The Guthrie County Board of Supervisors were updated on new staffing and funding to address the COVID-19 pandemic at their meeting Tuesday.

Public Health Director Jotham Arber presented payroll change notices for Sarah Hart and Morgan Sheeder for nurse and intern positions, which the Board approved. Arber also informed the Supervisors of funding they have received for COVID-19 vaccine distribution, “And so the funding that we have received is from our CRI – which is the City Readiness Initiative – which is a part of the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) program for metropolitan statistical areas and they include Des Moines and us. And so that funding, there’s $8,000 that we were given extra that will go to purchasing needed supplies for vaccine distribution. So your syringes, some of your needles, containers, drive-in tents, some vaccine refrigerators and then some of those other bandage-type things that we’ll need when that comes available.”

Arber anticipates setting up pods in each of the County’s communities for vaccine distribution in the spring months when it becomes available.