Public Health Officer Reports Only 2 Active Covid Cases; Urges Flu Vaccination

Sep 25, 20202 min read

By Dr. Gary Girard LCO Health Center Director

Public Health Officer

The flu season will be upon us soon. The LCO Health Center has scheduled a Flu Vaccine day on October 15th for all health center patients from 1 to 6 p.m. All precautions have been made to protect patients. Only 14 patients will be allowed in the Health Center at a time. Patients will be screened for Covid-19, (3) registration sites will be set up, (8) rooms will be available for vaccinations, patients will maintain social distancing, provided masks, and hand sanitizers. Patients will enter at main lobby and exit through back door. Patients wanting vaccination at alternative times will schedule with registration. Everyone wanting a vaccine will get one. In the face of Covid-19, we are strongly recommending everyone get a flu vaccine as flu and Covid-19 may be contracted at the same time and increase risk may be expected. Urgent Care will be available.

The Health Center has partnered with Tribal Governing Board, Sawyer County Health, Emergency Management, and Hayward Hospital in our Covid-19 Response.

The Health Center conducted 48 Rapid ABBOTT COVID-19 tests this week. Two (2) were positive, 46 were negative. These are the only (2) active cases in the LCO Community at this time. Sawyer County Health has quarantined the positive cases and contract tracing has been done. We also conducted 57 Exact Sciences Covid-19 tests send to Lab Corp at last week’s outreach. All 57 were negative. We have done a good job of minimizing the spread of Covid-19 to date.

Please continue to social distance, wear face masks when 6’ or closer to others. Minimize gathering to 10 or less, have family gatherings outside when possible, disinfect regularly, wash hands often, cover your cough with your elbow, and contact your provider if you have covid-19 symptoms, you will be tested.

Symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus. People with these symptoms may have COVID-19:

Fever or chills Cough Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing Fatigue Muscle or body aches
Headache New loss of taste or smell Sore throat Congestion or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting Diarrhea Trouble breathing Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
New confusion Inability to wake or stay awake Bluish lips or face

Look for emergency warning signs for COVID-19. If someone is showing any of these signs, seek emergency medical care immediately:

https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/symptoms-testing/symptoms.html