COVID-19 Affecting More Younger Community Members in WyCo

COVID-19 has often been talked about as an illness that affects older people. However, the vast majority of cases in Wyandotte County have been among people under 50. As of September 8, people in their 20s, 30s and 40s are the largest age groups impacted, making up 59% of COVID-19 cases in WyCo. Youth age 0-19 make up about 14% of cases – that’s the same percentage as all cases age 60 and over.

One of the most concerning things about COVID-19 in these younger people is they can have COVID-19 and not show any symptoms. That means they can unknowingly be spreading the virus to family and friends for days – infecting several people per day - before showing any symptoms. And for friends or family who are elderly or have underlying, chronic health issues, that can lead to serious, even deadly, infections. Another concern is the potential longer-term effects of COVID-19. Even in people who do not become ill enough to be hospitalized, we are seeing more and more data showing that COVID- 19 can have lasting health effects for weeks or months afterward.

A vitally important way to stop the spread of COVID- 19 in the African American community is for more African Americans to get tested.

Who should get tested?
· Get tested if you have any symptoms of COVID-
19
OR
· If you’ve been in close contact with someone
who has tested positive for the virus
Know the Symptoms of COVID-19
If you have had any of these symptoms in the past
48 hours, you should get tested:
· Fever
· Cough
· Shortness of breath
· Headache
· Chills
· Muscle aches
· Runny nose
· Sore throat
· Diarrhea
· New loss of smell or taste

Where to Get Tested

The Wyandotte County Health Equity Task Force has worked with Vibrant Health and Swope Health to create pop-up testing sites throughout Wyandotte County:

· 8-11 a.m. Monday, September 14 at the Eighth Street Baptist Church, 1420 North 8th Street.

· 8-11 a.m. on Monday, September 21 and Monday, September 28th at the Oak Ridge Baptist Church, 9301 Parallel Parkway.

· 8 to 11 a.m. every Tuesday in September at All Saints Parish, located at 811 Vermont Avenue.

· 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. every Wednesday in September at the Judson Baptist Church, 8300 State Avenue.

· 5 to 7 p.m. every Thursday in September at the Vibrant Health Argentine location at 1428 South 32nd Street.

· 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, September 10 or Thursday, September 24 at the Faith Deliverance Family Worship Facility at 3043 State Avenue.

· 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Thursday, September

State Avenue.

· 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, September 26 at La Fe en Jesucristo, 1500 Central Avenue.

For more information on testing in Wyandotte County, visit www.wycokck.org/COVID-19 or call 3-1-1. If you live and work outside of Wyandotte County, you can find a testing site near you by visiting comebackkc.com/kc-covid-testinglocations/ or by texting “testme” to 833-382-0252. 17 at the Quindaro Community Center at 2726 Brown
Avenue.

· 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, September 19 at the Faith Deliverance Family Worship Facility at 3043