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.
Muncie, IN—At the beginning of 2021—just 2 months ago—Delaware County was reporting nearly 1,000 new cases of COVID-19 in a single week. Now, the county has reported 69 new cases in the past 7 days; new cases in a 7-day period have been consistently under 100 for the past four weeks.
Since the last county-wide update released on March 4, Delaware County has reported 0 new deaths and a 2.7% 7-day positivity rate. As of March 10, IU Health Ball Memorial Hospital is treating 11 confirmed cases of COVID-19, 5 of which are Delaware County residents. The county is once again blue on the Indiana State Department of Health’s county metrics map, the “best”score a county can have.
Additionally, 14,627 individuals in Delaware County are fully vaccinated, according to the Indiana COVID-19 VaccineDashboard.
Linda Morgan, a registered nurse at IU Health Blackford, said that while she hasn’t always trusted every vaccine on the market, she hurried to get her COVID-19 vaccination as soon as possible.
“I’m from the polio/smallpox era. I have the large scar on my left upper arm that distinguishes us from the ‘newbies,’” she said, referring to her smallpox vaccination scar. “Smallpox is no longer a threat, but at one time in history, it was a death sentence.” Morgan said she grew up with others who had personal experiences with polio, too.
“One of my friends grew up with a shriveled arm, another’s father limped with a cane, then there was another who spent his life in an iron lung,” she said. Morgan herself was “lucky enough” to have an effective vaccine available to her. Because of that vaccine, she said very few people today would be able to recognize a polio victim.
“Epidemics and pandemics are very real, and if we are given the gift of protection, it is not a time for politics or distrust,” she said. “Too many people have died from this virus.”
There are currently three vaccines approved for emergency use in the Unites States: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna and Johnson &Johnson. In clinical trials, the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were proven to be about 95% effective in preventing COVID-19. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was shown to be 66% effective in preventing infection and 85% effective in preventing serious illness. However, all three vaccines were shown in clinical trials to be 100% effective in preventing hospitalization or death as a result of COVID-19.
“I appreciate the effort that has gone into developing a vaccine,” Morgan said. “This is our once-in-a- lifetime pandemic;let’s take advantage of the work that has been done on our behalf.”
As of March 10, the following Indiana residents are eligible to receive a vaccine:
- Anyone aged 50 or older
- Healthcare workers
- First responders
- Patients at highest risk of severe illness (visit in.gov/vaccine for a complete list)
- Teachers of all ages are currently eligible at select locations through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. Beginning Monday, March 15, all teachers and school staff—including cafeteria workers, bus drivers, substitute teachers, administrators and other childcare workers—will be eligible at all vaccination locations.
While COVID-19 cases have been decreasing in the community, local health officials continue to warn against getting too lax on safety precautions.
“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,” said Bryan Ayars, CEO of Open Door Health Services.
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 andcase numbers in Delaware County, visit dcema.org.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is currently eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine?
As of March 10, the following Indiana residents are eligible to receive a vaccine:
- Anyone aged 50 or older
- Healthcare workers
- First responders
- Patients at highest risk of severe illness (visit in.gov/vaccine for a complete list)
These individuals will receive a unique registration link by text or email, or may call 211 after receiving the notification.
- Teachers of all ages are currently eligible at select locations through the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program. Beginning Monday, March 15, all teachers and school staff—including cafeteria workers, bus drivers, substitute teachers, administrators and other childcare workers—will be eligible at all vaccination locations.
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.
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?
Individuals can schedule online or by phone. There is no charge for the vaccination.
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
- Transportation assistance can be requested by calling
- Citizenship is not required for vaccination, and citizenship information is not
- 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.
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 announced options for shortening this timeframe to 10 or even possibly 7 days, if certain criteria are met. We suggest these 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, aswell 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 or cdc.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 count as 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.
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.
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.
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 availablethrough the Delaware County Coronavirus Hub at dcema.org.
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.
