Health official: Variant a reason to get vaccine

WAPAKONETA — Auglaize County health officials are cautioning residents coronavirus concerns are far from over.

Auglaize County Board of Health members heard from Grand Lake Health Medical Director Juan Torres Tuesday, who explained virus replication works like an assembly line at a factory and the defects that occur can either help the virus, hurt it, or do nothing. The

longer variants are allowed to spread amongst an unvaccinated population the more time the virus has to mutate.

Torres said this could eventually cause the need for a new vaccine if enough resistance is built up.

Specifically, Torres has been worried about the more contagious Delta variant, which has cold-like symptoms including a headache and sore throat.

He said more people under the age of 50 have been catching this variant.

Torres recounted a story of a town in Puerto Rico where people weren’t responding to

vaccination messaging. The mayor of that

town went door to door asking people if they would get the vaccine. As a result, Torres said the town currently has a 70 percent vaccination rate. Torres recognized that idea might be unpopular.

“The virus doesn’t care about politics,”

Torres said. “If we don’t stop it, it’s going to change and maybe we have a worse problem

down the road.”

Nursing Director Jessica Wuebker reported COVID-19 cases are still declining as are COVID vaccinations. Other back-to-school immunizations are up.

In Auglaize County, 33% of the population have had the first shot, while 31% have completed the second dose. Wuebker said they have been following up with those who didn’t come in for their second shot.