Local virus cases continue to drop

New county cases of COVID-19

MARYVILLE, Mo. — The rate of daily new cases of COVID-19 in Nodaway County continued to slow over the past week.

As of Feb. 7, the most recent data available from the Nodaway County Health Department, there were 125 active cases of COVID-19 in the county, continuing a trend of hovering around 100-250 active cases since November.

Because of new, shorter isolation protocols, “active” cases are dispensed with more quickly than in the past. For example, most new cases recorded on Feb. 1 would no longer be considered active by Feb. 7 as long as the individual does not show symptoms.

More than 5,800 people in Nodaway County have tested positive for COVID-19 since spring 2020 — more than a quarter of all residents.

In the most recent report, six people were hospitalized, continuing a trend of high hospitalizations over the past several months. Thirty-eight Nodaway County residents have died.

A new website — covidtests.gov — that launched last month allows Americans to order up to four free rapid test kits per household provided by the federal government. The website says orders will usually ship within 7-12 days, so officials suggest ordering the tests before they’re needed. There is no charge for the tests or for shipping.

As the omicron variant spreads to unprecedented numbers of people globally and across the country, national and local health officials have continued to stress the importance of mitigation measures like wearing masks in public, social distancing and practicing good hygiene to help limit the spread of COVID-19.

Officials at Mosaic Medical Center – Maryville and the health department have reported that nearly all patients hospitalized locally are unvaccinated and vaccination can help avoid the worst outcomes.

Vaccinations

Individuals ages 5 and up are eligible to be vaccinated against COVID-19.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all adults ages 18 and older should receive a booster shot for COVID-19, regardless of which vaccine an individual first received.

Those who received a Pfizer or Moderna vaccination series initially will become eligible six months after the final dose, and Johnson & Johnson recipients are eligible two months after receiving their shot.

As of Feb. 8, a total of 11,912 Nodaway County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, or about 56.1 percent, according to the CDC’s online vaccination dashboard. Just under 50 percent of county residents — 10,614 — have been fully vaccinated. Of those who have been fully vaccinated, 4,403 have received a booster dose, or about 41.5 percent of fully vaccinated individuals in the county.

In Missouri, about 64.7 percent of residents have received at least one dose, and about 54.4 percent are fully vaccinated. Of the fully vaccinated, about 39.9 percent have received a booster.

Across the country, the CDC estimates 75.8 percent of Americans have received at least one dose, 64.3 percent have been fully vaccinated, and 42.4 percent of fully vaccinated individuals have received a booster.

Contact the Nodaway County Health Department at 660-562-2755 to make an appointment for vaccination or for more information.

For more information on booster shots, visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html.