New Castle and Sussex counties move to yellow zone as vaccines for young children get OK and UD lifts mask requirement
The Delaware Division of Public Health took note of an overall decrease in Covid-19 cases and hospitalization since the previous monthly update released nearly a month ago. The big news during the past week was the approval of vaccines for children under five.
While Covid-19 cases, hospitalizations, and deaths are down, DPH advised that Delawareans should wear masks when in public indoor areas and stay up to date with vaccinations, including boosters.
Late last week, the University of Delaware, lifted a mask requirement for indoor spaces in response to the outbreak.
A month ago, Delaware and other East Coast states felt the effects of a contagious form of the virus that spread from New England and New York states and can even hit those who have received boosters.
Cases tended to be less severe due to a gradually rising vaccination rate.
According to a Centers for Disease Control widget, New Castle and Sussex counties are in the medium (yellow) risk category for Covid, with Kent still in the high or red range. Kent has the lowest vaccination rate among the three counties. Not long ago, all three counties were in the red zone.
This week, Food and Drug Administration’s medical advisory committee authorized Moderna’s vaccine for children ages six months through five years and Pfizer’s vaccine for children ages six months through four years. The CDC’s advisory committee is expected to vote on their use this weekend. A formal sign-off is still required from the CDC director before vaccine administration can get underway.
The first shipments of vaccine for children under five years are expected to arrive in Delaware on June 20th, and the earliest that vaccine administrations, pending the CDC’s vote, are expected to begin is June 21st (though this may vary by site). Not all providers ordered vaccine for this first wave. The Division of Public Health has placed information about these pediatric vaccines on de.gov/youthvaccine. New locations will be added regularly.
The Moderna Covid-19 Vaccine is administered as a primary series of two doses, one month apart, to individuals 6 months through 5 years of age. Effectiveness varies by age. The most commonly reported side effects across all age subgroups included pain, redness and swelling at the injection site, fever and underarm swelling/tenderness at the injection site.
The Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine is administered as a primary series of three doses in which the initial two doses are administered three weeks apart followed by a third dose administered at least eight weeks after the second dose in individuals six months through four years. The most common side effects included irritability, decreased appetite, fever, headache, chills and pain, tenderness, redness and swelling at the injection site.
Covid vaccination report
The following summary captures a weekly breakdown of non-boosted cases, deaths, and hospitalizations for the time frame of June 06 – June 12. One death was reported during that period. The numbers can change when a review of death records concludes that Covid-19 complications led to a fatality.
Covid cases and hospitalizations:
- Total positive cases since March 11, 2020: 281,986
- 7-day daily average of new positive cases: 259.9 a decrease of 314.8 average new positive cases reported since May 21, 2022
- 7-day daily average for the percentage of total positive tests: 14.1 percentage points, a difference of 4.9 percentage points reported since May 21, 2022
- Hospitalizations: 109, current hospitalizations; critically ill: 12
- Total deaths: 2,977, an increase of 38 since last month, including 25 deaths from a review of vital statistics
COVID-19 Vaccinations:
- Total number of doses administered in Delaware: 1,109,960
- Percentage of Delawareans 5+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 74.1%
- Percentage of Delawareans 12+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 78.3%
- Percentage of Delawareans 18+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 79.8%
- Percent of Delawareans who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 69.9%
