County considering providing health services

Matt Baide | Aug 10, 20230

Mason County is considering providing direct health care services to the community through the county Community Services and Public Health departments.

The idea was discussed during the July 25 Board of Health meeting. County Health Officer Dr. Keri Gardner talked to the board about the idea, stating she and Director of Community Services Dave Windom have talked about the idea. Gardner said it would fill some gaps in the community’s

public health needs.

Gardner said the idea is still in the planning stage and the public health department has applied for a state grant that would fund the services to purchase a mobile van.

“What we see as the big outlay is the purchase of the mobile van that we would be using,” Gardner said during the meeting. “Right now, what we’re using for our syringe exchange is a really old vehicle that was due for retirement some time ago. If we are able to get these funds, that’s how we would like to use some of them is to purchase a mobile van and provide not just syringe exchange services but as long as we already have people out in the field to provide hepatitis C and HIV testing, treatment for hep C and screening treatment for tuberculosis. We see this as a really nice way of filling some of the gaps of care in our community.”

Windom said the money for the van won’t be available until Jan. 1, and the money for the vehicle will come out of the Treatment Sales Tax fund.

Gardner said if they do not receive the grant, there would still be a way to fund the idea and move forward.

“We see the gaps as not really being able to be filled in other ways,” Gardner said.

Windom reported that COVID funding ended as of June 30, and he reported there has been an increase in COVID in the community.

“This new strain seems to be a lot of sore throats,” Windom said during the meeting. “We did have a death last month from COVID. We’ve had a couple hospitalizations and we had one death this past month too to COVID. I can tell you from experience it’s (Paxlovid) nasty, but it works. It’s pretty bitter.”

Windom also talked about “blue zones,” which are areas in the world with the longest-lived people. The research in the blue zones aims to help people to live better and longer lives. Windom said that 10 years ago, it would have been easy to implement the program, but it isn’t as easy now.

“Post-COVID, the culture has changed. It’s much more difficult to get people to join groups, to do things as groups, to do forums, to be involved in the community. The culture has changed,” Windom said during the meeting. “That’s going to be a little tougher nut to crack now with that effort going forward.”

Mason County Public Health and Human Services has published its new website at http://www.healthymasoncounty.com. The next Board of Health meeting is scheduled for 3 p.m. Sept. 26.