On Wednesday, Rock Island County reported two new deaths and 253 new cases. That works out to an average of 105 new cases per day during the past week, up from 53 the week before. The county test positivity rate is 12.2%. It was 9.3% a week ago.
Currently, 55 Rock Island County residents are in local hospitals with COVID-19. Last Friday, that number was 62.
For Scott County on Wednesday, the state reported no new deaths from COVID-19 during the previous week, but did report 814 new cases. That's an average of 116 new cases per day compared with 70 the previous week. Scott County's test positivity rate is 14.8%, up from 14% a week ago.
The Iowa Department of Public Health stopped reporting county-level hospitalization data in early November (2021). But clearly, local hospitals are approaching a critical point with the increasing number of in-patients who are being treated for the coronavirus infection.
Our present ICU challenges have been described as 'intense.' The intensive care units are at capacity. COVID-19 patients, in addition to patients with other illness or injury, are being cared for temporarily in emergency departments until ICU beds can be found, either in our own ICUs or in other hospitals. Over the weekend, Genesis Medical Center-Davenport found ICU beds in Ames, Waterloo, Peoria, Iowa City and University of Iowa and University of Wisconsin-Madison for additional patients above the number who could be safely cared for in our own ICUs.Craig Cooper, Genesis Health System Senior Communications Specialist
The CDC Data Tracker says Rock Island County's entire population is now 56.3% fully vaccinated (approaching 80,000 people). But 66.2% have received one dose. The tracker says Scott County's population is now 55.9% fully vaccinated (approaching 97,000 people) and 64.7% with one dose.
The following information is from an email message sent to WVIK New by the Rock Island County Health Department:
The Rock Island County Health Department will offer Pfizer boosters to teens ages 16 and 17 at its regular Friday clinic. As with anyone 18 and older, COVID-19 boosters for 16- and 17-year-olds are allowed six months after the second dose.
The FDA and CDC gave the nod for the boosters for this age group on Thursday. At this time, only the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine is authorized and recommended for adolescents ages 16 and 17.
RICHD offers walk-in vaccines on Tuesdays (Moderna and Johnson & Johnson) and Fridays (Pfizer). The hours for both days are 9 a.m. to noon and 1-4 p.m. First, second, third, and booster doses all are available.
The Friday, Dec. 10 appointment-only pediatric Pfizer clinic for children age 5-11 is full. The link for the Dec. 17 clinic will be posted at 10 a.m. Dec. 15 on the health department’s Facebook page. Many of our healthcare and pharmacy partners also are offering vaccines for children.
To find a vaccine available at any provider, visit vaccines.gov. You can search by vaccine manufacturer, including pediatric doses, and by distance.
