Notification of another Covid related-19 related death of a Cooper County citizen

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:    

October 22, 2020   1:30 pm

Media Contact:

Melanie Hutton RN, MSN Administrator

melanie.hutton@coopercopublichealth.com

(Boonville, MO) The Cooper County Public Health Center has received notification of another Covid related-19 related death of a Cooper County citizen. The deceased identity will remain confidential. The age of the deceased is over the age of eighty years. This makes the third death that meets the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services criteria for labeling Covid related.

 The Cooper County Public Health Center staff have been working with contacts of this case prior to the death. The Cooper County Public Health Center works in conjunction with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) to investigate reported cases  in an effort to identify any individual that may have come in close contact with the positive individual to monitor them for symptoms and assist in the containment of the virus.

 We encourage anyone that suspects you have COVID-19 or have been in contact with someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 to call your healthcare provider before seeking care unless it is a life-threatening emergency.

 It is important that every member of the community continue to follow the CDC basic hygiene preventative measures. These measures include avoiding contact with people who are sick, wearing a mask, covering coughs and sneezes, proper handwashing, cleaning frequently used surfaces, and staying home when sick.

 The Cooper County Public Health Center has taken and will continue to take the necessary precautions to keep our community safe and will continue to diligently monitor the COVID-19 situation as it evolves by following the CDC guidelines to protect public health and limit spread of this infection.

 If You Believe You Have Symptoms

• Call the COVID-19 Hotline at 877.435.8411. Do not go to the emergency room or doctor’s office before calling. If unable to get through, call your local healthcare provider.
• If you do not have a local healthcare provider, call the Cooper County Public Health Center at 660.882.2626. The Center does not have a physician on staff however, we will help you locate a healthcare provider.
• Follow the instructions provided by healthcare professionals.
• Stay home: People who are mildly ill with COVID-19 can isolate at home during their illness. You should restrict activities outside your home, except for getting medical care.
• Avoid public areas: Do not go to work, school, or public areas.
• Avoid public transportation: Avoid using public transportation, ridesharing, or taxis.
• Stay away from others: As much as possible, you should stay in a specific room and away from other people in your home. Also, you should use a separate bathroom, if available.

Local Testing

The Cooper County Public Health Center does testing by appointment only. You must call prior to coming to the health center. Please call 660-882-2626 to speak with a staff member to be scheduled for testing.

Both MU Health Care and Boone Hospital Center have begun offering drive-thru testing.

MU Health Care will offer drive-thru COVID-19 testing for patients with physician orders. The drive-thru testing is for patients with mild symptoms who have been assessed by a provider either through a clinic or video visit. Testing will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday in the MU softball stadium parking lot. MU Health Care is now offering free video visits to assess for COVID-19. Patients should visit MUHealthVideoVisits.org and select the “COVID-19” video visit option.

Boone Hospital Center will need an order from your provider.  Call your primary care provider to see if you qualify for testing. If you qualify for testing through this process, an order will be sent directly to our mobile testing site.

Once you have an order for testing from a provider, visit our drive-thru testing site located just west of the hospital at the Doctor’s Building, 1504 E. Broadway.  Our drive-thru testing is open Monday-Friday, 7 a.m.-3 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m.-12 p.m.  It is closed on Sundays. You will remain in your car the entire time.  You will be asked for you provider order (can be in-hand or submitted electronically by your provider), a photo ID and your insurance card if available. There is no out-of-pocket cost for COVID-19 testing.