Friday, May 20, 2022

Dubuque County's COVID-19 Community Level Raised to Medium

On Thursday, May 19, the CDC raised Dubuque County's COVID-19 Community Level from LOW to MEDIUM. Dubuque County is one of 11 Iowa counties at this level. Three Iowa counties are at HIGH community level.

The CDC looks at the combination of three metrics — new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population in the past 7 days, the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, and total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 population in the past 7 days — to determine the COVID-19 community level. Using these data, the COVID-19 community level is classified as low, medium, or high.

CDC Guidance for MEDIUM Community Level:

If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease

Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and take other precautions (e.g., testing)
Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)
Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies

If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease

consider self-testing to detect infection before contact
consider wearing a mask when indoors with them

Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters

Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible

Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19

CDC Strengthens Recommendations and Expands Eligibility for COVID-19 Booster Shots

Following yesterday’s meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ (ACIP), the CDC has expanded eligibility of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses to everyone 5 years of age and older.

The CDC now recommends that children ages 5 through 11 years should receive a booster shot 5 months after their initial Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series. Since the pandemic began, more than 4.8 million children ages 5 through 11 have been diagnosed with COVID-19, 15,000 have been hospitalized and, tragically, over 180 have died. As cases increase across the country, a booster dose will safely help restore and enhance protection against severe disease.

Yesterday the CDC also strengthened its recommendation that those 12 and older who are immunocompromised and those 50 and older should receive a second booster dose at least 4 months after their first. Over the past month there has been steady increases in cases, with a steep and substantial increase in hospitalizations for older Americans. While older Americans have the highest coverage of any age group of first booster doses, most older Americans received their last dose (either their primary series or their first booster dose) many months ago, leaving many who are vulnerable without the protection they may need to prevent severe disease, hospitalization, and death.

Whether it is your first booster, or your second, if you haven’t had a vaccine dose since the beginning of December 2021 and you are eligible, now is the time to get one.

For information on local vaccine providers, visit www.dubuquecounty.org/sleevesup.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON VACCINES

Please do not reply to this message. If you have general questions about COVID-19, please call 563.556.6200.

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