8/12/2021 COVID-19 Weekly Update

Lincoln County is still in the high community transmission category according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Because we are an area of high transmission, we recommend everyone, regardless of vaccination status, to take all protective measures. With schools going back in session soon, we are anticipating an even greater increase in cases. Please talk with your trusted healthcare provider about the COVID-19 vaccine.

It is especially crucial to get vaccinated and wear a mask indoors when you are in large groups. The Delta variant is present in our community, and it is twice as transmissible as previous variants.

Zip codes with the largest % increase this week are 63381 (Truxton) followed by 63362 (Moscow Mills). 11 out of 18 zip codes saw increases from last week.

According to the Public Health Communications Collaborative, “widespread testing is critical to identifying and forecasting outbreaks, conducting effective contact tracing, and preventing the spread of COVID-19. Anyone with signs or symptoms of COVID-19 should get tested, regardless of vaccination status or prior infection”. Did you know that you can now purchase tests over the counter at most pharmacies? Learn more about testing options here: https://lchdmo.org/covid19-testing

The percent of the Lincoln County population that has completed vaccination is 27.7%. The state average is 42.6%. Public health officials estimate that 70 to 85% of the population will need to be vaccinated before herd immunity is achieved.

The positivity rate has gone up slightly to 12.8%, last week it was around 11%. To be considered an area with low community transmission, the CDC states that the positivity rate in the community should be below 5%.

Cases per 100,000 in Lincoln County are at 358, up from 312 last week. In order to be considered a community with low transmission, this number should be less than 10.

Our active cases (individuals in isolation) have increased to 248. At the time of last week’s update that number was 221.