Osage County Health Department (OCHD) Administrator Susan Long is working on an agreement allowing first responders and frontline workers in Osage County to go to Capitol Region Medical Center in Cole County to receive COVID-19 vaccines. She also expects some of the vaccine to be available in Osage County. However, there must be a large enough group committed to receiving it. The Pfizer vaccine, which so far is all that's available in Central Missouri, is delicate. It must be administered quickly and completely once opened.
"I'm trying to get an idea of the numbers," said Long. "We'll see what they have available."
Until then, going to Cole County is the only way to be vaccinated.
Another factor that demands verifiable commitment and careful planning is a second shot. This must be received at least three weeks after the first. Should the process become careless, it would be very easy to waste the medicine.
Osage County nursing homes and Harbor Place will be served by Walgreens in Linn when the vaccine comes to the store.
OCHD Deputy Administrator Kim Sallin has issued a "Shortened Policy on Quarantine." It went into effect on Jan. 15 and applies to citizens in self-quarantine. Those self-monitoring after suspected exposure to COVID-19 must be asymptomatic. This does not apply to individuals with symptoms and the OCHD has not adopted a "test out" procedure that would further shorten the quarantine to seven days. The OCHD has not been receiving notification of negative tests. Besides, as yet they are still incapable of doing their own testing.