Rise in COVID cases among young noted

Independent staff and submitted information

As of Thursday, the Van Wert County General Health District reports an increase of 79 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since Thursday, September 2, for a total of 2,825 confirmed cases. There are five known hospitalizations of county residents due to COVID-19. To date, the health department has given 11,407 COVID-19 vaccinations.  

The number of new cases in each age range in the last seven days are:

Ages 1-19 years — 13
Ages 20-29 years — 11
Ages 30-39 years — 15
Ages 40-49 years — 10
Ages 50-59 years — 12
Ages 60-69 years — 8
Ages 70-79 years — 9
Ages 80-89 years — 1

Area residents who have received a positive test for COVID-19, should note that interviews are being conducted by a third-party firm called PCG. Those who are confirmed case should not ignore phone calls from a 216 area code, as PCG is likely calling to complete a brief interview and to offer isolation/quarantine letters for those testing positive and their close contacts.  

Isolation for those testing positive for COVID-19 is still 10 days from symptom onset, or 10 days from the date of a positive test, if a person does not have any symptoms. Quarantine is still 10 days from date of last contact with the positive person, or 7 days if no symptoms and a negative test is received after the fifth day from the last contact. If a person is vaccinated and has contact with a positive case, the person does not have to quarantine if no symptoms are exhibited.  

Van Wert County continues to see a high rate of transmission, based on the total new cases per 100,000 residents and the percentage of positive tests in the last seven days. This data can be found on the CDC COVID-19 Data Tracker at https://covid.cdc.gov/covid-data-tracker.) 

The health department continues to offer Pfizer and Moderna vaccine every Thursday from 2-4 p.m. at its offices on Westwood Drive. Pfizer vaccine is available for all those age 12 and up and Moderna for those age 18 and up. Third doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine are available for immunocompromised individuals only.  

The health department encourages interested individuals to consult with their physician to determine whether they are eligible for this third dose. The patient must meet eligibility criteria and must have completed the Pfizer or Moderna vaccination series at least 28 days ago. Additional doses or booster shots are not available at this time for any other individuals. Those seeking to be vaccinated should bring a photo ID and any pertinent insurance info. Those under the age of 18 must have a parent or guardian present, as well as proof of age such as a shot record or birth certificate. The health department is not making appointments at this time, as all clinics are walk-in only.

Van Wert County Health Department is researching an efficient and accurate way to release data on the number of vaccinated cases. Staff members strive to provide accurate and current information to the public; however, much of this data is not as easy to obtain as the public may think. The department only has immediate record of vaccinations given by its staff. When a person tests positive, they are asked during the interview whether they are vaccinated, and this is entered into the disease reporting system used by the state. However, not every positive case completes the interview. 

In order to provide accurate data, there are multiple steps in the process in determining this data, including cross checking those who say they are vaccinated. Many health departments are providing this information; however, those departments may have a full-time epidemiologist on staff and/or a full-time public information officer. Van Wert County Health Department has a part-time epidemiologist shared by other health departments, and a public information officer that is also the environmental health director.  

Staff members are also researching the discrepancy between the state dashboard data and local data. The county health department appreciates the community’s support and patience as it continues to provide many services to the public, including these releases.