What you need to know today:
- Booster shot eligibility has been expanded to those who previously had received the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines.
- Moderna eligibility is the same as it was for those who had received Pfizer, with anyone 65 and older able to get a booster as well as those 18 and older who either have underlying medical conditions, who live in long-term care, or who live or work in high-risk settings.
- The guidelines for Johnson & Johnson are much simpler. Anyone 18 and older who was vaccinated at least two months ago can now get a booster dose.
FDA and CDC also have approved a mix-and-match approach to vaccinations, allowing all those eligible to get a booster shot to choose whichever vaccine they would like for that extra dose.
Today's COVID-19 Stats:
- Patients in containment areas: 31
- Number of those patients who are unvaccinated: 25 (80.6%)
- COVID-19 patients in the ICU: 8
- Number of those patients who are unvaccinated: 8 (100%)
- COVID-19 patients on ventilators: 6
- Number of those patients who are unvaccinated: 6 (100%)
- Tests submitted since last update: 236
- Lab-confirmed positives since last update: 24 (10.2% positivity rate)
- Suspected COVID-19 admissions in the past 24 hours: 17
COVID-19 Hotline
Available 8 a.m. - 8 p.m., 7 days a week
NEW: Starting October 23rd, the hours of the Hotline will change to 8a.m. - 5p.m.
Call for questions related to:
- COVID-19 testing and scheduling
- COVID-19 test results
- Clinical advice about your symptoms
Please use the COVID-19 Hotline (765) 965-4200 as your primary contact number for all things COVID-related.
Your Guide to COVID-19 Testing
Testing is important in helping to reduce the spread of COVID-19. Your primary resource for scheduling, questions, and results is the the COVID-19 Hotline. There are also options for self-testing if you have symptoms or may have been in contact with someone who has tested positive. Read frequently asked questions below.
Testing FAQs
Who should get tested?
The CDC recommends the following people be tested:
- Anyone showing symptoms
- Those who have been exposed to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19
- People not fully vaccinated who are asked or referred by their school, workplace, or healthcare providers
What are the types of tests?
There are two categories of COVID-19 tests: Testing for current infection and testing for an infection in the past.
Antibody tests are for those who may have been infected with COVID-19 in the past. Antibodies are detected in the blood of someone who has previously been infected with COVID-19 or someone who might have been vaccinated against the virus that causes the disease.
Viral tests are for those who might be currently infected with COVID-19. There are two types:
- Rapid tests (Antigen Symptomatic) return result in about 15-30 minutes. These are less sensitive than PCR tests and are generally used when a patient is symptomatic and within a certain number of days since symptom onset. These are best when there is a known exposure to a person with COVID-19.
- PCR tests (Nucleic Acid Amplification Test - NAAT) detect genetic material (nucleic acids) and sequences (RNA or ribonucleic acid) that makes up the material of the virus. Specimens are retrieved by swabbing the upper- or lower-respiratory tract. These tests can be used on patients who may be asymptomatic as they are more sensitive in detecting the virus.
I traveled recently. Should I get tested?
The CDC recommends people be fully vaccinated before traveling.
Those who are not fully vaccinated should get tested 1-3 days before their trip and again 3-5 days after their trip. They also should stay home for a full 7 days after returning.
Those who are fully vaccinated do not need to get tested or self-quarantine when they return home but should monitor themselves for potential symptoms.
Here is a helpful graphic from the CDC.
I tested negative. Now what?
A negative result likely means you don't have COVID-19, or at least you didn't at the time your sample was collected. You should consult your school/workplace policies to find out whether you can return to your normal schedule.
I tested positive. Now what?
All those who test positive for COVID-19 -- whether fully vaccinated or not -- should isolate from others for at least 10 days from either their first day of symptoms or the day of their positive test, whichever was earlier.
The Indiana Department of Health's page on contact tracing says you can spread COVID-19 two days before you begin to have symptoms. Once you test positive, you should reach out to anyone you've been in close contact with so they can begin their quarantine. Close contact is defined as being within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period.
If you don't have symptoms, you should reach out to any close contacts from the 48 hours before you were tested. If you do have symptoms, it's the 48 hours before you developed those symptoms.
Ask the Expert
Helpful Resources
It's important to stay informed to help you remain in good health and protect your family. View the information below to understand COVID-19, its symptoms, and to know where you can go to receive the latest updates.
Resource List
Understanding COVID-19
- COVID-19 spreads when someone who is infected with the virus breathes droplets and small particles that contain the virus (source).
- It is transmitted in 3 main ways:
- Breathing in the small droplets exhaled by an infected person
- Sprays from coughs or sneezes
- Touching your face with the virus on your hands
Symptoms of COVID-19
This list is not all-inclusive. Older adults and people with underlying medical conditions might be more susceptible to serious complications (source).
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
It's important to seek emergency care immediately if you have:
- Trouble breathing
- Persistent pain or pressure in your chest
- New confusion
- An inability to wake or stay awake
- Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone
Reid Health COVID-19 Latest Statistics
- Confirmed COVID-positive patients in containment areas: 31
- Number of those patients who are unvaccinated: 25 (80.6%)
- COVID-19 patients in the ICU: 8
- Number of those patients who are unvaccinated: 8 (100%)
- COVID-19 patients on ventilators: 6
- Number of those patients who are unvaccinated: 6 (100%)
- Suspected COVID-19 admissions in the past 24 hours: 17
- Tests submitted since last update: 236
- Lab-confirmed positives since last update: 24 (10.2% positivity rate)
- Total tests submitted since pandemic began: 74,018
- Total positive results since pandemic began: 8,116 (11% positivity rate)
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*As of 10/22/2021. Unvaccinated, as defined by the CDC, is anyone who has not received a dose or has received only the first of a two-dose vaccine.
