3 more COVID deaths reported

Seneca County General Health District Tuesday reported three more COVID-related deaths in the past week, increasing the county's total to 153. That's five deaths since Nov. 1. Since the end of August, there have been 22 deaths coded as being caused by COVID-19 by the National Center for Health Statistics. Also, the health department Tuesday reported 548 COVID cases since Nov. 1, which is running about 100 cases higher than the same time frame in the first half of October. Since Sept. 1, more than 2,600 cases have been reported, and more than 8,100 cases have been reported since March 2020. There have been 30 people hospitalized since Nov. 1, and there are 12 people currently in Tiffin and Fostoria hospitals. Hospitalizations since March 2020 have topped 500. The CDC website Tuesday reported 288 cases in the past seven days in its rolling seven-day report, continuing a steady increase from 239 cases eight days ago, 212 cases about two weeks ago and 188 cases three weeks ago. The county's rate of new cases per 100,000 residents on the CDC site Tuesday as 522, up from 433.14 last week and 384.21 two weeks ago. According to the Ohio Department of Health's COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard, 46.77% of the population in Seneca County has started the vaccine, and 44% have completed it. Statewide, 56.59% have started the vaccine and 52.24% have completed it. In Seneca County, the state website said 4,308 people have received additional doses of vaccine. Health Commissioner Anne Goon reminds parents that children ages 5-11 can receive the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccination under emergency use authorization. She said 20 kids were vaccinated during the health department's first clinic for ages 5-11 last week. Goon said some people are eligible for boosters using Pfizer, Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines to boost a weakening level of immunity due to the passage of time. Eligibility information includes: Anyone 18 and older who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine can get a booster shot (of Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson) 2 months later. People who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine must wait until 6 months after they got their second dose. They can choose to get the same kind of vaccine for a booster or another kind if they wish.Eligible persons are ages 65 and older.Eligible people ages 18 and older with an underlying health condition are eligible if they live in a long-term care setting such as a nursing home or a high-risk setting such as a group home, jail, homeless shelter or college dorm or a high-risk setting where many people aren't vaccinated and/or they work close together without masks, social distancing and other safety measures.