ERIE COUNTY, N.Y. — The Erie County Department of Health (ECDOH) announced Friday that Erie County has reached a "high" COVID-19 level.
According to Thursday's report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Erie County has met indicators for a "high" COVID-19 level. The ECDOH says this level is based off the new daily COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents over seven days, as well as the new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population and the percent of staffed inpatient beds that are occupied by patients with COVID-19.
As of Wednesday, 79 patients were in Erie County hospitals with COVID-19. The county reports that 31 of those patients were admitted to the hospital due to COVID.
In result of the "high" COVID-19 level, the ECDOH is sharing safety recommendations from the CDC to prevent further spread. The prevention strategies include:
- Wear a well-fitting mask indoors in public, regardless of vaccination status (including in K-12 schools and other indoor community settings)
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines
- Get tested if you have symptoms
- If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease
- Wear a mask or respirator that provides you with greater protection
- Consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities in public where you could be exposed
- Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to take other precautions (e.g., testing)
- Have a plan for rapid testing if needed (e.g., having home tests or access to testing)
- Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you are a candidate for treatments like oral antivirals, PrEP, and monoclonal antibodies
- If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for severe disease
- consider self-testing to detect infection before contact
- consider wearing a mask when indoors with them
- Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters
- Maintain improved ventilation throughout indoor spaces when possible
- Follow CDC recommendations for isolation and quarantine, including getting tested if you are exposed to COVID-19 or have symptoms of COVID-19.
"These recommendations are basic protective measures that we are all familiar with at this point in the pandemic," said Commissioner of Health Dr. Gale Burstein. "Our department has walk-in rapid and PCR COVID-19 diagnostic testing available six days a week and regular COVID-19 vaccination clinics. Our COVID-19 ‘Test to Treat’ program, introduced last week, can connect eligible, symptomatic people who have a positive COVID-19 test result from our testing sites with a prescription antiviral medication that reduces the risk of serious illness."
She added, "There is currently a good community pharmacy supply of COVID-19 antiviral medication in Erie County. Individuals 12 years of age or older weighing at least 88 lbs. with a positive COVID-19 test and who are at high risk for progression to severe disease should talk to their primary care provider or an urgent care center about antiviral medication."
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