Berkshire County — According to state data, from July 10 to 16 there were 67 new reported COVID cases in southern Berkshire County.
The total is an 11 percent drop in reported cases in Berkshire County from last week.
According to the Southern Berkshire Public Health Collaborative, the current impact of COVID cases on Berkshire County is low.
“In the past two weeks, we have not seen a significant change in reported cases for Berkshire County or South County in particular,” Regional Public Health Nurse Leader Amy Hardt wrote in a press release issued by the collaborative on Tuesday, July 26. “However, we all know that reported test results are just the tip of the actual case iceberg. In this environment, it’s hard to know what to do right now, if anything, about COVID in our community. Do we just ignore it, do we treat it like a typical cold/flu, do we take extra precautions to avoid becoming infected or sharing it with others?”
Hardt wrote that, despite the low reported levels of COVID in Berkshire County, residents should be prepared for the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 sub-variants that have become the dominant COVID strains in the United States.
According to a report issued by the CDC on July 26, the BA.5 su-variant now makes up approximately 81.9 percent of all reported COVID cases.
“If you already had COVID, even if it was just a couple of months ago, you aren’t much more protected than anyone else against getting the current variants that are circulating,” Hardt wrote. “Omicron BA.5 and BA.4 are especially good at bypassing our first and second levels of immunity, including cells in our nose and antibodies in our bloodstream.”
Hardt recommends that residents 50 years and older get a second COVID booster vaccination shot.
“This can bring some peace of mind,” Hardt wrote. “The rate of death due to COVID in those who got that second booster is four times lower than those who didn’t, which is nothing to sneeze about. Luckily, the most severe effects from the current variants are mostly halted by our cellular immunity (T-cells) that ‘remember’ the virus from previous vaccination or infection, or both.”
Hardt wrote that most people currently hospitalized for COVID are mostly unvaccinated or have immune systems compromised by a serious disease.
According to state information, from July 13 to 19 the seven-day average of inpatient beds occupied by COVID patients in local hospitals was 4.6 percent.
Hardt also recommends caution at public events due to the potential spread of the sub-variants.
“If you really don’t want to pick up COVID from someone else at a crowded event, you will need to wear an effective mask the whole time,” she wrote. “Eat outside if you must. Take quick sips of your drink, then replace your mask. I would absolutely include air, bus, and train travel in the definition of a crowded event.”
Hardt also recommends caution when using rapid tests in determining COVID cases.
“Current COVID infections often do not generate a positive rapid test for a few days, even if you are already symptomatic,” Hardt wrote. “Stay home if you are sick until you can either get a PCR test to confirm it’s something else, or stay home and rapid test in a couple of days. If you absolutely must go to work or be around others, wear the best mask you have—a KN95 minimum. Be ethical and let those in close proximity to you all day long know that you’re not feeling well so they can protect themselves if needed. At home, open windows and run fans to get the air moving and reduce the build up of the virus in your home. Do not attend crowded events until you feel better and have ruled out COVID.”
According to the state’s Department of Public Health, as of July 21 there have been 29,550 confirmed COVID cases and 398 COVID related deaths in Berkshire County since the pandemic started.
In the state, there have been a total of 1,793,437 reported COVID cases and 19,860 reported deaths related to COVID since the pandemic started.
