By Charlene Sims, info@linncountyjournal.com
MOUND CITY – Linn County Health Department Director Amanda Snyder told the Linn County commissioners on Monday, Sept.9, that flu clinics had not been set up yet, and the health department does not have the new COVID vaccine yet.
Snyder said that not all of the flu vaccine has arrived yet, so they are waiting to set up clinics.
Snyder told the commissioners that the new COVID vaccine is a little different than in the past because they cannot get it for free anymore. She said it has to be purchased and each dose runs anywhere from $80 to $120.
She said that they were looking into what insurance will reimburse on that before any is ordered. In a phone conversation on Friday, Sept. 6, Snyder said that people could check with the department in a couple of weeks to see about the COVID vaccine.
At present, the health department only takes insurance for the High Risk Flu Vaccine and KanCare insurance for children’s care, according to Sue Russell, office clerk at the department.
Snyder said that at this point the COVID vaccine is all backordered anyway. She pointed out that she did not want to order a large inventory and then have to eat that money or it goes bad before people decide they want it.
She explained to the commissioners that the vaccine rate for previous COVID shots in Linn County is 8% of the residents. Because of that, the staff is trying to figure out how they can provide it to those who want it and have it still make sense financially as well.
Commission Chair Danny McCullough asked if the cases of COVID were on the rise in Linn County. He said that he had seen that on the Internet.
Snyder said they were, but most people aren’t getting tested. They know they are sick, so they are staying home. She said that there had been a few people who wanted to be tested. There were about four or five positive cases last week.
“But as far as recommendations and the guidelines,” Snyder continued, “it is to stay home while you have a fever and once you are fever-free for 24 hours without taking fever reducing medication, you are free to go to work or school. Those are the guidelines. We can’t tell anybody that they have to stay home. There’s no quarantine. If you are sick, please stay home.”
The commissioners moved to approve a resolution that dissolved the health advisory committee and which canceled the resolution made in 2022 forming the health advisory committee.
Comments