Mellinger: COVID 'on back burner' as cases wane

Caleb Amick, The Herald Bulletin, Anderson, Ind.
·2 min read

Jun. 15—ANDERSON — As new COVID-19 variants affect communities throughout the United States, Indiana and Madison County remain minimally affected.

Indiana had 78 hospitalizations within the week of June 3, its lowest number since August 2020, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In Madison County, Ascension St. Vincent has experienced very few cases in the past six months, said Miranda Meister, a spokeswoman for Ascension St. Vincent.

Community Hospital Anderson spokeswoman Michele Hockwalt said there were no in-patient cases within the past nine days as of Thursday.

Since the state's status as the federal public health emergency expired May 11, the Indiana Department of Health will be making changes in its approach to COVID-19 in that it will be treated as other communicable diseases are.

In doing so, the Indiana Department of Health will report case information via its dashboard, said Stephenie Mellinger, administrator for Madison County Health Department.

The end of the public health emergency does not mark the end of COVID. In fact, new variants have shown up, the most recent being arcturus, a subvariant of omicron.

Arcturus is different from others in that it has a distinct effect on children. Its most common symptoms are pink eye and a high fever, according to a University of Nebraska Medical Center article.

Arcturus makes up 16.2% of new cases in Indiana and other states. Officials think it could displace XBB 1.5, also known as "The Kraken," as the most common strain.

World Health Organization's Technical Advisory Group recommended updating COVID vaccines to protect against the XXB strain and other "circulating variants," according to a May 18 statement.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration echoed the World Health Organization, saying updates could be beneficial, according to a slideshow from a meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee.

Vaccines were free for everyone while the public health emergency was in effect. As of the expiration, vaccines will be free while supplies of federally purchased vaccines last, according to the state Department of Health.

Testing is no longer free, and insurance is required.

The CDC recommends Madison County residents continue to take basic precautions against COVID, such as regular handwashing and staying home if sick.

Follow Caleb Amick on Twitter @AmickCaleb. Contact him at caleb.amick@heraldbulletin.com or 765-648-4254.