Delaware County COVID-19 Update, March 4th

This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion.This illustration, created at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), reveals ultrastructural morphology exhibited by coronaviruses. Note the spikes that adorn the outer surface of the virus, which impart the look of a corona surrounding the virion.

Editor’s note: The following COVID-19 update is brought to you through a collaboration of healthcare partners including Delaware County Health Department, Delaware County Emergency Management Agency, Delaware County Office of Information, and other major healthcare providers. Delaware County weekly COVID-19 updates are released every Thursday and include information from the Indiana State Department of Health county metrics dashboard, which is updated every Wednesday afternoon.

 This week, Indiana broadened COVID-19 vaccine eligibility requirements to include anyone 50 or older, as well as an initial group of patients who are deemed the highest risk for severe illness from the virus. On March 3, Governor Eric Holcomb announced that all Indiana educators are also eligible for the vaccine through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. In Indiana, this program includes Kroger, Meijer and Walmart pharmacies.

The expanded eligibility requirements, paired with the FDA’s approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Saturday, Feb. 27, means thousands more Hoosiers now have access to a vaccine.

Brian Reed, director of transformation at IU Health East Central Region, said that while it’s not yet known how the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will be distributed throughout the state, having another vaccine helps improve access.

“Since the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a one-shot vaccine, this vaccine will be particularly helpful in mass vaccination sites, temporary or ‘pop-up’ sites, retail spaces, doctor offices and other healthcare settings where it may be difficult for patients to come for two shots,” Reed said. “This flexibility will help healthcare providers be able to reach more patients in the community.”

Bryan Ayars, CEO of Open Door Health Services, said the single dose vaccine will likely be more favorable among the community.

“This is borne out by our experience—one shared by other vaccination sites throughout the nation—that some people don’t return for their second vaccine of Moderna or Pfizer, even though they’re not as protected as they could, or should, be by only one dose,” Ayars said.

Fully vaccinated with two doses, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are both about 95% effective in preventing infection of COVID-19. The Johnson & Johnson has been proven to be about 66% effective in preventing infection, and 85% effective in preventing severe or critical illness.

“While these numbers are lower than what was seen in Pfizer and Moderna clinical trials, it is important to understand the trials were conducted at different times during the pandemic and when different variants existed. All three vaccines are highlyeffective at preventing COVID illness,” Reed said.

In fact, all three vaccines were 100% effective in preventing hospitalization or death as a result of COVID-19 during clinical trials.

“The seasonal flu vaccines are frequently less than effective than any of the three current COVID vaccine options,” Ayars said. “The CDC emphasizes that getting vaccinated with the first vaccine available to you is very important in the effort to end the pandemic.”

According to the Indiana COVID-19 Vaccine Dashboard, 11,884 individuals in Delaware County are fully vaccinated, as of March 4. There are now more vaccinated individuals in Delaware County than there have been total positive cases (9,870) since the virus first appeared locally in March 2020.

“At Ball Hospital, we are seeing our number of COVID hospitalized patients continue to decrease, and overall we are seeing fewer patients test positive in the community,” Reed said. As of March 4, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital is treating 9 confirmed cases, 6 of which are Delaware County residents.

Delaware County is blue for the second week in a row on the Indiana State Department of Health’s county metrics map, having reported 55 new cases, 1 new death and a 2.3% 7-day positivity rate since the last county-wide update on Feb. 25.

“The vaccine is starting to make a difference. However, we are still a long way away from having the levels of vaccination needed to reach herd immunity,” Reed said. “It is important to continue wearing masks, socially distancing and following good hand washing practices. This will help us keep the virus from spreading as we work to vaccinate the community.”

Now under a blue advisory level, Delaware County events may operate with up to 250 attendees, pending approval from theHealth Department. Mask use and social distancing requirements remain in place.

While some restrictions ease up under a blue advisory, local health officials caution against letting our guard down.

“Incidence of the COVID virus has diminished in the county, but the numbers are still too high for us to relax,” Ayars said. “If we don’t continue to practice social distancing, mask wearing and hand washing until the vast majority of the community is vaccinated, we risk returning to more restricted activities, and more illness and death.”

For additional updates on vaccine information in Delaware County, visit OurShotDelawareCounty.org.

