TUESDAY UPDATES: Boone County reports double-digit active coronavirus case drop
The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services is reporting three new COVID-19 cases.
There are currently 41 active cases in the county, a 13 case drop from Monday.
The county now has a reported total number of COVID-19 cases of 18,432.
The county has reported the total number of cases removed from isolation is 18,300.
The Columbia/Boone County Department of Public Health and Human Services dashboard has reported the latest five-day average as three.
The health department is reporting the total number of hospitalizations in Boone County is 11.
The health department is reporting one Boone County resident is in the hospital due to the coronavirus.
The dashboard is showing four COVID-19 patients in the ICU and three patients on a ventilator.
The hospital status remains in 'Green' status. 'Green' status is when hospitals are operating within licensed bed capacity; accepting patient transfers from referring hospitals within standard care operating procedures.
The State of Missouri coronavirus vaccine dashboard is reporting that 83,777 residents have received their first dose in Boone County and 71,634 Boone County residents have completed their vaccine doses.
Boone County has the largest percentage of people in Mid-Missouri that have received at least one dose of the vaccine with 46.4%. The second closest in the state is St. Louis County with 43.2%.
Boone County is first in the state with a reported 39.7% of residents that have completed their coronavirus vaccine doses. Atchison County is second in the state with 35.9% of residents have completed the doses for vaccination.
Cole County has the second-highest first vaccination rate in Mid-Missouri with 37.1%. Montgomery County is third with 33.3%.
Hy-Vee drops mask requirement for vaccinated staff, customers
Hy-Vee will no longer require its customers or staff vaccinated against COVID-19 to wear face masks.
A spokesperson said the decision was made after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released updated guidance on face masks last week.
Customers and employees will have to follow local ordinances on face coverings or masks.
The grocery store chain does recommend customers who aren't vaccinated to continue to wear face masks.
Employees who aren't vaccinated will also have to wear a mask or covering.
According to Hy-Vee, it plans to keep Plexiglas barriers around checkout lanes, self-checkout stations, pharmacy counters, and other areas of its stores.
Signs to help with social distancing will also remain in areas were lines often form.
Hy-Vee has stores in Columbia, Jefferson City, and Osage Beach.
