Dr. Gary Sharp
HANCOCK COUNTY – Residents in the county have opportunities to receive the latest protection from COVID-19.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced earlier this month that the new COVID-19 bivalent boosters are available to people age 12 and older. The boosters are updated to be more effective against new strains of the virus, like omicron BA.4 and BA.5. They’re designed to help “restore protection that has waned since previous vaccination by targeting variants that are more transmissible and immune-evading,” according to the CDC.
A bivalent booster made by Pfizer is available to people age 12 and older and one made by Moderna is available for those 18 and older two months after either the recipient’s primary dose or most recent booster dose. Eligible individuals can get either bivalent booster regardless of which primary dose they got.
The Indiana Department of Health provides a link to an online resource at coronavirus.in.gov for finding where COVID-19 vaccines are available, including bivalent boosters. According to the tool, five sites offer bivalent boosters in Hancock County, including the county health department, CVS locations in Greenfield and New Palestine, Community Physician Network in Fortville and Meijer’s pharmacy in McCordsville.
Directions for registering are also available online. Those seeking a shot from the county health department can call 317-477-1125 or 211 as well.
The state health department considers someone up to date on their COVID-19 vaccination if they’ve received a booster dose at least 27 days after being fully vaccinated (completing a two-dose series or one-dose series). The state also tracks second booster doses among those who have received one at least four months from their first booster dose.
In Indiana, which has a population of about 6.7 million, about 3.8 million are fully vaccinated, nearly 2 million are up to date and nearly 400,000 have received a second booster dose as of Sept. 20.
In Hancock County, which has a population of over 76,000, nearly 49,000 are fully vaccinated, over 26,000 are up to date and 5,175 have received a second booster dose.
“I think people have become a little bit apathetic to COVID, and I understand that,” said Dr. Gary Sharp, Hancock County health officer.
He added more young people likely approach the virus with an attitude of “So what if I get it?” But he thinks the elderly and vulnerable are taking advantage of vaccinations more.
About 75% of Hancock County residents age 70 and older are up to date on their COVID-19 vaccinations while just over 20% of county residents in their 20s are, according to the state health department.
“The hospitalizations, the emergency room visits are way down, so I think this new variant – the BA.5 – seems to be much more contagious, but a much milder infection,” Sharp said.
Indiana’s COVID-19 hospital census was 509 as of Sept. 20. The seven-day average was 70, down 17 from the week before. Craig Felty, vice president, chief nursing officer and chief operating officer of Hancock Regional Hospital, said the facility had six COVID-19 patients as of Thursday afternoon and that its total has been trending around three to six lately.
“I think a lot of people just like to roll the dice,” Sharp said of views toward COVID-19. But it’s important to keep “long COVID” in mind, he added, referring to symptoms of the disease that can persist weeks to even months or longer. The CDC reported on a study earlier this summer that found nearly one in five American adults who had had the virus were still experiencing “long COVID.”
Sharp encourages people to keep up on their COVID-19 vaccinations and consider using other protective measures like distancing at least 6 feet and masking, particularly when around the elderly and vulnerable.
He encourages people to get vaccinated for influenza as well, which he said is predicted to be more vigorous this season after being mild last season, something he attributes to all of the masking, isolating, quarantining and hybrid-schooling that was far more prevalent amid the height of the pandemic.
COVID-19 by the numbers
Hancock County
51,552 partially vaccinated
48,934 fully vaccinated
26,405 up to date
5,175 second booster doses
7-day average of 12 COVID-19 cases (up 1)
7-day average of 0 COVID-19 deaths (no change)
263 total COVID-19 deaths
Indiana
4.1 million partially vaccinated
3.8 million fully vaccinated
1.97 million up to date
397,781 second booster doses
7-day average of 729 COVID-19 cases (down 242)
7-day average of 3 COVID-19 deaths (down 3)
23,591 total COVID-19 deaths
Source: Indiana Department of Health as of Sept. 20
