The CDC updated its mask guidance this week, advising people in areas with high levels of COVID-19 transmission to wear a mask when at an indoor public setting, regardless of their vaccination status, and now the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department is following suit. Department Health Officer Danielle Persky tells WSJM News Van Buren and Cass counties are in a level of substantial community transmission.
“Our advice to people at this moment is if you are visiting anywhere, whether a resident or not of Cass County and Van Buren County, if you’re visiting anywhere in either one of our counties to mask up when in an indoor public setting,” Persky said.
Persky says the Van Buren/Cass District Health Department is putting online a matrix to show local transmission data.
“Essentially what we’re providing to the community, business leaders, school leaders, etc, is the ability to help make those decisions about whether or not they want to enforce mask wearing within their place of business or their building. So we’ll be providing a matrix that will show where the transmission is at, the current data, and then what is the least amount of mitigation strategies that they should put into place.”
The percent positive rate in Van Buren County is 6.4%, while it’s 6.6% in Cass County. Also, the vaccination rate in Van Buren County is 56.5% and in Cass County, it’s only 37.7%. Persky says masks will help to reduce transmission of COVID, although the best way to protect yourself and others is to get vaccinated.
