By Post Staff
The West Central District Health Department reported a significant drop on the COVID-19 Community Risk Dial on Thursday.
The risk dial moved from 3.42 down to 2.77, which remains in the elevated risk level. There were changes in the following variables that contributed to movement in the dial:
Officials report a decrease in the following:
- Measure ID R4: Average Daily Hospitalization
- Measure ID R5: ICU Availability
- Measure ID R6: Ventilator Availability
- Measure ID R7: Community Spread
- Measure ID R11: Individuals Affected
The parameters for Average Daily Hospitalizations have been updated. Great Plains Health (GPHealth) has made several process changes that allow them to care for a greater number of COVID-19 patients. GPHealth has also utilized medications and treatments that are proving effective at reducing ventilator days and average length of stay for COVID-19 patients. These parameter changes can be noted in the helpful document titled “Understanding the Data in the Risk Dial” on the COVID-19 Risk Dial page.
The COVID-19 Risk Dial contains recommended guidance to help prevent and control the spread of COVID-19.
While in the Elevated Risk category, physical distance of 6 feet or greater, wearing face coverings when outside the home, frequent handwashing (or use of hand sanitizer), staying home if you are having flu-like or COVID-like symptoms, disinfecting high touch surfaces, and having at-risk and vulnerable people remain home is recommended as the greatest tools in reducing the spread of COVID-19. For more information on recommendations for the various risk categories of the WCDHD Community Risk Dial, please visit the COVID-19 Risk Dial page on our website.
There have been 40 cases of COVID-19 for the time period of 2/3/2021 to 2/9/2021. As a reminder, WCDHD will be posting a COVID-19 case number update every Thursday with the risk dial update.