Greater Akron, along with most of the United States, is seeing an end-of-summer surge in COVID-19 infections.
The Centers for Disease Control reported the positivity rate for COVID-19 testing was just above 18%. Ohio, at 18.5%, is slightly higher than the national average. But the surge may be larger than reported.
“The problem with case counts at this time is that there’s so much home testing and those aren’t mandated to be reported, so we’re missing out,” said Dr. Erika Sobolewski, the medical director for Summit County Public Health.
The CDC’s reporting only takes into consideration results from nucleic acid amplification tests, like PCR tests, from a network of laboratories that report to the National Respiratory and Enteric Virus Surveillance System.
Wastewater monitoring allows for the tracking of COVID-19, even when people do not have symptoms. And according to the CDC, sewage monitoring provides an early indicator of whether the levels of infection may be increasing.
Ohio’s wastewater viral activity level of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19, is categorized as high. In Summit County, the wastewater increases began in May, Sobolewski said.
Here are current recommendations and general information about protecting yourself from the current COVID-19 variants.
Is COVID-19 still considered a pandemic?
Despite the summer surge, Sobolewski said COVID-19 is in an endemic stage at this point. When an illness is endemic, infection levels are consistent over time and localized to a specific place. A pandemic illness is categorized as having an exponential increase in cases across the globe.
Should I wear a mask in public?
Choosing to wear a mask in public is about risk assessment, Sobolewski said.
“I think everyone needs to look at what their own risk factors are and really be cautious in what they’re doing,” Sobolewski said.
She recommended following the CDC’s COVID Data Tracker and thinking about whether you are going to be in an area with a larger population (or in crowds) or with increased COVID-19 activity. You may consider wearing a mask in an airport or on an airplane or asking family members to test before coming for a visit.
“Stack the deck to keep you as healthy as possible,” Sobolewski said.
How should I go about monitoring symptoms?
The COVID-19 symptoms to look for may change with variants, but the list includes:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- New loss of taste or smell
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Nausea or vomiting
The severity of those symptoms has changed across variants, Sobolewski said. Lately, sore throats have been more prevalent than intense coughs or loss of taste and smell.
Symptoms may appear between two and 14 days after exposure to the virus, and Sobolewski said that frequent and early testing is the best way to differentiate between COVID-19 and the flu or common cold.
What should I do if I’ve been exposed to COVID-19?
Sobolewski encourages Summit County residents to self-report their positive test results online, which help provide the health department with a bigger picture, since the current numbers are only a portion of the true positivity rate.
If you test positive, stay home until you no longer have a fever and your symptoms have been improving for 24 hours.
When you return to normal activities, Sobolewski said to wear a mask and keep up with additional preventative strategies for at least five days. Keep paying attention to hand hygiene, keep distance from others and avoid contact with people who might be at a high risk of having complications, such as people with asthma or diabetes.
When should I get a COVID-19 vaccination?
The Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization Thursday for updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer. The new vaccines are targeted at variants now circulating in the general population.
The vaccines should be available in Summit County “any day now,” Sobolewski said — she recommended receiving one when that happens.
The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older receive the updated vaccine, whether or not they have been previously vaccinated. If you’ve been previously vaccinated, the new dose is given at least 2 months later.
With flu season approaching, the CDC recommends getting the new vaccine in September or October. This year’s flu shot can be administered at the same appointment as a COVID-19 vaccine.
Where can I get a COVID-19 test kit?
Summit County Public Health, located at 1867 W. Market St. in Akron, has free COVID-19 at-home test kits available at the front desk as well as in a vending machine outside Building C, Sobolewski said. Availability can be checked by calling 330-923-4891.
The Akron-Summit County Public Libraries also have free at-home tests. Availability at individual library branches may be limited, so call beforehand.
