Livingston County Health Center confirms United Kingdom and Indian variants of COVID-19 circulating within the county

B.1.1.7 variant of COVID
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Livingston County Health Center has announced lab confirmation from the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services of both U.K. and Indian variants of COVID-19 circulating in Livingston County.

B.1.1.7-UK is labeled a variant of concern by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and has shown to be 50 percent more contagious than the original virus.

B.1.617.2-Indian is labeled a variant of interest by the CDC, seems to take a smaller viral load to infect and may be up to 50 percent more contagious than the U.K. variant.
The Missouri Department of Health estimates around 80% of current cases of COVID-19 in the state have been caused by the U.K. variant.

 

“We now know that Livingston County has two highly contagious COVID-19 variants circulating in the community. The good news is that treatment and prevention remain the same. The bad news is, without the help of our county residents, our hands are tied at doing much to slow down the spread of these variant cases locally,” said Sherry Weldon, RN, Administrator.

“Everyone in this county from individuals to businesses and places of worship should be ultra-vigilant about prevention measures at this time. We need to go back to what we were doing at the beginning of the pandemic to slow the spread of this virus.”

All three types of vaccines being used in the United States have proven effective against the variants circulating in the nation by lessening symptoms of COVID-19 and reducing hospitalization and death.

Residents can get vaccinated on a walk-in basis at the Health Center from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. There is no out-of-pocket cost.

The Health Center would like to encourage all residents, regardless of vaccination status, to be vigilant about prevention measures like wearing a mask in public, washing hands frequently, staying home from work, church, summer school, daycare, and everywhere else if you do not feel well. Getting tested sooner rather than later, so close contacts can be notified.

Thirty-eight COVID-19 cases have been added in Livingston County since May 28th, which brings the total to 1,745. The health center notes 123 cases are active, which is down 21 since May 28.


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