COVID back on the rise

SANDUSKY — If you've put off getting the latest COVID-19 shot, it might be a good idea to make an appointment. COVID-19 hospitalizations have suddenly risen in Erie County and Ohio, prompting the Erie County Health Department to warn that residents should take steps to protect themselves. COVID-19 cases also have jumped in Huron County, which tracks the presence of the virus in local wastewater treatment plans. Since February, Erie County has tracked only one or two COVID-19 deaths every month. But in November, COVID-19 deaths jumped to five, said Taylor Kula, epidemiologist for the Erie County Health Department. All five deaths were of elderly people. Hospitalizations also have risen, Kula said. Erie County went from zero hospitalizations in July and just one in August to ten each in October and November, she said. In addition, Kula reported at last week's regular meeting of the health board that there are three current outbreaks of COVID-19 in Erie County. All of the outbreaks are in long-term care facilities, Kula said on Monday. The presence of the virus in wastewater is considered an early warning of COVID-19 activity, and Huron County actively tracks the numbers. The amount of identified COVID-19 viruses has jumped in Norwalk and New London, although an increase was not recorded in Monroeville, the department reported on Monday. Ohio currently issues COVID-19 reports every Thursday. The last report showed that Ohio hospitalizations had risen from 295 to 500 over three weeks, although there was little change in the average number of weekly deaths, which stood at 43. While the CDC also has not reported a change in the death rate, hospitalizations for COVID-19 have gone up 10% nationwide in the past week. Kula noted that an important prevention measure is to get the latest version of the COVID-19 vaccine. Updated vaccines that are tweaked to deal with the latest variants are available from Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax. Free vaccinations under what's called the "Bridge Access Program" are available for people without health insurance. To find a location near you to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, run a search at vaccines.gov. Statistics show that many people in the U.S. aren't making an effort to get the latest COVID-19 vaccination, even older people who are particularly vulnerable to the disease, epidemiologist Katelyn Jetelina wrote Nov. 28 in her Substack newsletter, "Your Local Epidemiologist." "U.S. rates of Covid-19 vaccination this fall are, overall, abysmal. This is especially apparent when we compare it to counterparts like the U.K., where 68% of people over 65 years old are vaccinated (compared to 31% in the U.S.)," Jetelina wrote. Kula also recommends that people particularly vulnerable to the virus should consider masking. It's also important to remember that since the COVID-19 pandemic began, treatments have been developed to help people recover and avoid becoming seriously ill. The treatments are effective only if they begin soon after people get sick, so if you are ill, contact your doctor as soon as possible. "Other prevention measures to combat the virus include social distancing when possible, disinfecting high-touch surfaces, and avoiding contact with people who are ill," Kula said.