Twelve COVID-19 cases have been added for Grundy County since the health department’s update on the morning of December 1st.
Health Department Administrator Elizabeth Gibson reports a total of 1,859 cases through December 1st. There have been 30 new cases this week. The number of active cases increased by nine to 36. Grundy County’s positivity rate for the last 14 days is 10.63%. Gibson attributes the rise in cases to indoor gatherings and more circulation of COVID-19 in the area. She notes other counties in the region have seen a rise in cases recently.
There have been 138 breakthrough cases for Grundy County, which is four percent of total vaccinated residents. The fully vaccinated rate is 35.3%, and 37.9% of the population has received at least one vaccine dose.
Booster doses are recommended for everyone at least 18 years old. Gibson encourages residents to get vaccinated and receive boosters. Residents can receive first, second, third, or booster doses of COVID-19 vaccine at clinics this month held by the Grundy County Health Department. The clinics will include Moderna on December 6th and 20th, Pfizer on December 9th, and Johnson and Johnson on December 15th. There will also be a pediatric Pfizer vaccine clinic for children five to 11 years old on December 21st. The clinics will be held by appointment. Fifty-dollar gift cards are available for Grundy County residents receiving a first or second dose.
Gibson recommends renewing vigilance, wearing masks at indoor gatherings, and staying home if sick. The health department also has flu shots available every Tuesday without an appointment.
The Putnam County Health Department reports it investigated 38 COVID-19 cases from November 13th to December 1st. Sixteen of the cases were on November 29th and 30th. Nineteen cases are active out of the 728 total cases for Putnam County. There have been 19 COVID-19-related deaths.
Of the cases investigated from November 13th through December 1st, the health department notes 10 completed their primary series of vaccination but did not have boosters. None of those 10 required hospitalizations. The other 28 cases were not vaccinated, and one required hospitalization with intubation due to complications of COVID-19. The largest age group with positive results is the 31 to 40-year-old category.
As of December 2nd, there have been no reported cases of influenza in Putnam County for the flu season. The health department has an influenza vaccine available for individuals at least six months old.
The health department encourages the community to be proactive to help slow the spread of COVID-19 and continue to keep influenza cases low. This can be done with strategies such as staying home when sick, not attending gatherings if you have been exposed to another positive person for at least seven to 10 days after exposure, wearing a mask when in public, maintaining a healthy diet, seeking medical care when necessary, and receiving influenza and COVID-19 vaccines.
The Livingston County Health Center reports 12 COVID-19 cases have been added since November 30th’s update. There are 2,429 cases total, and 49 are active.
