MCDONALD COUNTY -- For the fifth week in a row, the McDonald County Health Department reported another covid-related death, bringing the death toll to 46. The county has seen more deaths in the last five weeks than were reported collectively in the last four months.
As of publication, a total of 82 new cases were identified last week -- bringing the total count to 3,562 positive cases -- 3,400 individuals have been released from isolation, leaving 162 still isolated and eight individuals hospitalized.
An additional 244 vaccines were administered last week, bringing the total to 6,734.
The health department reports that, since Jan. 2021, there have been 1,126 positive cases in McDonald County -- 2.3% of cases were fully vaccinated.
Reports indicate that, as of Aug. 13, 21.8% of county residents have received their first doses of the vaccine and 16.7% of residents are fully vaccinated. Reports indicate that 49.9% of Missouri residents have received their first doses and 42.8% of Missouri residents are fully vaccinated.
According to the health department, as of Aug. 13, 47% of active cases were in individuals aged 19 to 40 years old.
Vaccinations are now available to those age 12 and older from 8 a.m. to 3:45 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and from 9 a.m. until noon on Fridays, at the Health Department. Walk-ins are welcome. Children under the age of 18 will need to have a guardian onsite.
Those who are homebound or require assistance and would like to be vaccinated may contact the health department at 417-223-4351, extension 0.
Contact Tracing
Health Department personnel will continue to focus on contact tracing and distributing covid vaccinations in phases.
McDonald County Health Department officials continue to encourage those who can get vaccinated to do so, noting that the vaccine is free and available to everyone ages 12 and older.
Health department officials remind the public that two doses of the vaccine are required and should be administered 28 days apart.
It is important that patients return for the second dose to develop the highest level of protection from SARS-CoV-2. Patients who do not receive the second vaccination at 28 days should still receive the second dose as soon as possible thereafter.
According to the CDC, fully vaccinated people can:
• Visit with other fully vaccinated people indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing;
• Visit with unvaccinated people from a single household who are at low risk for severe covid-19 disease indoors without wearing masks or physical distancing;
• Refrain from quarantine and testing following a known exposure if asymptomatic.
For now, fully vaccinated people should continue to:
• Take precautions in public, like wearing a well-fitted mask and physical distancing;
• Wear masks, practice physical distancing, and adhere to other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people who are at increased risk for severe covid-19 disease or who have an unvaccinated household member who is at increased risk for severe covid-19 disease;
• Wear masks, maintain physical distance, and practice other prevention measures when visiting with unvaccinated people from multiple households;
• Avoid medium- and large-sized in-person gatherings;
• Get tested if experiencing covid-19 symptoms;
• Follow guidance issued by individual employers;
• Follow CDC and health department travel requirements and recommendations.