Jefferson County Week 28 COVID Update

ORANGE Status | 7-day rolling average cases per day per 100,000 residents: 17.71 | Positivity Rate: 11.42%

CDC Week 28 Epidemiological Analysis: (from JCHD Epidemiologist, Sara Wilton)

This week, all numbers have increased as we expected. Many of the important metrics we follow have changed to a “light red status” including the percent positivity and the new cases per 100,000 per week. The highest number of cases and largest percent increase in cases came from our 20–29-year age group, followed closely by 0-9 years and 10-19 years. The sharp increase in cases with our high school aged children can be seen on Figure 8 of the 0–19-year Covid report.

We added 14 new breakthrough cases over the course of the last week; a few interesting things to note about them:

• 43% of the newly added breakthrough cases were household contacts

• Only 21% of the newly added breakthrough cases had an unknown exposure. All other cases had a known contact with a positive case either through household, community, or work

• All were symptomatic, but none severe enough to be hospitalized

Though the number of breakthrough cases added seems large, our overall percentage of breakthrough cases is still under .1% which is what we expect it to be.

JCHD continues to recommend prevention measures including wearing a mask if you aren’t vaccinated, hand washing, staying home if you are sick, avoiding large gatherings, getting tested if you are sick, and getting vaccinated if you are eligible. Each of these layers of protection not only keep us safe as individuals, but also reduce the risk of transmission protecting our families, friends, and the community.

CDC Week 28 Epi Report:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57f035cc9f745646c52342b9/t/60f85b253fa5d8755e18be1d/1626888997576/Binder1.pdf

CDC Week 28 Vaccine Report:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57f035cc9f745646c52342b9/t/60f85ced0d68c804f57714a6/1626889453889/JCHD_Covid19_Vaccine+Data_7.16.21.pdf

COVID-19 Case Updates: (as of 7/21/2021)

• Total Cases: 24,728

  • Active Cases: 420

• Total Deaths: 255

  • No additional deaths reported

COVID-19 Vaccine Updates:

• 68,986, or 30.66%, of Jeffco residents have been fully vaccinated

• COVID-19 vaccination is now available for those 12 years of age and older

• An estimated 185,536 JeffCo residents 14+ years old are eligible to receive the vaccine

  • Estimated population including 12/13-year-olds could not be found, therefore isn’t included in the estimated eligible population data

  • Of the 14+ eligible population, 36.80% have been fully vaccinated

To find COVID-19 Vaccination near you, visit:

-        Missouri Site- https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/find/#navigator

-        Federal Site- https://www.vaccines.gov

As the Summer Heats Up, Keep your Cool about Water Safety

Your favorite swimming spot can be a great place to cool off during the sweltering summer heat. However, before you dive in you should be aware of all the potential water hazards at both your neighborhood swimming pool and the local river that can potentially put you and your family at risk.

Being safe around water has always been a close and important issue of mine. I grew up swimming all summer at my local pool. Then through my high school and college years I worked as a lifeguard and pool manager, spending hours upon hours scanning pool waters keeping others safe and looking for any potentially distressed swimmers, teaching countless number of kiddos in swim lessons, and training dozens of lifeguards the lifesaving techniques we hoped would never have to be used. In my eight years I was lucky to witness only a few close calls! Most of the time I saw firsthand how easy it was to be safe while still having fun. By preparing yourself and your family before you head to the local swimming hole, you can help keep everyone safe.

Often times we think of the public pool when we think of water safety, however other common swimming destinations like rivers and lakes require more knowledge due to their additional potential hazards. There are many important safety tips to remember, some of the most important ones are:

Be aware of potential hazards of the area you are going and take appropriate precautions:

• Unexpected changes in weather

• Fast moving currents

• Hazards such as dams, underwater obstacles, rocks, or debris

• Vegetation that could entangle your feet

• Rapid drop – offs (or shallows)

Establish and Enforce Rules and Safe Behaviors:

• Always enter unknown water cautiously and feet first

• Dive only in water clearly marked as safe for diving, at least 9 feet deep with no underwater obstacles.

• Do not enter the water from a height, such as a bridge or boat.

• Be careful when standing to prevent being knocked over by currents or waves.

• Swim sober.

• Supervise others sober and without distractions, such as reading or talking on or using a cell phone.

• Swim with a buddy.

Take these Water Safety Steps:

• Have layers of protection including barriers to prevent access to water, life jackets, and close supervision of children to prevent drowning.

