COVID Cases Plateauing In Allegheny County; Hospitalizations Still Increasing

Pittsburgh PA

07 October, 2021

6:16 PM

Description

By PublicSource, Public Source October 6, 2021 PublicSource has been tracking COVID-19's spread on a daily basis since March 2020. More than a year later, in an effort to direct our resources into enterprise reporting on the pandemic and other important issues, we will cover the Allegheny County Health Department's weekly briefing on Wednesdays and update the numbers on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. We may adjust as the prevalence of the coronavirus ebbs and flows. If you have questions or comments, please email PublicSource's managing editor [email protected]. COVID-19 cases in Allegheny County are stabilizing for the first time in months, mirroring national declines in new cases, County Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen said at a Wednesday briefing. The county reported about 350 to 400 new cases per day over the past week. COVID-19 cases in Allegheny County are stabilizing for the first time in months, mirroring national declines in new cases, County Health Director Dr. Debra Bogen said at a Wednesday briefing. The county reported about 350 to 400 new cases per day over the past week. As cases plateau, Allegheny County reported 90 COVID-19-related deaths in September, the highest since April. Of the deaths, 25 occurred among people ages 25 to 64, a majority of whom were not vaccinated. Misinformation about the safety of vaccines is one of the leading reasons people are not getting vaccinated, Bogen said. "Many, and probably most, of those deaths could've been prevented, but misinformation is literally killing people," Bogen said. About 75% of Allegheny County residents have received at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine as of Oct. 6, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported. To avoid spreading misinformation, Bogen recommended people read peer-reviewed, scientific studies about the safety of vaccines, rather than gathering information about them from social media platforms like Facebook. COVID-19-related hospitalizations are also increasing in Allegheny County. Bogen expected this because trends in hospitalizations typically lag two weeks behind trends in cases, meaning the county may see hospitalizations stabilize or decrease in the coming weeks. Allegheny County has continued to report a high level of pediatric COVID-19 cases since the start of the school year, with 507 cases reported over the past week. Last week, County Executive Rich Fitzgerald said announced that all county employees must be vaccinated by Dec. 1. The county will provide its vaccinated employees with 10 days of paid leave if they contract COVID-19 or are directed to quarantine, Fitzgerald added. On Sept. 24, the CDC recommended that vaccine providers begin administering additional doses of the Pfizer vaccine to individuals over the age of 65, residents in long-term care facilities and adults who are either at high risk for experiencing severe COVID-19 symptoms, have jobs that put them at risk for exposure to the virus or live in communal settings. To receive a booster dose, individuals must have gotten their Pfizer vaccine at least six months ago. Also last week, the Pennsylvania Department of Health released vaccination rates by state legislative districts on Sept. 27. The data correlated with already available county data, showing higher rates in the southwestern and southeastern regions and lower rates in central Pennsylvania. The data excludes districts that partially or fully overlap with Philadelphia due to data reporting issues. Resources COVID vaccine resources in the Pittsburgh region Housing and mental health supports amid COVID in Allegheny County Allegheny County's COVID-19 resource page with links to information on vaccines, testing sites and quarantine basics Allegheny County's map of vaccination sites (For more information or help with scheduling an appointment through Allegheny County's Area Agency on Aging, residents can call 412-350-4234.) Pennsylvania's COVID-19 vaccine rollout page This article was produced by PublicSource.org, a nonprofit news organization serving the Pittsburgh region. PublicSource tells stories for a better Pittsburgh. Sign up for their free email newsletters at publicsource.org/newsletters.