Sublette County Public Health Briefing: August 27, 2021
by Sublette County Public Health
August 27, 2021
Pinedale Community Blood Draw Reminder
Community Health Screenings are happening this year! Public Health, along with Wyoming Health Fairs, will host this event on Tuesday, August 31, Wednesday, Sept. 1 and Thursday, Sept. 2 from 6 - 9:30 am at Rendezvous Pointe Senior Center, 425 E. Magnolia St., Pinedale. For a list of screenings and pricing, visit https://www.sublettewycovid.com/vaccines. Sign-up at https://whf.as.me/Pinedale or call 307-367-2157 to schedule an appointment. Walk-ins accepted. Please come to this community event! Public Health will no longer be able to hold in-office blood draws due to current demands on our time--so come get your annual health screenings done now. Huge thanks to Rendezvous Pointe for providing space and breakfast to go for this event!
Wyoming Health Fairs recommends a 12-hour fast prior to blood draws, unless you are a diabetic. Drink plenty of water and take your medications as usual. WHF accepts all forms of payment — cash, checks, credit cards, and HSA cards. Wyoming Health Fairs can bill Blue Cross Blue Shield and Cigna insurance companies. Medicare does not pay for health fair screenings.
COVID Update
The Wyoming Department of Health (WDH) reports that there have been 21 new COVID-19 cases in Sublette County in the past week. There are currently 10 active cases in Sublette County, with 895 recoveries and 10 deaths, for a total of 915 cases since the pandemic began. Individuals are quarantining/isolating in the communities of Big Piney, Boulder, Bondurant, Marbleton, and Pinedale. Three individuals, from Sublette County, were transported to surrounding hospitals for care this week related to COVID.
WDH has bumped Sublette County back up to the Orange/Moderate High for community spread this week, most of the state continues to be in the Red or High Transmission Zone. (source: https://health.wyo.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/County-Metrics_August252021.pdf.
Early in the pandemic, the Town of Pinedale received equipment to monitor COVID levels in wastewater. The TOP has been monitoring wastewater for the shed of the virus throughout the pandemic. Looking at levels over the past year, COVID wastewater level readings are currently higher than ever--this is just another indicator that we have a high level of infected individuals at this time that may not be reflected in our case count totals. For more information on the statewide wastewater program, visit https://covidwastewatermonitor.wyo.gov/. Click on Pinedale on the map to see graphs & exact readings for local data.
COVID and Schools
The State of Wyoming, The Department of Education and school districts across the state are all dedicated to keeping schools open amid the statewide COVID surge. Because isolation orders apply to all students and staff that are not vaccinated, (see attached graphic) our local districts ask that if your child is not feeling well, that you keep them at home. Together we can all help our schools have a great year. "Everyone cares deeply and wants to ensure that the year is a success. I ask that we show respect and kindness to one another as we navigate some really tough decisions. We should always remember to treat others as we would like to be treated," Governor Mark Gordon said in a press release issued on Aug. 23, 2021.
COVID-19 Vaccines
On August 23, 2021, the FDA approved the first COVID-19 vaccine for full licensure. The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine will now be marketed as Comirnaty, for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older." The vaccine continues to be available under emergency use authorization for children aged 12 - 15 years.
A third vaccine dose is now being recommended for a limited group of Wyoming residents with certain medical conditions, according to WDH. Sublette County Public Health has begun administering an additional dose of vaccine to severely immunocompromised individuals under the new guidelines. See guidelines at this website or call Public Health for more information: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/recommendations/immuno.html
The ACIP (Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices) is scheduled to meet next week to discuss recommendations for booster doses for other groups. More information to come on this topic--as always, Public Health will follow the guidelines set forth by the FDA, ACIP, and the State of Wyoming Immunization Department.
As of Aug. 23, 2,658 people have been fully vaccinated in Sublette County, which means that 27.31% of our population has been vaccinated. Vaccine clinics continue to see higher rates of visitation over the last month, around 80-90 individuals per week countywide.
Weekly vaccination clinics are held at our Public Health Offices. Moderna, Pfizer, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccines are available at these clinics. Registration is requested but walk-ins are welcome on these clinic days!
• Tuesdays 1:30-3:30 pm, Marbleton Public Health Office (located in the Marbleton Senior Center).
• Thursdays 1:30-4 pm, Pinedale Public Health Office (in our large conference room or in our tent out front on nice days – look for the signs).
Ridley’s is providing Moderna and Janssen vaccinations on Mondays – visit their website to sign up https://shopridleys.com/pharmacy.php. Altitude Drug is currently offering Janssen vaccine – call for more information at 367-2278.
Remember that all COVID vaccines are available at no cost. Comirnaty (Pfizer) is available for ages 12+. Moderna and Janssen are available for those 18 and older. Sign-up is easy and takes less than 10 minutes. Sign-up here: https://www.sublettewycovid.com/vaccines or call Public Health at 367-2157 for assistance.
|
