TUESDAY UPDATES: Missouri launches new COVID-19 vaccine website for residents
UPDATE 10:40 P.M.: Missouri residents will now get some answers on the new COVID-19 vaccines because of a new website from the state.
Officials say "MOStopsCOVID.com provides Missourians with information regarding the safety of the vaccines, research and production processes, and when they may be eligible for vaccination."
"It's been remarkable to learn about the work that has been going on for many months now among scientists and researchers, many of whom are right here in Missouri," Gov. Mike Parson said. "The most important thing we've learned about the accelerated development process is that steps have not been eliminated but are instead occurring simultaneously. Safety is not being sacrificed, and it's important for Missourians to understand this."
The new website includes answers to common questions and clarifies misinformation that citizens may have heard about the vaccines.
Missouri's COVID-19 vaccine plan was finalized and submitted to the CDC in October.
"Missouri got a very early start preparing for vaccinations because we think it's our best path to getting to a better place," DHSS Director Dr. Randall Williams said. "This process is one that has continued to evolve, and we are committed to providing Missourians with the information they need as quickly as we can provide it. Information is empowering, and personal choices made during this public health emergency can positively impact yourself, those around you, and your entire community."
Miller County reports COVID-19 death
UPDATE 8:00 P.M.: Miller County Health Center is reporting a Miller County resident has died due to COVID-19.
The county is reporting a total of 1,569 cases.
There are currently 126 active cases.
Of the 37 deaths, 24 were from long term care facilities.
CPS 14-day rate drops slights; Cole County reports 83 new COVID-19 cases
UPDATE 6:41 P.M.: Columbia Board of Education 14-day rate tracker has dropped slightly to 110.9 after a record high of 111.7.
The district is reporting that 26 staff have COVID-19 and 92 are on quarantine. The district is reporting three new positive cases and 10 staff that will have to quarantine due to close contact.
Currently, the district is reporting one student has tested positive for COVID-19. The district is reporting 34 students are positive with COVID-19 and 217 that are quarantined due to possible exposure.
Cole County Health Department is reporting 83 new total cases.
The total number of cases in the county is 5,285 since the pandemic started.
SSM Health to close drive-thru testing sites in Jefferson City and Mexico for Thanksgiving
UPDATE 5:50 P.M.: SSM Health is closing their drive-thru testing sites in Jefferson City and Mexico on Thursday because of Thanksgiving.
The site in Mexico will be closed on Friday and return to normal hours on Monday.
In Jefferson City, the testing site will go back to normal hours of operation on Friday.
Saline County reports seven new COVID-19 related deaths
UPDATE 5:45 P.M.: Saline County Health Department is reporting seven new COVID-19 related deaths at long term care facilities.
The department reports four females and three males died, five of the deaths were in the last 24 hours and two were from the weekend.
The county currently has 168 active cases. The county has a total of 1,662 coronavirus cases. The county added 21 new recoveries bringing the total to 1,470 cases.
Staffing shortage due to COVID-19 cases forces virtual learning for Southern Boone County elementary school
UPDATE 5:07 P.M.: Southern Boone County R-I School District is moving their elementary school students online due to staffing shortages caused by COVID-19
According to a release online, the district is reporting an employee tested positive for COVID-19 at the elementary school and two students tested positive at the school as well.
Due to the positive cases, 18 students will need to quarantine due to close contact.
Virtual learning will go on from next Monday to Dec. 7.
The district will have in-seat schooling for primary, middle and high school students.
Boone County reports active cases and hospitalizations drop
UPDATE 4:40 P.M.: The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services reports 100 new active cases. That brings the total number of cases to 9,611.
The county is reporting 929 active cases, a drop of 238 from Sunday.
The county has reported an additional 100 new cases removed from isolation bringing the cases to 8,658.
The county has reported a 23 case drop to a 137 five-day average.
The positivity rate currently sits at 27.3% a drop from Oct. 30 to Nov. 6 record rate of 33.5%.
The health department is reporting a drop of 23 hospitalized patients bringing the total hospitalizations in Boone County to 148.
Currently there are 44 COVID-19 patients in the ICU.
The number of Boone County residents hospitalized is 27.
The department reports 21 patients on ventilators.
The hospital status is still currently in the 'yellow' zone.
Capital Region Medical Center changes visitor policy due to COVID-19
UPDATE 3:59 P.M.: Capital Region Medical Center will begin restricting visitors into the hospital and clinics beginning at midnight Wednesday.
