Health Department busy with COVID, flu shots, summer activities

Nutrition Associate Susan McFee with the Kids in the Kitchen class.

COVID-19

Cheryl Alexander, RN-Administrator, is the leader of the health department and has spent a great deal of time working with schools and the community in the effort to keep everyone safe and healthy. Cheryl spends days on the phone talking with community leaders and concerned citizens.

At the beginning of COVID-19, Debbie Gatton attended a workshop on the N95 Mask and how to test the masks to make sure germs cannot penetrate. They had to be fitted for personal protection. She then performed testing on each of the staff.

All health department staff members have been helping with the needs that are occurring with the COVID-19 pandemic, along with the many other duties they have. Amber Webb is the office manager, who keeps everything organized.

Please REMEMBER to wear your mask! If you have been a close contact or have tested positive REMEMBER your quarantine dates given you. Help protect those around you!

Summer Activities

• Sports physicals with the help of Amy Heldenbrand, FNP.
• CPR Classes for firefighters, First Responders and other health care workers, taught by Debbie Gatton.
• “Kids in the Kitchen” and “Teens in the Kitchen” classes, taught by Susan McFee, nutrition program associate from the Missouri Extension Office.
• Immunizations, lab work, birth and death certificates have all have had to be by appointment only. Clients are asked to wear their mask and social distance. This is a big change, but everyone is adjusting and understanding. We all have to keep each other safe and healthy!
• The new E_WIC cards came in August with new training for the WIC team of Sherri Carder, RaCail King and Anna Barlow. There are always challenges with updates from programs like WIC, but the E-WIC card is a very welcome way to do WIC. There will be no more paper vouchers to deal with, just a simple little card, and a WIC shopping app. Clients and staff are happy to see this change. WIC is a supplemental food program for Women, Infants and Children (WIC) which provides nutrition education, and breastfeeding support and referrals.
• The numbers for breastfeeding are up in Daviess County. Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Caitlin Roberts is helping to make those numbers climb.
• Colt Bohannon, environmental specialist, has been keeping up with inspections and septic systems.

Flu Season!

Flu season will begin soon and the staff has been busy giving flu shots. Lots of them!  The department has done drive-through clinics, and has given shots in the parking lot and by appointment in the office.  If you missed out on a flu shot call for an appointment!

The Daviess County Health Department is located at 609A South Main in Gallatin. If you have any questions or need an appointment, call 660.663.2414. This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

~Submitted by Sherri Carder