By JAN LARSON McLAUGHLIN
BG Independent News
Vaccinated Wood Countians don’t have to mask up again yet – but stay tuned.
Wood County Health Commissioner Ben Robison reported to the county commissioners this morning that while the county’s COVID numbers are creeping upward, they are still at the “moderate” level.
However, if and when the numbers reach “substantial,” local residents will again be asked to mask up.
“You’re probably going to notice I have my mask on” as a reminder, Robison said to the county commissioners. It’s discouraging, he said, but the Delta variant is a “game changer.”
“Like others, I was excited to take my mask off,” as the COVID numbers dropped in Wood County, he said. But the numbers are ticking higher in the past week or so. “No one thinks this is exciting.”
Wood County was seeing single digit new cases per week. But now, those numbers are closer to seven new cases each day – or 40 active cases per 100,000 residents. If the county hits 50 cases per 100,000, it will be moved into the “substantial” risk category.
“We’re just watching it day by day,” Robison said.
Wood County is one of few counties in Northwest Ohio to still be in the moderate transmission category. That could be due to the strong vaccination rate, Robison said.
Wood County ranks second in the state for vaccination rates for those 65 and older. Overall, 53.5% of county residents have had at least one dose of the vaccine – that includes those too young to get the vaccine.
Currently, 59% of those 12 and older, and 75% of those 40 and older have been vaccinated, Robison said.
“Those are good numbers, but we’re still looking to try to improve the overall number,” he said.
The rule of thumb had been that those who were fully vaccinated could shed their masks. But the Delta variant has changed that.
The Delta variant spreads much faster – “about twice as transmissible as what we saw last fall,” Robison said. And it can be spread from fully vaccinated people to others.
“You can be contagious up to two days before symptoms,” he said.
The good news for vaccinated people is that they aren’t likely to get seriously ill or die from the Delta variant of COVID.
According to Robison, just 1 to 3% of those hospitalized and 1% of deaths from the Delta variant involve fully vaccinated people.
So unvaccinated people are strongly urged to wear masks. If the numbers continue upward, others will be asked to do the same.
“We’ll make a further announcement should this happen,” Robison said.
“We’re hoping we don’t get to that threshold,” he said.
Because the Delta variant carries a bigger load in the noses and throats of infected people, masks should cover both openings.
“It’s always important to have your mask cover your nose and your mouth,” he said.
Wood County Commissioner Ted Bowlus said there is still confusion about who is protected by masks – the person wearing the mask or those around them. The answer is – everyone.
“The mask is important,” Bowlus said.
The former mask mandate helped slow the spread in the community, Robison said.
“They provided great benefit to preventing the spread,” he said. At schools where masks were required, “there was virtually no transmission at all.”
Commissioner Craig LaHote asked if the U.S. can expect more COVID variants in the future.
“We could see more,” Robison said, noting that the longer COVID is allowed to circulate, the more variants will occur.
