Madison County Director of Public Health Toni Corona reported that as the county approaches 50 percent vaccination rates, it is still seeing high transmission numbers for COVID-19.
At the Health Department Committee meeting on Oct. 1, Corona said Madison County’s case rate was 231 COVID-19 cases per 100,000, which is considered high transmission.
She explained that low transmission would be less than 10 cases per 100,000. Moderate transmission would be 11-49 cases per 100,000. Substantial transmission would be 50-99 cases per 100,000. High transmission is anything above 100 cases per 100,000.
“Our goal is to get to low transmission,” she said.
She added that while Madison County remains in high transmission, the cases do seem to be decreasing. A couple weeks ago, the county saw 296 cases per 100,000, she explained.
Corona said the county is no longer measuring cases by positivity rate because testing has increased so much.
“It’s not a true indicator of what is happening in the community,” she said.
She added that schools have increased routine testing in order to identify asymptomatic cases.
Corona said the booster vaccine for Pfizer is available for those who are eligible. She explained that only those who received the first two vaccines from Pfizer can receive the booster, and it must be at least six months after the second dose was received.
She said that because access to COVID-19 vaccines throughout Madison County is available at pharmacies and doctor offices and vaccinations have slowed down, the county is not planning to open any mass vaccination clinics for the boosters.
A committee member asked if she knew why vaccinations have slowed down.
“I would absolutely say it’s not an access issue,” she responded.
She said it could be a “convenience issue,” “vaccine hesitancy,” and some not wanting to receive the vaccine.
Corona added that the Health Department will hold small vaccine clinics with a limited number of appointments on Wednesdays and Fridays.
Corona also told the Health Department Committee that the department has been working on addressing all of the other priorities they have in addition to COVID-19.
“We have been so focused talking about COVID that I’m afraid that folks kind of miss sight of everything else that we’re trying to hold onto and do, and we’re responsible to do as it relates to the health and wellbeing of citizens,” she said.
For example, Corona said the department inspects and issues permits for water wells, conducts tanning inspections, mosquito pool testing, dead bird surveillance as it relates to the West Nile virus, a limited number of flu vaccines and a campaign in support of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, among other responsibilities.
“The month of October is a blur for us,” she said.