It's been nearly five years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and while the numbers infected and hospitalized aren't as high as they were a few years ago, the virus is still spreading in Summit County.
More than 300 cases have been reported in the county this month as of Aug. 10, Summit County Public Health Commissioner Donna Skoda said. The 242 cases confirmed in June jumped to 778 cases in July.
It's tough to determine if these numbers are an accurate representation of the number of cases in Summit County, Skoda said.
"It's been difficult to get real numbers around how many people actually have COVID, with labs not reporting numbers anymore and people testing at home and not reporting their results," Skoda said. "Overall, our risk level is still fairly low, even if we've seen a slight uptick in cases in the past few months."
While no longer a public health emergency, the effects of COVID-19 are still being felt and likely will be for years to come. Here's the latest information we have about the virus, including how prevention is being treated differently, current hospital policies and what to do if exposed.
What is the latest on COVID-19 vaccines?
Booster shots, like those from Moderna and Pfizer, are currently being phased out to make way for a new vaccine, which should be operational sometime within the next month, Skoda said.
"All the old vaccines that we have given in the past, where we took two or three doses − all of those are related to old strains of COVID that circulated," Skoda said. "We are now treating COVID like influenza, and there will be a yearly vaccine that will no longer be considered a booster."
The new vaccine will provide users with immunity and protection from the latest circulating COVID strain, which is currently the next rendition of the Omicron variant, Skoda noted.
"We only currently have a Pfizer booster shot for someone who wants the last booster and hasn't gotten it yet, but we don't administer any of the previous vaccines anymore since it's not really worth it. They're not effective against the COVID strains that are currently out there," she said.
Do hospitals have COVID-19 policies in place?
Akron Children's Hospital, Summa Health and Cleveland Clinic Akron General do not currently have any COVID-19 policies in place.
“We have seen an increasing number of COVID cases in the past month and are closely monitoring the situation to see if this leads to increased admissions,” said Dr. Evelyn S. Pangonis, medical director of infectious disease at Akron Children’s.
Despite not having any current COVID-19 restrictions, those providing care at Akron General are still being recommended to wear masks during any interactions with patients, said Dr. Donald Dumford, an infectious disease specialist at the hospital.
"We went from requiring everyone masking and social distancing to now just strongly recommending masking for our caregivers, and I don't see any changes to this policy right now," Dumford said.
Area hospitals may, however, resume some seasonal precautions later this year if flu cases begin to climb.
Such precautions include required masking during patient-facing encounters in certain hospital units, said Holly Pupino, senior corporate communications specialist for Akron Children's.
What should I do if I am exposed to COVID-19?
If you have been exposed to COVID-19 and subsequently tested positive and have symptoms, the CDC now recommends staying home until the symptoms are mild and improving and it's been a day since you have had a fever. There is no longer a five-day isolation requirement for testing positive.
Once a person is back to normal activities, the CDC recommends taking precautions for five days, including masking and social distancing.
The CDC guidelines for health-care workers remain the same, meaning you should stay home and isolate for at least seven days after symptoms first appear.
What are COVID-19 symptoms?
According to the CDC, symptoms include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- New loss of taste or smell
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Are free COVID-19 tests still available?
Yes, Summit County Public Health has free testing kits for public use at their offices located at 1867 W. Market St. in Akron.
"Any time we are open, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can just walk into Building A and get them," Skoda said. "We really encourage, if you're going into any sort of congregate living, nursing homes, group homes, any kind of a situation where you're going to be in a tight environment where people live together, it's a good idea to test before you go."
Reporter Bryce Buyaki contributed to this story. Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com, or on Twitter @athompsonABJ
This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: 'We are now treating COVID like influenza': The latest on COVID-19 in Summit County
Local Summit County, OH
Most Popular
Comments / 0