Younger People Getting COVID Locally in 62-Case Spike

From the North Central Public Health District with Edits by Tom Peterson:

Wasco County had 62 cases of COVID-19 in an eight-day period ending Friday, July 30, according to the North Central Public Health District.

The majority of people coming down with the virus - 48 cases - were younger than 50 years old. Nineteen of the cases were in people 19 or younger.

That is consistent with national reports that cases are occurring in younger people now, largely because most older people are vaccinated. 

Fifty-five of the 62 cases in Wasco County were in unvaccinated people.

So, it appears, Wasco County is following a general trend that is taking hold across the United States, where cases have jumped from 10,000 to 70,000 cases per day as reported by The Washington Post’s rolling seven-day average. Disease trackers are saying it could spike to between 140,000 to 300,000 cases per day this month as those unvaccinated come down with the disease.

In Wasco County, contact tracers at North Central Public Health District have noticed changes in the spread of COVID compared to last November. Back then, if someone in a household was positive, other household members – but not necessarily all of them -- would eventually, over weeks, also test positive. 

But now, entire households are quickly becoming sick at about the same time. 

“It’s so much stronger and faster,” said Maria Acevedo, a contact tracer for NCPHD. Among a large number of cases that came in last Monday, she said, “Not a lot of them got admitted to the hospital, but a lot of them went to the ER.” 

Several recent changes in guidance highlight the high transmissibility of the Delta variant that is now believed to be responsible for 80 percent of cases in Oregon.

The CDC now recommends that vaccinated people who have been exposed to someone with a positive test should get tested, said Jeremy Hawkins, epidemiologist for North Central Public Health District. Previously, they were not advised to get tested after exposure. 

And guidance earlier this week from federal and state health officials recommends everyone, whether vaccinated or not, wear masks in public indoor places. 

Oregon has also determined that students in grades k-12 must wear masks in the coming school year. 

NCPHD and other participating providers in Wasco County are now offering $50 gift cards or vouchers to submit to NCPHD for gift cards to people getting their first dose of vaccine. Also participating is One Community Health, Mid-Columbia Medical Center and its clinics, Deschutes Rim Clinic in Maupin and Rite Aid Pharmacy. 

For more information, contact North Central Public Health District at (541) 506-2600, visit us on the web at www.ncphd.org or find us on Facebook.) 

Dr. McDonell recommends wearing masks indoors in public spaces in a letter to the public

As many people have heard, across the country, in Oregon, and in our own region, COVID-19 cases have increased significantly over the past two weeks. The delta variant of the virus, which is much more transmissible, is estimated to be responsible for 80% of the new cases in Oregon and in the US. In response to this, and in keeping with recommendations from the CDC and OHA, I strongly encourage all residents to wear a face mask when indoors in public spaces. The use of face masks indoors when in public settings provides protection for individuals who are unvaccinated as well as an additional level of protection from the small but known risk of infection by the virus for persons who already have been vaccinated. 

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, even against this new variant. They remain our most powerful tool in bringing this pandemic to an end. For those of you who still have questions or are unsure if getting a COVID-19 vaccine is the right choice for you, please reach out to your health care provider (or your friendly neighborhood public health officer!) for a discussion. There is so much information out there, please be sure you are getting the facts from the people you trust with your health. 

Respectfully yours, 

Miriam D. McDonell, MD 

Health Officer North Central Public Health District