While the number of new COVID-19 positive cases diagnosed in Gasconade County this past week was “stable,” caution continues to be a theme the county’s health officials are stressing.

Dr. Michael Rothermich, chief of staff for Hermann Area District Hospital reports 16 new positive cases last week in the county while the “PCR only 7-day Positivity Rate” stayed at just under 10 percent.

“While these are both well below levels we saw just after the holidays, this still represents a significant amount of circulating disease, and I continue to urge caution, especially to those who are unvaccinated,” said Rothermich in his weekly email report. “For those who are vaccinated, the CDC updated their guidance regarding safe activities last week.”  

Greg Lara, the county health department’s administrator, offered his cautionary warning.

“A large percentage of the cases we are seeing seems like they have been associated with large- to medium-scale gatherings/events,” he said in an email. “We continue to urge caution when attending these gatherings and to continue to follow proper precautions such as distancing, staying home if you have any symptoms, wear a facemask, and follow proper hygiene procedures. We need to keep our case counts down as this will also affect long-term care facilities and their policies of for reopening and allowing visitors in as well.” 

Lara said he considers the “larger events” as events such as “weddings, sporting events, festivals, concerts, etc. Depending on the size of facilities/indoor or outdoor and number of people attending, etc., if it is not conducive to social distancing such as dancing, group partying, etc., this would create a higher risk for the spread of the virus. We are recommending that if you are invited to, or are planning on attending an event such as this, to use some judgement.”

Signs of what has been described as a slight “uptick” in recent weeks of positive cases in Gasconade County is evident, at least partially, through announcements by school officials of students out with symptoms requiring absences in quarantine.

Gasconade County R-2 School District Superintendent Dr. Chuck Garner on Monday announced a high school student last in the building March 9 had tested positive. 

One student in close contact with the student who tested positive was asked to quarantine. Seven others in close contact but who were in compliance with changes in the R-2 mask protocols will not require quarantine, according to a text message Garner sent out early Monday afternoon.

Parents are asked to keep their children home if they exhibit any of the virus symptoms which include cough, shortness of breath, new loss of taste or smell, fever, chills, headache, muscle ache, sore throat, congestion, nausea or diarrhea to keep your child at home, notify the school, and contact your personal health provider.

StoneBridge facilities ease COVID restrictions for visitors

At least two residential facilities in the county are preparing to loosen restrictions on visitor access while urging caution if you plan to spend time with your special senior citizen.

StoneBridge Senior Living’s facilities in Owensville and Hermann join the six centers in Arkansas and 12 in Missouri, including Westphalia, in allowing visitors provided they meet certain criteria.

The centers will allow outdoor visitation, indoor common-area visitation, and visitation inside resident rooms as long as these three criteria are met:

• the county positivity rate is less than 10 percent,

• at least 70 percent of the facility’s residents have been vaccinated, and, 

• the facility does not have an active outbreak.

“Last week we shared some exciting news regarding the success of the vaccine in our facilities and the subsequent drop in COVID-19,” StoneBridge officials said in a letter to families of their residents. “We continue to be COVID free with no positive residents or employees. This is a testament to the effectiveness of the vaccines and if you have not already been vaccinated, we strongly encourage you to be vaccinated when it is available to you.”

This change in visitation policy follows guidelines set up by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), and the State Health Department, according to StoneBridge headquarters officials.

“CMS, in conjunction with the CDC and State Health Departments, provided updated guidance this week that all StoneBridge Senior Living communities meet these three criteria currently,” according to the March 12 notice. “So, we will restart visitation, including inside resident rooms, and will continue to monitor state and local trends for ongoing compliance with the new guidance. Note that any visitation inside or outside the facility does still require screening upon arrival and the use of a face covering (mask) at all times. The CDC and CMS continue to recommend visits be done in a socially-distanced manner and visitors practice proper hand hygiene.”

The announcement Friday came 363 days after the CMS ordered long-term-care facilities to discontinue visitations.

StoneBridge officials urged family members to be patient with the staff at their respective facilities as, due to community infection trends, some facilities may require scheduling, limit the length of the visit, and/or limit the number of visitors.

“These are all steps to keep our residents, our staff, as well as our visitors safe,” StoneBridge officials said. “We recommend you contact the facility for community specific details on visitation because the process may vary slightly between communities in light of the differences in local trends, etc.”