The Atchison County Health Department reported that there were no cases of COVID-19 in Atchison County from June 28 through July 12, 2021. As of July 12 there have been 467 total cases and 13 deaths.

There is one active COVID-19 hospitalization in our local hospital. (That case is not from Atchison County.)

The current seven-day testing positivity rate for Atchison County is 0%.

COVID-19 TESTING

Atchison County Health Department has BinaxNOW test kits available for testing. These tests are free. The rapid antigen test provides results within 15 minutes after collecting the sample. This is a great option in identifying positives before going to school or work, so they do not have to quarantine multiple people due to exposure. Health department personnel is available and in the office by 7:30 a.m. each morning. Call 660-736-4121 if you are in need of testing.

Missouri Department of Health has free at-home test kits that can be ordered online. Visit https://health.mo.gov/living/healthcondiseases/communicable/novel-coronavirus/community-test.php#self-collection to find out more information about those kits and how to order.

COVID VACCINE UPDATES

Together, our community has made great progress in protecting ourselves and our loved ones from COVID-19. Atchison County is ranked sixth in the state with 38.7% of residents completing vaccinations and ranked seventh in the state with 41.8% of residents receiving at least one COVID vaccine dose. In total, 3,778 doses have been given in Atchison County. For details see: https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/data/. There is still more work to do to get to herd immunity where we can experience the benefits of reduced community spread: seeing friends and family members, enjoying summer and safely getting kids back to school this fall.

COVID-19 Vaccine

Atchison County Health Department has Moderna, Johnson & Johnson and Pfizer vaccines available. Walk-ins are welcome. Pfizer is the vaccine available for those ages 12 to 17 and an adult will need to be present during the vaccination. Any student wishing to be fully vaccinated by the time school starts will need to have the first dose of Pfizer started by July 19.

To find a COVID-19 vaccine near you, go to www.vaccines.gov and type in your zip code. You can also narrow the search down by type of vaccine and search radius.

DELTA VARIANT

Atchison County Health Department has been notified that the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant is in Atchison County. On June 15, 2021, the Delta variant was classified as a Variant of Concern (VOC) because it spreads from person to person more easily than other variants and may cause more severe disease. The more a virus circulates in a population, the more opportunities it has to transform itself and can reduce the effectiveness of our vaccines. Recent studies have shown that the vaccines available in the United States are effective against variants currently circulating, including B.1.617.2. Vaccines interrupt the ability of the virus that causes COVID-19 to move between people and mutate. The best way for us to keep our community safe and healthy is to ensure that every eligible adult and child is vaccinated. Communities that are currently experiencing high rates of COVID infections are the ones with low vaccination rates.

If you have questions or concerns about vaccines, contact your healthcare professional, state or local health department, or local pharmacist or visit the CDC website. To find a place in your community to get a vaccine, visit vaccines.gov.