On April 2, the Delaware County Public Health Department began operating as an officially licensed department, writes Kathleen E. Carey for the Daily Times.

“We did the biggest thing that any public health department could have done during National Public Health Week and that is starting to be a public health department and deliver our operational responsibilities,” Delaware County Health Department Director Melissa Lyon said.

In the Environmental Health Division, inspectors were out enforcing the Delaware County Health Code and responding to applications at the county health website at delcopa.gov/health.

They are addressing and investigating health complaints and environmental inquiries.

The Population Health Division reached out to local homeless shelters to provide PPE for clients and staff.  It’s addressing a county increase in sexually transmitted diseases, with the first STI clinic set up in the Chester area.

The division managed its first case of tuberculosis and has launched a small clinic to vaccinate children.

Two school-aged children from Ukraine now living in Media were immunized.

The department’s deputy director, Lora Werner, started March 4.

The department is monitoring the BA.2 variant of COVID-19. Community level is still low, though cases have increased, Lyon said.

Read more at the Daily Times about the health department’s busy schedule.

Pa. state Rep. Leanne Krueger celebrates Delaware County’s official approval for a new Health Department.