If you’re frustrated by the possible return of full-blown mask policies and social distancing as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, so are administrators at Lyon County Public Health — including Emergency Preparedness Director Jennifer Millbern.
Millbern’s comments came shortly before a Flint Hills Community Health Center staffer was allegedly verbally accosted and threatened Thursday morning. The Health Center has filed a police report in that matter.
The delta variant is a health concern for a number of reasons, including the sharply increased viral load in patients versus other strains and indications it can be transmitted by vaccinated residents to degrees not seen with other strains.
With the rapidly increasing presence of the delta variant, Public Health is recommending one notable change on a personal level.
Public Health did not recommend any changes in countywide COVID-19 protocols at Thursday’s County Commission meeting.
Several breakthrough cases are being reported as part of the active caseload the last two weeks. Millbern says 44 percent of the breakthrough cases are due to the delta variant, which came to the area in late June, has replaced the wild variety and is far more prevalent than any other variant — including the alpha variant, which first came to Lyon County in April. Lyon County logged 103 new COVID-19 cases in July, of which 26 were the delta variant and two were the alpha strain. The last alpha case was July 6.
