Full Notification

PETTIS COUNTY COVID-19 TASK FORCE
BRIEFING
May 11, 2020
 

To communicate openly with county residents, this compilation of information from essential government service providers within Pettis County will be disseminated on Mondays and Thursdays.  This briefing will continue to be provided throughout the COVID-19 event.
 
HEALTH CARE:
Pettis County Health Center

• The first COVID-19 death in an individual with a confirmed case of the disease has occurred.  The individual was elderly and lived at home. The individual was hospitalized outside of the county.  Please keep the family in your thoughts and prayers.  
• The current case count is now 68 with 10 new cases in the time period Friday through Sunday.   There are currently 48 cases under supervision.   Close contacts of the cases are released from supervision after 14 days of isolation and no symptoms.  One individual remains hospitalized.
• As more parts of the county re-open, please use the safety measures in place to protect yourself and your family.   This disease is spreading among family members.  Stay home as much as possible.  If you must go out for food, work or other necessities, please wear a mask, wash your hands, use hand sanitizer, avoid crowds and maintain a 6 feet distance between non-household contacts.
• Masks are required for both the patron and the stylist/barber/service provider. 
• Everyone needs to wear a mask in public.   We now have more evidence that this disease can have serious consequences.

• Bothwell clinics are open and are offering in-person and virtual visit appointment options. Please call your provider’s office to schedule your appointment.
• Walk In Clinic is also offering in-person or virtual visits during their office hours, Monday - Friday 7am -7pm and Saturday 10 am - 4pm.
• Visit brhc.org/walkin to learn more. 

• To preserve a safe environment for patients and to protect our workforce, Katy Trail is working on a stepwise approach for expanding our face-to-face medical and oral health visits. 
• Last week Katy Trail saw an increase of individuals using our services for COVID-19 testing.  While the criteria for our community testing has been lifted, individuals will still need to call and schedule a testing date and time.
• Our pediatrician, Dr. Kashani is scheduling in-person well child exams at our Sedalia location for newborns to 2 years of age.
• Katy Trail Community Health is open and seeing patients via virtual visits at all locations.  To schedule an appointment, please call 1-877-733-5824.

• As there continues to be more COVID-19 cases identified in the city and county, PCAD will continue to utilize all current PPE and decontamination precautions, regardless of any relaxing of state-wide stay-at-home orders. 
• PCAD asks all citizens to maintain social distancing and other efforts to help minimize exposures as we continue to treat and transport the most vulnerable members of our community. District buildings remain closed to the public at this time.
• PCAD would also like to remind everyone to stay alert to increased vehicle, motorcycle, and especially pedestrian traffic of all ages as nicer weather moves in.
• All PCAD units remain fully staffed and ready to respond.

• One thing that everyone can do to help decrease the spread beyond staying 6 feet away from others, washing your hands or using hand sanitizer frequently, staying home if you are sick is to wear a mask when you leave your home, for those you care about. 
• A mask is not a sign of fear, but rather that you are a concerned, caring person who wants to protect the people around you

• The Courthouse is happy to help with any questions or business you may have.
• We do encourage the use of masks when you are in public and to continue to exercise social distancing practices.

• The phased relaxing of limitations on access to certain City facilities along with imple-menting alternate safety procedures started this week and is going well.  Please continue to watch the City’s website and social media postings for more details and updates as they become available.    

• The City help assistance line (851-7686) continues providing information and assistance related to COVID-19.   Dear Community,

• Domestic violence calls have increased.  Current circumstances have led to ‘cabin fever’ and emotions running high.  Be mindful of this and try to find healthy ways to lessen the stress.

• The Sedalia Police Department has continued to see an increase in disturbances and domestic disturbances. 
• In addition, we have seen an increase of groups gathering along Highway 65 in Sedalia in the area known as the “Strip.”  Please remember to maintain social distancing, keep group size to limits established by the Pettis County Health Department, and drive carefully.

• Operations as usual.
• We are resuming field or practical hands on training, but only in the stations.
• We are not doing full joint shift training yet.

• Do you or anyone in your home have currently have or have had a fever in the last 14 days? 
• Do you or anyone inside your home currently have or have had coughing or difficult  
• breathing in the last 14 days? 
• Have you or anyone in your home traveled outside of the state in the last 14 days? 
• Have you or anyone in your home been tested for COVID-19 and received a positive test
• notification or are you or anyone in your home awaiting a COVID-19 test result? 
• Are you or anyone in your home currently on a quarantine?

• Please do not visit the jail if you are sick.
• Remote visitations continue for visitors of inmates at jail.
• Court appearances continue to be conducted via video at jail.
• Accommodations for attorney-inmate visitations; parole/probation officers-inmate visitations; bonding company representatives-inmate visitations provided for at jail.
• Updating of sex offender registrations continue at counter of lobby at jail
• While in the jail lobby awaiting visitation please practice social distancing.  At least 6 feet away from other individuals.  

• The health and safety of all of our citizens of our county is always our top priority.  As Coroner, I am faced with meeting normal duties along with protecting our staff, first responders (ambulance, fire, law enforcement), and our funeral home staff.  The funeral home staff will be critical during these trying times.
• We are working on protocol for responses to nursing homes and hospitals.

• Avoid Coronavirus Scams
• Don’t respond to texts, emails or calls about checks from the government. The details are still coming together.
• Ignore online offers for vaccinations and home test kits. There are no products proven to treat or prevent COVID-19 at this time.
• Hang up on robocalls. Scammers are using illegal robocalls to pitch everything from low-priced health insurance to work-at-home schemes.
• Watch for emails claiming to be from the CDC or WHO. Use sites like coronavirus.gov and usa.gov/coronavirus to get the latest information.
• Don’t click on links from sources you don’t know.
• Do your homework when it comes to donations. Never donate in cash, by gift card, or by wiring money.

 
The following COVID-19 phone numbers are provided for your information:
MO Department of Health and Senior Services Hotline:  877-435-8411
City of Sedalia/Pettis County Helpline:  660-851-7686
Pettis County Health Center:  www.pettiscountyhealthcenter.com
Center for Disease Control (CDC):  https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
John Hopkins University Dashboard:  https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/map.html
Missouri Department of Health COVID-19:  https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/results.php
Missouri State Emergency Management (SEMA) Daily Briefing:  https://sema.dps.mo.gov/newspubs/docs/dailybriefs.pdf