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Officials report higher respiratory hospitalizations; county sees influenza and COVID-positive tests alongside pop-up vaccination clinics
Summary
Department staff reported spikes in respiratory illness hospitalizations earlier in the week and recent lab positives for influenza and COVID-19; staff discussed vaccine hesitancy, pop-up clinics, and outreach to homeless populations.
Department staff reported that earlier in the week the county had seen "as many as 20 some" hospitalizations for respiratory illness overall and that, on the day discussed, clinic testing showed multiple influenza- and COVID-positive results.
"I think it's the same. I think, earlier in the week, we had as many as 20 some hospitalized for respiratory illness overall, not just influenza, but it is prominent," said Dr. Barkin during the communicable-disease update. Another staff member reported, "I believe today, we had 8 influenza positive and 8 and it was 8 and 9. 8 or 9 COVID and 8 or 9, influenza." Those case counts were given in the meeting transcript; no laboratory reports were attached to the record.
Board members asked about vaccine hesitancy and county-level uptake after one commenter said uptake at Union increased and then declined. Staff replied that pop-up vaccination clinics and a state board of health visit had produced "great utilization" among the county's homeless population.
No formal actions, mandates or new vaccine requirements were recorded in the transcript. The department reported ongoing outreach efforts, including pop-up clinics and state-supported vaccine events, and said it would continue monitoring respiratory illness trends.
