Health district: Protect yourself from COVID-19 this summer

Grant County Health District (GCHD) observed an increase in COVID-19 infections on a local, state, and national level last month, the agency stated in a release Tuesday.

• In Washington, there was a 14% increase in COVID-associated emergency department visits towards the end of June. Nationwide that increase was over 23%.

• In Grant County, COVID-19-associated hospitalizations were back to over 2% for the first time since the end of the respiratory virus season in mid-April.

• In Grant County, levels of COVID-19 detected in wastewater increased sharply between May and June. Washington continues to report high levels of COVID-19 wastewater activity as of July 11.

An increase in COVID-19 infections during the summer is becoming more common. People tend to spend more time in larger groups while traveling, attending festivals, and participating in other summer events.

“COVID-19 is a year-round virus that can cause illness even during the warmer months,” stated Amber McCoy, GCHD Investigations & Response Manager. “If you are not up to date with your COVID-19 vaccine, we encourage you to get vaccinated as soon as possible so you don’t miss out on any of your favorite summer activities”.

Everyone aged 5 years and older should get one dose of the most recently updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19, the agency advises.

• An additional COVID-19 vaccine dose is now recommended for adults 65 years or older at least 4 months following their last dose.

• People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may also get additional doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccination reduces the risk of severe illness and hospitalization by about 50% compared to people not up to date on vaccination.

Protect High-Risk Groups - Groups at high risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, include:

• People over the age of 50

• People with weakened immune systems

• People with certain conditions such as heart disease, obesity, diabetes, or lung disease.

In addition to the COVID-19 vaccine, you can help prevent the spread of COVID-19 to high-risk groups by staying away from people at high risk of getting very sick until:

• 10 days have passed since your symptoms started,

• 10 days have passed since you tested positive (if you never developed symptoms), or

• You test negative for COVID-19 with an antigen test (such as an at-home test)

When you go back to your normal activities, wear a protective mask and take added precautions over the next 5 days. Precautions include steps to improve airflow, practicing good hand hygiene, cleaning regularly, physical distancing, and testing when you will be around other people indoors.