Kansas officials urge vaccination as concerns intensify over Delta variant

TOPEKA — Kansas officials are pleading with residents to get a COVID-19 vaccine and protect themselves from the dangerous Delta variant sweeping through the Midwest.

The variant appears to be far more contagious than any other strain to emerge since the start of the pandemic. The original virus and its mutations have killed 5,150 Kansans as of Monday.

Those who received one of the vaccines should be protected from serious illness, although the World Health Organization urges fully vaccinated individuals to still wear a mask as a safeguard against the Delta variant. Kansans who refuse to get the widely available vaccine are most at risk for hospitalization or death.

Between June 2 and June 28, the Kansas Department for Health and Environment reported 70 more Kansans died from COVID-19 and 288 were hospitalized.

“The Delta variant is rapidly spreading in neighboring states, and the best way to protect yourself, your community, and finally get our state back to normal is by getting vaccinated,” said Gov. Laura Kelly. “Kansas is moving in the right direction, but we can’t let our guard down now.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 53.3% of Kansas adults are fully vaccinated, below the national average of 57%.

High vaccination rates prevent COVID-19 from spreading, and developing new variants. The Delta variant originated in India, where a newly found variant nicknamed Delta Plus appears to be less responsive to antibodies.

“The rapid increase of the Delta variant throughout the U.S. and in Kansas is of great concern to us,” said KDHE secretary Lee Norman. “Vaccination continues to be the best defense in combating variants.”

Kansans can locate at COVID-19 vaccine by going to vaccines.gov.

Correction: This story has been updated to correct the percentage of fully vaccinated adults in Kansas.