Butler County Health Department reports more COVID cases, deaths

Butler County Health Department Director Emily Goodin announced at Wednesday’s COVID-19 briefing 31 new cases and four new deaths, bringing the number of cases in the county to 3,535 since the end of March.

Roughly 300 tests were done Monday during the mass testing at Whiteley Park, Goodin said.

“We started our COVID vaccines last week; we started rolling them out,” Goodin said. “We’ve continued to do it again this week, by appointment only, concentrating on health care providers, who have direct patient care. So, we’ll be getting those vaccinations.”

Health care providers who provide direct care, as well as nursing home workers and patients, are in Tier 1A of the state’s vaccination plan.

Goodin said the health center is focusing on Tier 1.

Butler County Emergency Management Director Robbie Myers asked Goodin about first responders.

Goodin explained they are Tier 1B, including emergency management, police, fire and “the critical infrastructure people, which I believe the state hasn’t really determined who they are.”

Goodin questioned who the state will “consider critical infrastructure. Also in Tier 1B would be those 65 and older and those 18 to 65, who fall in that high-risk category.

“I’m looking at what the state has given us guideline wise, we’re looking at Tier 1B probably closer to February, but again, it changes every day.”

Poplar Bluff Chief Police Danny Whiteley said, “With the new year coming up, everybody is encouraged to be responsible, and if they have to, they can call us, and we will transport them. We need to be safe.”

Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Chris Rushin said school and the club are scheduled to start Monday.

“We’re ready to go,” Rushin said.

Myers added, a representative from Sen. Roy “Blunt’s office is scheduled to be with us (for Wednesday’s briefing) to go through the legislation that the president has signed. It will help us have a better understanding on how that’s going to impact us here in Butler County and all of Missouri.” The following Wednesday, Robert Knodell, who is heading up the state’s vaccination effort for Gov. Mike Parson is scheduled to “be with us,” Myers said. “We’re going to continue to try to get some other information as it relates to legislation and the vaccines.

“In January, we’ll have Jerrica Fox from the American Red Cross talking about the much needed blood drives.”