4 p.m. COVID-19 update

GOOD AFTERNOON EVERYONE.I’M KELLY ECKERMAN RIGHT NOW THESENATE CONSIDERING A FLURRY OFAMENDMENTS TO PRESIDNT BIDEN’SNEARLY TWO TRILLION DOLLARCOVID-19 RELIEF PACKAGE SENATEREPUBLICANS ARE TRYING TO STALLA VOTE BUT DEMOCRATS INSISTS,THEY HAVE THE VOTES AND IT WILLGET PASSED ABC’S ELIZABETHSCHULZE HAS THE LATEST FROMWASHINGTON.A CONTENTIOUS DEBATE IS UNDERWAYIN THE SENATE OVER PRESIDENTBIDEN’S 1.9 TRILLION DOLLARCOVID-19.RELIEF BILL ONE BY ONE SENATORSARE INTRODUCING AND VOTING ONAMENDMENTS TO THE BILL A PROCESSKNOWN AS VOTERAMA.SENATE’S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OFVOTES.BUT WE ARE GOING TO POWERTHROUGH AND FINISH THIS BILL.HOWEVER LONG IT TAKES.THE AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE COUNTINGON US AND OUR NATION DEPENDS ONIT REPUBLICANS ARGUE THE PRICETAG OF THE PACKAGE IS TOO HIGHPLANNING TO INTRODUCE SEVERALAMENDMENTS AS PART OF AN EFFORTTO DELAY A VOTE ON THE BILL.REPUBLICANS HAVE MANY IDEAS TOIMPROVE THE BILL MANY IDEAS ANDWE’RE ABOUT TO VOTE ON ALL KINDSOF AMENDMENTS IN THE HOPES THATSOME OF THESE IDEAS MAKE IT INTOTHE FINAL PRODUCT.DEMOCRATIC SENATOR BERNIESANDERS ALSO PUT FORWARD ANAMENDMENT TRYING TO INCREASE THEFEDERAL MINIMUM WAGE TO $15 ANHOUR, BUT THAT EFFORT FAILEDWITH EIGHT DEMOCRATS VOTINGAGAINST IT AND IT IS NOTACCEPTABLE TO ME THAT A HALF OFOUR PEOPLE LIVED IN PAYCHECK TOPAYCHECK AND MILLIONS OF PEOPLETRYING TO GET BY A 9 10 11 BUCKSAN HOUR IN AN EVENLY SPLITSENATE AND WITH THE COVID-19RELIEF BILL UNLIKELY TO WIN ANYSUPPORT FROM REPUBLICANS.ALL 50 DEMOCRATS NEED TO STICKTOGETHER TO PASS THE LEGISL.IN THE BILL INCLUDES THOSE 1400DOLLAR STIMULUS CHECKS FORINDIVIDUALS EARNING LESS THAN$75,000 PER YEAR 160 BILLIONDOLLARS FOR CORONAVIRUS TESTINGAND VACCINES AND HELP FORSTRUGGLING SMALL BUSINESSES.ONCE THE BILL PASSES THE SENATEIT WILL GO BACK TO THE HOUSE FORFINAL APPROVAL DEMOCRATS.SAY THE FINAL DEADLINE TO GET ABILL ON PRESIDENT.BIDEN’S DESK IS MARCH 14TH, WHENFEDERAL UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITSARE SET TO EXPIRE.STATE OF KANSAS HAD A HUGEMILESTONE IN THE PANDEMIC TODAYFOR THE FIRST TIME SINCE MIDJULY.NO NEW CORONAVIRUS RELATEDDEATHS WERE REPORTED.THERE ARE STILL 752 NEW CASES,MISSOURI IS DOWN TO 422 THEPOSITIVITY RATES CONTINUE TOSTAY LOW AS WELL.KANSAS IS AT 2.7% MISSOURI ISSEEING ITS LOWEST POSITIVITYRATE IN MONTHS AT 4.3% STARTINGNEXT WEEK MISSOURIANS WILL HAVEMORE OPTIONS WHEN IT COMES TOFINDING A VACC.MORE PHARMACIES HAVE BEENAPPROVED TO GIVE THE SHOT ANDTHAT INCLUDES FIVE IN KANSASCITY AND ON EACH AND INDEPENDENTLEE’S SUMMIT AND GRANDVIEW.REMEMBER THE CDC HAS A NEWSEARCH TOOL FOR COVID-19VACCINES GO TO VACCINEFINDER.ORGENTER YOUR ZIP CODE AND SEARCHRADIUS AND IT WILL IDENTIFYPHARMACIES AND HEALTH CENTERSAND IT WILL INDICATE IF THEYHAVE SUPPLY TODAY HUNDREDS OFPEOPLE.ARE VACCINATED AT THEINDEPENDENCE CENTER MALL?ALL 600 SPOTS WERE TAKEN BYPEOPLE WHO HAD FILLED OUT THECOUNTY’S VACCINATION SURVEYONLINE TO LEARN ABOUT FUTUREEVENTS IN JACKSON COUNTYCOMPLETE THE HEALTH DEPARTMENT’SVACCINE INTEREST FORM.WE DO HAVE A LINK TO THAT ATKMBC.COM/VACCINE.REMEMBER SWOPE HEALTH WILL HOLDA COVID-19 VACCINATION EVENT ONSATURDAY TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENTCALL 311 OR 816-513 13 ANDSELECT OPTION ONE THE EVENT.BE HELD FROM ONE TO FIVE PM ANDIT’S OPEN TO EVERYONE CURRENTLYELIGIBLE FOR THE VACCINE.KMBC9 NEWS IS WORKING TO ANSWERYOUR VACCINE QUESTIONS FOR THELATEST VACCINE NEWS TO LEARNWHEN YOU QUALIFY AND TIPS FORSIGNING.