There are a few exceptions to the restrictions, they include:
- One partner, spouse or coach in labor and delivery and obstetrical ultrasound.
- Two parents or guardians for pediatric patients.
- When the patients are nearing end of life or placed on “comfort care.”
- Clinic patients with physical or mental limitations, who are pregnant, and pediatric patients.
- Inpatient Rehab Unit may have one individual designated for training to facilitate discharge planning.
- One person may accompany a patient in the emergency department.
Cole County has seen a recent spike in cases. According to their weekly dashboard update, Cole County has a rolling 7-day average of 31.6% and a 11.51% percent positive of all patients tested by PCR.
Boone Health and MU Health Care also recently changed their policy on Nov. 13 as COVID-19 cases went up in Boone County.
Audrain County asks local governments to endorse mask advisory
UPDATE 2:30 P.M.: The Audrain County Health Department is asking local governments to issue their own mask advisories in an effort to get residents to cover their faces as the coronavirus pandemic rages.
The health department issued its own mask advisory on Nov. 12, effective through Jan. 15.
“We believe if the municipality or organization endorses the advisory, the overall public awareness surrounding the importance of wearing a mask will be elevated,” health department administrator and CEO Craig Brace said in a news release.
The county, like the rest of Mid-Missouri and most of the state, is in the White House coronavirus task force's "red zone" for a high rate of new coronavirus cases. The county had 85 active cases on Nov. 6 and now has 132, according to the health department.
The health department said Tuesday that 11 people have died after getting COVID-19 and 13 county residents are now hospitalized.
The Mexico City Council approved its own advisory Monday night, Mexico's city administrator said.
More local governments have started to issue mask advisories as new cases are diagnosed at record levels and hospitals report strained resources. Boone County's health department went further, issuing a mask order for the entire county Tuesday.
Boone County reports 24th coronavirus death
UPDATE 11:23 A.M.: Boone County health officials reported a 24th county resident has died because of COVID-19.
A tweet from the Columbia/Boone County health department said the resident was older than 80.
Seven residents have died from COVID-19 since November started, five of which were reported last week.
As of Monday, 930 residents actively had COVID-19 and 9,511 have tested positive for coronavirus since the pandemic started, according to the health department's dashboard.
All Missouri counties seeing moderate-high COVID-19 transmission
UPDATE 11:10 A.M.: White House officials said in a red zone report that all of Missouri's 114 counties are seeing moderate-high levels of COVID-19 transmission.
The report published on Sunday was obtained by ABC News.
Officials say Missouri reported 547 new coronavirus cases per 100,000 residents over the week before last. The state had a higher level of infection than the national average of 356 per 100,000 residents.
The state COVID-19 positivity rate went down to 20% over the same time, the report said.
Officials said in the report governments which have stronger mitigation efforts have seen a decrease in new COVID-19 cases. The report continued by saying Missouri and other states need to increase such efforts.
"All states and all counties must flatten the curve to sustain the health system for both COVID and non-COVID emergencies," White House officials said in the report.
The report included the state should enact a statewide masking policy, limit indoor restaurant capacity to less than 25% and close bars until cases decrease.
Missouri has seen an "extensive and unyielding spread with hospitalizations increasing week over week," according to the report. Officials said coronavirus hospitalizations have increased for all age groups as well.
Multiple Mid-Missouri counties were listed in the red zone including Boone, Cole, Callaway, Miller and Moniteau.
Missouri 7-day positivity rate and COVID-19 hospitalizations fall slightly
Missouri health officials say the state's seven-day COVID-19 positivity rate and virus-related hospitalizations fell slightly over the last 24 hours.
According to the state health department coronavirus dashboard, 2,680 were hospitalized because of COVID-19 from the latest data available. It's 129 fewer hospitalizations over the last day.
The dashboard included 17 more people were admitted to statewide ICU beds since Monday's total. It brought the total since the pandemic started to 664, a pandemic record.
Health officials say the state has 23% of its inpatient bed space remaining and just 17% of its ICU bed space still available.
The CDC seven-day positivity rate for Missouri went down 0.7% to 20.3% on Tuesday.
Missouri added 3,764 new COVID-19 cases over the last 24 hours, according to the dashboard.
The state also added 189 new coronavirus deaths, 161 of which were reported Monday night after the health department's weekly death certificate check.
Missouri ranked 13th in the US for new COVID-19 cases over the last seven days, 24,922, and 15th in the nation reporting 78 over the same time period.
