The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is changing its guidance on the use of masks to battle COVID-19.
The CDC says most Americans, including schoolchildren and staffers, are safe indoors without masks. The new guidance Friday relies less on COVID cases and more on hospitalizations or local hospital capacity. Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky says the change reflects a reduction in the risk of severe disease and hospitalization from COVID because of widespread immunity — whether through vaccines or previous infection — along with testing enhancements and the existence of new treatments.
Based on current trends, more than half the counties across the country are in low to medium risk. As of Friday’s data, most of the counties in the KVOE listening area would fit in one of those two categories and, as a result, would not need to wear masks indoors:
*Lyon County is at a medium COVID community level, based on 157 cases per 100,000, hospital admissions at 18 per 100,000 and COVID inpatient bed use at 11.3 percent.
*Chase County is at a medium community level. Chase County has 38 cases per 100,000 people, hospital admissions at 12 per 100,000 and an inpatient bed use at 11.3 percent.
*Coffey County is at a medium community level. There are 147 cases per 100,000 people. Hospital admissions are at 12 per 100,000 and inpatient bed utilization is at 11.3 percent.
*Greenwood County is at a medium community level. It has 101 cases per 100,000, hospital admissions at 12 per 100,000 and an inpatient bed use of 11.3 percent
*Morris County is at a high community level. Morris County has 214 cases per 100, hospital admissions at 26.9 per 100,000 and inpatient bed use at 3.6 percent.
*Osage County is at a medium community level. Cases are at 82 per 100,000. Hospital admissions are at 18.3 per 100,000. Inpatient bed use rate is 9.3 percent.
*Wabaunsee County is at a medium community level. There are 188 cases per 100,000 people, an 18.3 per 100,000 hospital admission rate and inpatient bed use rate of 9.3 percent
Low community level is defined as less than 200 cases per 100,000 people over the past week, fewer than 10 new hospitalizations and fewer than 10 new hospitalizations per 100,000 in the last 7 days and fewer than 10 percent of beds used by Covid patients.
Medium community level has two levels, depending on the new caseload. If less than 200 new cases, 10-19 new admissions per 100,000 and 10-14 percent of beds used qualify as medium. If more than 200 new cases, less than 10 new admissions per 100,000 and less than 10 percent of beds used put a county in a medium level.
High community level also has two levels If less than 200 new cases, 20 or more new admissions per 100,000 and 15 percent or more of beds used means a high level. If more than 200 new cases, 10 or more new admissions per 100,000 and 10 percent or more of beds used means a high level.
The CDC says around 70 percent of Americans are now in a low-risk or high-risk county.
Previous guidance recommended masks in counties with substantial or high COVID-19 transmission instead of the combination of new cases, new hospitalizations and percentage of inpatient bed space in use.
Mask use will still be required on federal transportation through March 18.
