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SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) -The CDC has moved Greene County into the high transmission category for COVID-19. Local health leaders say that means those with a greater risk for severe disease should avoid non-essential indoor activities.
The Springfield-Greene County Recovery Dashboard currently lists 73 people in Greene County hospitals with COVID-19. 10 are in critical care.
“Our hospitals are also seeing an increase in the number of people who are being hospitalized because of COVID,” said Kendra Findley, Administrator of Community Health & Epidemiology SGCHD. “The sub variants are showing more activity in people who’ve been vaccinated as well as people who’ve had the virus and recovered.”
Polk, Dade, and Wright Counties are also in the high community transmission category.
The CDC reports the Omicron variant has become the dominant strain in America. It’s known as BA.4. When you combine it with new cases from the close cousin BA.5, the pair account for 71 percent of new COVID cases in the United States.
A local graduate respiratory therapist shared her thoughts on the high transmission rate. “I didn’t think it would get back up there and I definitely thought it would stay in the medium range,” said Madison Weddle. “My high and the CDC’s high are totally different compared to 2020… that is when things were really bad.”
The symptoms of the new variant include; a runny nose, sore throat, headache, persistent cough, and fatigue. Less than one-third of people surveyed reported fevers.
The health department says as of now it comes down to personal health and choice when masking.
”If you are compromised in any way and you’re going to go into an area that is crowded I think it is a good idea for you to mask up to protect yourself from getting COVID,” said Findley. “For other people it does come down to personal choice… if you are uncomfortable with going into a crowded environment mask up.”
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