Homebound vaccine offer begins; part of outreach by Co. Health

By Buck Collier, Special Correspondent
Posted 3/8/23

HERMANN — A new vaccination program for homebound Gasconade County residents is part of the Health Department’s increased efforts to take its services to the people.

The outreach …

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Homebound vaccine offer begins; part of outreach by Co. Health

Posted

HERMANN — A new vaccination program for homebound Gasconade County residents is part of the Health Department’s increased efforts to take its services to the people.

The outreach effort held clinics March 2 at Hermann Area District Hospital and on the campus of the Gasconade County R-1 School District.

Health Department Administrator Kenna Fricke on morning of Monday, Feb. 27, outlined the projects during the regular monthly session of the agency’s Board of Trustees. With three of the five trustees in attendance, Fricke explained that the outreach effort will be funded in large measure through a $100,000-plus grant and will include clinics held in conjunction with a variety of partners, such as nursing homes, senior centers and other organizations.

“We’re excited to get started with that,” she told Trustees Mary Leeper, Molly Steinbeck and Ruth Both. Board President Stan Hall and Trustee Susan Steinbeck were unable to attend the session.

Fricke is hoping to see the outreach program grow well beyond Hermann and Owensville and is looking for potential partners in offering the clinics.

“I want more rural (areas), I want more Rosebud and Bland,” the administrator said.

The in-home vaccination program can be provided through appointments for residents who qualify because of physical mobility limitations, medical conditions or those without access to reliable transportation or caregiver assistance. Home clinic appointments tentatively will be scheduled on Thursdays — as will other outreach clinics — and will be grouped based on geographical location. All Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) recommended adult vaccines will be offered regardless of insurance status, department officials said.

If you would like to considered to be part of the in-home vaccination program, contact the Gasconade County Health Department at 573-486-3129 and ask to schedule an appointment. Department staff will collect basic demographic and insurance information (if applicable) and then check the individual’s record in Show-Me-Vax, the state’s online vaccination information system. With the individual’s permission, the county health agency may contact the person’s primary care doctor if the vaccination record is incomplete. Agency personnel then will review what vaccines are recommended, answer any questions the resident might have and then the resident will choose which vaccine they wish to receive.

A resident also can have a department staff member review his or her vaccine record to ensure the resident is up to date with immunizations. This can be done by calling 573-486-3129.

Meanwhile, the board gave Fricke authority to order a new Ford Explorer as an agency vehicle, a move aimed at cutting down on mileage costs and enabling the agency to move its supply trailer.

Fricke also opened several bids regarding a new roof and gutters for the Hermann offices at Schiller and 3rd Street. Of the five bids received, three were for both roof work and gutter installation, one was for roof replacement and one solely for gutter work.

Watkins Roofing of Columbia submitted a bid that was considered much too expensive ($160,600) and quickly rejected.

TRC Seamless Guttering of Bland offered to do the work at a cost of $54,700. Brautigam Roofing of Washington offered to do the roof work at a cost of $23,812 and Aholtz Seamless Guttering of Union proposed to install gutters at a cost of $8,420. Moritz Roofing of Owensville appeared to offer to do the roof work at a cost of $37,825 and the gutter work for an additional $27,000.

The board asked Fricke to contact Moritz Roofing to clarify the bid and get more information before selecting a winning bidder.