Weekly COVID Update

FROM THE LANGLADE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT

DISEASE UPDATES:

In the previous two weeks:

- The Burden of Illness for Langlade County was 30.3 per 100,000 and is now considered MODERATE. (WI Burden of Illness was 115.3 per 100,000).

- The Positivity Rate for Langlade County was 1.0% and is still considered LOW. Only 634 tests were performed during that time period. (WI Positivity Rate was 2.2%).

A second variant strain of SARS-CoV-2 (B.1.351) has been identified in Wisconsin. This variant was first discovered to be circulating in South Africa. Similar to the B.1.1.7 strain (also identified in Wisconsin) it has been shown to spread more rapidly and easily than the original strain. Experts expect that all three currently authorized vaccines effectively reduce the risk of COVID-19 for all of the circulating variants. No variants have been identified yet in Langlade County.

VACCINATION UPDATES:

Groups that are currently eligible to receive the vaccine include:

- Health care workers

- EMS, fire department and police departments

- Persons aged 65 and older

- Education and child care staff

- People enrolled in Medicaid long-term care programs

- Some public-facing essential workers*

- Non-frontline essential health care personnel

- Facility staff and residents in congregate living settings

- Spiritual care providers**

*Wisconsin DHS has clarified that a chef, server or host in a restaurant is eligible as part of the food chain supply category.

**Wisconsin DHS updated the eligibility guidance to include all spiritual care providers, both in and outside of hospital settings.

The Langlade County Health Department has received notice from Wisconsin DHS of an additional vaccine allocation for the county’s educators and childcare staff to be administered the weeks of March 15th and March 22nd. Anyone in this eligible group can register for a vaccine at

http://forms.gle/tpHjKbUDGWkjEjA2A or call 715-627-6250.

Wisconsin DHS has announced that people age 16 and older with certain medical conditions will be eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine beginning March 29. This eligibility group includes individuals with medical conditions associated with an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. DHS anticipates the general public will be eligible for the vaccine sometime in May. For more information on what is considered a medical condition, please visit: https://www.dhs.wisconsin.gov/covid-19/vaccine-about.htm

Wisconsin DHS has adopted the CDC guidelines on how fully vaccinated people can visit safely with other fully vaccinated persons. A person is considered fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving the last required dose of vaccine. For more information please visit:

https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/p0308-vaccinated-guidelines.html

STATE AND COUNTY DATA: As of Friday, March 12, 2021:

Approximately 20.4% of Wisconsin residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In total (first and second doses) over 1.8 million doses have been given in Wisconsin.

66.2% of Wisconsinites aged 65 and over have received at least one dose of vaccine.

Approximately 19% of Langlade County residents have received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. In total (first and second doses) 5864 doses have been given to Langlade County residents.

54.5% of Langlade County residents aged 65 and over have received at least one dose of vaccine.

LANGLADE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT DATA: As of Friday, March 12, 2021:

Langlade County Health Department has administered 1797 total doses. Of these doses:

1207 have been first doses

875 (72%) of these first doses have been provided to individuals in the 65 years or older eligibility group. This percent may be slightly higher, as there have been individuals 65 years or older that were vaccinated as a prior eligible group (health care worker, fire or police).

In total, the Langlade County Health Department has provided approximately 31% of the total vaccinations received by its’ county residents.

(Benchmark for local health departments is 14%.)

**WE ARE ASKING THAT ANY INDIVIDUAL WHO HAS A CONFIRMED VACCINE APPOINTMENT AT THE LANGLADE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT, BUT RECEIVES THE VACCINE FROM ANOTHER VACCINE PROVIDER PRIOR TO THEIR SCHEDULED APPOINTMENT AT OUR CLINIC, PLEASE CONTACT US ASAP TO REMOVE YOURSELF FROM OUR CLINIC SCHEDULE**

If any county residents received a COVID-19 vaccination OUTSIDE of the state of Wisconsin, or through the VA, please notify the Langlade County Health Department to ensure the Wisconsin Immunization Registry is updated. This helps ensure the data reported is as accurate as possible.

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.