December 21, 2023

Rates of respiratory viruses are increasing state wide and nationally, this includes COVID-19, flu, RSV and other influenza-like illnesses.  COVID-19 hospitalization rates are increasing nationally and in Missouri, which can put a strain on healthcare systems and the individuals who are hospitalized if these trends continue.

Wastewater (sewage) was tested during the pandemic, and continues to be tested, to watch for COVID-19 viral activity.  Nationally, wastewater viral activity is very high for COVID-19, which tells us that the virus is circulating, even if people do not have symptoms or are not being tested.

Symptoms of respiratory viruses, such as COVID, Flu, and RSV, can be similar such as runny nose, sore throat, cough, fever, and headache.  Flu and COVID-19 symptoms can also include fatigue, body aches, congestion.  Some may experience nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea with flu and COVID, but it is more likely with COVID-19.  A symptom associated with COVID-19 but not flu, is a new loss of taste or smell.  A common cold may also be causing your symptoms, but those are generally milder, have a gradual onset, and do not usually include a fever. It is hard to tell which respiratory illness you have based on symptoms alone, which makes testing an important tool to getting treated when you are sick.  The Macon County Health Department offers free COVID, flu, and RSV testing by appointment for individuals who are symptomatic.

Respiratory viruses, including COVID, flu, and RSV, can all lead to the development of pneumonia in all age groups. Vaccination against these viruses can also reduce the risk of developing pneumonia as a secondary infection.

Typical patterns of respiratory illnesses tell us we have not reached the peak yet this season, but we have tools to help reduce our risk of severe illness, hospitalizations, and death due to these illnesses.

1. Stay home if you’re sick. It is hard to miss important events, holidays and appointments, but going to these while you are sick will continue to pass on the illness to others. Respiratory viruses can be particularly hard on kids, older adults, and anyone who is immunocompromised.
2. Wash your hands frequently. Handwashing with warm water and soap removes most germs from your hands, including respiratory viruses. If soap and water are not available, use a hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.  Germs from unwashed hands can get into your food, transferred to others by touching a common object, or get into our body when we touch our face.
3. Improving air quality through ventilation in your home can reduce virus particles in the air and reduce respiratory viruses. Opening windows or doors, turning on the fan, and using air filters are all options to improve the air quality.  If your home has central air or an HVAC system, make sure filters are installed properly and replaced on schedule.  Moving an event outside is also an option if the event and weather allow.
4. Cover your cough and sneezes. This is a simple way to reduce spreading germs into the air.  Remember to wash your hands afterwards.
5. Stay up to date on vaccinations. This is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of respiratory viruses.   Vaccines take a few weeks to build immunity so be sure to plan vaccinations with enough time before big events, like holidays.
   1. Flu – annual flu vaccines are available to ages 6 months and up
   2. COVID-19 – ages 6 months and up should receive a covid-19 vaccine this fall (beginning September 2023).
      1. The Macon County Health Department carries Pfizer, which is only available for ages 12 and up. For those younger than 12, speak to your pediatrician about where to get vaccinated.
   3. RSV – available to infants in their first RSV season, women between 32-36 weeks pregnant, and adults ages 60 years old and up.
      1. The Macon County Health Department carries the RSV vaccine available for pregnant women and adults. For infants, speak to your pediatrician about receiving this vaccine.
   4. Pneumonia – Children receive pneumonia vaccines as part of their regular childhood immunizations, keeping them on schedule is important to reduce their risk of pneumonia. Adults ages 65 and older are recommended to get the pneumonia vaccine and some younger adults with certain chronic health conditions. The Macon County Health Department carries a variety of pneumonia vaccines to be able to offer the best vaccine for your health and previous vaccination history.
6. Get tested if you begin showing signs of a respiratory virus. Getting tested can help you make the decision to stay home from school, work, or an event if you are showing symptoms or have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for a respiratory illness.  You can test pro-actively test before going to visit in a hospital or nursing home to reduce the risk of spreading illness to high-risk populations.  If you are high risk for severe infection or hospitalization, this can also allow you to speak with your doctor about beginning an antiviral treatment, such as paxlovid or Tamiflu, as they see fit.
   1. The Macon County Health Department offers free COVID, flu, and RSV testing by appointment for individuals who are symptomatic.
   2. You can get 8 free at-home tests online through online.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued a Health Advisory urging for the need of increased vaccination rates for COVID, flu, and RSV as respiratory illness activity increases.  Vaccines can reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from a preventable disease, keeping your family healthy and safe.  For more information about vaccines to prevent against respiratory viruses, testing, or general health information, contact the Macon County Health Department.

There are changes to the recommendations for COVID-19 vaccinations.  We will begin to administer vaccines based on these recommended changes on Wednesday, May 3, and Thursday, May 4.

We are your vaccine experts in the community and can help determine your eligibility and help keep you up-to-date on vaccinations.

Walk-ins are welcome but appointments are preferred.  Call for an appointment at 660-395-4711.

COVID-19 vaccinations are recommended for ages 6 months and up to help reduce severe illness due to COVID-19.

