OCHD offers covid vax clinics as virus danger continues for those not vaccinated

With more than half of Americans now vaccinated with at least one dose of the covid-19 vaccine and many restrictions lifted, it’s starting to feel like the country is easing back into normalcy. But a county-by-county risk assessment updated Monday by the New York Times shows that the virus danger isn’t over for those who are not vaccinated.

Rating counties by their number of cases per capita, Ozark County is listed as “moderate risk” with an average of 3.1 cases per 100,000 calculated. This week the Ozark County Health Department reported three active cases among Ozark Countians, up from one active case last week. 

Twenty-two Ozark Countians have died with covid, according to OCHD data. 

Using mathematical projections, Douglas and Taney county are listed in the New York Times assessment as “very high risk,” with Taney County reporting 17 cases per 100,000 (it has 103 more active cases this week than last week). Douglas County reports a calculated 4.3 cases per 100,000. Wright, Texas and Laclede counties, as well as Fulton County, Arkansas, are also currently listed as “very high risk.” Baxter County, Arkansas, is listed as “high risk.” Webster County is listed as “extremely high risk.”

OCHD continues to offer free vaccinations of the Moderna vaccine, which can be administered to those age 18 and older. The next OCHD vaccination clinic will be Thursday, June 17. OCHD administrator Rhonda Suter said they hope to hold the clinics every other Thursday, as needed. Call OCHD at 417-679-3334 for an appointment. 

According to Missouri’s covid dashboard (https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/data/), 19.9 percent of Ozark County’s 9,174 people have had the first dose of the vaccine. Another 1,465 have had both doses, equaling 16 percent of the total population. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control reports that 63.7 percent of American adults have had at least one covid shot, and 42.1 percent are now fully vaccinated. 

Ozark County Times

504 Third Steet
PO Box 188
Gainesville, MO 65655

Phone: (417) 679-4641
Fax: (417) 679-3423