As CDC updates its COVID-19 guidance, here are the 10 PA counties at high community levels

The same day the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eased its COVID-19 prevention guidance around physical distancing and more, it upgraded its community levels, leaving 10 Pennsylvania counties in the high range.

In a Thursday update, the federal health agency relaxed guidance around distancing, screening and more as the U.S. nears 31 months since the first coronavirus case was confirmed in the country Jan. 20, 2020, in Washington state.

“We’re in a stronger place today as a nation, with more tools — like vaccination, boosters, and treatments — to protect ourselves, and our communities, from severe illness from COVID-19,” Greta Massetti, who heads the agency’s Field Epidemiology and Prevention Branch, said in a statement. “We also have a better understanding of how to protect people from being exposed to the virus, like wearing high-quality masks, testing, and improved ventilation. This guidance acknowledges that the pandemic is not over, but also helps us move to a point where COVID-19 no longer severely disrupts our daily lives.”

Among the changes to “streamline” guidance, the CDC no longer recommends screening those without symptoms and has rolled back quarantine suggestions for those exposed the virus who are not up to date on vaccinations. The agency does, however, recommend those who have been exposed to wear a well-fitting mask for 10 days after exposure and get tested on day five, regardless of vaccination status.

Pennsylvania COVID-19 community levels

CDC recommendations around its community level guidance did not change, and those who live or work in areas at a high community level are still recommended to mask in public, indoor spaces. Additionally, at both high and medium levels, the agency recommends testing and wearing a mask before having contact with an individual who is at greater risk for severe illness.

The agency updates its COVID-19 community levels weekly on Thursdays, and as of Aug. 12, 10 counties in Pennsylvania were considered at a high level.

That’s a decrease from the week prior, when 14 counties were considered high.

Current counties at a high level include Mercer, Forest, Elk, Clearfield, Mifflin, Franklin, Bedford, Northumberland, Montour and Carbon.

Forest, Mifflin and Northumberland were also at a high level last week, and this is the fourth straight week Mercer and Montour counties have been scored high.

A large swath of Pennsylvania remains at a medium level, as of Friday, with 17 counties at low.

The community levels are determined using three factors: new cases per 100,000 people, new related hospital admissions per 100,000 people (both seven-day totals) and percentage of available hospital beds occupied by COVID patients (a seven-day average).

Under the CDC’s COVID-19 community transmission metric, a different measure, all but one county is at a high level. Snyder County is at a transmission level of substantial as of Aug. 12.

COVID-19 in Centre County

After a week at low, Centre County has once again moved into the medium community level.

The county reported 225 new cases since last week, according to CDC data, and a positivity rate of 15.68%, up nearly 1% from the week prior. The number of tests performed in the county is also up by nearly 2% in the last week.

COVID-19 in the rest of PA

The state reported 20,626 new cases over the last seven days, with the CDC indicating the counties with the greatest number of new cases are Allegheny (2,042), York (1,007), Montgomery (1,139) and Philadelphia (2,282).

New cases are down from the two previous weeks, though the state reported more deaths this week than last, at 113.

To date, the Pennsylvania Department of Health reports 46,374 deaths since the onset of the pandemic – a slice of the more than 1 million who have died in the U.S. from the virus.

Less than 71% of the state’s population is fully inoculated against the virus, though 87.2% have received at least a single dose. Booster rates are lower, with just 44.4% of the fully vaccinated population older than age 5 having received their first booster, per the CDC.

A second booster is available to those ages 12 and up with weakened immune systems and to all Americans older the 50.

To find a COVID-19 vaccine near you, visit vaccines.gov.