Two and a half years after the Covid-19 pandemic exploded into existence and disrupted each side of life, the Erie County Well being Commissioner has offered the group with a uncommon commodity: excellent news.
In a briefing with the county Legislature Thursday, Dr. Gale Burstein stated an anticipated spike in Covid-19 instances has not but materialized. Reported instances in Erie County are decrease than they had been this time final yr, and severe hospitalizations stay a lot decrease than this identical interval final fall.
Covid-19 and different public well being issues stay on the radar, nonetheless.
The variety of confirmed Covid-19 instances reported to Erie County don’t embody at-home testing, however Burstein stated even hint measurements of Covid-19 in sewer water are displaying nothing alarming. The truth is, viral particles are trending downward in northern and central elements of the county, in contrast with earlier this yr.
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Sufferers hospitalized with Covid-19 have been trending upward since July, which has similarities to the trendline final yr, however roughly two thirds are admitted and hospitalized for non-Covid-19 associated sicknesses and solely occur to additionally check optimistic for Covid-19. The variety of severely unwell sufferers in native intensive care items for Covid-19-related sicknesses has remained persistently low, oftentimes within the single digits.
That is a pointy departure from late summer season and fall of final yr, when ICU instances had been a lot increased.
“We have not actually seen that this yr, in order that’s good,” Burstein stated in her briefing earlier than the Erie County Legislature on Thursday.
A lot of the work being finished by the Erie County Well being Division has returned to routine enterprise, she stated. Due to a decline in Covid-19 testing and vaccination, all such county-sponsored clinic work has now been consolidated at Jesse Nash Well being Clinic at 608 William Road in Buffalo.
Free PCR testing and mixed fast testing for Covid-19, the flu and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) stay accessible on the clinic within the mornings, and vaccinations are being offered within the afternoons, she stated. The county can be nonetheless operating a Vax Go to residence vaccination program, although not by way of Buffalo Homecare.
She additionally informed legislators that public information reporting for Covid-19 testing, which is at present finished weekly, will quickly be finished solely month-to-month.
Due to the waning curiosity in getting Covid-19 booster pictures, the Well being Division is planning to mail postcards to all Erie County residents earlier than the top of the yr encouraging everybody to get the newest booster, which is meant to supply better safety in opposition to the newest variants of the virus.
Burstein additionally gave updates on a number of different public well being points:
• Polio: Burstein stated there is no such thing as a course of for testing sewage wastewater for the presence of polio in Erie County, regardless of issues about the potential unfold of polio, a doubtlessly disabling illness that was traced in New York Metropolis this summer season. Nevertheless, the state does plan to conduct some wastewater testing for the presence of the polio virus someday subsequent yr.
Whereas polio isn’t curable, it’s preventable by way of vaccination and was believed to be eradicated in america till lately. In Erie County, 89% of kids underneath the age of two are updated on their polio vaccine, Burstein stated.
“So we’re doing fairly good,” she stated.
• RSV and flu: Burstein referenced the higher-than-normal surge in RSV and flu instances domestically and nationally, that are stressing out hospitals. There may be at present no vaccine for RSV, however she inspired everybody to vaccinated in opposition to the flu and to remain residence and away from others if sick.
• Monkeypox: The county has confirmed 19 instances of monkeypox in Erie County. The county was involved about exponential development within the transmission of the virus within the spring and summer season, however public well being interventions and vaccination campaigns have led to nationwide and native declines in monkeypox, Burstein stated. Erie County’s final confirmed case of the sickness was in September, she added.
The monkeypox vaccine can be accessible by way of the county on the Jesse Nash Well being Clinic on William Road. It is usually being provided to individuals of their houses by way of the Vax Go to program.