• Ensure every member of your family learns to swim so they at least achieve skills of water competency: able to enter the water, get a breath, stay afloat, change position, swim a distance then get out of the water safely.

• Know what to do in a water emergency – including how to help someone in trouble in the water safely, call for emergency help and CPR.

 Spending time outdoors at the lake or pool are great ways to spend the warm summer months and remembering to properly prepare will make sure each outing is fun and safe! If you would like additional safety tips on keeping you are your family safe around water, which you can find them here on this easy one page list! https://www.usbr.gov/watersafety/docs/RedCrossWaterSafety.pdf

Author: Adam Peters

Adam is the Community Engagement Team Lead/Health Educator at the Health Department. Adam has been with JCHD for over 3 years, and in the field of public health for close to 6 years! He has lived all over the Midwest; after growing up in Nebraska and earning a bachelor’s in Psychobiology from the University of Nebraska – Kearney, he went on to Indiana to earn his master’s degree in Public Health with a Social and Behavioral Sciences Emphasis from Indiana University. Adam enjoys working with county youth to help build strong, healthy habits they can take with them for the rest of their lives! In his free time he enjoys woodworking and hiking with his wife Morgan.

 Sources: https://www.redcross.org/get-help/how-to-prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/water-safety/lake-river-safety.html

Jefferson County Week 27 COVID Update

ORANGE Status | 7-day rolling average cases per day per 100,000 residents: 10.41 | Positivity Rate: 9.66% 

CDC Week 27 Epidemiological Analysis: (from JCHD Epidemiologist, Sara Wilton)

Our weekly case count and percent positivity have both increased over the past week. In week 27, our color status has changed to orange with a 7-day rolling average of 10.41 cases per day, per 100,000 residents.  The threshold for orange status is 10 cases per day per 100,000 residents. This is the first week back in orange status since week 17, April 25-May 1, 2021.

JCHD was notified of the first case of Delta variant in Jefferson County. Delta variant seems to spread more easily and quickly, which may lead to more cases of COVID-19. An increase in the number of cases will put more strain on healthcare resources, lead to more hospitalizations, and potentially more deaths. At this time, studies suggest that the current authorized vaccines work on the circulating variants reducing the risk of hospitalization or death from Covid-19.

JCHD continues to recommend prevention measures including wearing a mask if you aren’t vaccinated, hand washing, staying home if you are sick, avoiding large gatherings and getting tested if you are sick, and getting vaccinated if you are eligible. Each of these layers of protection not only keep us safe as individuals, but also reduce the risk of transmission protecting our families, friends, and the community.

CDC Week 27 Epi Report:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57f035cc9f745646c52342b9/t/60ef0417b5fbe46e911ce696/1626276888696/Week+27+Reports.pdf

CDC Week 27 Vaccine Report:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57f035cc9f745646c52342b9/t/60ef044298107e1be375fc73/1626276930808/JCHD_Covid19_Vaccine+Data_7.13.21+%28002%29.pdf

COVID-19 Case Updates: (as of 7/14/2021)

• Total Cases: 24,386

  • Active Cases: 249

• Total Deaths: 255

  • No additional deaths reported

COVID-19 Vaccine Updates:

• 68,512, or 30.45%, of Jeffco residents have been fully vaccinated

• COVID-19 vaccination is now available for those 12 years of age and older

• An estimated 185,536 JeffCo residents 14+ years old are eligible to receive the vaccine

  • Estimated population including 12/13-year-olds could not be found, therefore isn’t included in the estimated eligible population data

  • Of the 14+ eligible population, 36.55% have been fully vaccinated

To find COVID-19 Vaccination near you, visit:

-        Missouri Site- https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/find/#navigator

-        Federal Site- https://www.vaccines.gov

Jefferson County Week 26 COVID Update

YELLOW Status | 7-day rolling average cases per day per 100,000 residents: 6.29 | Positivity Rate: 6.40%

CDC Week 26 Epidemiological Analysis: (from JCHD Epidemiologist, Sara Wilton)

Our weekly case count and percent positivity are both continuing to slowly increase. Even though our 3 main metrics still show “yellow”, the categories that show which direction we are trending (percent change in) have been “light red” or “orange” for the past 3 weeks. Cases this past week mostly came from the 20-29, 30-39 and 40–49 year age groups.

