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Adams County public health officer reviews annual report, highlights vaccination and outreach gains
Summary
Public Health Officer Cody Przybylski presented Adams County’s annual public health report, noting a restored WIC presence, expanded vaccination outreach, new vending-machine harm-reduction supplies and ongoing work on lead screening, Lyme disease prevention and beach testing.
Adams County Public Health Officer Cody Przybylski presented the county health department’s annual report to the County Board at its regular meeting, summarizing program activity, partnerships and priorities.
Przybylski said the department holds a Level 3 credential, the highest available, and described efforts to rebuild community relationships lost during the COVID-19 pandemic while expanding prevention work such as vaccine outreach and WIC services.
The report said the county has restored in-person Women, Infants and Children (WIC) services; that restoration coincided with increased childhood lead screening in 2023 and 2024 because more children are being seen in person. "If it is over 3.5, then we schedule a home visit and do a lot of testing," Przybylski said, describing coordination with Wood County Environmental Health on home visits and inspections.
Przybylski described a multi-channel vaccine strategy launched last year — radio spots, grocery bag inserts, billboards and pharmacy partnerships — and said those efforts increased vaccine deliveries after declines in 2022–23. He credited O'Connell Pharmacy with helping deliver more than 150 vaccines in 2023 and just under 300 in 2024.
The department also reported participation in the state Narcan Direct program and distribution of fentanyl test strips. Przybylski said a county “public health vending machine” in the Health and Human Services lobby dispenses Narcan, fentanyl test strips and self-care items free during business hours. He said the Narcan supply will continue via the state program and that other machine items are funded by state infrastructure grants, department fundraising and donations.
Przybylski identified Lyme disease, flu-related hospitalizations and chlamydia as the county’s top communicable diseases; COVID-19 is no longer reported routinely except from hospitals, assisted-living facilities or nursing homes. He said the department conducts beach water testing every two weeks from Memorial Day through Labor Day and issues advisories for E. coli or blue-green algae when needed.
On community programming, Przybylski described a new nutrition and physical activity community action team, partnerships with the YMCA and school-based activities for younger students, and a prevention-focused "men’s night out" event targeting middle-aged and older men’s mental health supported by an infrastructure grant. Przybylski said the department has nearly 500 subscribers to a new public-health newsletter.
The report listed environmental health work performed under contract with Wood County — including lodging and retail food inspections — and noted the town of Rome’s lodging is largely short-term rentals, which drives inspection numbers. Przybylski said the department secured recertification as a child-death-review county and completed six case reviews last year.
Przybylski closed by thanking staff and listing goals including strengthening vaccine campaigns, maintaining the community health improvement plan and expanding outreach as capacity allows.
