COVID not only concern, Covell reminds

Lorain County Public Health Commissioner Dave Covell urged residents Aug. 31 not to overlook the threat posed by influenza and other viral infections, while the community continues to tackle a current uptick in novel coronavirus cases.

Providing updates to the Lorain County Community Protection Team, Covell said while COVID cases among unvaccinated individuals continue to make up the majority of hospitalizations, other viruses still pose a threat.

“One of the problems we’re running into is everyone’s so COVIDcentric,” he said.

“They’re only thinking about COVID and we are having RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) cases among young kids.

“And again, if your child has a cough, or they have some bad upper respiratory symptoms, just because they’re negative for COVID, doesn’t mean they’re OK.”

Covell urged the community to remember that COVID-19 is not the only disease to be concerned about.

On Sept. 1, he spoke before the Lorain County Commissioners about the importance of getting the flu shot.

The commissioners voted unanimously in favor of giving $95,000 in funding for Lorain County Public Health to help finance the cost of administering flu shots.

The funding came from Lorain County’s share of American Rescue Plan funds from the federal government.

In 2020, Covell said Lorain County Public Health administered 5,000 shots at a cost of $18 for the regular vaccine and $45 for the high dose administered to those age 65 and older.

“Some folks, they don’t have insurance or that there’s just other barriers that stop them from getting a flu shot, so we just want to get those barriers out of the way,” he said.

In Northeast Ohio, Covell said, the flu season runs from mid-December until the end of March.

He encouraged people to get the flu shot in late October or early November.