Cases are trending down. Why should I still care about COVID-19?
Newly reported COVID-19 cases have dipped this week in Johnson County to a low not seen since October, and not on a regular basis since September.
On Monday, 26 new cases were reported; on Tuesday, 27; on Wednesday, 20.
The case counts give local health officials hope, but they urge residents to avoid complacency. Resuming social gatherings or relaxing handwashing and mask wearing could cause cases to skyrocket again, said Dr. David Dunkle, Johnson Memorial Health president and CEO.
Johnson Memorial Hospital admissions are the lowest they have been in months. On Monday, just one patient was being treated for COVID-19 early in the day; two more were admitted later. There were three COVID-19 patients in the critical care unit on Wednesday.
The county remains in “orange” this week, according to the state’s color-coded metrics, because the case count was more than 100 per 100,000 residents. The county has already reached the “yellow,” according to the 7-day positivity rate metric, which was 7.2% on Wednesday.
If newly reported cases remain near the 20s or dip lower, Johnson County could move to “yellow” soon.
In “yellow,” local school leaders have said schools could resume in-person instruction. Gatherings could also increase to 100 people or up to 50% of a venue’s capacity, according to the state’s guidelines.
Right now, in “orange,” gatherings are capped at 50 people or 25% of a venue’s capacity, the guidelines say.
Across the state, there is one “red” county, one “blue” county, 50 “yellow” counties and 40 “orange” counties. The statewide 7-day positivity rate was 6.2% on Wednesday.
Should I be concerned about COVID-19 variants?
The short answer is yes.
Seeing fewer new cases is good. The state is working to maintain that as the it monitors for variants of COVID-19 that spread more quickly, Gov. Eric Holcomb said Wednesday during his weekly press briefing.
Three variant strains of COVID-19 have been found in the United States, which are identified by the country where they were first discovered — the United Kingdom (UK), South Africa and Brazil.
The UK variant is more prevalent in the United States with 930 cases identified across the country, including 12 in Indiana, said Dr. Kristina Box, state health commissioner. The Brazil and South Africa variants have not been found in Indiana yet, she said.
There are likely more than 12 cases of the UK strain in Indiana, Box said. The state is doing limited genomic sequencing, when a cluster of cases appears or a person who tests positive has recent travel history to any of the three countries, she said.
Genomic sequencing is the only way to determine which strain of the virus an individual has.
State officials asked Hoosiers to continue masking up, handwashing and social distancing to minimize exposure, as the new strains increase in number.
Could fewer tests be the reason for fewer cases?
Less testing could be playing a part in low case counts, said Betsy Swearingen, county health department director. The health department’s testing site is averaging about 100 tests a day, half of the 200 a day it was performing, she said.
Swearingen urges residents to not ignore or downplay symptoms and continue to get tested when sick.
Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, nausea or vomiting and diarrhea.
Were there any changes to the vaccine rollout this week?
One in 10 Johnson County and state residents have been vaccinated. Data released Wednesday on the state’s vaccine dashboard shows that 10.7% of county residents have been vaccinated, and 10.9% of state residents have been vaccinated.
The county health department got more vaccines this week, but all of the time slots have not opened up yet on the online scheduling platform, Swearingen said. Now, the health department receives 2,592 shots a week and will distribute 480 each weekday and 192 on Saturdays, she said.
Once the new time slots open, the clinic will be open 8 a.m. to 5:50 p.m. Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.
The vaccine clinic is extra busy this week, as more people are getting shots. A large number of seniors are now getting second doses, Swearingen said. About 600 shots were given on Tuesday alone, she said.
When can I get the vaccine?
Vaccine eligibility will remain the same this week. Only Hoosiers 65 and older, first responders and health care workers qualify.
State officials are evaluating the appropriateness of opening up eligibility to Hoosiers ages 60 to 64, based on the need for second doses and availability of vaccines, said Dr. Lindsay Weaver, state medical examiner. The state will expand eligibility to the next group as soon as possible, she said.
After a good portion of Hoosiers 60 and older are vaccinated, the state plans to expand eligibility to Hoosiers 50 and older, and to about 51,000 Hoosiers who have comorbidities or are receiving certain treatments, Weaver said.
That group includes Hoosiers with Down syndrome, active dialysis patients, post-solid organ transplant recipients, sickle cell disease patients, cancer patients and those who have received cancer treatment in the three months preceding the shot.
To date, 57% of Hoosiers age 80 and older are vaccinated; 64% of Hoosiers 70 and older are; 55% of Hoosiers 65 to 69 are; and 66% of healthcare workers and first responders are, state data shows.
BY THE NUMBERS
Here is a look at the latest numbers available, between Feb. 4 and Wednesday:
Johnson County
Cases: 289
Newly reported deaths: 12
7-day positivity rate: 7.2%
Indiana
Cases: 12,293
Newly reported deaths: 289
7-day positivity rate: 6.2%
Source: Indiana State Department of Health
IF YOU GO
Here is a look at where you can get a vaccine in the county if you meet the criteria:
Johnson Memorial Hospital
When: Vaccines available 8 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Saturdays.
Where: Old emergency wing, 1125 W Jefferson St, Franklin. Parking in Blue Lot H.
Registration: Online at ourshot.in.gov. Call 211 or any Johnson County Public Library for help registering.
Adult and Child Health Franklin
When: Vaccines available noon to 4 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Where: 1860 Northwood Plaza, Franklin
Registration: Online at ourshot.in.gov. Call 211 or any Johnson County Public Library for help registering.
Windrose Health Edinburgh
When: Vaccines available 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
Where: 911 E. Main Cross Street, Edinburgh
Registration: Online at ourshot.in.gov. Call 211 or any Johnson County Public Library for help registering.
Greenwood Walmart Pharmacy
Where: 1133 N Emerson Ave Rd, Greenwood
Registration: Online at ourshot.in.gov. Call 211 or any Johnson County Public Library for help registering.
Kroger Pharmacies
When: Daily 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Kroger stores at 5961 N State Road 135, Greenwood; 2200 Independence Dr., Greenwood; 970 N. Morton St., Franklin; 3100 Meridian Parke Dr., Greenwood.
Registration: Call your local pharmacy or go online to kroger.com/rx/guest/get-vaccinated.
