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Saturday, July 12, 2025 at 11:18 PM

COVID Update

COVID Update

Churchill County Manager Jim Barbee provided a COVID-19 up- date to County Commissioners during their Wednesday meeting. According to Barbee, a total of 1,932 positive cases have been reported since last March. Since January, there has been a continuing decline in positive cases, with the positivity rate hovering around 6%. According to Barbee, the test rate is not lower be- cause there have been fewer tests administered, and the current focus is on providing vaccinations to the community.

The county Health Response staff has opened the new vaccine POD at the Fairgrounds this week, moving from the Sheckler Road parking lot to the 40 acres near Miners Road on the south side of the large parking lot.

To date, the county has administered over 4,000 first-round vaccines and nearly 2,500 second-dose booster shots. Additionally, Banner Hospital, Walmart, Safeway, Walgreens, and CVS pharmacies have been administering the vaccine to local residents. The new vaccination POD can accommodate more people, delivering vaccines up to 300 people per hour. However, the county continues to experience difficulties receiving vaccines from the state.

Barbee also updated commissioners on the upcoming transition of authority from the state to the county for COVID mitigation management. “We have worked closely through this COVID situation to make sure businesses were limited in the grief with OSHA coming into the community,” said Barbee. He said the Governor has announced the state will be turning over the COVID response to local authorities on May 1. According to Barbee the county has received the local authority plan, which bluntly states, “’We’re going let you develop a plan based on the plan we’re going to provide you, then we’re going to have several outside groups review your plan and then your health board can approve your plan and then your commission can review your plan and if we approve your plan, then you’ll have your own plan, it was a little bit insulting,’” said Barbee. He is scheduled to meet with staff from other rural counties to see how this will be addressed. “We are all of a like mind that we need to move on and get things open and get as much as we can to normal while maintaining safety in the community. Your county and city leadership are dedicated to get closer to normal as soon as we can.

 


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carl_hagen 03/12/2021 06:39 AM
Thanks for the update. What is a vaccine POD?

COMMENTS
Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I knew Sam as a member of our church growing up. He always had a warm smile, a kind word, and a great sense of humor! He will be great missed!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:57 AMComment source: Obituary -- Samuel Bruce WickizerComment author: Mike HinzComment text: Great teacher, great coach, but even a better person!!! Rest in peace Mr. BeachComment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:53 AMComment source: Obituary -- Jack Victor Beach, Jr.Comment author: Mike HinzComment text: I had Mrs Hedges for First Grade at Northside Elementary in 1969. I still, to this day, remember her as a wonderful teacher…one of my favorites!!Comment publication date: 7/2/25, 11:29 AMComment source: Obituary - Nancy Marie Hedges C Comment author: Carl C. HagenComment text: What are MFNs and PBMs ?? ............................ From the editor: This is a very good question and we apologize for not catching that wasn't in there. We reached out to the writer/submitter and got this info back...hope it's helpful. PBM: Pharmacy Benefit Managers are pharmacies that are owned by insurance companies. (CVS is one.) They negotiate with drug makers to get reduced pricing for medications, but they historically have not passed along those savings to patients. https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/pharmacy-benefit-managers-staff-report.pdf MFN: Most Favored Nation pricing is a policy that means a country agrees to offer the same trade concessions (like tariffs or price reductions) to all member nations of the World Trade Organization (WTO). When applied to pharmaceuticals, it could disrupt global access, deter innovation, and obscure the deeper systemic issues in American health care. https://petrieflom.law.harvard.edu/2025/05/22/the-global-risks-of-americas-most-favored-nation-drug-pricing-policy/Comment publication date: 6/23/25, 7:47 AMComment source: L E T T E R TO THE EDITOR
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