There was good news and bad news in the latest COVID-19 data set from Lyon County Public Health.
The good: two new cases since Wednesday, meaning 13 new cases for the week. It’s the lowest weekly total of the year, well below the 48 the week of Feb. 25, and it’s the lowest for the county since the week of June 27, when Lyon County reported eight cases.
The bad: two new deaths were reported, meaning Lyon County now has 114 deaths since the pandemic started nearly two full years ago.
With COVID-19 infections at their lowest levels in months, you’re hearing more about transitioning out of pandemic status — and you’re hearing more about that transition going into so-called endemic status. But Pubilc Health Emergency Preparedness Director Jennifer Millbern says that’s not quite accurate.
On KVOE’s Morning Show this week, Millbern said the term “endemic ” has a certain meaning.
Millbern says Lyon County’s short-term response will be based on hyper-endemic status, meaning numbers are elevated but not to the point where the virus is stressing health care, work, the economy or normal life.
As numbers flatten out, Millbern says the Public Health focus has shifted from disease investigation to outreach in several ways, including basic information, mask and home test kit distribution, vaccinations and overall preparation.
