KANSAS CITY, Mo. — 41 Action News is offering a daily recap of COVID-19 related stories from across Kansas City and the country. Check back every morning for the latest developments.
LATEST: COVID-19 case tracker for Missouri, Kansas and Kansas City
University of Kansas Health System daily update
Doctors at the University of Kansas Health System are treating 75 COVID-19 patients, continuing a recent dip under triple digits.
Twenty-five of those patients are suffering from acute infections. Of those, eight are in the intensive care unit and seven on ventilators.
Fifty patients are in recovery stages of the virus.
Kansas City-area Walmarts to offer COVID-19 vaccine appointments beginning Friday
While people on both sides of the state line have experienced frustrations in signing up for the COVID-19 vaccine, a new distribution effort may bring some hope.
Walmart and Sam's Club locations across the Kansas City area begin administering vaccines Friday.
Those who are eligible under their state's guidelines can sign up to receive a dose.
Morning Star Baptist Church hosts first of three targeted mass vaccine clinics
A Kansas City, Missouri, church was chosen to be a targeted vaccine site as part of Gov. Mike Parson's plan to get vaccines to vulnerable communities in KCMO and St. Louis.
The Missouri National Guard is assisting with the distribution, which will total 500 doses at each site over the course of a few days.
Assisted living facility residents, staff celebrate with party after vaccinations
Getting the vaccine was cause for celebration at an Overland Park senior living facility.
Residents and staff at Morningside Place received their second doses of the Pfizer vaccine Thursday and hosted a luau-themed party — complete with hula skirts.
Lee's Summit Downtown Days won't be held this year
The city of Lee's Summit is canceling its largest community event of the year.
Organizers of Downtown Days, which brings thousands of people to the city and funds other causes, said they cannot host the event in good conscience until they know it's safe for everyone to attend.
They said they look forward to hosting the event once more in June 2022.
Nursing homes begin slow return to normal in Kansas
Things are slowly getting back to normal at nursing and other long term care facilities in Kansas.
At the beginning of the pandemic, the homes were closed to visitors to protect the state's most vulnerable population.
As the percentages of residents and staff inoculated increase, though, some visitor restrictions are being eased.
Missouri governor signs $324M rent assistance bill
Parson signed a $324 million assistance bill for renters and landlords alike who are struggling during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The money comes from federal funding set aside to help those having trouble making payments or who are facing eviction.
Lawmakers consider bills on mistaken unemployment payments
Parson has said people who receive unemployment payments by mistake "must certainly" pay them back.
However, Missouri lawmakers on Thursday said they are considering bills that would allow those to keep the payments if they didn't intentionally commit fraud to get them.
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