Missouri health officials: Locals lead virus fight

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — Three of Missouri's top health officials said Friday trusted local leaders and community representatives must be the primary influencers in the state's efforts to reduce a surge in COVID-19 cases.

During a virtual news conference, Robert Knodell, acting director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, said the state continues to have a strong relationship with federal health experts but they all believe local health department workers and community representatives are the best avenue for persuading residents to be vaccinated.

Knodell said federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention officials agree people from out of state cannot "parachute" into the state to persuade residents to get vaccinated.

"We're on the same page as it relates to that," Knodell said. "So we've had various conversations about who effective local messengers are in rural communities as well as in our inner cities. ... The federal government is more than willing to engage with us in those conversations with trusted local messengers and provide us with messaging materials and efforts that have been successful elsewhere."

The comments came after Republican Gov. Mike Parson said last week he does not support a suggestion from President Joe Biden's administration government employees go door-to-door to urge people to get vaccinated.

Jeffrey Zeints, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, responded the program would rely on local doctors, faith leaders and others, and suggesting otherwise was "misinformation."

State epidemiologist Dr. George Turabelidze said federal officials have not provided the state with details on how federal "surge response" teams might work. But he warned that the delta variant is spreading from mostly rural areas to larger populations and health officials don't expect the surge to "turn around quickly" unless more people are vaccinated.

The state health department last week issued a hot spot advisory for three Lake of the Ozarks-area counties: Camden, Miller and Morgan. The agency forecast those areas could be the next to get hit hard with the delta variant because of spread from the Southwest Missouri region.

Turabelidze said vaccinations are the best way to prevent "another winter with masking, covered faces, limited travel (and) limited social life."

"Nobody wants that," Turabelidze said.

Missouri hospital leaders last week also renewed pleas for people to get vaccinated in hopes of preventing another surge.

Steve Edwards, president and CEO of CoxHealth, on Thursday tweeted that within a month the delta variant could spread and hit other areas of the state just as hard as Southwest Missouri.

"Begging people to take the vaccine while there is still time," Edwards tweeted. "If you could see the exhaustion in the eyes of our nurses who keep zipping up body bags, we beg you."

Lake Regional Health System on Thursday limited emergency room patients to only one support person and now is screening visitors, KRCG-TV reported.

"We need you to get vaccinated now," CEO Dane Henry wrote in an open letter. "If you haven't already, please roll up your sleeve. Do it to protect yourself, your family and this community."

St. Louis cases are also creeping up. Dr. Faisal Khan, director of the St. Louis County Department of Public Health, said the county's seven-day average of new COVID-19 cases rose 30% over the past week, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. Khan said he expects cases to continue to increase, and area officials called on people to get vaccinated to lessen the potential outbreak.

Springfield's Missouri State University on Friday announced incentives for vaccinations ranging from $25 bookstore gift cards for every vaccinated student to a lottery for iPads, AirPods and Xboxes. Two students will win an entire year of free tuition, housing, meals, textbook money and a parking space.

Parson has said he's considering offering incentives for people to get vaccinated.

Parson on Friday also vetoed legislation that would have allowed businesses affected by city or county restrictions to receive a property tax credit.

In a letter to lawmakers, Parson applauded the effort to help businesses hurt by what he described as "overly intrusive local health measures" during the pandemic. But he said the legislation would have gone far beyond that and would have allowed almost everyone living in a city or county to receive a tax credit.