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Commissioners vote to submit letter requesting county health variance

At the March 2 Hot Springs County Commissioner meeting, Public Health Nurse Tricia McPhie gave her report of local COVID vaccinations and her goals of getting more doses available to the public. This would include more new people receiving their first doses and also having others receive their second dose. There are still people on the waiting list. 

Chairman Tom Ryan asked McPhie, “Do you think you have vaccinated the majority of people over 70 years old?” McPhie paused and then replied, “I don’t know. We have vaccinated a large number of those people. But there are still people on the 70 waiting list.” 

McPhie said part of her goal is to look ahead and vaccinate for the tourist season as quickly as they can. 

Commissioner Jack Baird mentioned that there are around 4,200 residents in Hot Springs County and that 21% of them are over 65 years old. He said that population vaccinations should be all done. “I would say we are pretty close to having them all vaccinated.” 

McPhie said that the vaccinations have been opened up to Phases 1A and 1B and she hopes to do it for 1C soon, within the next couple of weeks.

After hearing this, the commissioners submitted a letter for a County Health Variance. Chairman Ryan said, “The commissioner would like to submit health variances for all three deals and roll back all variances.” Ryan mentioned that Johnson, Weston and Niobrara Counties all submitted variances and that the State approved them with the exceptions of the schools, but Ryan said they are going to submit it as all with the school in it. 

Ryan said, “We’re going to submit it to our County Health Officer and it will be in his court when we get done.” This request to the County Health Officer would remove the mask mandate in Hot Springs County. People can still wear masks if they choose, but it won’t be mandated. 

Ryan asked for a motion to have the County Attorney draw up health variances to rescind all restrictions for Hot Springs County imposed at both the county level and state level and submit that to the County Health Officer for his signature to send onto the State. Ryan said, “We cannot tell him what to do, but he does work for us.”

The motion was seconded and during discussion Commissioner Baird said, “My discussion is: this is long overdue.” Ryan said, “I don’t disagree.” The motion was passed with all in agreement. 

 
 

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