Lyon County Public Health is urging residents to stay the course on COVID-19 mitigation strategies for at least a few more weeks.
The reason, according to Emergency Preparedness Director Jennifer Millbern, is those strategies — mask use, social distancing and mass gatherings — could relax somewhat if people stay with the program now.
On KVOE’s Newsmaker segment Thursday, Millbern said there is no one “magic indicator” for reopening pre-pandemic normal operations. Instead, Public Health uses several metrics — mainly infection rates, test positivity rates and vaccination rates — to determine how the county should move forward. And there are some concerns about two of those data sets. Infection rates are at 83 cases a week, up slightly from a month ago and above the desired 10 cases a week. Test positivity rates, as low as 4 percent a month ago, are now around 6 percent.
Millbern says those stats indicate “substantial” community spread of the virus, and there has been a notable shift from infections among older residents to younger adults. The 30-60 age range had the most activity since early March and the newborn to age 29 range right behind. She says that indicates a higher vaccination rate and more of a willingness to adhere to mitigation strategies among older residents than other age ranges.
Millbern’s comments came shortly before Lyon County commissioners approved changes to the county’s COVID-19 public health order, turning restrictions on mass gathering limits and social distances into strong recommendations while keeping the ongoing mask mandate.
KVOE will keep you updated on COVID-19 response efforts with Millbern’s weekly appearances during Thursday’s 7:15 am Newsmaker segment. KVOE will have another COVID-19 Vaccination Briefing during the 8:20 am Newsmaker 2 segment Monday.
