Numbers Moving In The Right Direction
By MARK EVANS
mevans@stegenherald.com
Things seem to be moving in the right direction on the COVID-19 front.
Jennifer Mueller, Ste. Genevieve County Health Department administrator, reported to the county commission last Thursday that there were 20 active cases.
Even more comforting were the monthly figures Mueller shared. In August there were 248 positive cases on the county.
That slipped to 210 in September. Just shy of the halfway mark in October, only 55 cases had been reported – on pace for about 120 cases for a full month.
Mueller said no more than about four or five a day have been reported lately. Those, she said, tend to be “a lot of families,” who decide to all get tested.
“You have a mom who tested positive the other day,” she said. “She knew her husband and two kids all had it because they all had the same symptoms. So they all went and got tested.”
Mueller called that “a smart thing” for families to do, to make sure.
“So, the numbers are going down?” First District Commissioner Karen Stuppy asked.
“Yes, the numbers are going down,” Mueller replied. “Shots are still going on.”
She shared that 49.1 percent of county residents, age 12 and up, have completed vaccination. A total of 53.2 percent have initiated it.
Mueller also said flu shots are being strongly recommended, as well.
HOSPITAL PERSONNELHOPE TO HOLD EVENT
Dr. Steve Pautler, CEO of Ste. Genevieve County Memorial Hospital SGCMH), Bob Palmer and Dave Weber of the SGCMH board and Holli Ledbetter, director of the hospital’s Friends Foundation, visited with the commissioners concerning an event.
Until COVID-19 cancelled it last year, the Friends Foundation annually hosted a Taste of Ste. Genevieve event at the community center.
Various local and regional business showcased their products – especially food and drink merchants. In the past, the event was widely attended.
The hospital leadership was concerned after hearing this year that the county can no longer allow alcohol to be sold on county property, outside of the county fair.