By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Wood County Health Commissioner Ben Robison delivered a dose of bad news Thursday evening.
The county is moving in the wrong direction with the number of COVID cases. Two weeks ago, Wood County had 130 cases per 100,000 residents. Last week, it inched up to 180 cases per 100,000 residents. And this week, it was up to 210 cases.
“I think some thought we had crossed the finish line before we did,” Robison told the board of health Thursday evening. “If we let down our guard too soon, the risk is we extend the time.”
To move from Level Red to Level Orange, Wood County needs to have fewer than 100 cases per 100,000 population. The county had been making good strides moving in that direction – dropping down from a high of 800 per 100,000 at one point.
Local residents must keep wearing masks and maintaining social distance, he said.
“This is a big deal right now,” Robison said.
Until more people are vaccinated, “the guidelines are our best protection to avoid this disease,” he said.
Board members asked Robison where the increased COVID cases were coming from. BGSU cases have plateaued, and no mass formal events are being held.
Robison and Amy Jones, the health department’s director of health promotion and preparedness, said that most people are continuing to be careful at school and at work. But in social gatherings, they are letting down their guards and not wearing masks or maintaining social distance.
“You’ve got to keep wearing the masks. You’ve got to keep social distancing,” Jones said.
Most of the new cases are among people ages 18 to 30.
“We still need to see those people following guidelines,” Jones said.
Robison counteracted the bad news with a shot of good news. Approximately 21% of Wood County residents have been vaccinated – which is 3% higher than the state average.
Included in Wood County’s vaccination rate are two-thirds of the higher risk 65 and older residents.
“We continue to move doses as fast as we get them,” he said. “We are not stockpiling doses.”
At the same time, the allocations are ramping up, with the county getting 3,000 doses this week. And the health department is working on high risk populations with the Wood County Committee on Aging and Wood County Job and Family Services.
However, the pace at which the vaccination process has reached is putting a real strain on health department staff, Robison said. So he approached the health board Thursday evening with a request to hire independent contractors to support the staff.
The vaccination shipments are expected to continue increasing for the next few months, he said.
“We want to be ready for that.”
Robison asked for authorization to apply to the Federal Emergency Management Agency for up to $180,000 for vaccination support.
“This is a critical need that we have,” he said.
The board agreed. Robison said if the funding is not received, he may be back to the board asking to use levy dollars to cover the costs.
“The money is there in our reserves, and there’s probably not a bigger need,” board member Dr. Tom Milbrodt said.
“We need to get this done,” board member Betty Woods agreed.
Board member Richard Strow reported that he had gotten his vaccination at the health department last week. “The process was as smooth as you could ask for,” he said.
But he expressed concerns about the demands the vaccination program was placing on staff and on other health department programming.
“We’ve got other responsibilities to the county,” Strow said.
Robison agreed, listing off other vital programs like environmental health, WIC, the health center and other immunizations.
But he explained that was his purpose in asking to contract with outside support.
Robison also told the board that some of the personnel hired previously to do COVID contact tracing was now shifting over to do vaccinations.
“I think it’s great you are able to use them for the vaccination campaign,” board member Dr. Bob Midden said.
Also during the meeting, BGSU Chief Medical Officer Ben Batey reported to the board that plans are being made to use the field house on campus for a mass vaccination site for residents and students.
“It’s a large site that’s easily accessible,” he said.
