Bartholomew County health officials are recommending that the elderly, those with weakened immune systems and others who are at a high risk of severe COVID-19 wear masks in public indoor places whether they have been fully vaccinated or not as the delta variant fuels a surge of infections across the country.
Additionally, those who have not been vaccinated against COVID-19 should wear masks in indoor public places and even those who have been fully vaccinated and aren’t considered to be at a high risk of severe illness should consider wearing masks in crowded indoor places, said Bartholomew County Health Officer Dr. Brian Niedbalski.
The recommendations come after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course Tuesday on some masking guidelines, recommending that vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging.
Bartholomew County health officials, as well as representatives from the Bartholomew Consolidated School Corp. and Columbus Regional Health, met Wednesday to discuss the CDC’s updated mask guidelines, Niedbalski said.
During the meeting, officials agreed to convene the COVID-19 Community Task Force for a more formal discussion next week.
As of right now, Bartholomew County is not a high risk level, though that could change unless more people in the county and surrounding area get vaccinated, Niedbalski said.
Earlier this month, local health officials confirmed that there have been cases of the delta variant in Bartholomew County.
“Currently, I would highly recommend that those not vaccinated and individuals who are high risk, regardless of vaccination status, should wear masks in public places indoors,” Niedbalski said. “I would also encourage those who are vaccinated to consider wearing masks in crowded indoor places.”
Citing new information about the ability of the delta variant to spread among vaccinated people, the CDC on Tuesday also recommended indoor masks for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to schools, regardless of vaccination status.
In a news briefing Tuesday, CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky said fully vaccinated people in areas of the country with “substantial and high transmission” should wear masks in public indoor settings.
Walensky defined substantial transmission as any place that records 50 to 100 cases per 100,000 people over the previous seven days. Places with more than 100 cases per 100,000 over a seven-day period are classified as having high transmission.
As of Tuesday, Bartholomew County was listed as having 25 cases of COVID-19 per 100,000 residents over the past week, according to the Indiana State Department of Health.
However, that was more than triple the rate reported a month ago, when there were seven cases per 100,000 in Bartholomew County, state records show.
BCSC Communications Coordinator Josh Burnett said the school corporation is aware of the CDC’s most recent changes in its recommendation to encourage masking indoors.
“As with each CDC update regarding COVID-19, BCSC leadership will continue to review the information and consult with the Bartholomew County Health Department,” he said.
BCSC’s current reopening plan states masks are optional for both staff and students and recommended “for those at risk and/or not vaccinated.” The plan adds that due to a continuing federal mandate, masks are still required on buses.
The Flat Rock-Hawcreek School Corp.’s draft reopening plan also makes masks optional except on buses due to the present mandate. Students and staff must wear masks when visiting the health office.
Superintendent Shawn Price said discussion is ongoing as the Flat Rock-Hawcreek reviews the new guidance.
The first day of school for Flat Rock-Hawcreek is Aug. 5; BCSC students return Aug. 6.
People who are at an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19 include, among others, those with diabetes, chronic kidney disease, cancer, heart conditions, chronic lung diseases, dementia or other neurological conditions, as well as adults age 50 and up, with the risk increasing the older people are, according to the CDC.