Our total number of diagnostic tests are declining despite the continual increase in cases. Testing hasn’t been this low since the beginning of the pandemic last year. It is common to have lower testing numbers when less people are feeling ill, but when we include all the workplaces doing routine testing, the positive cases, and the close contacts of those positive cases I feel our total testing is much lower than it should be. Ideally, we would like to see testing increase as the case count increases.

According to the most recent data from the Missouri Hospital Association, the upcoming fall and winter seasons are concerning. This year between May 1 and July 2 (2021), the state added 34,219 COVID-19 cases compared to 18,599 during the same period last year (2020) — a relative difference of 84%. During the same period last year, 3.9% of diagnostic PCR tests returned a positive result versus 5.2% this year, a 34% increase.

If you look at the longitudinal graph below it shows we are on speck with last year on these same dates for another surge if something (vaccines, mitigation, etc.) is not used to prevent the spread.

Though we have vaccination available this year versus last year, less than half of the state’s population is vaccinated against COVID-19. With a low vaccination rate and more transmissible variants of the virus, cases and positivity rates are increasing again. We are headed the wrong direction and need to act now to curb a similar situation as last year.

CDC Week 26 Epi Report:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57f035cc9f745646c52342b9/t/60e5c8397bdcaa4dc6acd62c/1625671738344/Week+26+Reports.pdf

CDC Week 26 Vaccine Report:

https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57f035cc9f745646c52342b9/t/60e5c858e48bc1335cf21af7/1625671768996/JCHD_Covid19_Vaccine+Data_7.1.21.pdf

COVID-19 Case Updates: (as of 7/7/2021)

• Total Cases: 24,165

  • Active Cases: 168

• Total Deaths: 255

  • One additional COVID death; male 60’s, community based

COVID-19 Vaccine Updates:

• 67,384, or 29.95%, of Jeffco residents have been fully vaccinated

• COVID-19 vaccination is now available for those 12 years of age and older

• An estimated 185,536 JeffCo residents 14+ years old are eligible to receive the vaccine

  • Estimated population including 12/13-year-olds could not be found, therefore isn’t included in the estimated eligible population data

  • Of the 14+ eligible population, 35.98% have been fully vaccinated

To find COVID-19 Vaccination near you, visit:

• Missouri Site- https://covidvaccine.mo.gov/find/#navigator

• Federal Site- https://www.vaccines.gov

JCHD Health Advisory: Emergence of Delta Variant

Jefferson County Health Department (JCHD) is issuing this Health Advisory based on the significant increases in community transmission of COVID-19 with the emergence of the Delta variant.

New cases of COVID-19 are rising among the unvaccinated, particularly among children who are being exposed to COVID-19 as they resume normal activities without protection. While vaccinated individuals are protected against severe disease, they can still transmit the virus to those that are unvaccinated.

Over the last two weeks, the number of new cases in Jefferson County has increased from 59 to 84- a 42% increase. The highest number of cases during week 25 were in our 10–19 year old age group. This is concerning since most of that age group is eligible for the vaccine, but only 10.82% have completed the full series of vaccination.

For your safety and our ongoing recovery, we recommend that Jefferson County residents immediately consider the following to protect themselves and each other:

1. Wear a face covering in indoor public places when other people are present, even if you are vaccinated. We only recommend removing masks when you know the vaccination status of every person in your vicinity.

2. Please assume that 1 in 3 people in any crowd or gathering may be unvaccinated and be aware that all children under 12 will be unvaccinated and vulnerable in crowds to being exposed to COVID-19. We do not advise children or unvaccinated residents engage in large crowds and gatherings.

3. Protect children under 12 as they engage in school, camps, and other areas of their normal life. They can be exposed to other unvaccinated adults and children and outbreaks among children in these settings are becoming more common. Masks, social distancing, and hand washing are still highly recommended in order to protect children in these activities.

JCHD continues to recommend the following actions for individuals to protect themselves and their families:

1. Get vaccinated and encourage your loved ones 12 and older to get vaccinated. Vaccines are effective against the Delta variant and vaccination is the best tool we have to prevent illness. JCHD offers free, walk-in COVID-19 vaccines at pop-up sites across the county.

2. If you have any symptoms, even just cold symptoms (like headache, runny nose and sore throat), get tested. Stay home if you are sick. This applies for both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents.

3. Wherever possible, maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet unless you are 100% certain that others are fully vaccinated.