COVID update

With only one new case in Barton County and similar stories across the state, the governor announced that the public health response will move from pandemic to endemic. Barton County Health Department Administrator Joel Dermott stated that according to the governor, on Friday, April 1, 2022, Missouri transitioned to a new phase of the COVID-19 pandemic response. He stated that the SARS-CoV-2 virus is expected to continue circulating in the communities and therefore, it will be considered endemic.

The endemicity also means that surveillance priority will change from monitoring case numbers to monitor disease severity and societal impact. To reflect these changes, the COVID-19 dashboard will transition to a new layout that will highlight specific data that will help public health leaders measure the impact and severity of COVID-19.

Dermott added, “Locally we will still continue to monitor watershed testing, hospitalization rates and localized outbreaks”, stating that case investigations, surveillance and data logging will remain a part of the health department’s daily routine. Dermott stated, “While not moving totally beyond COVID, this is as close to normal as we have been in two years and that is a true blessing for all.”