4 p.m. COVID-19 update

HOTLINE.THAT’S 816-474 TIPS.TURNING OUT OF THE CORONAVIRUSHOSPITALIZATIONS CONTINUE TOFALL IN OUR AREA.THEY’RE DOWN 13% IN KANSAS OVERTHE PAST TWO WEEKSHOSPITALIZATIONS ARE DOWN 14% INMISSOURI IN KANSAS.30.7% OF THE POPULATION HAS NOWRECEIVED AT LEAST ONE DOSE OFTHE CORONAVIRUS VACCINE INMISSOURI.IT’S 27.9% MILLIONS OF AMERICANSARE GETTING THE VACCINE BUT MANYARE STILL HESITANT 30% SAY THEYWILL NOT GET VACCINATED.THAT’S ACCORDING TO A PEWRESEARCH SURVEY IN MID-FEBRUARY.THE PERCENTAGE IS DOWN IN RECENTMONTHS, BUT IT’S HIGHER THAN MAYOF LAST YEAR WHETHER THEHESITANCY IS DUE TO DISBELIEFDISTRUST OR FEAR MENTAL HEALTHCOUNSELORS.SAY DOCTORS NEED TO LISTEN TOTHEIR PATIENTS CONCERNS.EVEN JUST ASKING WHAT IS IT THATYOU WANT ME TO KNOW?WHAT IS IT THAT YOU ARE AFRAIDTO TELL SOMEONE ELSE?THOSE KINDS OF QUESTIONS INVITETHE IDEA THAT I’M WILLING TOLISTEN, AND I’M GOING TOUNDERSTAND AND NOT BEJUDGMENTAL.THAT WAS CAROLYN POLAND.SHE RECENTLY PUBLISHED ANARTICLE ADDRESSING SCIENCEEMOTION AND DOCTOR-PATIENTCOMMUNICATION.WELL CLASS IS BACK IN SESSIONFOR THE STUDENTS IN LIBERTYSCHOOL DISTRICT.KMBC9’S KELLY.GIBBS HAS AN INSIDE LOOK AT THECHANGES IN PLACE MAKE THATHAPPEN.WELL, IT HAS BEEN A CHALLENGINGYEAR FOR TEACHERS AND STUDENTSALIKE.BUT THIS WEEK A MAJOR MILESTONEFOR THE LIBERTY SCHOOL DISTRICT.SECONDARY STUDENTS ARE NOW BACKIN THE CLASSROOM FOUR DAYS AWEEK.THERE ARE SOME CHANGES TOFACILITATE A SAFE ENVIRONMENTINCLUDING DESIGNATED TRAFFICPATTERNS IN THE HALLWAYS HANDSANITIZER STATIONS AND THREEFEET OF SOCIAL DISTANCINGMAINTAINED IN THE CLASSROOMTEACHERS SAY STUDENTS HAVE METTHE CHALLENGE THIS YEAR KEEPINGUP WITH THE CURRICULUM FROMHOME.THEY HOPE BEING BACK IN PERSON.HELP THEM FINISH THE SCHOOL YEARSTRONG.THERE’S A POSITIVITY AND IN THESCHOOL AND IT’S PALPABLE AND ITHINK THAT WE’RE GOING TO BEABLE TO FINISH THE SCHOOL YEARSTRONG AND THEN HOPEFULLY BY YOUKNOW BY FINISHING THIS SCHOOLYOU’RE STRONG.IT GIVES US A GREAT OPPORTUNITYTO THEN KIND OF REACCLIMATE FORHOPEFULLY.WHAT SCHOOL LOOKS LIKE NEXT YEARNOW.THIS IS ONLY FOR FAMILIES WHOCHOSE THE IN-PERSON LEARNINGOPTION THOSE FAMILIES WHO WANTEDTO REMAIN VIRTUAL WILL DO SO FORTHE REST OF THE SEMESTERREPORTING IN LIBERTY KELLY GIBBSK, C9 NEWS IN THIS NEW MODEL FORSECONDARY STUDENTS.WEDNESDAYS WILL REMAIN VIRTUALLEARNING DAYS ELEMENTARY SCHOOLSTUDENTS HAVE BEEN IN PERSON ALLYEAR ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THESTATE LINE.THE BLUE VALLEY SCHOOL DISTRICTWILL BE HERE.WE’LL HEAR A FORMAL CHALLENGETOMORROW TO ITS MASS REQUIREMENTFOR STUDENTS AND STAFF.THE PROCESS IS ALLOWED UNDER ANEW KANSAS SENATE BILL IN ALETTER TO PARENTS.THE DISTRICT SAYS WITH 40 DAYSREMAINING IN THE SCHOOL YEARMASKS CONTINUE TO BE ANIMPORTANT PART OF THE DISTRICT’SCOVID-19 MITIGATION EFFORTS TOALL STUDENTS IN SCHOOL FULL-T