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At first glance, it would appear that Perry County has been lucky when it comes to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Since March 22, the Perry County Health Department has reported fewer than 50 cases of the disease, or an average of approximately one per day. As of Tuesday, all but four have recovered. So far, no one has died.
Other nearby counties, like Jefferson (310 positive cases, 12 deaths) and Scott (82 cases, 6 deaths) in Missouri and Randolph (232 cases, 3 deaths) in Illinois all report higher numbers.
Has it all been a matter of luck? Perry County Health Department director Sylvia Forester says it’s worse than it appears.
“It’s very important that when people look at county totals, they take into consideration the population of the county,” Forester said. “Without doing so, we are comparing apples to oranges. Perry County outranks both Scott and Jefferson Counties for positives per capita. We still rank in the top 10 counties in Missouri for most cases per capita. That is definitely a top-10 list we do not want to continue to be in.”
Even taking all that into consideration, there haven’t been consecutive days with new cases reported for some time and the number of days between reported cases keeps growing. While this is certainly a positive sign, it doesn’t mean the risk is over or even diminished.
“Perry County is still not out of the woods and will not be until a vaccine is available and a large number of residents are vaccinated against the virus,” said health department assistant director Liz House. “We are still seeing new cases, both within our county and within surrounding jurisdictions. Additionally, as cities and counties open back up there are more individuals moving around in the community and a higher chance for individuals to be exposed. Perry County is past the initial large peak of cases, but only time will tell if there will be more peaks. Businesses and residents need to continue to be vigilant on ways they can protect everyone in the community.”
That recommendation for continued vigilance will likely remain for some time. The statewide stay-at-home order issued last month by Gov. Mike Parson expired on May 4, allowing most businesses, restaurants, bars and religious centers in the state to reopen as long as they continue to follow guidelines regarding social distancing, capacity and sanitization of public spaces.
Forester said the health department is monitoring the situation.
“The health department did receive several complaints about businesses not appearing to enforce social distance guidelines,” Forester said. “We are keeping track of these complaints and making calls to reeducate businesses on the current state order. If we continue to receive complaints, we will look into further response options.”
Of course, the responsibility doesn’t lie entirely with business owners.
Customers must also be aware. Forester said she feels the majority of county residents are taking health concerns over the pandemic seriously.
“It’s so important to do what you can to protect not just yourself, but others,” Forester said. “I really do think that the majority of Perry County has done very well with being responsible with their actions. And for those of us that are being responsible, it can be very frustrating when we see others who are not. Sometimes it’s harder to do the right thing than the wrong — but in this case, the hard right will save lives and the easy wrong will risk them.”
During the past week, testing for COVID-19 continued at Perry County Memorial Hospital. According to a report issued Wednesday morning, the hospital has administered 384 tests since March 12, to patients ranging in age from toddlers to over 80, including 78 patients — 40 males and 38 females — from May 6-May 12.
Of those tested in the past week, two returned positive results, including one male and one female.
As of Wednesday morning, eight of those tested were still awaiting results.
Of those tested during the past week, 29 were tested as part of preparation for surgery at the hospital.
According to PCMH officials, testing results are not necessarily representative of Perry County’s infection rates, since not everyone tested at the hospital is from the county.
“As a precaution, it is recommended that all patients that will be undergoing an ‘aerosolizing’ procedure be tested,” said PCMH CEO Patrick Carron. “Aerosolizing procedures should be avoided, if possible, on patients with COVID-19 due to the extreme risk that it places on the healthcare workforce.”
Carron said some common aerosolizing procedures include intubations, and high-flow oxygen therapy such as bi-level positive airway pressure — or BPAP — care, “which can cause the virus to mobilize through the air and increase the risk for cross contamination to others present, such as a sneeze or hard cough.”
Carron added that most surgeons are electing to postpone elective surgical procedures on patients actively infected with the virus.
“This pandemic is certainly not over,” Forester said. “I know how badly we all want to get back to normal and put this all behind us — it’s human nature. Unfortunately, this is not going away anytime soon — and it’s going to take adjustment.”
