Local health departments have long been challenged to do more with less and the pandemic has further stretched their limited staff and resources. 

An article in NACo County News shares how nationwide these departments have continued to valiantly provide their services and address their communities needs during the pandemic despite facing hostility for issuing pandemic-related directives, lacking sufficient full-time staff, and needing existing staff to work in an “all hands on deck” capacity:

Immunization, home visitation, health education, STD control and more have all taken a hit. The National Association of County and City Health Officials (NACCHO) have also found vector control, regulation and inspection of food service establishments have also suffered. Well before the pandemic, between 2008-2016, local health departments lost more than 2,000 full-time positions, NACCHO found.

For more information:

All hands on deck for COVID consumes some county public health agencies (NACo County News)