New COVID-19 vaccination changes are:

1. Ages 6 and up who have not received any COVID-19 vaccination can receive one dose of the bivalent Moderna or Pfizer vaccine
2. Adults 65 and older or anyone who is moderately or severely immunocompromised may receive a second bivalent dose 4 months after their first bivalent vaccine.
3. Individuals age 6 and up who have already had a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine are up-to-date and do not need another one at this time
4. Any children under age 6 will still continue to receive a multi-dose series and are eligible for a bivalent dose if never received.

 

January 19, 2023

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

(Macon County, MO) – There has been a change in the response to COVID-19 from the days of the early pandemic as we transitioned to an endemic in February 2022.  An endemic means that COVID-19 is here to stay but that we have some means to combat it.  The Macon County Health Department has continued to track lab confirmed positive cases of COVID-19 that are reported and check-in on these individuals as they navigate their illness.

There have been 881 reported cases of COVID-19 in Macon County from February 2, 2022 – January 3, 2023.  Reported cases are lab confirmed positive cases and do not include at-home tests.  There have been ebbs and flows of COVID-19 positive cases throughout the year, along with other illnesses such as flu and RSV.

In July, we began tracking confirmed positive cases who were vaccinated against COVID-19 and those who had reinfections.  We began giving the COVID-19 bivalent vaccine booster in September 2022 and since then there have been 5 reported cases of COVID-19 with the bivalent booster, starting the week of November 16^th.

 

The Macon County Health Department continues to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to help reduce severe infection, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19.  Over the course of 2022, we gave 1,432 Pfizer vaccinations, 2,411 Moderna vaccinations, 180 J&J vaccinations, and 2 Novavax vaccinations.  We have vaccinations available every Thursday for ages 6 months and up.  The CDC considers being up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccinations as having the recommended initial doses and boosters for your age and eligibility.  The bivalent booster is available 2 months after your last dose (initial or booster) and helps protect against the original strain of COVID-19 and the omicron varient.  As your trusted vaccination provider, our knowledgable nurses are available to answer questions, check eligibility, and to help you make the best decisions for you and your family on your COVID-19 vaccination status.

Unfortunately since the pandemic began, there has been 67 reported deaths in Macon County due to COVID-19: 22 deaths in 2020, 26 deaths in 2021, and 19 deaths in 2022.  There has been 1 death in Macon County due to a COVID-19 vaccine complication that has been reported to the Health Department.

Macon County began getting confirmed reports of the flu in September 2022 for the 2022-2023 flu season.  Since flu season began, there have been 7 reported cases of the flu hospitalized and one death due to the flu in Macon County.

The Macon County Health Department continues to provide annual flu vaccinations to help with protection.  Flu vaccinations can help reduce transmission of the illness, reduce severe disease, hospitalization and death due to the flu.  Everyone ages 6 months and up are eligible for a flu vaccination.

COVID-19 and flu continue to have a significant health effect on certain residents in our community; it is our role to promote health and health education among all of our community. Testing for COVID-19 and flu, at home or at a facility, continues to be important so individuals are aware they are positive, they can take the necessary precautions to avoid spreading COVID-19 and the flu to others.  The Macon County Health Department offers free COVID-19, RSV and flu testing for individuals who are symptomatic by appointment only; testing will take place in the patient’s vehicle and they will be called with results.

We continue to recommend everyone stay home when they are sick, wash their hands frequently, and use ventilation when appropriate indoors.  If you are interested in your COVID-19 vaccination, bivalent booster, or flu vaccination, we have those available as your trusted vaccination source.  Call for any appointment or more information at 660-395-4711 or visit our website for more information at www.maconmohealth.org.

We are offering both flu vaccines & covid-19 bivalent boosters at our upcoming drive-thru clinics and in our office.  Check the schedule to see when we will be near you.

Our first clinic will be at the Macon County Fairgrounds on October 5^th from 9 am – 4:30 pm.

The flu vaccine and the covid-19 bivalent booster each provide protection against different viruses, which is why they are both important. We are here to offer both in a safe and convenient way to you, and will always respect your choice by only providing the vaccine you consent for.

As your local vaccine experts, our nurses are here to answer questions, clarify information, and provide you with the correct information about vaccinations.  Call to talk with one of our knowledgeable nurses at 660-395-4711.

 

September 14, 2022

The bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster has been approved for use and is available at the Macon County Health Department.  We currently carry both Pfizer and Moderna bivalent booster vaccines.

The CDC recommends that everyone ages 12 and up should receive an updated COVID-19 bivalent booster to restore protection against these more contagious strains.

The bivalent booster offers more protection by helping build immunity to the original strain of COVID and two subvarients of the omicron strain (BA.4 & BA.5).

Boosters play an important role in continuing to build an immune response against COVID.  Immunity can naturally wane, so a booster continues to tell the body that there is a need to continue to build immunity.  Vaccinations and boosters can help keep you healthy by decreasing severe infection, hospitalization, and death due to COVID-19.

These bivalent boosters are available to anyone who had the first two doses of the Pfizer, Moderna, or single dose of Johnson & Johnson as their primary series.  People who received Novavax as the primary series are not eligible at this time.

You are eligible for the bivalent booster two months after completing your primary series or two months after your last booster.

The Macon County Health Department will be offering both Pfizer and Moderna bivalent booster in the office by appointment each week, call for an appointment at 660-395-4711.  We will also be offering the bivalent booster at our drive-thru flu clinics throughout Macon County in October.  For a list of dates, visit our website at www.maconmohealth.org/flu