St. Joseph County Deputy Health Officer Dr. Mark Fox says people can feel a little safer about this year’s Memorial Day celebrations than last year.
He said while the county’s 7-day rolling average of new COVID-19 cases is actually about 50 percent higher than at this time last year, the county is still in a “much better position” than last Memorial Day.
“I think we know a lot more about what the risks are of different kinds of activities, we know a lot more about treating COVID, and we have vaccines,” Fox said.
With cases continuing to trend down, Fox says most outdoor activities should be “relatively safe” this year. However, he says indoor activities and large crowds still pose a significant risk for unvaccinated people.
“I think people who are not yet vaccinated need to think about the nature of their interactions going into this weekend and the summer,” he said.
Fox said while the pandemic is much more under control than it was at this time last year, it’s still not over. He says the county’s COVID-19 cases could rise again if unvaccinated people don’t practice masking and distancing protocols until they get the vaccine.
Contact Gemma atgdicarlo@wvpe.orgor follow her on Twitter at@gemma_dicarlo.
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