Wyandot County vaccinations trending down despite surge in COVID cases

By BRIAN HEMMINGER

City editor

The Wyandot County Board of Health was updated on the latest COVID-19 and vaccination trends in Wyandot County during its regular meeting Wednesday.

Director of Nursing Jamie Crawford reported over 100 vaccine clinics have been held, including locations like Bridgestone, Kalmbach Feeds, local dairy farms, Trinity UMC, the health department, Hanon and the Wyandot County Fairgrounds.

Crawford said the health department has administered 492 doses of the Johnson and Johnson vaccine and 8466 doses of the Moderna vaccine. Due to declining participants, the health department will cease hosting vaccine clinics at the Wyandot County Fairgrounds at the end of the month. 

The health department has 550 at-home COVID tests at its office and a “Merry Testmas” event encouraging Wyandot County residents to get tested for COVID before holding mass gatherings for the holidays will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Dec. 22 in the dining hall at the Wyandot County Fairgrounds. Wyandot Memorial Hospital and all local libraries also have free COVID tests. Crawford encouraged those who use the tests to have them proctored and to have any positive results reported. 

As of Wednesday, Wyandot County had 244 active COVID-19 cases and 16 active hospitalizations. There have been 3,981 cases since March 2020 with 78 deaths, and 3,659 individuals have been released from isolation. 

An epidemiologist report was shared by Mary Salimbene-Merriman. According to the report, 3% of COVID-19 cases have been asymptomatic, 90% have been mild, 5% have been moderate and 2% have been severe in Wyandot County. Mild cases means an individual was able to recover at home, moderate means they required hospitalization and severe means they required intensive care, ventilators or died. 

Crawford said the Help Me Grow staff has been working to complete all of its tasks while also working at COVID vaccination clinics and answering phone calls. The staff have been able to start increasing their caseload again. 

The board approved an overnight trip from March 12 to 15 for Health Educator Callan Pugh to attend a Lifesavers Conference in Chicago.

The board approved the third and final reading of proposed 2022 food service/food establishment fees. 

A private water system program survey was completed Dec. 9 by the Ohio Department of Health. Based upon the exit interview, a few recommendations will be made, but no significant issues were reported. A copy of the final results of the survey will be provided to the board once it is received.

Driving sober for the Christmas holiday is the health board’s outreach event for December. 

Pugh reported 22 people participated in the online food safety quiz for Thanksgiving. More online quizzes may be planned in the future to engage with prevention messaging.

Other outreach topics included an article with Dr. Harris about antibiotics awareness, an article with Sheriff Todd Frey about safe travels for the Thanksgiving holiday, and an article with EMS Coordinator Dale Risley about winter preparedness. Articles are shared with the Daily Chief-Union, Progressor Times/Mohawk Leader and iHeartMedia in Marion, are posted on social media and the health department’s website. 

The health department also is working with the Upper Sandusky Community Library to plan events for the coming year. The first event was Wednesday night and it involved health department staff members answering questions about COVID-19 and vaccines. The next event “How is Your Health Department Working for You?” is 6 p.m. Jan. 12 at the library.

Arlene Schriner, RD, LD, reported Wyandot County’s WIC caseload for September was 202 and it was 196 for October. She said the program had 22 new participants. On the topic of education, 11 women were screened for urgent maternal warning signs, nine of 13 participants agreed to take folic acid throughout their childbearing years and eight of 12 high-risk participants came for mid cert appointments.

Appointments have limited contact through April 2022, but Schriner said she was happy to report the amount of fruits and vegetables available to WIC participants will remain at a higher level through March 2022.

WIC is covered 100% by federal grant money. 

Health administrator Barb Mewhorter reported the department has until Feb. 15, 2022 to complete a final accreditation committee action report. The committee has not been able to meet weekly since mid-November. 

The board approved the health department’s combined financial reports, invoices, budgets, budget adjustments and transfer lists. Health insurance costs increased by 8.6%, which is approximately a $19,000 increase.

A finance meeting was scheduled for 10 a.m. Dec. 29 to finalize the 2022 budgets.

In other news, the board approved the resignation of Cecelia Taylor, effective Nov. 30; Director of Nursing Jamie Crawford, RN, effective Jan. 1; Elaine McKee, RN, effective Jan. 1; and Carrie Boes, effective Dec. 31.

The board also approved hiring Anna Gibson, RN, as the new director of nursing, effective Dec. 13.

The board approved a request to not apply for and discontinue the reproductive health and wellness Title X grant family planning program. Mewhorter said the health department has not been able to fulfill the state’s client census and the program was impacted by turnover in personnel and the COVID-19 pandemic. Wyandot Memorial Hospital will take over the program.

Lastly, the board approved 264 days of vacation carry over for Mewhorter.