For those who are not yet eligible to receive the vaccine, health officials encourage continued diligence on testing and quarantining. Both rapid and standard tests are available throughout the county. For more information on testing locations and case numbers in Delaware County, visit dcema.org.


 

Frequently Asked Questions

How effective is the COVID-19 vaccine?

There are currently three vaccines approved for emergency use in the Unites States: the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, the Moderna vaccine and the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. In clinical trials, the Pfizer vaccine was proven to be 95% effective in preventing COVID-19, and the Moderna vaccine 94.1% effective. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was shown to be 66% effective in preventing infection and 85% effective in preventing serious illness. All three vaccines were shown to be 100% effective in preventing hospitalization or death as a result of COVID-19.

How do I get vaccinated for COVID-19?

As of March 3, the following Indiana residents are eligible to receive their COVID-19 vaccination:

  • Anyone aged 50 or older
  • Healthcare workers
  • First responders
  • Patients at highest risk of severe illness: active dialysis patients; sickle cell disease patients; Down syndrome; post-solid organ transplant; people who are actively in treatment (chemotherapy, radiation, surgery) for cancer now or in the last three months, or with active primary lung cancer or active hematologic cancers (lymphoma, leukemia and multiple myeloma). These individuals will receive a unique registration link by text or email, or may call 211 after receiving the notification. 
  • Teachers of all ages (eligible through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program; read more here)

There is no charge for the vaccination. Individuals can schedule online or by phone.

To schedule online:

  • Visit IN.gov and follow the instructions to find a vaccine site.
  • The site will ask questions to make sure you meet criteria.
  • A map will display vaccination sites closest to you.
  • Choose a site and register for a date and time.

To schedule by phone:

  • For those unable to register online, call 211 to register by phone. The call center is open daily from 8 a.m.–9 p.m.

Other notes of importance:

  • Registering another individual on their behalf is permitted.
  • Transportation assistance can be requested by calling 211.
  • Citizenship is not required for vaccination, and citizenship information is not collected.
  • Photo ID may be required at the time of vaccination.

Local vaccination information can be found at OurShotDelawareCounty.org.

The Health Department has also released a document that addresses common myths and misconceptions about the COVID-19 vaccine.

How will I know when I become eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine?

Those who are eligible for the vaccine will be notified via postal mail from the state, as well as through additional communications efforts. Eligibility information will also be shared online at ourshot.IN.gov as updates become available.

Will vaccines allow an immediate return to normal? What should people expect over the next few months?

We should not expect a significant impact from the vaccines anytime soon. The vaccine supply will arrive in phases and is expected to be very limited in quantity initially.

I got tested for COVID-19. Now what?

Individuals who get tested because they have symptoms should quarantine after their test until they receive their results. If the test is positive, they must continue to isolate. Isolation can end after ALL of the following have occurred:

  • 10 days have passed since onset of symptoms
  • If fever was a symptom, 24 hours have passed with no fever, without use of fever-reducing drugs
  • Other symptoms are improving (however, loss of taste/smell may persist and does not to be factored into this requirement)

However, a person who has tested positive should follow their healthcare provider’s advice on when to end isolation.

The official recommendation for quarantine of someone identified as a close contact remains at 14 days. The CDC has recently announced options for shortening this timeframe to 10 or even possibly 7 days, if certain criteria are met. We suggestthese options only be considered for use by individuals who would fall under the CDC guidelines for “Critical Infrastructure.” Employers retain the ability to, and are recommended to, require 14-day quarantine of any potentially exposed staff members. The 7- and 10-day options, in summary:

  • Quarantine can end after day 10 without testing and if NO symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring.
  • When testing is readily available, quarantine can end as early as day 7 with a negative test result;

HOWEVER, the test can be conducted no earlier than day 5 of the quarantine period.

In either situation, after stopping quarantine, people should

  • Watch for symptoms until 14 days after exposure.
  • If they have symptoms, immediately self-isolate and contact their local public health authority or healthcare provider, as well as their employer if necessary.
  • Wear a mask, stay at least 6 feet from others, wash their hands, and avoid crowds.

Again, the standing recommendation for quarantine of close contacts remains at 14 days.

