Sallin says the county at a critical point with COVID

By Neal A. Johnson and HB Dodds
Posted 1/6/21

Osage County Health Department (OCHD) Nurse Kim Sallin on Tuesday said the COVID situation is at a critical point with the resumption of school on the heels of the holidays as the total number of …

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

Sallin says the county at a critical point with COVID

Posted

Osage County Health Department (OCHD) Nurse Kim Sallin on Tuesday said the COVID situation is at a critical point with the resumption of school on the heels of the holidays as the total number of cases has increased by 73 since last week. There have been 1,381 total cases, with 80 active and nine deaths attributed to the coronavirus.
“We’re finally seeing the backlash from the holiday break,” said Sallin. “People let their guard down. Now is the time to bear down and be cautious. Remember to wash your hands, wear a mask, and practice social-distancing.”
One student in our county tested positive Monday on the first day back in session. “They said they weren’t surprised because their parent was positive for COVID,” said Sallin. “So this individual potentially sent their child to school even though they knew there was contact in the household, which is discouraging.”
Another positive case reported by Sallin is the first of its kind in Osage County. “We had an individual reinfected within 90 days of the initial positive test result,” she said.
In November, the first U.S. case was reported in which an individual reacquired the virus within three months of the original infection, with the second infection more serious than the first.
Now, with a case here in Osage County, Sallin reiterated the previous belief that once a person is infected with COVID, antibodies will protect them for three months is not always the case.
“What this means is that even if you’ve had a prior COVID infection, you are not guaranteed protection from re-infection,” said Sallin. “Everyone’s antibodies act differently. Some last longer than others and there’s no way to know. No one is bulletproof.”
There is also a new strain of the coronavirus in the U.S., though not yet in Osage County.
“This strain is extremely contagious,” said Sallin. “I hope no one has it here because if it’s here, a lot of people are going to get sick very quickly, especially with big gatherings like we saw on New Year’s Eve. If we’re vigilant, and do what we need to do, we can significantly reduce the risk of spread.”
While the vaccine is not yet available in Osage County, Sallin said it will be a big help; however, there is no way to know how long it will be effective, and there’s an even greater concern.
“A vaccinated individual can still potentially be infected and not have symptoms,” said Sallin. “That means there’s a chance they could be infecting people without even knowing it, so it’s important to wear a mask and still maintain distance. The research continues on this virus and the exact protection the vaccine provides.”
Administrator Susan Long, who will step down from that role at the end of the month, still doesn't know when the vaccination of Osage County citizens can begin. She anticipates the county will receive the Moderna brand, which doesn't require the extreme refrigeration the Pfizer brand needs.
"I'm looking forward to starting the vaccines as soon as we get our supply," she said.
Even after that begins, though, she expects no immediate relief.
"I fully expect it to take another year before we get back to anything close to normal,” Long added.
At this time, per state guidance, the OCHD is prioritizing case investigations for children and the elderly, which means anyone else who tests positive needs to notify those with whom they were in close contact.
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) has defined a close contact as someone who was within six feet of an infected person for a cumulative total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period, starting from two days before illness onset (or, for asymptomatic patients, two days prior to test-specimen collection) until the time the patient is isolated.
Last week, Sallin told commissioners she expects difficult circumstances to prevail for a while, and is especially concerned about retaining good staff. "I know several nurses who intend to go back to school. They don't want to be nurses anymore," she said. "The nurses are so burned out from this pandemic now that they're changing careers."
Sallin acknowledged that some are willing to hang on just to serve a good and necessary cause. She's one of them.
Long noted that about 10% of the county has the disease now, or has had it.
"That's appalling," she said. "This is not an afterthought."
It bothers her that individuals get careless. She feels it insults all the work schools, businesses, and other institutions did to educate about and mitigate transmission of the virus.
"We've had a falling down on individual efforts," she lamented. "People are getting tired of it."
She acknowledged the pandemic is a new experience for the world. It's more widespread than anything since the Spanish Flu of 1918.
"There are not too many people around from that time to tell us how to handle it," Long concluded.
In agreement, Osage County Second District Commissioner Larry Kliethermes observed, "There are more people not wearing masks now."
Masks, social-distancing, and other efforts against COVID-19 have helped with regular influenza. While some flu cases have been documented, so far there have been very few. Long, though, remains on edge. "There's still plenty of other communicable diseases out there," she said.