The Jefferson County Health Department has reported 13 new COVID-19-related deaths, bringing the county total to 222 since the beginning of the pandemic.
The deaths included a woman in her 30s, a man in his 50s, a woman in her 60s, a man in his 60s, two women in their 70s, two men in their 70s, three women in their 80s and two men in their 80s.
Six of those deaths were connected to a long-term care facility.
Of the county’s 222 COVID-19 deaths, 83 have been from long-term care facilities.
The Health Department also reported 93 new COVID-19 cases since its last report on Feb. 26, for a total of 21,701 cases since the first ones were reported in March 2020.
Of those cases, 28 were reported on Feb. 26, another 15 on Feb. 27, 20 on Sunday (Feb. 28), 19 on Monday (March 1) and 11 on Tuesday (March 2).
Of county’s total cases, 1,336 have been at long-term care facilities, which includes residents and staff members who live in Jefferson County, the Health Department reported.
Orange status
The county remains in the orange status on the Health Department’s COVID-19 warning system, the second highest level on the four-color system. The orange status indicates widespread but controlled transmission of the coronavirus.
Several factors are evaluated when determining the color level, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and White House Pandemic Task Force guidelines. However, the main indicator is the seven-day rolling average.
If the county has a rolling average of 10 to 25 cases per day per 100,000 residents, it is in the orange level. The rolling average number of cases for the week of Feb. 21 to Feb. 27 was 12.32.
That was up from the previous week, when the seven-day rolling average was 11.62 per day per 100,000 people in the county, which has a population of about 225,000.
Even though new COVID-19 cases have been on the decline, Health Department officials say it’s still important to continue taking steps to limit the spread of the virus, and the agency’s Board of Trustees voted Feb. 25 to extend the county face mask order until March 25.
The order requires residents to wear face masks in public spaces when social distancing cannot be maintained, but it does not call for any type of fine or penalty for people who violate it.
The order is a joint order with the county government and is intended to curtail the spread of COVID-19.
Health officials also urge residents to limit nonessential travel, avoid crowds, wear masks, practice social distancing and frequent hand-washing, and stay home when you are sick.
Vaccines
The Health Department plans on March 8 to distribute 1,500 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which received emergency use authorization from the FDA on Feb. 27,.
So far the Health Department has provided 4,130 vaccines to people.
Anyone who wants to get the vaccine through the Health Department must sign up for it by completing an interest survey at jeffcohealth.org. People without internet access may call the Health Department registration line at 636-789-8941.
Comtrea, which also offers health care services around the county, has upcoming vaccine clinics, too, including first-dose clinics on March 9, March 16, March 23 and March 30. Comtrea marketing communications manager Nathanael Herbert said 400 vaccines will be provided at each of those clinics.
Herbert said 11 second-dose clinics were planned for February and March. He said starting in April, Comtrea will offer 400 second doses every Wednesday in Festus and Arnold, with 200 second doses given at each location.
Comtrea also gives all vaccines by appointment only and will contact people who have registered for the vaccine and who are eligible to receive it under the state’s distribution plan to set up the appointments.
To register with Comtrea, visit comtrea.org/vaccine-inquiry.
Only those who are included in Phase 1A, Phase 1B Tier 1 and Phase 1B Tier 2 of the state’s vaccine distribution plan may receive the vaccines at this time. For more information about the state’s vaccine plan, go to covidvaccine.mo.gov.
Mercy also has created an online sign-up method to help distribute vaccines to those eligible under the state’s vaccination plan. To sign up with Mercy, go to mercy.net/MOVaccine.
Other hospital systems and pharmacies also are registering people for the vaccines.
