Area health agencies are making some changes to COVID vaccine and testing procedures as the pandemic enters a new phase.
COVID-19 case numbers have fallen, and the state is slowly moving back towards normal. At SSM Health, one sign of progress is the removal of COVID testing tents.
Tests are still available, said Vice President of Clinical Operations Steve Hubler-Marti. But the move from drive through to in person testing comes as numbers show things are improving
“You know we get a lot of advisement from our medical leadership for the health system, and it does seem that everything is turning up favorably,” he said.
But while the situation looks promising, it's still too early to call an end to the pandemic. Jackson County Health Department Administrator Bart Hagston said the region's low vaccination rates are cause for concern.
To reach out to those who haven't yet been vaccinated, Hagston said they are moving toward mobile clinics instead of mass vaccination sites.
“I think that those individuals that really wanted vaccinated quickly, you know, they sought it out and those people that are getting vaccinated now have been a little more hesitant,” he said. “We're trying to take the vaccine to places that they frequent to make it more convenient and kind of keep the vaccinations out there in the public eye so that they don't forget that they need to get vaccinated.”
Vaccines are also available at pharmacies. Those with questions or concerns about the vaccine should speak to their physician or a pharmacist for more information.
