The Cooper County Public Health Center has received notification of another COVID-19-related death of a Cooper County citizen. The deceased person’s identity will remain confidential. The deceased was over 80 years old. This makes the third death that meets the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services criteria for labeling COVID related in the county.
A release from Cooper County Public Health Center Administrator Melanie Hutton says staff members have been working with contacts of this case prior to the death. The 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 who may have come into close contact with the positive individual to monitor them for symptoms and assist in the containment of the virus.
The health department encourages anyone who suspects they have COVID-19 or have been in contact with someone with a confirmed case of COVID-19 to call their healthcare provider before seeking care, unless it is a life-threatening emergency.
Hutton says, “It is important that every member of the community continues 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 its 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 the 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 you are 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, it 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 using public transportation, ridesharing or taxis.
• 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. 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 a physician’s order. 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, an order will be sent directly to our mobile testing site. Once you have an order for testing from a provider, visit Cooper County Public Health Center’s drive-thru testing site located just west of the hospital at the Doctor’s Building at 1504 East Broadway. The drive-thru testing is open 7 a.m.-3 p.m. Monday-Friday and 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Saturday. It is closed on Sundays. You will remain in your car the entire time. You will be asked to provide the doctor’s 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.