Community spread blamed for virus uptick
Auglaize County Health Department Nursing Director Brenda Eiting said in November the department recorded 992 detections of COVID- 19 with 329 probable cases; in comparison, October numbers totaled 696 total cases.
Why the increase?
“It’s community spread,” Eiting, noting the virus is spreading through households. Health Commissioner Oliver Fisher noted Auglaize ranks considerably lower for cases per capita than it had during a surge recorded on Oct. 20. It currently ranks 65th — which is quite an improvement from its previous ranking as second in the state. He said it was evident cases are continuing to rise all over the state.
The health department is continuing to hold flu clinics and distribute flu vaccinations.
During Tuesday’s monthly meeting, board President Linda Kitzmiller was concerned that despite state mandates the number of coronavirus cases keeps climbing.
“What good is happening because of our mandates?” Kitzmiller asked.
Eiting countered with a question of her own.
“What would our numbers be if we didn’t have those efforts? It’s minimizing cases,” she said.
Medical Director Dr. Juan Torres said while there are about 49,000 people in Auglaize County 2,000 to 3,000 positive cases is still low. Board member Thomas Freytag said the key was compliance.
Fisher said although guidance has changed regarding quarantining, people are still expected to monitor symptoms for 14 days. Quarantine would be stopped as soon as day 7 with a negative test that was collected day 5 or later.
When it comes to vaccine distribution, Fisher said the health department would primarily act as a distributor. A dry ice distributor has been secured in the event they receive the Pfizer vaccine. Fisher said final details about vaccine distributions are still being worked out.
Fisher said the healthcare providers, residents and staff in long- term care facilities and assisted living facilities, state psychiatric hospitals, veterans homes and group homes for people with mental disabilities are slated to receive the vaccine first.
Torres said some people believe the
virus isn’t real and even believe a conspiracy theory that a COVID- 19 vaccine would be the mark of the beast.
“This is medicine to help protect the population,” Torres said. “This is real,” he said.
Fisher said he hopes the spending timeframe for a $ 200,000 grant from ODH for COVID funding will be extended into the new year. Fisher said state contractors were helpful at first but they have moved to internally hired contractors for contact tracing as state contractors were frequently redeployed.
Board members approved cementing an overtime policy to avoid vacation accrual and renewed a memorandum of understanding with Allen County for distribution of Pack and Plays to families in need.
Environmental Health Director Curt Anderson said there was a potential COVID19 could have an effect on program licensing fees as COVID19 has taken up a third of the department’s time, and caused them to spend less time in other areas. Board member Dan Harpster said he had heard about an inspection at Lowes, potentially from the sanitarians, that found some sort of deficiency and supposedly talked about closing the business down.
Health Commissioner Oliver Fisher said they haven’t had any staff go out to Lowes. Anderson didn’t recall a complaint about Lowes within the past 3 to 4 months.
In its daily report posed on their Facebook page, the health department reported 66 new cases in Auglaize County from noon Monday through noon Tuesday, bringing the total case number to 2,914, with 2,304 confirmed cases and 610 probable cases. There are 35 deaths attributed to COVID- 19 since the start of the pandemic.