Board takes detailed look at 2024-25 COVID, flu case numbers
Logan County District Board of Health members were informed at their meeting Wednesday afternoon, April 9, about how federal funding cuts are impacting operations at the Logan County Health District, including the recent loss of two sizable grants.
Health Commissioner Travis Irvan reported that the remaining funds from the LCHD’s $801,000 Emergency Operations Grant and the $10,000 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Talk They’ll Hear You Grant will no longer be available to the health district.
The EO grant originated with the COVID-19 pandemic, and helped local and state health departments to recover from the pandemic and prepare for other possible outbreaks.
An intermittent, temporary public health nurse’s job was cut because of the loss of the EO grant. Her position was entirely grant funded and she worked at the LCHD approximately 10 hours a week, Irvan said.
The EO grant funding recently was providing for data modernization upgrades at the LCHD, and support for a variety of other programs, including travel expenses for staff to attend the upcoming National Association of County and City Health Officials’ Preparedness Summit in San Antonio, Texas, later this month.
Irvan is a presenter at the NACCHO conference and will still be attending (his presentation details the health district’s tornado response in March 2024 and related grief support). However, several other staff members will not be attending as previously planned because of the loss of grant funds.
“It’s a frustrating process because we found out all of this at the last minute,” the health commissioner said. “We already had our flights booked, so we’ve had to cancel those and are hoping to recoup the funds.
“Fortunately, NACHHO is very understanding and is refunding our registration fees for the conference.”
Related to the SAMHA’s Talk They’ll Hear You Grant, Director of Community Outreach Megan Bailey said a Parent Movie Night at the health district, complete with a food truck visit, previously was planned for March 28.
However, the event had to be canceled a day or two prior “because we were informed we needed to seize all activities related to the grant,” Bailey said, noting that approximately $900 had been spent from the grant thus far.
Despite the loss of these two grants, Irvan reported Wednesday that the health district has been awarded a Harm Reduction Grant through the Ohio Department of Health, which will provide $64,000 for 2025, along with $128,000 for the next two years.
He congratulated his staff on this “impressive achievement,” as the LCHD was one of only a few recipients around the state.
During the community health report, Bailey offered a detailed look at the COVID-19 and influenza case numbers for Logan County for the 2024-25 season, with reports prepared by epidemiologist Alexis Harman.
For the peak COVID season reporting period Sept. 1-March 25, there were 410 reported COVID-19 cases, with patients ranging in age from 1 month old to 99 years old.
Among those cases, 52 county residents were hospitalized with COVID during that time, with 9.6 percent of those individuals being fully vaccinated against the virus. The average age for hospitalized individuals was 70.8.
Four COVID-19-related deaths were also reported in Logan County for the 2024-25 peak COVID season, with individuals ranging from 64-90 years old. None of those individuals were fully vaccinated against the virus.
Related to influenza cases, 69 hospitalizations of county residents were reported from Dec. 18-March 16, with patients ranging in age from an infant to 92 years old. Individuals ages 60-79 made up the largest percentage of those who were hospitalized.
The peak week of influenza hospitalizations was the week of Feb. 3, when 17 hospitalizations were reported.
Overall, 23 percent of the individuals hospitalized were vaccinated against influenza.
There was one influenza-related death in Logan County this flu season, for an individual who was being treated in an emergency department and was about to be admitted to an area hospital, but passed away before receiving a hospital room, Irvan said.
Nursing Director Lee Watts reported on the health district’s collaborative effort to host back-to-school vaccine clinics for those in pre-K through college. The clinics are by appointment only, available beginning in May, and with clinic dates also offered in June, July, August and September.
Next month, the clinic dates are May 13 and 17, with appointments starting to fill up. To schedule an appointment for your child, call (937) 651-6186.
Also at the meeting, that board was introduced to the new emergency preparedness coordinator Cole Harbour of Rushsylvania, a Benjamin Logan High School and Bowling Green State University graduate. He began his new role March 31.
Members also congratulated Board President Dr. Grant Varian on his re-election to the board for a five-year term during the District Advisory Council meeting March 20.
The next meeting is 1 p.m. Wednesday, May 14.