Health Board hears quarantine concerns

The Nodaway County Health Center Board of Directors met September 15 and heard concerns about student quarantines from Maryville R-II parent, Isaiah Korthanke, and Nodaway County Associate Commissioner Chris Burns.

Administrator Tom Patterson said, “State guidance is not a suggestion, it is protocol.”

Nodaway County Health Center is working with state guidance. Patterson said when the guidance changes, the health center will adhere to that guidance.

“COVID-19 positivity rates across Missouri are at about 11 percent with Nodaway at 7.6 percent,” Patterson said. “As was the case last year at this time, we spiked in August and are now on the back side of that. Case numbers have stabilized in the last week.

“Last year we saw a spike in late October. We should be in better shape going into a spike this fall and winter with vaccines on board and previous experience with precautions. Hopefully, avoiding any new variants.

“We and other local vaccinators continue to provide vaccines at a steady rate. Missouri is around 53 percent initiated and 46 percent completed vaccinations. Nodaway is about 44 percent initiated and 40.3 percent completed.

“I met with many of the school administrators last week again and continue to advocate to state on adjustments to quarantine that they say will help them,” Patterson said. “I expect something to develop at the state level with school guidance in the next two weeks. DHSS leadership has indicated they were looking at this in the past week.”