Centre County still labeled ‘high’ COVID-19 community level under new CDC metrics
Centre County is still labeled as a high COVID-19 risk community under new measures released in a Friday update from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC released an interactive map labeling communities by COVID-19 spread, using new measures that focus less on positive test results and more on the situation at local hospitals. In the new update, only areas with high community levels are recommended to continue masking while indoors.
“Levels can be low, medium, or high and are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area,” the update said.
There were 15 COVID-19 patients at Mount Nittany Medical Center on Friday, according to the hospital’s dashboard. That’s an increase of one from Thursday, but a decrease from Sunday, when 24 patients were hospitalized.
Centre County is one of 15 counties labeled as high spread areas in Pennsylvania. More than 70% of the US population lives in low or medium community levels, CNN reports.
The separate levels are to help provide recommendations for masking and prevention.
Low level community recommendations:
- Get tested if experiencing symptoms
- Stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines
Medium level community recommendations:
- If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness, talk with a medical provider about wearing a mask or other precautions
- Get tested if experiencing symptoms
- Stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines
High level community recommendations:
- Wear a well-fitting mask indoors while in public, including in K-12 schools and other settings.
- If you are immunocompromised or at high risk for severe illness, talk with a medical provider about wearing a mask or other precautions
- Get tested if experiencing symptoms
- Stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccines
Prevention strategies for high-level communities include providing health care are surge support, continue distributing vaccines and enhanced mitigation measures in high risk places such as homeless shelters or correctional facilities.