(RILEY COUNTY, KS – August 31, 2022) The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) recorded 140 new COVID-19 cases for Riley County between August 20 - 26. The Incidence Rate is 188.8 which places Riley County in the HIGH incidence category with more than 100 cases per 100,000 people. This total does not include any at-home test results.
Ascension Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan is caring for one COVID-19 positive patient at this time. This patient is in the medical ward, not the Intensive Care Unit (ICU).
One additional COVID-related death was reported in Riley County. A 95 year-old, unvaccinated female tested positive July 24 and passed away August 8. Her passing represents the 94th COVID-related death in Riley County.
Find current guidelines for quarantine and isolation from the CDC.
Vaccine Information
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration amended the emergency use authorizations (EUAs) of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine. This authorized the use of bivalent formulations of these vaccines as a single booster dose. The bivalent vaccines, or “updated boosters,” contain two messenger RNA (mRNA) components of SARS-CoV-2 virus to promote immune responses to the original COVID-19 strains as well as the recent BA.4 and BA.5 lineages of the Omicron variant.
Who is eligible to receive a single booster dose and when:
- Individuals 18 years of age and older are eligible for a single booster dose of the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent if it has been at least two months since they have completed primary vaccination or have received the most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved monovalent COVID-19 vaccine.
- Individuals 12 years of age and older are eligible for a single booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent if it has been at least two months since they have completed primary vaccination or have received the most recent booster dose with any authorized or approved monovalent COVID-19 vaccine.
“We will order doses of the new bivalent vaccines the instant they become available,” said Riley County Health Clinic Supervisor, Dr. Jacob Clarke, MD,. “We hope to have the new vaccines available to the public in the latter half of September, but that is subject to change.”
Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are now available for everyone older than six months of age. Children under 18 must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian to receive vaccinations. The Health Department does not charge any fees for COVID-19 vaccines.
Walk-ins are welcome at the Health Department Clinic, located at 2030 Tecumseh Road. People can also schedule appointments by calling (785) 776-4779 ext. 7675.
Riley County Health Clinic Hours:
- Mon-Wed: 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Thurs: noon – 6 p.m.
- Fri: 8:30 - 11 a.m.
COVID-19 Tests
Free at-home test kits are also available in the lobby at the Riley County Health Department Clinic, located at 2030 Tecumseh Drive. The limit is one test kit per person, and each kit contains two tests. Free test kits are also available by ordering online through the US Postal Service as well as Project ACT. Most pharmacies carry test kits for sale. RCHD no longer offers in-person testing.
Additional Information
There have been a total of 15,095 COVID-19 cases in Riley County as of August 31, 2022 according to the KDHE Case Summary
Please report positive or negative results when you take an at-home test using the online portal. The Report At-Home Test Results link is also available on the Riley County COVID-19 page at www.rileycountyks.gov/covid.
COVID-19 testing options
KDHE Data Dashboard.
COVID-19 updates from CDC
Next Update
The next update from Riley County will be published Wednesday, September 7.