Wiedenhoff named new JCPH director

     Since mid-August when Jenna Lovaas stepped down as Jones County’s Public Health coordinator, Community Health Specialist Jess Wiedenhoff was named “interim Public Health coordinator.”

     During the Dec. 28 Jones County Supervisor meeting, the board made of record the Board of Health’s decision to officially name Wiedenhoff the Public Health Director. Wiedenhoff has been working for Jones County for three and a half years now.

     “It’s still a fun ride,” commented Wiedenhoff. “It’s already better than last year because I had no (COVID-related) calls on Christmas Day.”

     “You do a good job,” praised Supervisor Jeff Swisher. “You’re confident and speak your mind, which is hard to come by. You get along with people and try to find common ground.”

     Wiedenhoff, who shared that she’s worked in three different countries thus far in her career, experienced the nuances of each and the people she had to work with.

     “Sometimes tensions happen, but we all have the same common goal and we do the best we can,” explained Wiedenhoff. “I’m not out to upset anybody.”

     Wiedenhoff’s full-time position will be based on 40 hours a week.

     She also updated the board on the Board of Health’s plan to hire a full-time Community Health Assistant, someone who would split their 40 hours working for both Public Health and Environmental Health. Based on the online job description, this position would be under the supervision of the Public Health Director.

     A bachelor’s degree (or higher) in public health, health education, kinesiology, epidemiology, nursing, or applicable field is required.

     Wiedenhoff reminded the board that prior to COVID in 2020, they advised Public Health to follow through with a strategic plan in terms of the necessary make-up of the department. That plan was finally created.

     Before the plan, Public Health maintained three part-time employees, working 84 contract hours during the pandemic. Wiedenhoff said with herself and the new assistant putting in 80 hours total, “that should be enough.”

     “We’re looking at sharing some things with Paula’s (Hart, Environmental Health) office,” noted Wiedenhoff. “There could be some crossover in providing administrative support to both offices.”

     “That’s a good thing if Paula has to be out of the office,” said Supervisor Joe Oswald. “We need to meet the public’s needs.”

     Wiedenhoff also provided an update on the county’s COVID numbers.

     “It’s changing as we speak,” she told the board.

     At the time, the Delta variant was the only receptive variant in Jones County.

     “But I bet the other variant in already in the county,” offered Wiedenhoff.

     The seven-day positivity rate was at 14 percent.

     “It goes up and down and spikes depending on the day of the week,” said Wiedenhoff. “I’m sure with the holidays, we’ll see it go up again the next couple of weeks.”

     In terms of the vaccine, 28,000 total doses have been administered in Jones County. Of that, 11,513 residents have completed either the one or two shot doses. Another 722 have initiated the two-shot series, meaning receiving either Moderna or Pfizer. There have also been 5,673 people who have had the booster as well.

     The CDC has also released new isolation and quarantine guidelines associated with COVID.

     Those who test positive should isolate for five days, followed by another five days of wearing a mask around members of the public.

     The same policy applies to those who are not boosted or unvaccinated and are exposed to someone with COVID: quarantine for five days and wear a mask when out in public for another five days.