Vaccines surpass infections

Lorain County’s vaccination total has surpassed the total number of cases of COVID-19 due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, said Lorain County Public Health Commissioner Dave Covell.

There are 28,506 county residents with at least the first dose, according to the latest figures from the Ohio Department of Health.

That is about 9 percent of the county’s population — and more than the 20,801 Lorain County COVID-19 cases logged by the state Health Department.

“Our vaccine rate continues to go up, and our case rate continues to go down, so this is a good thing,” Covell said.

Logistics

On Feb. 9, county health staff hosted a clinic averaging 135 vaccinations, with 506 shots from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Based on that rate, that clinic could reach another 1,000 people inoculated that day, Covell said.

Coming up this weekend, Lorain County Public Health will hold four clinics offering second doses for health care workers and people age 80 and older, he said.

That could total 3,000 people getting vaccinated, Covell said.

Logistics for the clinics are getting better.

Although no event is perfect, the county health staff do their best to serve as many people as possible as efficiently and effectively as they can, Covell said.

The second dose clinics are by invitation and the county staff know exactly who is coming, so those sessions should proceed even more quickly than first dose clinics, he said.

Exact plans won’t be needed for weeks, but leaders of Lorain County businesses with at least 100 workers, should begin thinking about setup times and details when more vaccine becomes available in the spring, Covell said.

Another wave

Analysis and modeling for infection rates have predicted waves of COVID-19 case increases, Covell said.

The latest forecasting predicts another wave in late March or early April, so Lorain County Public Health is aiming to get as many people vaccinated as possible.

“So that way, we may have some spread, but at least it will be just mild symptoms and the people have been really hospitalized and dying from this, they will be fewer and fewer as a percentage of the total,” Covell said. “That’s the goal, and I think we’re moving in the right direction, so that’s all good.”

Vulnerable populations

Lorain County Public Health, the Mercy Health Parish Nurse program and local pastors are doing outreach for hard-to-reach populations, Covell said.

Details will become available, with possible locations in Oberlin, Elyria and Lorain, he said.

Single-dose shot

Ohio gets about 1 million doses a week to spread across the state, said Dr. Michael Taylor of the Cleveland Clinic.

The federal Food and Drug Administration this month is scheduled to review the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

If approved, Ohio could get another 125,000 doses a week — an increase of more than 10 percent, which is exciting news, Taylor said.

Vaccine side effects

Among local recipients, people have begun discussing the side effects of getting the second shot, Covell said.

Generally about 1/3 of people experience no reaction at all and about 1/3 of people have arm soreness at the injection site and slight fatigue.

About 1/3 experience feeling run down or worn out the day after the second shot.

That likely will go away after a nap and a good night’s sleep, Covell said.

Lorain County generally has not seen side effects any more significant than that in recipients, he said.

As for identifying the side effect, Covell quipped: “Worn out looks like I look like every day now for about six months.”

Mental health

The Mental Health, Addiction and Recovery Services (MHARS) Board of Lorain County, with partner agencies, has launched the COVID Care Team for mental health support for anyone dealing with social and emotional health challenges of the pandemic.

“These folks will meet people where they’re at and ask them what’s going on in their lives right now,” and refer them to care, said Elaine Georgas, MHARS Board interim executive director.

Anyone who needs help can call the crisis hotline at 1-800-8886161 or the MHARS Board nonemergency navigator line at 440-240-7025.

SCREEN IMAGE Lorain County Health Commissioner Dave Covell offers his weekly report Feb. 9 during the online meeting of the Lorain County Community Protection Team.