHEY’RE HAVING TROUBLE WITHTHEIR FINANCES TO MAKE SURE THEYARE NOT GETTING SCAMMED.841 OF COURSE 2020 HAS BEEN ALONG YEAR FOR EVERYONE IN KANSASCITY MAYOR.QUIT LUCAS COMPARES THIS YEAR TO1968.THAT’S ANOTHER TIME OF TURMOILIN THE CITY AND THE COUNTRYLUCAS REFLECTED ON THECHALLENGING YEAR AND ANEXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW WITH KMBC.HE SAYS THAT LIFTING THE CURFEWOVER THE SUMMER HELP DEESCALATETHE RISING RACIAL TENSIONSFOLLOWING THE DEATH OF GEORGEFLOYD.HE ALSO DEFENDED THE COVID-19SHUT DOWN.HE THINKS THE LOCAL VIRUSNUMBERS WOULD HAVE BEEN WORSEWITHOUT IT.YOU KNOW, I WISH IF WE COULD DOIT ALL OVER AGAIN.I WISH WE WOULD HAVE HAD MASKSREQUIREMENTS SOONER.I THINK THAT COULD HAVEMITIGATED SOME OF THE SPREAD ANDIT MIGHT HAVE LED TO SOMEDIFFERENT APPROACHES.THE MAYOR’S BIGGESTDISAPPOINTMENT.THIS YEAR IS THE RECORD NUMBEROF MURDERS.HE SAID ONE DAY OVER THE SUMMERTHAT THE KILLINGS THE PANDEMICIN THE RACIAL TENSION STOPPEDHIM