Press Release: COVID-19 has had an impact on everything and everyone. For some, it is an occasional conversation topic and inconvenience when they want to go out. For others, it is a constant subject due to them having to deal with restrictions, protective procedures, or even treating the sick every day. From an Emergency Management point of view, this has been the longest and most involved operation that we have seen. We have been performing many operations and tasks over the last year to either prepare for or respond to this pandemic.
Our Emergency Operations Center has officially been open since March 12th. We have been coordinating any effort to prepare for or respond to this event. We have been collecting numbers on various aspects of the virus in our area since April, when we had our first case. These numbers come from several different areas that are available to most people and some come from local and state organizations.
We have assisted in obtaining personal protective equipment (PPE) for the county government and many other organizations that were in need. Testing became a big issue during the summer and fall. We provided information on how and where to get a test and what to do if positive or exposed. We also serve on several task forces that research and advise organizations on situational awareness and protective procedures.
Another operation that we are undertaking is assisting numerous organizations with the procedures for obtaining FEMA reimbursement. The COVID-19 pandemic was declared a Major Disaster in March of 2020. This allows local and state governments as well as some non-profit organizations to apply for public assistance to be reimbursed for costs that apply to COVID-19 response. Navigating these procedures can be challenging and we are assisting these organizations with that process. We are also collecting information to apply for our own assistance to reimburse Union County.
The latest operation is the assistance with vaccinations. We have been working with the local Department of Public Health, Union County Government, Union County Recreation, and many volunteers to administer the vaccinations as they become available. We are limited on the number of vaccinations that we receive. We are also only vaccinating persons who qualify as the 1Aplus phase. As more vaccine becomes available and other phases open up, we will continue to assist in the administration of the vaccine.