According to the CDC, the Washoe County community is at a high level of risk for COVD-19. As a response, now Health District officials are encouraging everyone to mask up indoors once again.
Officials also say most cases of COVID-19 are not being reported to the Washoe County Health District because more people are conducting at home testing or not testing at all while they have COVID-19.
Kevin Dick, a WCHD Officer says, "The estimates range 5 to 10 times the number of cases that are actually reported to us being the level of COVID-19 in the community."
Officials say the high level of COVID-19 is due to a recent increase in hospitalizations. 74 recent hospitalization have been reported in Washoe County. Those are patients that are either confirmed or suspected to have COVID-19, and the 7 day average of new cases is now at 199. Dick mentions "COVD-19 is still very active and we need to act appropriately to reduce our risk of infection."
Health district officials are also recommending getting the COVID-19 vaccination and booster. Dick says, "About half of the people that have been vaccinated have not gotten the booster shot so it's really important to get that booster."
The Health District will be changing their vaccination clinics to help reduce waste of vaccinations. Those clinics will offer:
Pfizer Vaccine
- Monday
- Wednesday
- Friday
Moderna Vaccine
- Tuesday
- Thursday
Dick explains, "With all the different types of vaccine that people may need, we end up puncturing a vial and may only use one dose in that vial and then have to waste the rest of that."
They say the increase in cases could also be due to a dominant subvariant of COVID-19. Dick mentions, "So we think that that BA-5 is now also contributing to the more sustained high levels that we're seeing here in Washoe County."
