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Columbia County health director reports norovirus outbreaks, board approves health appointments and several grants
Summary
The county health director told supervisors the season brought multiple norovirus outbreaks and COVID deaths in assisted-living facilities. The board approved two Board of Health appointments and accepted several public-health grants and a preschool services contract.
Columbia County Health Department Director Victoria McGann told the Health and Human Services Committee on Jan. 14 that the county has seen multiple norovirus outbreaks this winter alongside COVID and flu activity, and that two recent COVID deaths had occurred among residents of assisted-living facilities.
McGann said the county’s reported totals were lower than some prior years but that not every facility reports, and added that vaccination uptake appears to be declining. “Lots of norovirus, lots of COVID, lots of flu,” McGann said, noting outbreaks in long-term care facilities and that the cases have been highly contagious.
The committee approved several routine items during the meeting. Supervisors authorized appointments of two physicians to the County Board of Health, approved acceptance of a 24 MRC operational readiness award from the National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO), accepted a performance incentive award from the New York State Department of Health, and authorized a contract with a preschool agency to provide services to eligible children. Each motion was moved, seconded, and carried without recorded opposition.
Why this matters: county public-health programs rely on state and federal grants to maintain preparedness and to deliver services such as preschool health screenings and outbreak response. The director warned that incomplete reporting by facilities can obscure the true scale of respiratory and gastrointestinal illnesses among older adults.
In discussion, McGann said participation in COVID vaccination clinics has waned overall even though vaccine uptake among people 65 and older remains stronger nationally. Committee members asked for more age- and venue-specific outreach; McGann described plans to use the department’s newsletter, social media posts and advisory-council channels to push information about clinics and prevention guidance.
The meeting record shows the following formal actions were approved: the Board of Health appointments (motion carried), acceptance of the NACCHO operational readiness award (motion carried), acceptance of the New York State Department of Health performance incentive award (motion carried), and authorization of a preschool-services contract (motion carried). No dollar amounts beyond the NACCHO award description or additional contract details were specified in the discussion.