For more information, please visit cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/if-you-are-sick/quarantine orcdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/more/scientific-brief-options-to-reduce-quarantine.

What is a “close contact”?

The CDC definition of “close contact” includes the following:

  • You were within 6 feet of someone who has COVID-19 for a total of 15 minutes or more, with or without masks. (This is 15 total minutes over the course of 24 hours. E.g., three five-minute periods of time throughout one day would countas close )
  • You provided care at home to someone who is sick with COVID-19.
  • You had direct physical contact with the person (hugged or kissed them).
  • You shared eating or drinking utensils.
  • They sneezed, coughed, or somehow got respiratory droplets on you.

Should I/my child get tested for COVID-19 even if only mild cold-like symptoms, like a runny nose, are present?

Anyone experiencing symptoms of illness should isolate at home to avoid the risk of spreading illness to others. With the improved availability of testing, DCHD would further recommend testing to any such individual. Additional information concerning when you can return to work and what to do if your test is positive is available for review at cdc.gov.

If I test positive for COVID-19, how should close contacts be informed?

Anyone who tests positive should proactively seek to notify anyone they have had close contact with, as far back as 48 hours before their symptom onset. Positive individuals should also cooperate with any contact tracing calls they receive from the State, so that state contact tracers can also document and notify close contacts of their need to quarantine.

What should I do if I witness a business and/or citizen failing to comply with guidelines from the state or county?

Complaints can be lodged through the Delaware County Health Department Citizen Complaint Form, most easily available through the Delaware County Coronavirus Hub at dcema.org.

Will getting a flu shot protect me from COVID-19?

While some evidence exists that the flu vaccine may help with protection against COVID-19, this vaccine should not be considered a protection against COVID-19. Instead, protection against influenza infection may prove beneficial to the population by lowering the number of flu illnesses overall and freeing up space in the healthcare system for those infected with COVID-19 or needing other healthcare.

What are the symptoms of COVID-19?

People who have COVID-19 may exhibit any range of these symptoms, and some may even show no symptoms at all. Symptoms may appear 2–14 days after being exposed to the virus. Some symptoms of COVID-19 include:

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

Anyone with these symptoms should stay home as much as possible and limit their exposure to others. Children who have any of the above symptoms should be kept home from school. For more information, read the Indiana State Department of Health’sguidelines for returning to school here.

Families with children in school can find additional information and resources at educationsupporthub.com.

What should I do if I think I might have COVID-19?

If you have any of the above symptoms or have been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19, you should immediately begin to self-quarantine to prevent spreading the disease to others. You should also call a local health clinic to arrange to be tested. Follow your doctor’s orders and continue to self-quarantine until you receive negative test results.

Children who exhibit any of the above symptoms should NOT be sent to school. If your child shows any of the listed symptoms, keep the child home in quarantine and contact your healthcare provider for further guidance. Families with children in school can find additional information and resources at educationsupporthub.com.

Where can I get tested?

Several local health clinics offer COVID-19 tests, including Meridian Health Services, Open Door Health Services, and more.

Open Door offers free community tests for individuals with or without symptoms, made available through a partnership with the Delaware County Health Department. Those who wish to get tested are required to register online in advance at opendoorhs.org/testing. These tests are available at Open Door’s 333 S. Madison Street location and at Worthen Arena at Ball State University. Open Door also offers rapid tests during patient visits; non-Open Door patients can receive a rapid test at Open Door Urgent Care on E. 29th Street.

For a complete list of testing locations in Delaware County, visit the Delaware County Indiana Coronavirus Hub. Be advisedthat some locations may test only those who exhibit symptoms of COVID- 19.

Staying Safe from COVID-19

To keep yourself safe from COVID-19 and to reduce the spread of the disease, wash your hands often for at least 20 seconds, wear a mask when inside public spaces and when in crowded areas, and practice social distancing.

If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or have been in contact with someone who tested positive, schedule an appointment to get tested as soon as possible. Self-quarantine until you have received negative test results. A list of testing locations can be foundon the Delaware County Indiana Coronavirus hub.

In accordance with the Governor’s latest Executive Order, events can now occur with attendance potentially as high as 100% of a venue’s capacity or up to 250 people, following submission of an event safety plan to the local health department and subsequent approval. Mask use and distancing requirements remain.