May 31, 2021
ADAIR COUNTY CONFIRMS THREE NEW CASES OF COVID-19 THIS WEEK
Kirksville, MO 5/28/21 – The Adair County Health Department confirmed three new cases of COVID-19 this week. All three were verified on Monday, May 24, 2021. The cases involve a 34-year-old female and males ages 29 and 36. The county’s total case count is now 2,476. As of today, there are two active cases and 2,454 people who have left isolation. Adair County’s COVID-related death toll is 20.
A total of 21 new cases were confirmed in May, following April’s new case count of 39.
ADAIR COUNTY COVID-19 CASE COUNT CONCLUDES WEEK WITH TWO NEW CASES
Kirksville, MO 5/21/21 – Adair County ends the week with a total case count of 2,473. There are six active cases and 2,447 people who have left isolation. Positive test results for females ages 20 and 24 were confirmed yesterday by the Adair County Health Department.
ADAIR COUNTY COVID-19 CASE COUNT REACHES 2,471
Kirksville, MO 5/19/21 – Three new cases of COVID-19 among Adair County residents were confirmed May 17 and 18 by the Adair County Health Department. The total count has reached 2,471 with four active cases and 2,447 people out of isolation.
Two cases confirmed Monday involve a one-year-old female and a two-year-old male. Positive test results for a 22-year-old male were confirmed yesterday.
The Adair County Health Department was notified today that a May 2 case tested positive for the P.1 variant first identified in Brazil. Random antibody testing has revealed seven cases of variants among Adair County residents to date. Three cases were the B.1.1.7 variant first identified in the United Kingdom and three were the B.1.427 variant first identified in California.
THREE NEW CASES OF COVID-19 CONFIRMED IN ADAIR COUNTY THIS WEEK
Kirksville, MO 5/14/21 – The Adair County Health Department confirmed three new cases of COVID-19 this week. Cases involve a 59-year-old male confirmed May 10, a 20-year-old female confirmed May 12, and a 24-year-old male confirmed today. The overall case count is 2,468 with eight active cases and 2,440 people who have left isolation.
The Adair County Health Department was notified May 13 that an April 30 case tested positive for the B.1.427 variant first identified in California. It is the sixth Adair County case that has tested positive for a COVID-19 variant in random testing.
NEW MASK GUIDELINES FOR FULLY VACCINATED PEOPLE
Kirksville, MO 5/14/21 – The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released new interim mask guidelines for people fully vaccinated against COVID-19. These individuals may resume pre-pandemic activities with a few exceptions. The guidelines, released May 13, 2021, state that those fully vaccinated against COVID-19 may:
- Resume activities without wearing masks or physically distancing, except where required by federal, state, local, tribal, or territorial laws, rules and regulations, including local business and workplace guidance;
- Resume domestic travel and refrain from testing before or after travel or self-quarantine after travel;
- Refrain from testing before leaving the United States for international travel (unless required by the destination) and refrain from self-quarantine after arriving back in the United States;
- Refrain from testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings;
- Refrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic; and,
- Refrain from routine screening testing if feasible.
The CDC released the new masking guidelines after accumulating data gathered since vaccine trials last year. The data indicated that fully vaccinated people face minimal risk at indoor and outdoor activities and have a reduced risk of transmitting the virus to unvaccinated people. Anyone, including fully vaccinated individuals, should be tested for COVID-19 if they experience any symptoms of the disease.
The CDC also charges that masks should still be worn by everyone in certain settings, including healthcare settings and while waiting for or while using public transportation and commercial airlines. Fully vaccinated people are to follow masking requirements established by employers, businesses, education settings, and governmental entities.
“The new CDC guidelines are great news,” said Jim LeBaron, Adair County Health Department administrator. “They show that we may be rounding the corner, but everyone still needs to be careful. Part of the equation used by the CDC is the percentage of vaccinated people. We need significantly more people to become fully vaccinated in Adair County to get fully back to normal,” he said.
“The CDC graphic is a great illustration of the advantages of getting the COVID-19 vaccine,” LeBaron said. There are so many opportunities throughout our community now available to residents to get the vaccine. You can get to the green side of the graphic by taking advantage of those opportunities,” he said.
The Adair County Health Department continues to register people for curbside vaccines which will be administered Tuesday, May 18, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., and from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Health Department facility at 1001 S. Jamison, Kirksville. The clinic is open to all individuals ages 18 and older who live or work in the United States and who have not yet completed their COVID-19 vaccine series. Residents interested in receiving the vaccine should register by calling the Health Department at 660-665-8491 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling 660-730-6100.
CURBSIDE COVID-19 VACCINE CLINIC MAY 18 IN KIRKSVILLE
Kirksville, MO 5/11/21 – The Adair County Health Department has scheduled a curbside vaccine clinic for Tuesday, May 18, 2021, from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m., and from 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Health Department facility at 1001 S. Jamison, Kirksville. The clinic is open to all individuals age 18 and older who live or work in the United States and who have not yet completed their COVID-19 vaccine series.