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As of 10/21/2021, Indiana has had 1,007,681 cases. There have been 15,930 deaths in the state, according to Indiana Department of Health.
Reid Health COVID-19 Vaccination Doses**
Total from all locations: 48,268
**As of 10/21/21
Reid Health serves an eight-county area, including Wayne, Randolph, Henry, Union, Fayette, and Franklin counties in Indiana and Darke and Preble counties in Ohio. The statistics above represent patients from throughout the service area.
General COVID-19 questions
What can I do to protect myself and others?
- Get vaccinated.
- Stay home if you're sick.
- If you are not fully vaccinated, wear a mask when in indoor public places.
- If you are fully vaccinated, wear a mask when in indoor public places if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.
- Stay at least 6 feet away from others.
- Avoid crowds and poorly ventilated areas.
- Wash your hands often. Watch this video on proper hand washing.
- Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with your unwashed hands.
- Cover your cough and sneezes.
- Clean and disinfect high-touch objects and surfaces regularly.
Why are there breakthrough cases in vaccinated people?
When someone who is fully vaccinated from COVID-19 becomes infected with the virus, this is called a "vaccine breakthrough infection." No vaccine can 100% eliminate a virus. After receiving a vaccine, some fully vaccinated people can still get sick, be hospitalized, and even die from COVID-19.
Research has shown those who are vaccinated and still become ill with COVID-19 experience less severe symptoms and less risk of infection, hospitalization, and death. Data shows those who are vaccinated experience adverse effects from the virus at a much lower rate than those who are unvaccinated.
I've had COVID-19 or I've been vaccinated. Why do I still need to wear a mask?
The recommendation is that although vaccinated or recovered from previous infection, you should still wear a mask while remaining at least 6 feet apart, especially indoors. Because the virus is spread through the transmission of respiratory droplets when someone coughs, sneezes, talks, or breathes on another person, a mask will add an additional layer of protection to help slow the spread.
What is the Delta variant?
Delta variant is a mutation of the COVID-19 virus. This variant has been the most common seen in positive cases since August 2021, causing twice as many infections as the original virus because of its viral load. The greatest concern with this variant has been the impact on unvaccinated people as the transmissibility has been higher in unvaccinated groups.
What does a surge in cases mean for a hospital?
Health systems have found themselves in "critical" bed status, similar to the surge felt at the previous height of the COVID-19 pandemic in late fall/early winter 2020. The strain is felt across health systems because resources are needed in high acuity areas.
Staffing is one factor in surges throughout the country, but most of the impact is felt from the severity of patient illness. Since the surge in COVID-19 cases as a result of the Delta variant, patients are entering emergency rooms with more severe symptoms that require more hospital resources.
The average length of hospital stay also is longer as patients are sicker. More people are admitted than discharged, which taxes health system capacity.
What is the risk of my child becoming sick with COVID-19?
The CDC reports the Delta variant has resulted in an increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations among U.S. children and adolescents. Since the beginning of the pandemic, there was a 10x increase in hospitalizations among children 0-4 years old. Additionally, hospitalizations among unvaccinated adolescents was 10x higher than those fully vaccinated.
Similar to effects in adults, children also can experience severe outcomes with COVID-19. Preventative measures such as handwashing, mask wearing, and social distancing should be taken to help prevent the spread in schools and communities.
Can Ivermectin help treat COVID-19?
Ivermectin is not approved by the FDA for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19. There is little scientific evidence at this point to prove the drug is a safe and effective treatment for COVID-19 patients.
Can we achieve herd immunity naturally?
There is no practical way to completely keep young, otherwise healthy people from contacting vulnerable populations such as the elderly of chronically ill people. During the 1918 Spanish Flu pandemic, waves of the virus occurred over a three-year period, meaning it took years to develop natural herd immunity while many people succumbed to the illness. The quickest and safest way to achieve herd immunity for COVID-19 is through vaccination.
Do I need to get vaccinated if I've already had COVID-19?
According to the CDC, those who have recovered from COVID-19 should get vaccinated. The CDC cites evidence that suggests people get better protection from reinfection by being fully vaccinated, including one study that showed unvaccinated people who already had COVID-19 are more than 2x more likely than fully vaccinated people to become infected again.
Do the COVID-19 vaccines affect fertility? Are they safe for pregnant people?
There is no evidence the vaccines cause infertility issues, and the CDC says the vaccines are safe for those who are pregnant, breastfeeding, or who hope to become pregnant in the future.
Along with the CDC, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology and the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine have endorsed COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy.
Pregnancy causes changes in the body that could make it easier to get very sick from respiratory viruses such as the one that causes COVID-19.
In addition to the same severe illness and death risks that all those with COVID-19 face, pregnant people who become infected have a higher likelihood for preterm birth, stillbirth, and the need for their baby to be admitted to an intensive care unit.
Meanwhile, studies have shown breastfeeding people have antibodies in their breastmilk, which could help protect their babies from infection.