COVID-19 cases are on the rise again in Greene County.
At a press briefing Tuesday, Katie Towns, acting director of the Springfield-Greene County Health Department, said her organization reported 142 new cases of COVID-19 Tuesday morning. The seven-day average was 62 cases per day. This represents a 73 percent increase in new cases in just seven days and is the highest average we ve seen since February 10, said Towns. This new rate of cases has translated to an increase in hospitalizations, putting new burdens on our healthcare systems.
Currently, 76 people are hospitalized in Greene County with COVID-19. Ninety percent of the cases they’re seeing are among those who have not been vaccinated. She said it’s important to continue wearing face coverings and social distancing until two weeks after the Johnson and Johnson vaccine or after the second dose of Pfizer and Moderna.
Health department names new Public Health Information Administrator
There s a new Public Health Information Administrator for the health department.
Aaron Schekkora has been with the Springfield-Greene County Health Department since August 2020 working as a Contract Public Health Information Specialist.
Schekkora started his new role May 24, according to a news release.
Bringing seven years of public service and administrative experience with him, Schekorra was the development director for FosterAdopt Connect and worked for the Center for Nonprofit Leadership at Drury University prior to coming to the health department.
Schekorra s primary responsibilities will be focusing on development of the health department s communications strategy, media relations and health promotion.
More Than 50% Of US Adults, 40% Of Total Population Fully Vaccinated Against Coronavirus
WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - More than 50 percent of U.S. adults and 40 percent of the U.S. population are fully vaccinated, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC tally includes two-dose vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer/BioNTech, as well as Johnson & Johnson s one-shot vaccine as of June 1.
A total of 133,581,245 people above 18 years received both doses of the vaccine. It comes to 51.7 percent of the U.S. adult population. 62.8 percent of the county s adults received one dose.
Overall, more than 168 million people across the United States received at least one dose of COVID19 vaccine. Of those, more than 135 million are fully vaccinated as of Tuesday, the federal health agency s latest data shows.