Additional vaccines available from VA, health department

AP File Photo

Vaccination updates, area severe weather warnings and a promotion for a national guardsman were discussed at the Butler County Emergency Management Agency’s COVID briefing Wednesday.

“I’m sure everybody has noticed our (COVID) numbers have slowly slowed down,” said Butler County Health Department Administrator Emily Goodin.

The health center is doing rapid COVID testing twice a week by appointment.

“We’re slowly getting vaccine from the state to do vaccines at the health department; we’re going through our wait list,” Goodin said. “So we are calling and making those appointments.”

Goodin said the next tier did open to include critical infrastructure, which includes teachers and daycare workers.

“We’re working with the schools to get our teachers vaccinated,” Goodin said.

While the health center is expanding who is eligible to receive vaccinations, so is the John J. Pershing VA Medical Center in Poplar Bluff.

The VA is now vaccinating all veterans who are enrolled for VA health care services, regardless of age.

Chief nurse and vaccination clinic coordinator Bailey Wells explained the age and/or medical restrictions have been lifted.

“We have successfully vaccinated a large portion of our priority groups, and with the increased availability of vaccine, all VA patients may now schedule an appointment to be vaccinated,” said Wells.

Noting the medical center is currently receiving both Moderna and Janssen vaccines, Wells explained, “The vaccine each veteran receives will depend on availability at the time of vaccination.”

The clinic is expected to remain in operation for the foreseeable future.

“We will continue to vaccinate veterans as long as we have vaccine; we remain committed to doing as much as possible to see that our patients can have added protection to combat this virus,” Wells said.

Veterans may call 573-686-4151 or 1-888-557-8262 and push “2” to schedule an appointment.

Vaccinations can only be provided to veterans who are enrolled for VA health care services. To inquire about eligibility to enroll, veterans may call 573-778-4680.

While the VA is expanding its outreach, Goodin explained, the boosters for the most recent National Guard mass vaccination will be March 30.

For booster shots, “we will use the vaccine navigator to once again go in and register by appointment,” Goodin explained.

Those who received the vaccination March 9 will not have to go through the whole process since they’re already in the system. When it is about a week from the event, vaccine navigator will send an email and a text again to the user to remind them of their second shot.

“If you look on the website now for vaccine navigator, our site location would not be up because it’s too far out,” she said.

Having Boys and Girls Club numbers at pre-COVID level has club Executive Director Chris Rushin in a good mood.

“We had 415 yesterday,” he said. “I’m so very happy. It is hard to believe, one year ago today was the first day we did not have kids. Our schools were on spring break and that’s when we had to make the call after the governor’s declaration. It’s been a long year. We’re looking forward to the future.”

While COVID numbers have improved, Poplar Bluff Fire Chief Ralph Stucker reminded the group about the dangers of impending weather.

Stucker said with possible flooding in the city and county, “we’re going to see higher waters and I wanted to remind everybody not to drive through waters. It only takes about 2 feet of water to push an SUV or pickup off the roadway. So the old adage, turn around, don’t drown. We would appreciate everybody taking extra precautions while we’re out driving around.”

EMA Director Robbie Myers thanked Stucker and said, “we’re looking less likely for more severe weather for our area. This still is a good time to make sure your family has a place in your house, which would be in the innermost room, that would work for a tornado or other severe weather. But, the most likely weather situation this evening is flash flooding, and seeing water over the roads in places. Use caution, and like the chief said, don’t drive through it.”

On a happy note, Myers shared, “we’ve been fortunate to have a National Guard unit in the region helping with our mass vaccination clinics. This morning, Capt. Gallucci was promoted to Maj. Gallucci.”

The health department has gone to weekly reporting of COVID patients, which were 29 this week, and the total for the county has reached 4,331.