Weekly numbers drop to 37 for the week

NORWALK — Thirty-seven and counting. The COVID-19 numbers continue to drop in Huron County. The last reporting period (Feb. 11 to 17) had a recorded a case count of 37 cases, which is a significant decrease from 73 for the previous reporting period. The average age of cases for this reporting period has decreased from 47 to 33, with the highest number of cases for this week reported in the 21 to 30 age group. Most Huron County zip codes reported cases this week with the highest infection rate in the Bellevue (44811) zip code. Please Note: Case counts included in this report are estimates for the reporting period based on reports generated from the Ohio Department of Health (ODH)'s Ohio Disease Reporting System (ODRS). These data may be impacted by several factors, including but not limited to: Lack of reporting individual cases (for example, if a self-administered at-home test kit results positive but individual case information is not reported to HCPH or recorded in the ODRS, this case will not be counted by ODH or included in this report); and Reporting delays with the electronic reporting of cases, especially during surge periods. Primary COVID-19 Vaccinations Everyone 5 years and older is now eligible to get a COVID-19 vaccination. To learn more about COVID-19 vaccinations, visit: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/index.html. Huron County Public Health (HCPH) currently has the Pfizer, Moderna and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine available for appointments at HCPH's office in Norwalk for individuals aged 5+ interested in receiving the Pfizer vaccine, or Moderna and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine for individuals age 18+. Interested individuals can schedule a vaccination or booster appointment at HCPH by calling 419-668-1652 ext. 241. Please bring a valid ID and insurance information to your vaccination appointment. Individuals must be 5+ to receive the Pfizer vaccine, and 18+ to receive the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccine. Individuals under the age of 18 must have a parent or legal guardian present with them at the appointment. COVID-19 At Home Test Kit Update Although HCPH does not have test kits available for public distribution at this time, kits may be accessed in the following ways: • Each household nationwide is eligible to order four free at-home COVID-19 test kits at https://www.covidtests.gov/. • Eligible communities can order additional free, rapid at-home COVID-19 test kits at https://www.accesscovidtests.org/. • While testing supply chains are challenged, over-the-counter rapid testing kits can still be purchased at many locations, such as pharmacies and grocery stores. Private health insurance will reimburse the cost of purchasing self-tests up to a certain amount each month. • Testing is also available at many urgent care locations, community health centers, retail locations, and pop- up sites. The ODH website features a searchable map of testing locations at https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/dashboards/other-resources/testing-ch-centers. Continued Updates• HCPH reminds residents to continue to use reputable sources for information about COVID-19, including www.huroncohealth.com, www.coronavirus.ohio.gov and www.cdc.gov. • Statewide COVID-19 case data can be found on the Ohio Department of Health's COVID-19 Dashboard at: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/dashboards. • COVID-19 vaccination data can be found on the Ohio Department of Health's COVID-19 Vaccination Dashboard at: https://coronavirus.ohio.gov/wps/portal/gov/covid-19/dashboards/covid-19-vaccine/covid-19-vaccination- dashboard.