The Jefferson County Health Department has moved the county into the yellow status on the agency’s COVID-19 warning system, after eight consecutive weeks in the orange status.
Yellow is the second lowest level on the four-color system and indicates minimal to moderate transmission of the virus.
Even though the Health Department announced the color change, department epidemiology Sara Wilton said the color status could be changed next week.
“Due to possible delays in reporting, it is possible that number may change, so we need to be cautiously optimistic about the yellow status until final numbers are in next week,” she said.
Several factors are evaluated when determining the color level, including Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and White House Pandemic Task Force guidelines. However, the main indicator is the seven-day rolling average number of cases per day per 100,000 people.
The rolling average number of cases for the week of May 2 to May 8 was 7.87. That was down from the previous week, when the seven-day rolling average was 11.05 per day per 100,000 people in the county, which has a population of about 225,000.
The Health Department normally announces new COVID-19-related deaths on Wednesdays, but no new deaths were reported this week. The county has had a total of 245 deaths since the start of the pandemic, and 88 of those deaths were connected to long-term care facilities.
The county has had a total of 23,568 COVID-19 cases since the first ones were reported in March 2020. Of those, 1,344 have been from long-term care facilities, the Health Department reported.
Despite the lower number of new COVID-19 cases over the past several weeks, health officials still urge residents to take steps to curb the spread of the virus, including avoiding crowds, wearing masks in public, practicing social distancing and frequent hand-washing, staying home when you are sick and getting a COVID-19 vaccine.
Vaccines
As of today (May 12), the Health Department has administered a total of 21,625 COVID-19 vaccine doses, and a total of 20.70 percent of Jefferson County residents have completed their vaccinations, according to a written statement
People may sign up for a vaccine appointment through the Health Department by going to the state vaccine Navigator website at covidvaccine.mo.gov/navigator/. Or, they may call 877-435-8411.
Comtrea, which also offers health care services around the county, provides vaccine clinics, too. To make an appointment, go to comtrea.org/vaccine, or call 636-232-2308.
Mercy also has created an online sign-up method to help distribute vaccines. To sign up with Mercy, go to mercy.net/MOVaccine. Those without internet access may call 833-364-6777.
SSM Health has an online vaccine appointment site at ssmhealth.com/access/covid19-vaccine-scheduling.
Other hospital systems and pharmacies also are registering people for the vaccines. To find a local vaccine site, visit vaccinefinder.org.
