Vernon County health officials say local COVID order is ending and urge vigilance as pertussis spreads

Vernon County Health Officer Amy Kleiber and Deputy Health Officer Emily Olson told the Board of Health on May 9 that the county’s COVID emergency order was preparing to end on May 11 and that local public health staff are awaiting formal directives outlining next steps.

Kleiber also briefed the board on recent pertussis activity in the community, urging clinicians and residents to prioritize early diagnosis, treatment and vaccination where appropriate to limit further spread. The department described coordination with schools and emergency-management partners around response planning.

Kleiber and Olson said they recently attended the national Preparedness Summit in Atlanta to support continuing emergency-planning work and reported a training and walkthrough of a Family Assistance Center reunification process with Viroqua Area Schools using the 'I Love You Guys' foundation model.

The board recorded the updates; no formal vote or additional directives were recorded. The department will await further written guidance about the end of the local COVID order.