A new study finds the bacteria in your gut plays a big role in protecting your body from viruses, including COVID-19. Gastroenterologist Dr. Florence Aslinia and Dr. Steve Stites, our health system's chief medical officer, look at the role the stomach plays in determining the severity of a COVID-19 infection.

Chief medical officers from the metro and across the state update some welcomed decreases in the Metro. Hospital admissions remain high with an average of four deaths daily according to the Mid-America Regional Council. ICUs are especially strained due to the longer length of stay for COVID patients. The doctors will explain.

Chief medical officers and infectious diseases doctors from across Kansas and the KC metro discuss current COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations.

Chief medical officers from the Kansas City metro and across the state paint the picture of why this is the most dangerous time since the pandemic began, as COVID hospital admissions and clinic visits for them continue rapidly rising. We’ll focus on why communities need to rally right now to do something about it. Participants include:

• Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer, The University of Kansas Health System

• Dr. Richard Watson, co-founder, Motient

• Dr. Lisa Hays, Chief Medical Officer, Advent Health Shawnee Mission

• Dr. Kim Megow, Chief Medical Officer, HCA Midwest Health

• Dr. Raghu Adiga, Chief Medical Officer, Liberty Hospital

• Dr. Elizabeth Long, Chief Medical Officer at Olathe Health

• Dr. Mark Steele, Executive Chief Clinical Officer, University Health-Truman

• Dr. Patricia A. Martin, St. Luke's Health System, VP of Medical Affairs, South and East Regions

• Dr. Ahmad Batrash, Chief of Staff, Kansas City VA Hospital

• Dr. Jennifer Schrimsher, infectious diseases physician at LMH Health and deputy public health officer for Douglas County

• Dr. Jackie Hyland, Chief Medical Officer, The University of Kansas Health System - St. Francis Campus

• Dr. Kevin Dishman, Chief Medical Officer, Stormont Vail Health

• Dr. Samer "Sam" Antonios, Chief Clinical Officer, Ascension Via Christi Health

• Dr. Robert Freelove, Chief Medical Officer, Salina Regional Health Center

• Dr. Heather Harris, Medical Director, HaysMed

• Dr. James Alexander, Chief Medical Officer, Centura - St. Catherine

• Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control, The University of Kansas Health System

Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas discusses his own bout with COVID and the impact it had on his family, including his eight-month-old baby. His message for us, plus what he's doing to help stop the spread of COVID in his city.

Hospitals in the metro continue to feel the pressure of the COVID-19 surge. Add ventilators to the list of shortages that includes staffing and monoclonal antibodies along with growing stressors on emergency departments and EMS services. Doctors give an update on the availability of staffed ICU beds and testing, as well as mitigation efforts being deployed as this surge continues.

Chief medical officers and infectious disease physicians from the Kansas City area and across the state of Kansas share crisis communication about the impact of COVID on hospitals and health care in the most severe surge since the pandemic began. 

Dr. Steve Stites, our chief medical officer, returns with Dr. Rachel Liesman, director of microbiology in pathology, and Dr. Jessica Kalender-Rich, general and geriatric medicine. They'll be discussing the continual rise of COVID-19 cases in Kansas City. Additionally, they'll talk about what more can be done to protect our older population especially those in nursing and assisted care centers.

Guests include Dr. Chris Brown, a hospitalist at the health system, Grant Ogden, a respiratory therapist, and Caitlin Beatty, a nurse in a COVID intensive care unit. They join Dr. Steve Stites, chief medical officer and Dr. Dana Hawkinson, medical director of Infection Prevention and Control, to discuss the impact of omicron and delta on healthcare workers.

Infectious disease doctors join to update what is being called a very steep increase in COVID admissions to hospitals across the metro.