By WKTV Staff
joanne@wktv.org
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has raised the risk level of COVID-19 infection from ‘moderate’ to ‘substantial’ for Kent County. The CDC recommends everyone in areas with a risk designation of ‘substantial’ or ‘high’ wear a face mask in indoor public places, regardless of vaccination status. The CDC data tracker can be viewed here.
The CDC defines ‘substantial’ transmission as 50-100 cases per 100,000 people, or a positivity rate between 8 and 9.9 percent in the past seven days. Kent County currently has a seven-day positivity rate of 6.68 percent. The current seven-day average for new cases in Kent County is 52.52 per 100,000.
The COVID-19 vaccine cannot prevent 100% of infections, but it does prevent many of them. Also, infections among vaccinated people are less severe than those who have not been vaccinated.
“The vast majority of people who are becoming infected with COVID-19 in Kent County are unvaccinated,” says Dr. Adam London, Director of the Kent County Health Department. “The vaccines that are available are effective, safe and available. They remain our best tool for ending this pandemic, so we encourage everyone to get vaccinated as soon as possible.”
The CDC and the Kent County Health Department recommend the following guidance to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in our community.
- Get vaccinated – find out more here
- Wear a mask or face covering in all indoor public settings, regardless of vaccination status,especially now that the risk level has changed to substantial
- Practice good handwashing hygiene
- Avoid large crowds and maintain social distance from people outside of your household
- Get tested if you have symptoms or think you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19
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