By Tom Hintgen

Otter Tail County Correspondent

County residents, in light of ongoing Covid-19 challenges, need to double down their efforts in order to stay healthy in 2022.

Otter Tail County Public Health Director Jody Lien, speaking to county board members in late December 2021, said that Otter Tail County continues to be identified by the Center for Disease Control (CDC) as an area of high-level Covid-19 transmission.

“We in county public health express the importance of continuing to follow public health measures,” Lien said. “Vaccine and prevention measures have been found effective against the Omicron variant.”

Lien added that county residents are encouraged to take advantage of local testing and vaccine opportunities.

A Covid-19 public hotline, coordinated by the Minnesota Department of Health, is available by calling (833) 431-2053. The weekday hours are 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

The county public health phone number is (218) 998-8320.

Also speaking in late December to county board members was County Emergency Manager Patrick Waletzko. 

He provided a brief update regarding long-term care and shared that two facilities in Otter Tail County (Pioneer Care in Fergus Falls and Good Samaritan Society in Battle Lake) have received support from the National Guard.

“State-level rescue plan dollars have been allocated to long-term care facilities to assist with the recruitment and retention of staff,” Waletzko added.