Weekly COVID-19 Update
FROM THE LANGLADE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
DISEASE UPDATES:
CASES OF COVID-19 ARE INCREASING IN LANGLADE COUNTY
In the previous two weeks:
– The Burden of Illness for Langlade County was 30.3 per 100,000 and while this is still considered MODERATE, the burden has INCREASED since the previous reporting time range. (WI Burden of Illness was 139.7 per 100,000 also showing an INCREASE).
– The Positivity Rate for Langlade County was 4.4% and while this is still considered LOW, the rate has INCREASED since the last reporting time range. 411 tests were performed during that time period. (WI Positivity Rate was 3.7% also showing an INCREASE).
As cases increase, the Langlade County Health Department continues to encourage everyone to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) masking and social distancing recommendations as appropriate, even if fully vaccinated. A person is considered fully vaccinated against COVID-19 if it has been two or more weeks since your second dose in a two-dose series (such as Pfizer or Moderna), or one dose of a single-dose vaccine (such as Johnson & Johnson). The CDC has updated guidance for fully vaccinated individuals.
Please visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html#:~:text=Fully%20vaccinated%20people%20can%3A,wearing%20masks%20or%20physical%20distancing
WI Department of Health Services (DHS) has announced changes to how they report the COVID-19 variants, and is now including information on two additional variant strains of SARS-CoV-2: variants B.1.427 and B.1.429. DHS first identified these variants in Wisconsin in December 2020. For more information please visit: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/news/releases/040821.htm
Identified Variant Case Counts in Wisconsin (As of April 8, 2021):
Total Number of Specimens Sequenced for a Variant: 9322
Total Number of B.1.1.7 Variant (First discovered in England): 148
Total Number of B.1.351 Variant (First discovered in South Africa): 15
Total Number of B.1.427/B.1.429 Variant (Recently discovered in CA): 216
Total Number of P.1 Variant (First discovered in four travelers from Brazil): 4
Per WI DHS: Please note that the variant cases identified in this report likely represent a fraction of how many cases of SARS-CoV-2 variants are circulating in Wisconsin. DHS, along with the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene and other laboratory partners are working to expand efforts to sequence SARS-CoV-2 specimens and identify variants.
WI DHS is also reporting the proportion of variants by Healthcare Emergency Readiness Coalition (HERC) Regions. Langlade County is in the North Central Wisconsin HERC Region. For more information please visit https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/variants.htm
VACCINATION UPDATES:
All persons 16 years and older are now eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine.
The community-based vaccination clinic in the state is open in Marathon County at the Northcentral Technical College—Center for Business and Industry Building in Wausau. The clinic will be open Tuesday through Saturday, from 11 a.m.-7 p.m. Individuals must register for an appointment using the Wisconsin COVID-19 Vaccine Registry at https://vaccinate.wi.gov/en-US/
Gov. Tony Evers and the WI (DHS) announced that the fifth community-based vaccination clinic in the state will open in Douglas County on April 13th. The site will be located at the University of Wisconsin- Superior in the Wessman Arena. Individuals can call toll-free at 844-684-1064
• To view a map of vaccine providers please visit: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/vaccine-map.htm
• For questions about the COVID-19 vaccine and appointment registration support call 844-684-1064 (toll-free).
STATE AND COUNTY DATA: As of Thursday, April 8, 2021:
• 35% of Wisconsin residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
• 77.5% of Wisconsinites aged 65 and over have received at least one dose of vaccine.
• 30.5% of Langlade County residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
• In total (first and second doses) 9608 doses have been given to Langlade County residents.
• 69.6% of Langlade County residents aged 65 and over have received at least one dose of vaccine.
LANGLADE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT DATA: As of Thursday, April 8, 2021:
• Langlade County Health Department has administered 3135 total doses.
• In total, the Langlade County Health Department has provided approximately 33% of the total vaccinations received by its’ county residents. (Benchmark for local health departments is 14%.)
COMMUNITY OUTREACH GRANT UPDATE:
As part of our grant activities, we are providing outreach to the HOMEBOUND population in our county. If you or a family member are considered homebound, and you are interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, please contact us at 715-627-6250 to determine the best method to ensure a vaccine can be obtained.
For additional information please see the CDC website, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services website or the Langlade County Health Department website. You can also follow us on Facebook.