COVID cases back on the rise
COVID-19 cases steadily rose again this week, with cases back to where they were in mid-to-late December.
In the past week, Gordon saw 57 new cases and no deaths. Across Georgia, 16,149 new cases and 78 deaths were reported.
It’s a far cry from the massive spike we saw in January from Omicron — with weeks of nearing or over 100,000 cases state wide and a couple of weeks locally over 500 — but still an increase nonetheless and merits caution.
Gordon County’s Community Level has remained in the Low category. This means that individuals should stay up to date on their COVID vaccines, get tested if they have symptoms, and wear a mask if they have symptoms, a positive test, or COVID exposure. Around 56.88% of the country remains at a Low Community Level, a number that has decreased yet again.
Numerous counties across the state have jumped to Medium or High, including in northeast Georgia, the Atlanta metro area, and closer to the Florida border. This indicates a heightened number of cases or a heightened number of people being admitted to hospitals, depending on the county.
Nationwide, both cases and hospitalizations are on an up-swing, with hospitalizations having steadily risen over the past couple of months and cases fluctuating.
The CDC is also now recommending the Moderna vaccine for individuals ages 6 to 17. This brings the availability of that vaccine in line with the availability of the Pfizer vaccine.
“It is critical that we protect our children and teens from the complications of severe COVID-19 disease,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky last Friday. “Today, we have expanded the options available to families by recommending a second safe and effective vaccine for children ages 6 through 17 years. Vaccinating this age group can provide greater confidence to families that their children and adolescents participating in childcare, school, and other activities will have less risk for serious COVID-19 illness.”
Previously, Moderna and Pfizer both received the nod for their vaccines for young kids five and under, making 20 million young people eligible for vaccination. The Pfizer main series is now three shots, while Moderna is a twoshot main series; many children will also be eligible for boosters, and parents should check with their pediatricians regarding recommendations.
Nearly everyone in the United States is now able to be vaccinated.
Oral antivirals such as Paxlovid and Lagevrio have seen more and more use since their approval thanks to strategies such as Test to Treat. Those antivirals, when taken early in infection, can mean the difference between mild and severe COVID-19 — only around 1% of those who got Paxlovid were hospitalized for COVID, per a CDC study.
Another study noted, however, that those in high-vulnerability areas were less likely to get their hands on an antiviral despite higher availability of dispensing sites in those areas. Researchers indicated that socioeconomic factors could be at play: patients may not have access to those able to prescribe antivirals despite living near dispensing sites, and they also might not be able to pay for medication and testing due to the end of federal reimbursement programs.
While antivirals are available to help mitigate the effects of COVID-19 infection, the easiest and safest way to protect oneself from COVID is getting vaccinated.
To schedule a COVID-19 vaccine or booster appointment, log on to dph.georgia.gov/covid-vaccine or call 888-457-0186 for the Health Department Vaccine Scheduling Resource Line.
Anyone experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, or those who have been in close contact with an individual with COVID-19, should be tested regardless of vaccination status. At DPH/Mako Medical test sites, testing is free of charge. Each household can order eight free athome tests at covidtests.gov.
To find a COVID-19 test site, log on to dph.georgia. gov/covidtesting.