Hastings, Neb – In the weekly COVID-19 update on February 15, South Heartland District Health Department (SHDHD) shared information on COVID-19 treatments and reported three additional deaths attributed to COVID-19. The department also reported a continuing decline in positivity and case rate, although both metrics are still indicating high community transmission of the virus that causes COVID-19. Due to the improving metrics, SHDHD downgraded the department’s COVID-19 Alert to a COVID-19 Advisory.
SHDHD executive director Michele Bever said community transmission of SARS-CoV-2 is still above the threshold for “high” in the health district overall. She cautioned that as long as there is high community transmission, vulnerable residents are more likely to be exposed to the virus, which can result in severe illness, may require hospitalization, and may progress to intensive care, ventilator assistance for breathing, or death.
Bever said effective treatments are not as readily available as they were before Omicron became the most common variant. “For individuals who are at higher risk of complications from COVID-19 illness, timing of treatment is critical. These people should not wait to see how their illness progresses,” she said.
“People who are more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 should keep some at-home COVID-19 test kits on hand or seek testing early. If you have even mild symptoms, get tested,” Bever said. “High risk individuals who test positive for COVID-19 should talk to their health care provider to see if they meet the criteria for the oral (pill) antiviral treatment, which needs to be started within five days of symptom onset in order to be effective at reducing the severity of the disease.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The health department encourages residents to protect themselves and others who are at risk for severe COVID-19 illness by using multiple layers of prevention to reduce the risk of infection, severe illness, hospitalization and death.
“The most effective layer of prevention for everyone age five and above is getting fully vaccinated and boosted. This includes those at high risk of getting very sick with infection,” Bever said.
Bever also noted that monoclonal antibody infusion treatments effective against Omicron are in short supply and, like antiviral medications, are being prioritized for individuals at high risk of progression to severe COVID-19 illness. “Since these treatments are in short supply, we can’t count on them being available for us,” she said. “The COVID-19 vaccine is readily available. Vaccination stimulates your immune system to make your own antibodies, priming your body to fight a future infection; it provides longer lasting protection than monoclonal antibody treatment,” she said.
In addition, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics
SHDHD encourages residents to contact their personal doctor or the health department if they have questions about the COVID-19 vaccine, additional doses for immunocompromised individuals, booster doses, or COVID-19 testing.
COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for anyone 5 years and older. For locations of COVID-19 tests or COVID-19 vaccine, refer to the SHDHD website, southheartlandhealth.org
Additional SHDHD COVID-19 data updates:
3 new deaths bring the total to 142 since the beginning of the pandemic. The overall case fatality rate is 1.4%.
123 confirmed COVID-19 cases logged last week, a 32% decrease over the previous week’s total of 181 cases. There have been 27 confirmed cases counted in the current week through Tuesday. The new cumulative total confirmed cases for the health district is 10,090 since March 2020.
The percent positive tests, or positivity, which is one metric used to measure community transmission of the virus, dropped for the week ending February 12. Total positivity for the week was 12%, indicating one of every eight to nine people who were tested were positive for COVID-19. Community positivity (based on people who do not live or work in long term care), dropped to 23% last week, meaning about one in every four people who were tested were positive for COVID-19. This is 2.3 times higher than the threshold for “high” community transmission, which is 10%.
The district saw another slight drop in testing, with 744 tests logged last week (a drop of 5% from the previous week).
The district’s rolling 7-day total new cases per 100,000 people decreased. As of February 15, the 7-day total had dropped to 175/100K. This is still 1.75 times higher than the threshold for “high” community transmission, which is a rolling 7-day total of 100 cases/100K.
Positivity in long-term care facilities increased to 4.7% last week compared to 2.4% the prior week. In the past 2 weeks, 5 long-term care facilities have reported outbreaks, with a total of 12 staff and 21 residents testing positive for COVID-19. Resident vaccination rates are high for most skilled nursing facilities and residents who test positive typically are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms.
Hospital capacity metrics have improved again. As of February 15, there were 6 COVID-19 patients hospitalized and 45.5% of staffed ICU beds were available.
COVID-19 vaccination: 48% of residents are fully vaccinated; 28% have received boosters. To date, 6% of children ages 5-11, 19% of children ages 12-15, and 24% of young people ages 16-19; 42% of ages 20-34; 54% of ages 35-44; 54% of ages 45-54; 62% of ages 55-64; 89% of ages 65-74; 89% of ages 75-84; and 92% of ages 85+ are fully vaccinated.
SHDHD’s COVID-19 Alert downgraded to COVID-19 Advisory. The Advisory is informational to help residents understand the level of community transmission and actions they can take to protect themselves and others.
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