Following a month where more than 100 positive COVID-19 cases were reported each week locally it appears the surge may be slowing.
From Jan. 5 to 12, the county reported 111 positive COVID-19 cases, which was one of the biggest jumps in positive cases reported in one week since March 2020.
The following week, from Jan. 12 to 19, the county reported an additional 121 positive COVID-19 cases. Another 126 positive cases were reported from Jan. 20 to 27.
But a downward trend began at the end of last month. From Feb. 3 to Feb. 10 the county reported 28 positive cases.
The Indiana State Department of Health’s COVID-19 dashboard had delayed updates last week following the winter storm that began on Feb. 2.
“We are certainly hopeful that the slowing down is an indication of a downward trend in positive cases,” said the county’s Emergency Health Preparedness Coordinator Corey Frost.
“Typically, after we see such a surge in cases in the field, the hospitals start to see their peak a couple weeks after.”
In January, an additional seven COVID-19 deaths were also reported. As of Feb. 10, there have been 59 lives lost to COVID-19 in Brown County including one death that was reported on Feb. 10.
As of Feb. 9 , the county remained in the “red” status due to COVID-19 spread on the ISDH spread metric map along with the rest of the state. The red advisory level is the highest of four.
The ISDH updates the county-by-county status map at coronavirus.in.gov each Wednesday at noon based on positive test numbers and whether or not cases are increasing or decreasing.
This week the National Guard will be in the county to help run another free COVID-19 vaccine and testing clinic at the Brown County Fairgrounds, 802 Memorial Drive. The clinic will be from noon to 8 p.m. Feb. 16 to 19. No appointment is necessary.
Rapid and PCR testing will be available. Moderna and Pfizer vaccine doses for those as young as 5 years old will also be available, including booster doses of the vaccines.
A clinic was scheduled for Feb. 2 to 5, but it was forced to close early on Feb. 2 due to winter weather and remained close through Feb. 5.
At the Brown County Health Department, Frost said about 25% of appointments are filled for both testing and vaccines.
“It does still appear that most appointments filled are from outside Brown County. This is a good indication of the surge slowing down as well,” Frost said.
The health department had extended hours for testing in January due to the increase in positive cases and demand for testing. Now the department is back to regular hours for testing.
Testing is available at the health department from to 11:30 a.m. weekly. Vaccines are available from 1 to 3:30 p.m. weekly at the health department, which is located at 200 Hawthorne Drive.
To schedule an appointment for PCR testing at the health department or to get a vaccine call 211 or visit scheduling.coronavirus.in.gov.
Earlier this month, Gov. Eric Holcomb extended the statewide COVID-19 public health emergency until March 4.
Extending the public health emergency would put Indiana just short of two years since the statewide emergency was first declared because of the pandemic that health officials say has killed more than 21,000 people in Indiana, according to the Associated Press.
Holcomb’s declaration cites Indiana’s ongoing high number of COVID-19 infections and points out that the vast majority of those hospitalized with the illness are unvaccinated. The declaration says “the virus remains a threat to the health, safety and welfare of all residents of Indiana,” according to an AP report.
It is the 23rd monthlong extension that Holcomb has issued for the public health emergency.
Locally, the county commissioners and town council have not issued additional mandates related to COVID-19.
Brown County Schools requires that masks be worn by students and staff in school buildings regardless of vaccination status.
At last week’s Brown County School Board of Trustees meeting, Superintendent Emily Tracy reported a slowing of positive cases in the school district. Last week, five positive cases were reported among students and staff. The district also had two days where no positive cases were reported last week, which is a first for this school year, Tracy said.
The percentage of students and staff with COVID-19 symptoms in each school building is also decreasing, ranging from 2.6 to 0.7% as of last week. A school will be closed under the school district’s educational service delivery plan when 16% or more of the building population is reporting symptoms of COVID-19.
“Those are considerably less than what they were when we came back from winter break,” Tracy said of the recent COVID-19 numbers.
“We’re excited to see those numbers and hope that is a trend moving forward.”
