According to the Ohio Department of Health, 25,708 total cases of the virus have been reported in Clark County as of Monday afternoon.
The first two weeks of December reported the same number of cases of what was reported in Clark County for the entire month of November, said assistant health commissioner Chris Cook. In addition, the county is seeing a 50% positivity rate for the virus among people who test for it.
“We are right back to these levels that have really prompted us to return to some of those protective actions,” Cook said. “We have the best protective action, still, at our fingertips, which is vaccination. But things like social distancing and masking are starting to be tools that we really need to hunker down and use again.”
ODH reported that as of Monday afternoon, 48.9% of Clark County’s population has completed its vaccine series.
Cook said that Clark County likely is seeing a mixture of cases of the delta and omicron variants, but the county has not seen a sequenced omicron variant as of last week.
The Centers for Disease Control last week released new recommendations in terms of quarantine, and the state mirrored its guidelines to match the CDC’s.
Under the updated guidance, anyone who tests positive for coronavirus must isolate for at least five days regardless of vaccination status or symptoms. Isolation can end on the sixth day if symptoms are starting to improve if the person wears a mask for the next five days. Those who have a fever or other symptoms should continue to stay home until symptoms improve.
“Masks are very effective at limiting the spread, and so we always recommend when people are indoors in large groups, whether it’s in school or an entertainment venue or church, that people use masks to help limit that spread,” Cook said.
Last week also saw 165 new hospital admissions for COVID-19 locally. According to ODH, 784 hospitalizations from COVID-19 have been reported in Clark County since the pandemic’s start.
Cook also said that every employer is feeling the strain of their workers being sick and out of office, especially the area’s hospitals, which have mirrored the national trend of experiencing a staffing shortage.
“... if you talk to any hospital worker or healthcare worker, whether it’s Urgent Care or Springfield Regional, they’ll tell you that it’s intense right now,” Cook said. “This has been exhausting to them.”
Cook said that statewide, hospitals are full, and that poses a danger not just to people who have COVID, but also people experiencing other medical emergencies.
“People still have heart attacks, people still break bones,” Cook said. “The more COVID cases we have, it runs the risk of not being able to access those services as quickly as possible.”
Some help is coming soon, however. Gov. Mike DeWine last month ordered the deployment of thousands of Ohio National Guard soldiers to assist the state’s hospitals.
The CCCHD COVID-19 Vaccination Center at 110 W. Leffel Lane in Springfield is offering vaccinations. Those seeking a dose can call 937-717-2439 to schedule an appointment.
By the Numbers:
48.9: Percentage of Clark County residents who have completed a COVID-19 vaccine series
25,708: Total number of coronavirus cases reported in Clark County
412: Total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Clark County
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