No Covid-related Deaths Reported In County Last Week

MCDONALD COUNTY -- For the first time in seven weeks, the McDonald County Health Department reported no covid-related deaths.

As of publication, a total of 65 new cases were identified last week -- bringing the total count to 3,733 positive cases. Released from isolation so far are 3,598 individuals, leaving 135 still isolated and ten individuals hospitalized.

An additional 54 vaccines were administered last week, bringing the total to 7,634.

According to the health department, as of Sept. 3, 61% of active cases were in individuals younger than 40 years old.

The health department reports that, since January 2021, there have been 1,126 positive cases in McDonald County -- 2.3% of cases were fully vaccinated.

Reports indicate that, as of Sept. 10, 26.7% of county residents have received their first doses of the vaccine and 20.1% of residents are fully vaccinated. Reports indicate that 52.5% of Missouri residents have received their first doses and 46.4% of Missouri residents are fully vaccinated.

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.

A drive-through clinic for third doses of the Pfizer vaccine will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 20, at 3446 S. Business Highway 71 in Pineville.

A drive-through clinic for third doses of the Moderna vaccine will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 24, at the same location.

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.