COVID-19 supply boxes are expected to be shipped next week, Cole County Health Department Director Kristi Campbell said Tuesday.
The boxes are to be delivered to all homes in Cole County.
The commission approved the purchase in November, using $318,255 in COVID-19 relief funds through the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.
The boxes will contain 50 surgical masks as well as hand sanitizer and written materials about COVID-19 precautions.
Campbell said she has called the company awarded the contract, Missouri Medical Supply, based in Maryland Heights, multiple times for updates on the order, and company officials told her they had some unexpected delays, with key employees contracting COVID-19, which delayed their shipping process.
County commissioners said last week that they had received calls from constituents about the status of the boxes and whether it was possible to cancel the contract. County Attorney Jill Lahue said the process was too far along for that to occur.
Shipments will focus on the two Jefferson City ZIP codes - 65101 and 65109 - first, encompassing 32,100 of the roughly 36,000 Cole County households to which the boxes will be sent.