WIC operations continue in Missouri, program adapts to participants’ needs during COVID-19 outbreak
March 25, 2020
The United States Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) has approved Missouri’s request to waive the WIC program’s physical presence requirement. Normal clinic operations that require employees, participants and applicants to physically come into the clinic create an undesirable risk and there are mandatory clinic closures in some areas. A waiver of physical presence removes a requirement that could prevent or impede the provision of essential WIC services to participants under current circumstances.
The approval to waive the physical presence requirement includes the ability to defer anthropometric and bloodwork requirements necessary to determine nutritional risk for the period the physical presence waiver is in effect per section 2203(a)(1)(B) of H.R. 6201.
Missouri WIC has requested additional waivers to allow WIC local agencies and retailers to better serve current and new WIC participants while limiting exposure and travel for WIC participants and staff. These strategies will help local, state and national efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 and will allow WIC participants to receive services if under quarantine. Missouri will act swiftly to implement new strategies for remote service delivery as additional waivers are approved. The current waivers have been approved through May 31, 2020, with an option to request an extension, if needed.
WIC participants may now choose from expanded options in a variety of food categories to help address WIC product shortages that have occurred because of food distribution issues. WIC participants may substitute Jif, Skippy and Peter Pan peanut butters in the same size; substitute medium eggs if large eggs are not available; and purchase quarts and gallons of the same variety of milk to total the number of gallons on their checks. Visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus or the DHSS website at www.health.mo.gov/coronavirus for more information
The approval to waive the physical presence requirement includes the ability to defer anthropometric and bloodwork requirements necessary to determine nutritional risk for the period the physical presence waiver is in effect per section 2203(a)(1)(B) of H.R. 6201.
Missouri WIC has requested additional waivers to allow WIC local agencies and retailers to better serve current and new WIC participants while limiting exposure and travel for WIC participants and staff. These strategies will help local, state and national efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19 and will allow WIC participants to receive services if under quarantine. Missouri will act swiftly to implement new strategies for remote service delivery as additional waivers are approved. The current waivers have been approved through May 31, 2020, with an option to request an extension, if needed.
WIC participants may now choose from expanded options in a variety of food categories to help address WIC product shortages that have occurred because of food distribution issues. WIC participants may substitute Jif, Skippy and Peter Pan peanut butters in the same size; substitute medium eggs if large eggs are not available; and purchase quarts and gallons of the same variety of milk to total the number of gallons on their checks. Visit the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/coronavirus or the DHSS website at www.health.mo.gov/coronavirus for more information