“We’re certainly moving in the right direction,” Clark County Combined Health District health commissioner Charles Patterson said during his weekly livestream. “We can clearly confirm that we’ve reached the peak of delta and we are on the way down.”
However, the timeframe in which cases will plateau is dependent on the interactions people in the county will have in the coming weeks, Patterson said.
“It’s about protecting people’s health,” Patterson said.
Although fewer cases were reported in the county from last week, more deaths from the virus were reported. As of Friday afternoon, Clark County lost 341 lives to the pandemic. Hospitalizations, Patterson said, have remained steady.
Ohio reported 329 COVID-19 deaths Friday, according to ODH. It’s the highest number reported in the last three weeks. The previous 21-day high was 328 deaths reported on Oct. 1. The state’s death data can lag because Ohio uses death certificate data to determine coronavirus deaths. The data can also fluctuate because other states don’t regularly report death certificates to Ohio’s Bureau of Vital Statistics. The day a death is reported does not reflect the day a death occurred.
As of Friday afternoon, 614 hospitalizations were reported in Clark County since the pandemic’s beginning.
Patterson also said that unvaccinated individuals account for three out of four COVID-19 hospitalizations. Roughly 53% of eligible Clark Countians (those over the age of 12) are vaccinated, Patterson said.
More than 1,000 booster doses were administered in Clark County this week, he said.
Boosters are available by appointment only for eligible people. A pool of fully-vaccinated people who received the Pfizer vaccine series are eligible for a booster dose. They include:
- People 65 years and older and residents in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their primary Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty series.
- People ages 50 to 64 with certain underlying medical conditions should receive a booster shot of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their primary Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty series.
- People ages 18 to 49 who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 due to certain underlying medical conditions may receive a booster shot of Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their primary Pfizer series, based on their individual benefits and risks.
- People ages 18-64 who are at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may receive a booster shot of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine at least six months after their Pfizer-BioNTech/Comirnaty primary series, based on their individual benefits and risks. Underlying conditions include the following: underlying health conditions including: cancer, asthma, HIV infection, liver disease, high blood pressure, cardiomyopathies or a heart condition.
In addition, 300 first doses of the vaccine were also administered this week.
Patterson also discussed pediatric doses of the COVID-19 vaccines (vaccines for those aged 5-11), and he said that the health district expects to remove guidance on pediatric doses sometime in November.
The CCCHD COVID-19 Vaccination Center at 110 W. Leffel Lane in Springfield is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday, Wednesday and Friday; and from 1 to 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Thursday. Those seeking a booster dose can call 937-717-2439 to schedule an appointment.
By the Numbers:
45.1: Percentage of Clark County residents who have completed the COVID-19 vaccine series
19,138: Total number of coronavirus cases reported in Clark County
341: Total number of coronavirus-related deaths in Clark County
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