More than 1,400 receive vaccine booster shots

AP File

A total of 28 COVID-19 cases were confirmed from March 24 through Wednesday, bringing the total number of Butler County cases to 4,383.

Another 1,420 people also received vaccine booster shots at the National Guard vaccination event Tuesday in Poplar Bluff.

Currently, there are 31 active cases in the county.

In announcing the numbers, Butler County Health Department Administrator Emily Goodin said, “We’ve been doing this for about a year.”

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson opened a new vaccine tier this past week, which all essential workers fell into along with the homeless population, group settings and jails, Goodin said.

“April 9, all tiers are opened up. So we’re gearing up for that,” Goodin said.

COVID rapid testing is being done at the health department two days a week by appointment only, Goodin said. Those wanting to be tested may find the scheduling links on the health center website or Facebook page.

“We are continuing to do our own vaccines at the clinic health department clinic,” Goodin said. “We’re setting up weekly vaccination clinics at the health department, going through our wait list.”

Goodin explained, the center staff is “working with the National Guard, SEMA and all our partners on hopefully doing another (mass) clinic in April, once all the tiers open up. Right now, nothing is confirmed.”

While Goodin is working to get everyone vaccinated, Boys and Girls Club Director Chris Rushin is planning for not only spring break, but summer school sessions.

Rushin said, “We’re currently in the middle of spring break. We are having camp, we open at 7:30 in the morning. We close at 5:30 at night. The first three days we’ve averaged right around 55 kids a day. This time last year we had zero kids.”

Normally during spring break the club would have between 65 and 85 children.

“We’re down a little bit, but with the nice weather, I think a lot of people got out of town,” Rushin said.

Rushin explained the club is gearing up for the two summer school sessions planned at Poplar Bluff R-1 schools.

“We’re going to do after-school programming, like we do on a normal school day,” he said. “We’ll do that every day of summer school in June and July. There’s about a week and a half in between, and we’ll have camp on those days.”