COVID transmissions pick up steam in Southeast Iowa

The COVID-19 infection rate is rising in many parts of the country, including Southeast Iowa.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s online COVID Data Tracker, Washington and Henry counties have reached the “substantial” level of community transmission, while Jefferson County is listed in the “high” level.

“For a long time, we had no new cases,” Washington County Public Health Director Danielle Pettit-Majewski said Monday. “This is exactly the wrong direction we want to be going in.”

She said that in the past 14 days, there were 24 new cases of COVID-19 reported in Washington County, with 17 of them in the past seven days. There were five new cases reported in the past three days.

It’s a similar story in Jefferson County, where the 14-day infection rate is 3.2 percent, but the 7-day rate is 8.4 percent, according to Public Health Director Chris Estle.

“We’ve had 32 tests in the past 24 hours, and four of them were positive,” Estle said. “I know that doesn’t seem like a lot, but in a small community, it is.”

Henry County is seeing substantial rates of transmission of COVID-19, with an 8.05 percent test positivity rate for the week of July 24 to July 30, according to the CDC.

Contributing to the increased numbers is the spread of the highly virulent delta variant.

“The delta variant is so contagious,” Pettit-Majewski said. “Even the vaccinated can spread the virus.”

Estle explained that even those who are fully vaccinated can still get the virus.

“You see breakthrough illnesses with any vaccine,” Estle said. “You hopefully won’t be as acutely ill though.”

Pettit-Majewski added, “We are seeing some breakthrough, but those people are not getting as sick and dying.”

Officials say that the best way to combat the virus is to get a vaccine.

“The most important thing we can do right now is get vaccinated,” Pettit-Majewski said.

Henry County Public Health Director Shelley Van Dorin said there has been an increase in residents looking to get vaccinated in response to increasing cases.

The county is expanding the hours COVID-19 vaccines are offered, with walk-ins available from 8 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday at the Henry County Public Health office.

In Washington County, 46.9 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated, while in Henry County that number is 43 percent. Jefferson County is at 39.6 percent.

“We’re stuck at 39 percent of the total population in Jefferson County fully vaccinated,” Estle said. “We have to go back and encourage people to re-evaluate their decision to not get vaccinated.”

The CDC recommends that people, whether vaccinated or unvaccinated, in substantial and high infection areas wear masks indoors.

Van Dorin said it can be difficult to convince people they need to mask up once again.

“If you cannot socially distance and you’re inside, yes, you should wear a mask,” Van Dorin said. “You get a freedom and then you lose it again.

“I understand that, but for the safety of the community I think it’s the best practice.”

Estle added, “The health of the public depends on the actions of the public. We can’t go through another year like we’ve been through.”