We're experiencing a pandemic that has changed our way of life. The United States has totaled 33,727,123 COVID-19 cases and 609,265 from the COVID-19 virus. New cases are emerging at their lowest levels since testing became widely available. Deaths and hospitalizations continue to decline, but around 300 coronavirus deaths continue to be reported most days.
Where are we, the people of Scioto County? Is the worst over? It certainly looks as if we will continue to climb out of the devastation and disruptions caused by the disease. However, the future is still uncertain with many factors in play. How many people will continue to choose to get vaccinated or will variants of the virus emerge that are resistant to the vaccines?
Some experts expect the virus to continue to be an endemic – a disease that establishes a baseline in the communities as outbreaks may occur here and there, but generally, something kind of circulating in the background.
Let's see where Scioto is at the moment.
Snapshot View
The following is an up-to-date “snapshot” view of Scioto County, Ohio featuring key data for monitoring the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary source for the information is the COVID-19 Integrated County View on the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention's “COVID Data Tracker.” (CDC COVID Data Tracker) Please consult the source to check on numbers and other information.
The data on this page has been reported by U.S. News and reflects “people who have received the second dose in a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine series or one dose” of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, according to the CDC. However, the agency also stipulates that people are not considered fully vaccinated until two weeks after their last shot.
As of June 27, 2021, in Scioto County …
COVID Cases
The total COVID-19 cases number 6,548 or 8,694.3/100k.
7-Day Totals, Rates, Percentages, and % Change in Last 7 Days are as follows:
18 cases or 23.9 per 100k,
1 new hospital admission or (0.51 per 100 beds)
1.32% positive change,
COVID Deaths
Scioto County has recorded 107 total COVID-19 deaths or 142.1k per 100k. New deaths are now 0 per day.
COVID Fully Vaccinated
The level of community transmission in Scioto County is “moderate” (above “low” and under “substantial” and “high”).
Only 33.8% of the people in Scioto County (25,438) are fully vaccinated. *62.7% of the population age 65+ (8,803) have been fully vaccinated, 42.1% of age 18+. and 39.3% of Age 12+
* Scioto County has a population of 75,314. 18.6% of that population is 65 and older.
The testing volume is 602 in the last 7 days or (799.32 per 100k).
The United States
As of June 28, 2021, 153.8 million people or 46.3% of the people in the U.S. have been fully vaccinated. 77.7% of the population 65+ have been fully vaccinated. 57% of people 18+ and 54.2% of those 12+ have been fully vaccinated.
Conclusions
These are the numbers as they stand. As we open up this summer, it is evident the risk of transmission is considerable. Although most seem to have abandoned wearing masks and social distancing, Scioto lags behind the nation as a whole in the percentage of people vaccinated – despite the CDC saying vaccines are “safe and effective.
The statitistics indicate a genuine reluctance of the population here to take necessary precautions for safe social contact. Numbers are down; however, the future holds uncertainty because of the lack of herd immunity.
Johns Hopkins reports if 80% of a population is immune to a virus, four out of every five people who encounter someone with the disease won’t get sick (and won’t spread the disease any further). In this way, the spread of infectious diseases is kept under control. Depending how contagious an infection is, usually 50% to 90% of a population needs immunity before infection rates start to decline.
Below any “herd immunity threshold,” immunity in the population (for example, from vaccination) can still have a positive effect. And above the threshold, infections can still occur. The higher the level of immunity, the larger the benefit. This is why it is important to get as many people as possible vaccinated.
(Gypsy Amber D'Souza and David Dowdy. “What is Herd Immunity and How Can We Achieve It With COVID-19?” John Hopkins COVID-19 SCHOOL OF PUBLIC HEALTH EXPERT INSIGHTS. April 06, 2021.)
Individuals are fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving their final vaccine dose. If you are fully vaccinated, you may choose to follow the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s recommendations for fully vaccinated people since your risk of getting sick is much lower – including participating in indoor activities and traveling more freely,
The C.D.C. still recommends wearing a mask in settings where Covid-19 may spread more easily, including healthcare facilities, correctional facilities, homeless shelters, transportation hubs and on all forms of public transportation. This helps protect people who may be particularly vulnerable to the virus and also to prevent spread.
Things can change … quickly. Look to reliable sources for future updates: state and local health agencies (cases, deaths, vaccinations); U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (hospitalizations, test positivity); Centers for Disease Control (vaccinations).
As recent as June 18, The New York Times reported ...
“Cases have increased recently and are high. The number of hospitalized Covid patients has fallen in the Scioto County area. Deaths have remained at about the same level. The test positivity rate in Scioto County is relatively low, suggesting that testing capacity is adequate for evaluating Covid-19 spread in the area.
“An average of 3 cases per day were reported in Scioto County, a 54 percent increase from the average two weeks ago. Since the beginning of the pandemic, at least 1 in 11 residents have been infected, a total of 6,556 reported cases. Right now, Scioto County is at a moderate risk for unvaccinated people.”
(“Tracking Coronavirus in Scioto County.” The New York Times. June 18, 2021.)
Of course, Scioto citizens must consider that recent cases have increased in Jackson and Adams Counties (as reported June 18). And, as of June 27, Adams reported 23.74% fully vaccinated, Jackson 33.56, and Pike 30.78. Greenup County, Kentucky reports 31.05% fully vaccinated that same date.
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