The Pulaski County Council and the Pulaski County Commissioners recently approved requests by the Pulaski County Health Department to use COVID-19 funds received by the state.
Terri Hansen from the Health Department explained to the Pulaski County Council members last week that the State sent the county $40,752.61 in reimbursement money for the first installment and $61,892.11 at the beginning of the month. She said when residents presented their insurance card when getting their COVID-19 shot, that money was given back to Health Department to spend on necessary expenses, although the State has not given directions on what specifically that money can be used. So far, Hansen said $20 gift cards were purchased and given to all of the volunteers who worked with the Health Department.
She cautioned that it is not known if another COVID-19 surge is coming, but that money would be available for that.
For now, Hansen asked the council for an appropriation of that money to purchase a new laser printer and a shredder as the current pieces of equipment are no longer operational. The council approved the request, and allowed Hansen to spend up to $25,000 of the funds from the State without permission from the council. She will still go to the commissioners to ask permission to spend anything over $2,000.
During the commissioners meeting Monday morning, Hansen asked the commissioners if she could purchase a refrigerator/freezer for the storage of vaccines that is the model used by most Health Departments in the state. She said more capacity is needed to store necessary vaccinations.
“We are still booked solid every Wednesday, every 15 minutes, giving the second booster shot and we are booked out several weeks just doing the second booster – not counting all of our childhood vaccines and all of our adult vaccines that we’re still getting, plus our red Hemoglobin for the children going to school, all of our TB testing, all of those types of things,” said Hansen.
The commissioners approved the request with a unanimous vote.
