File photo The CDC has issued new guidance on masks, but local officials are urging caution.
COLUMBUS, Ind. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has raised Bartholomew County’s COVID-19 risk level as local hospitalizations remain in the double-digits and the number of people seeking outpatient care for coranvirus-like symptoms is “exploding.”
Under the orange level, which is the highest category of community spread, the CDC recommends that all Bartholomew County residents wear a mask indoors while in public, including in K-12 schools and on public transit — regardless of vaccination status.
In addition, the CDC advises people who are immunocompromised or at a high-risk for severe illness to consider avoiding non-essential indoor activities.
Jackson County also has moved into the CDC’s highest category, while Jennings County is in the yellow, or medium level.
The local COVID-19 Community Task Force is urging people to follow the CDC guidelines and make sure they are updated with their vaccinations. However, the task force does not have plans to formally meet at this time.
“We are in that high category,” said Kelsey DeClue, spokeswoman for the COVID-19 Community Task Force and Columbus Regional Health. “… We would really encourage people to consider masking up indoors in public, especially indoors, regardless of your vaccination status.”
The CDC’s community levels are based on the total new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people, total new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 people, and percentage of inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients.
The community levels are updated each Thursday, according to the CDC’s website. Bartholomew County’s current community level is based off of data from last week.
There were 10 people hospitalized with COVID-19 at Columbus Regional Hospital as of this past Wednesday, according to the most recent data available from the local COVID-19 Community Task Force.
As of Wednesday, new COVID-19 hospital admissions in Bartholomew County were 11.5 per 100,000 over the previous week, with about 4% of staffed inpatient beds in use by patients with COVID-19, including 6% of ICU beds, CDC records show.
However, CRH has seen a significant increase in the number of people seeking outpatient medical treatment for symptoms that are consistent with COVID-19, DeClue said.
“The outpatient numbers are just kind of exploding right now,” she said.
For more on this story, see Tuesday’s Republic.
