Health dept. reports 13 cases, says mitigation efforts continue - Kirksville Daily Express and Daily News

The Adair County Health Department

The Adair County Health Department confirmed 13 new cases of COVID-19 today among residents. The overall case count is now 4,265.

Cases confirmed today include females ages 10, 26, 34, 35, 38, 42, 49, 69 and 94. Males are ages 17, 39, 41 and 61. Two case are in the K-12 schools sector and seven are breakthrough infections.

Despite the rise in breakthrough infections among the fully vaccinated population, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday released data showing that unvaccinated persons in October had 10 times the risk of infection and 20 times the risk of dying from COVID-19 than vaccinated individuals. Based on this evidence, the Adair County Health Department continues to recommend that all county residents ages 5 and older get vaccinated against COVID-19. Vaccines are easily accessible, free, and continue to demonstrate that they prevent serious illness, hospitalization, and death.

A list of upcoming pediatric and adult COVID vaccine clinics at the Adair County Health Department appears on its website at adair.lphamo.org. There is an adult vaccination clinic schedule for Tuesday, Dec. 28, and pediatric vaccination clinics on upcoming Thursdays, Dec. 23 and 30. Residents must register for the clinics by calling the Health Department at 660-665-8491.

COVID-19 is not the only communicable disease the Adair County Health Department takes steps to mitigate among county residents. Any public health issue is a concern for every public health department in the state of Missouri and is at the heart of what public health departments do.

"During the past 10 days or so, most residents have heard news about rulings or opinions expressed by various individuals, including Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt," said Jim LeBaron, administrator of the Adair County Health Department. "There have been multiple confusing issues raised about Missouri's public health statutes and the tools public health departments, like the Adair County Health Department, use to mitigate not only COVID-19, but other communicable diseases as well. I want to assure our residents that we continue six key efforts in our Communicable Disease Program, no matter what that disease may be."

According to LeBaron, the Adair County Health Department:

1. Will continue to investigate all reportable infectious diseases and make recommendations per the CDC guidelines (for example, active tuberculosis).

2. Will continue to contact positive COVID-19 disease cases in households and advise those individuals that they avoid contact with others per the CDC guidelines and to seek consultation from their healthcare provider.

3. Will continue to ask positive COVID-19 disease cases to inform their close contacts of possible exposure to this contagious disease. They should notify their employer and school district of their COVID-19 infection. The Health Department will continue to advise those individuals by calling 660-665-8491. Close contacts should also seek consultation from their healthcare provider.

4. Will continue weekly COVID-19 vaccination Clinics for adults and children who wish to be vaccinated. Please call 660-665-8491 for an appointment.

5. Currently the Adair County Health Department has no public health orders in place to mitigate COVID-19. Should orders be necessary in the future, all orders will be approved by our elected Board of Trustees.

6. Will report new COVID-19 cases to the public on weekdays. In addition, we will report aggregate new cases for the previous week on Mondays.

According to LeBaron, the Adair County Health Department has completed 10,963 COVID-19 vaccinations, eight mass vaccination events since December 2020, 75 curbside vaccination clinics at the Health Department, and 4,008 disease investigations, also known as "contact tracing."

"This is what we are charged to do, and we continue to do for the health and safety of Adair County resident," LeBaron said. "We look forward to continuing our services to our residents."