COVID UPDATE: VA staff expected to get vaccine

AP File Photo

While agencies are advising vaccinations and masks are recommended for slowing down and stopping the spread of COVID-19 and the Delta variant, Butler County has 128 new COVID-19 cases, the local health department announced Wednesday afternoon.

There are currently 158 active cases in the county, while the total number of cases since the pandemic started stands at 5,035 in Butler County.

While Missouri is offering an incentive, the Department of Veterans Affairs is making vaccines mandatory for Title 38 VA health care personnel, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention wants everyone to wear masks.

Since Missouri Gov. Mike Parson’s announced the incentive plan for more people to be vaccinated last week, “our numbers have increased slightly,” said Butler County Health Department Administrator Emily Goodin.

“The local public health department has not received any direction on the incentive plan; we are waiting to hear from DHSS on how to roll it out,” Goodin said.

Changes in COVID policies this week were made by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the CDC.

Department of Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough announced COVID-19 vaccines are mandatory for Title 38 VA health care personnel — including physicians, dentists, podiatrists, optometrists, registered nurses, physician assistants, expanded-function dental auxiliaries and chiropractors — who work in Veterans Health Administration facilities, visit VHA facilities or provide direct care to those VA serves.

VA is taking this necessary step to keep the veterans it serves safe, McDonough’s release stated. Each employee will have eight weeks to be fully vaccinated.

John J. Pershing VAMC Public Affairs Officer Angela Smith said, “our clinical personnel will be required to be vaccinated.”

Locally, Smith said, “we are monitoring the incoming information and/or changing conditions, and making operational changes if needed. For example, we have already implemented some precautionary measures, such as reducing or canceling face-to-face training and limiting the number of attendees in new employee orientations to maintain social distancing. Currently, we are still operating at 100% capacity for in-person appointments.”

Smith emphasized, “Of course, we are always going to put the safety of our veterans and employees first, and so we continue to plan for contingencies. We also encourage our fellow Americans to get vaccinated, to protect themselves and their communities from further impacts.”

In McDonough’s statement earlier this week, he said, the VA is taking this necessary step to keep the veterans it serves safe.

“We’re mandating vaccines for Title 38 employees because it’s the best way to keep veterans safe, especially as the Delta variant spreads across the country,” McDonough said. “Whenever a veteran or VA employee sets foot in a VA facility, they deserve to know that we have done everything in our power to protect them from COVID-19. With this mandate, we can once again make — and keep — that fundamental promise.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed its masking recommendations, announcing it is growing more concerned over the Delta variant of COVID-19 and urging vaccinated people in certain areas of the country to resume wearing masks indoors in public areas.

CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said the agency now recommends people in areas with “high” or “substantial” Covid-19 transmission should resume wearing masks indoors. Nearly two-thirds of US counties have high or substantial transmission of COVID-19, according to CDC data; 46% of counties have high transmission and 17% have substantial transmission.

“In recent days, I have seen new scientific data from recent outbreak investigations showing that Delta variant behaves uniquely differently from past strains of the virus that cause COVID-19,” Walensky said.

In Missouri, Goodin knows, the individual who is vaccinated is responsible for entering into the state incentive plan (the lottery incentive plan).

When asked about COVID deaths in Butler County, Goodin explained, “We have not received any new notifications of deaths for Butler County from DHSS. DHSS only reports PCR positive COVID deaths. Antigen positive cases are not counted toward COVID deaths. There may be a lag from hospital/coroner to DHSS to health department. Also, if it was an antigen test, they do not count toward the death count.”

In Parson’s State of the State message this week in Springfield, he touched on the pandemic, saying the state “took a balanced approach to the pandemic.”

He explained, the state used monitoring, COVID-19 testing, personal protective equipment availability, hospital testing and data to decide management approaches.

Parson also said every eligible Missourian needs to be encouraged to get vaccinated.

Goodin explained while the Butler County Health Department offers Moderna, appointments which can be made, but the staff accepts walk-ins for the Moderna vaccine from Fridays from 8-4.

Goodin reminded everyone, registering through local health departments, the Missouri Vaccine Navigator or contacting the Missouri COVID-19 hotline at 877-435-8411 can help Missourians identify and sign up for available appointments in their area.

Scheduled rapid testing will be done every Wednesday by appointment only in Butler County. To schedule a test, go to www.butlercountyhealth.org/. Look for “Vaccine Registration & Coronavirus Info” and click the “Book Now” icon, or call 877-435-8411 to set up an appointment.

For any questions, contact the county health department at 573-785-8478.