Local news- Press Release
Dubuque County Iowa - May 20 2022 Dubuque County COVID 19 Update 20 May 2022 ( news )
Dubuque County , state Iowa ( By Press Release office)
May 20,2022
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Dubuque County ' s COVID - 19 Community Level Raised to Medium
Friday , May 20 , 2022
Dubuque County ' s COVID - 19 Community Level Raised to Medium
On Thursday , May 19 , the CDC raised Dubuque County ' s COVID - 19 Community Level from LOW to MEDIUM . Dubuque County is one of 11 Iowa counties at this level . Three Iowa counties are at HIGH community level .
The CDC looks at the combination of three metrics — new COVID - 19 admissions per 100 , 000 population in the past 7 days , the percent of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID - 19 patients , and total new COVID - 19 cases per 100 , 000 population in the past 7 days — to determine the COVID - 19 community level . Using these data , the COVID - 19 community level is classified as low , medium , or high .
CDC Guidance for MEDIUM Community Level:
If you are immunocompromised or high risk for severe disease
Talk to your healthcare provider about whether you need to wear a mask and 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
CDC Strengthens Recommendations and Expands Eligibility for COVID - 19 Booster Shots
Following yesterday’s meeting of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices’ ( ACIP ) , the CDC has expanded eligibility of COVID - 19 vaccine booster doses to everyone 5 years of age and older .
The CDC now recommends that children ages 5 through 11 years should receive a booster shot 5 months after their initial Pfizer - BioNTech vaccination series . Since the pandemic began , more than 4 . 8 million children ages 5 through 11 have been diagnosed with COVID - 19 , 15 , 000 have been hospitalized and , tragically , over 180 have died . As cases increase across the country , a booster dose will safely help restore and enhance protection against severe disease .
Yesterday the CDC also strengthened its recommendation that those 12 and older who are immunocompromised and those 50 and older should receive a second booster dose at least 4 months after their first . Over the past month there has been steady increases in cases , with a steep and substantial increase in hospitalizations for older Americans . While older Americans have the highest coverage of any age group of first booster doses , most older Americans received their last dose ( either their primary series or their first booster dose ) many months ago , leaving many who are vulnerable without the protection they may need to prevent severe disease , hospitalization , and death .
Whether it is your first booster , or your second , if you haven’t had a vaccine dose since the beginning of December 2021 and you are eligible , now is the time to get one .
For information on local vaccine providers , visit
www . dubuquecounty . org/sleevesup
.
Please do not reply to this message . If you have general questions about COVID - 19 , please call 563 - 556 - 6200 .
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