The Moderna vaccine requires two doses. If you receive your first dose on May 18, the second dose will be administered June 15, 2021 at the same scheduled time. If you will be unable to appear at the same location for your second dose on June 15, do not sign up for the May 18 event. If May 18 will be your second dose, you must have received your first dose on or before April 20, 2021.
Participants must be wearing masks and should wear short-sleeved shirts for easy access to the upper arm. After receiving the dose, you will be required to remain in the parking lot for 15 minutes to be monitored for reactions to the vaccine.
Anyone who has received any vaccine other than for COVID-19 within the past four weeks prior to the May 18 event should not sign up.
Residents interested in receiving the vaccine should register by calling the Health Department at 660-665-8491 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by calling 660-730-6100.
Registrants will need to present a completed COVID-19 Vaccination Consent form before receiving the vaccine. The form can be accessed via the Health Department website. Forms will also be available at the curbside event; however, if you do not arrive with a completed form, the process will take longer.
Although there is no charge for the vaccine, Medicare beneficiaries are asked to bring their Medicare or Medicare Advantage cards to the event.
COVID-19 VARIANTS CONFIRMED IN ADAIR COUNTY
Kirksville, MO 5/10/21 – The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) has notified the Adair County Health Department that five residents who tested positive for COVID-19 in March 2021 had two of the identified variants of the virus. Three individuals had the B.1.1.7 variant which was first identified in the United Kingdom and two had the B.1.427 variant, first identified in California.
In March, 74 cases of COVID-19 were identified in Adair County. Ten of those cases were from November and December 2020 found through an audit of DHSS records. Sixty-four cases were current at the time.
Positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests are randomly sampled for variants by private labs, hospitals, and the State Public Health Lab in Missouri. Because the samples undergo multiple steps to confirm results, those results may not be confirmed until one to two months following the individual’s initial positive test result. The random variant testing is being performed for surveillance purposes, allowing DHSS to track the prevalence of variants in the state. Currently, the B.1.1.7 variant is becoming more predominant across Missouri as DHSS pushes residents to get vaccinated.
“Vaccines provide our best shot at containing COVID-19 and the faster-spreading variants,” said Jim LeBaron, Adair County Health Department administrator. “Vaccines reduce the severity of the disease and deaths from it, especially for those most vulnerable to severe disease due to age and certain health conditions. Vaccines are also the way we can return to a more normal way of life.”
More than 14,000 Adair County residents have initiated the vaccine regimen. Roughly half of them are now fully vaccinated.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), it is normal for viruses to mutate, creating variants of the virus. Some variants come and go while others persist. Research regarding COVID-19 and the variants, as they are identified, is ongoing. There have been five variants identified to date. The variants appear to spread more easily and more quickly which can result in a spike in COVID-19 cases once a variant enters a community.
Studies are under way to confirm efficacy rates of the vaccines with the variants; however, the CDC states that the antibodies created by existing vaccines appear to recognize the existing variants. In the meantime, the CDC recommends continued mitigation measures which include getting vaccinated, wearing masks, and practicing social distancing and frequent handwashing to slow the spread.
The CDC also recommends ongoing testing. Those not fully vaccinated who have had close contact with anyone with COVID-19 should quarantine and be tested. Anyone, including fully vaccinated individuals, who experience symptoms of COVID-19 should also be tested. Testing helps tracks the spread of COVID-19 and its variants so efforts can be taken early to reduce the spread.
DHSS will continue to notify the Adair County Health Department of variants identified among residents. For more information regarding COVID-19 variants, visit the CDC website.
ADAIR COUNTY COVID-19 CASE COUNT AT 2,465
Kirksville, MO 5/6/21 – The Adair County Health Department confirmed three new cases of COVID-19 on May 4 and another three new cases today. The overall count is now 2,465 with 14 active cases and 2,431 people who have left isolation.
Cases confirmed May 4 include females ages 36 and 65 and a 32-year-old male. Cases confirmed today include females ages 24 and 32 and an 18-year-old male in the K-12 schools sector. Two of these six cases reside at the same address.
COVID-19 CASE COUNT FOR ADAIR COUNTY REACHES 2,459
Kirksville, MO 5/3/21 – Two new cases of COVID-19 confirmed by the Adair County Health Department on April 30 and four today bring the total case count to 2,459. There are 15 active cases and 2,424 people who have left isolation.
The April 30 cases include a 77-year-old female and a 26-year-old male who is employed at an area meat processing plant. Today’s cases include a 58-year-old female and males ages 23, 25 and 42. Two of these six cases reside at addresses with at least one other previously confirmed case.
The Adair County Health Department is requesting assistance from county residents with the ongoing audit of positive cases which were not included in the report from the state at the time of testing. All Adair County residents who tested positive for COVID-19 but were never called by contact tracers from the Adair County Health Department are asked to call Leigha at 660-665-8491.
