Allen County is seeing an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases that now meets the CDC’s definition of a “high transmission community” and with that comes new recommendations regarding masking.
The Center for Disease Control uses the total number of cases per 100-thousand persons in the last 7 days and the percentage of positive COVID-19 tests in the last seven days to determine the level of transmission. As of August 1st, Allen County has a rate of nearly 65 cases per 100-thousand persons. That is considered as “substantial transmission”. The percentage of positivity has gone from 5.6% up to just over 11% in the last seven days as well. Local health officials say now is the time we need to change our strategy in limiting the spread.
Allen County Health Commissioner Kathy Luhn adds, “People need to understand the rise that we are seeing now is being driven by this Delta variant and the Delta variant acts differently than other variants. And we’ve found from preliminary research that people who are fully vaccinated can actually have enough levels in their bodies that they can spread that to other people. So, we have to adjust what we do.”
That adjustment includes fully vaccinated individuals along with anyone unvaccinated to mask up when in public settings. While this is a recommendation from the CDC and not a mandate, local health officials can’t stress enough the importance that wearing a mask can do to protect each other. They still encourage people to get vaccinated as it’s the best protection to lessen any effects of the virus if contracted.
