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.