Public Health Department adopts Phase 2 guidelines
By Tracy Ouellette
Staff Writer
The Walworth County Public Health Department recently reported sustained improvement in COVID-19 key indicators and said it’s shifting from Phase 1 to Phase 2 in its Phased Guidance.
“We definitely have seen some improvement over the last month in our metrics and our standing,” Public Health Officer Erica Bergstrom said Monday afternoon. “We’ve seen a steady decline in cases since our peak in November.”
As of late Monday afternoon, Walworth County had a total of 8,699 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 8,491 recovered cases, 70 active cases and 2,508 probable cases. Bergstrom said the hospitalization rate has been dropping in recent weeks and as of Monday, there were two hospitalized patients with COVID-19. In Walworth County, 136 people have died from the coronavirus.
“We’ve also started using trend data instead of moment-in-time data because it gives us a better representation of what’s going on. We can provide better guidance to the county instead of relying on a moment in time when that could be an anomaly. This way we have a better picture of what’s happening in the county,” Bergstrom said.
The Public Health Department continues to analyze data to assess the state of the community’s recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, Bergstrom stated in a press release. The County’s Phased Guidance document offers recommendations tailored to the level of COVID-19 activity and available resources in the county, and is available on the county website at co.walworth.wi.us.
“Walworth County has been in Phase 1 since November and this shift represents a small but significant step toward a full recovery,” Bergstrom stated in the press release.
“Improvement in key indicators means that the methods being used across our community to slow the spread of COVID-19 are working. We must continue to use all of our tools to maintain these improvements as we systematically move towards our new normal,” she said.
As part of the move to Phase 2, Public Health is serving as a resource for county businesses recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic by encouraging participation in the “Stay Well in Walworth” Business Recognition Program.
The program recognizes and highlights local businesses that are effectively applying Walworth County’s COVID-19 Phased Guidance to help keep their customers, employees and communities healthy and safe.
These tools include, but are not limited to:
- Encouraging physical distancing and keeping customers 6 feet from each other;
- Implementing easy-to-understand face-covering policies that align with the guidance;
- Adhering to business capacity recommendations;
- Adopting protocols to routinely clean and disinfect; and
- Creating designated hours for vulnerable populations and those at higher risk.
Businesses that wish to participate in the program may complete the application on the county website. Others may also nominate businesses they wish to recognize for their efforts through the application.
For more information on Walworth County’s COVID-19 Data and Phased Guidance, or to nominate a business, visit co.walworth.wi.us/856/COVID-19.
Questions on the Phased Guidance or Business Recognition Program should be directed to walcoph@co.walworth.wi.us.
Phase 1b signup
The Walworth County Division of Public Health will soon accept COVID-19 vaccine registrations for the newly announced Phase 1b groups. Those in 1b are tentatively eligible to begin receiving vaccination on March 1. Public Health plans to open registration Feb. 15.
Because of a nationwide vaccine shortage, it will likely take several weeks or months to vaccinate all who are eligible and want the vaccine. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services estimates 45% of Wisconsin residents will be eligible to receive vaccine once 1b is open. Not everyone in the eligible groups will be able to be vaccinated immediately with current vaccine supply.
“The vaccine roll out has been slow and steady,” Bergstrom said. “There’s a nationwide vaccine shortage and that’s impacting our ability to get shots into arms. We’re seeing high demand in the community for the vaccine and what we’re receiving is just not enough to accommodate all the people who want to get it, but we are making progress.”
Bergstrom said the county’s health-care partners, Aurora and Mercy Health, have been able to vaccinate a “significant portion” of their staff and the county has been working its way through first responders and unaffiliated health care workers.
“We’re still working through the 1a health care group, tackling it a little bit every day,” she said.
People currently eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine are: frontline health care personnel, residents in skilled nursing and long-term care facilities, police and fire personnel, correctional staff and adults age 65 and older.
The next eligible groups (1b) include: education and child care, individuals enrolled in Medicaid long-term care programs, some public-facing essential workers, non-frontline health care essential personnel, and facility staff and residents in congregate living settings.
For additional details and a complete list of vaccine eligible groups, visit the Wisconsin Department of Health and Human Services Vaccine Eligibility Page at dhs.wisconsin.gov.
Walworth County Public Health continues to focus its efforts on ensuring access to vaccine for currently eligible populations, including those ages 65+ who do not have a health care provider. Walworth County residents who are 65+ and already have a health care provider will most likely be contacted by that provider about scheduling a vaccination and should wait to hear from them.
Although vaccine distribution will soon be expanded to include Phase 1b, individuals who meet Phase 1a criteria or are 65+ and have not yet received a vaccine are still eligible. This group should continue to use Public Health’s registration form located on the county website at co.walworth.wi.us.
People in the Phase 1b group may use the same form for registration beginning on Feb. 15. When registering, individuals will be asked to provide their name and some additional information. Registrants will then be contacted by a vaccinator with instructions on how to schedule an appointment when a vaccine becomes available for them. Note that it may take several weeks to receive an appointment.
Those in Phase 1c and subsequent phases as well as the general public are not currently eligible. The Division of Public Health asks that those outside of the current eligible categories refrain from using these forms to register. False or premature registrations will complicate the matching process and slow the ability to get eligible individuals vaccines.
There is no fee associated with COVID-19 vaccination and no one will contact you to collect credit card information or seek payment.
Bergstrom said while the vaccine is offering a glimmer of light in the darkness, it’s important for people to realize now is not the time to relax social distancing and virus mitigation measures.
“We’re all working hard to get the vaccine out and get shots into arms, but without a large supply of the vaccines, we are asking people to be patient and to continue to do the things we’ve been advising to keep everyone safe. Wear a mask, stay 6 feet apart, wash your hands and stay home when you’re sick. We need to use all those tools and continue to follow the guidelines,” she said.
