It’s been nearly five years since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, and while the numbers infected and hospitalized aren’t as high as they were a few years ago, the virus is still spreading in Summit County.
More than 300 cases have been reported in the county this month as of Aug. 10, Summit County Public Health Commissioner Donna Skoda said. The 242 cases confirmed in June jumped to 778 cases in July.
It’s tough to determine if these numbers are an accurate representation of the number of cases in Summit County, Skoda said.
“It’s been difficult to get real numbers around how many people actually have COVID, with labs not reporting numbers anymore and people testing at home and not reporting their results,” Skoda said. “Overall, our risk level is still fairly low, even if we’ve seen a slight uptick in cases in the past few months.”
While no longer a public health emergency, the effects of COVID-19 are still being felt and likely will be for years to come. Here’s the latest information we have about the virus, including how prevention is being treated differently, current hospital policies and what to do if exposed.
What is the latest on COVID-19 vaccines?
Booster shots, like those from Moderna and Pfizer, are currently being phased out to make way for a new vaccine, which should be operational sometime within the next month, Skoda said.
“All the old vaccines that we have given in the past, where we took two or three doses − all of those are related to old strains of COVID that circulated,” Skoda said. “We are now treating COVID like influenza, and there will be a yearly vaccine that will no longer be considered a booster.”
The new vaccine will provide users with immunity and protection from the latest circulating COVID strain, which is currently the next rendition of the Omicron variant, Skoda noted.
“We only currently have a Pfizer booster shot for someone who wants the last booster and hasn’t gotten it yet, but we don’t administer any of the previous vaccines anymore since it’s not really worth it. They’re not effective against the COVID strains that are currently out there,” she said.
Do hospitals have COVID-19 policies in place?
Akron Children’s Hospital, Summa Health and Cleveland Clinic Akron General do not currently have any COVID-19 policies in place.
“We have seen an increasing number of COVID cases in the past month and are closely monitoring the situation to see if this leads to increased admissions,” said Dr. Evelyn S. Pangonis, medical director of infectious disease at Akron Children’s.
Despite not having any current COVID-19 restrictions, those providing care at Akron General are still being recommended to wear masks during any interactions with patients, said Dr. Donald Dumford, an infectious disease specialist at the hospital.
“We went from requiring everyone masking and social distancing to now just strongly recommending masking for our caregivers, and I don’t see any changes to this policy right now,” Dumford said.
Area hospitals may, however, resume some seasonal precautions later this year if flu cases begin to climb.
Such precautions include required masking during patient-facing encounters in certain hospital units, said Holly Pupino, senior corporate communications specialist for Akron Children’s.
What should I do if I am exposed to COVID-19?
The Centers for Disease Control and Protection urges those exposed to COVID-19 to wear a mask. If symptoms develop, the exposed individuals should self-quarantine.
Anyone can develop COVID-19 up to 10 days after exposure, so masks are recommended inside homes and in indoor public spaces during this 10-day duration to protect others.
The CDC recommends individuals test when they have COVID-like symptoms, at which point they should also quarantine. If someone tests positive, they should remain home and isolated from others for at least five days or until symptoms go away.
If symptoms remain after five days, isolation can end if the individual has been fever-free for 24 hours without taking fever-reducing medication.
Those who had symptoms and experienced shortness of breath or difficulty breathing should isolate for 10 days. Anyone hospitalized or with a weakened immune system should quarantine for 10 days at a minimum and consult with a doctor before ending their isolation.
What are COVID-19 symptoms?
According to the CDC, symptoms include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- New loss of taste or smell
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
Are free COVID-19 tests still available?
Yes, Summit County Public Health has free testing kits for public use at their offices located at 1867 W. Market St. in Akron.
“Any time we are open, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., you can just walk into Building A and get them,” Skoda said. “We really encourage, if you’re going into any sort of congregate living, nursing homes, group homes, any kind of a situation where you’re going to be in a tight environment where people live together, it’s a good idea to test before you go.”
Reporter Bryce Buyaki contributed to this story. Anthony Thompson can be reached at ajthompson@gannett.com, or on Twitter @athompsonABJ
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