INDIANAPOLIS — Here are Friday's latest updates on the coronavirus pandemic, including the latest news on COVID-19 vaccinations and testing in Indiana.
Registrations for the vaccine are now open for all Hoosiers through the Indiana Department of Health. This story will be updated over the course of the day with more news on the COVID-19 pandemic.
CDC map shows 50 Indiana counties at 'high risk' of spreading COVID-19
On Friday morning, Aug. 19, 2022, 50 Indiana counties were classified in the high-risk category for spreading COVID-19, down from 60 counties one week ago.
The counties listed on the CDC data map as having a "high" community risk of spreading COVID-19 include (listed alphabetically): Allen, Bartholomew, Blackford, Cass, Clark, Clinton, Crawford, Daviess, Dearborn, Decatur, Dekalb, Delaware, Dubois, Floyd, Fulton, Gibson, Grant, Greene, Hancock, Harrison, Henry, Howard, Jackson, Jasper, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Kosciusko, Marshall, Martin, Noble, Perry, Posey, Pulaski, Putnam, Randolph, Ripley, Rush, Scott, Shelby, Spencer, Steuben, St. Joseph, Sullivan, Vanderburgh, Vigo, Wabash, Warrick, Washington, and White.
There were also 34 more Indiana counties listed as "medium" risks, including Marion and Hendricks.
Adams, Hamilton, Jay, Laporte, Orange, Starke, Wells and Union are the only counties listed as "low" risks for spreading COVID-19 as of Friday.
Over the past seven days, Indiana has recorded 13,478 new cases and 90 deaths.
Latest US, world numbers
There have been more than 93.40 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States as of 5:40 a.m. ET Friday, according to Johns Hopkins University. There have been more than 1.039 million deaths recorded in the U.S.
Worldwide, there have been more than 594.19 million confirmed coronavirus cases with more than 6.44 million deaths and more than 12.06 billion vaccine doses administered.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness like pneumonia, or death.
NFL looks like old self entering 3rd season in COVID-19 era
The NFL essentially is back to normal entering its third season amid COVID-19.
Fans are up close to their favorite players getting autographs, high-fives and handshakes at training camps. There are no more trailers or tents for testing and masks are rare.
All the protocols devised and tweaked by the league and the NFL Players Association implemented in 2020 and 2021 were suspended last March with the NFL citing trends showing the spread of the coronavirus declining.
The social distancing signs are gone. So too are the mandatory tests, saving time each morning spent waiting for a positive or negative result.
No NFL regular-season games were canceled the past two seasons because of the pandemic, though many were moved around during 2020 with the entire preseason scrapped. About 95% of the players and nearly 100% of team personnel were vaccinated, the league reported.
Colts Training Camp at Grand Park in Westfield ended Thursday, Aug. 18.
CDC director announces shake-up, citing COVID mistakes
The head of the nation's top public health agency on Wednesday announced a shake-up of the organization, saying it fell short responding to COVID-19 and needs to become more nimble.
The CDC's director, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, told the agency's staff about the changes on Wednesday.
The planned changes at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — CDC leaders call it a “reset”— come amid criticism of the agency's response to COVID-19, monkeypox and other public health threats. The changes include internal staffing moves and steps to speed up data releases.
It's a CDC initiative, and was not directed by the White House or other administration officials, Walensky said.
“I feel like it's my my responsibility to lead this agency to a better place after a really challenging three years,” Walensky told The Associated Press.
The Atlanta-based agency, with a $12 billion budget and more than 11,000 employees, is charged with protecting Americans from disease outbreaks and other public health threats. It’s customary for each CDC director to do some reorganizing, but Walensky’s action comes amid a wider demand for change.
CDC drops quarantine, distancing recommendations for COVID-19
The nation's top public health agency relaxed its COVID-19 guidelines Thursday, dropping the recommendation that Americans quarantine themselves if they come into close contact with an infected person.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said people no longer need to stay at least 6 feet away from others.
The changes, which come more than 2 1/2 years after the start of the pandemic, are driven by a recognition that an estimated 95% of Americans 16 and older have acquired some level of immunity, either from being vaccinated or infected, agency officials said.
“The current conditions of this pandemic are very different from those of the last two years,” said the CDC's Greta Massetti, an author of the guidelines.
Many places around the country long ago abandoned social distancing and other once-common precautions, but some of the changes could be particularly important for schools, which resume classes this month in many parts of the country.
Perhaps the biggest education-related change is the end of the recommendation that schools do routine daily testing, although that practice can be reinstated in certain situations during a surge in infections, officials said.
The CDC also dropped a “test-to-stay” recommendation, which said students exposed to COVID-19 could regularly test — instead of quarantining at home — to keep attending school. With no quarantine recommendation anymore, the testing option disappeared, too.
Masks continue to be recommended only in areas where community transmission is deemed high, or if a person is considered at high risk of severe illness.
What to know about BA.5, BA.4 variant symptoms
As Americans ramp up their summer travels without their masks, two COVID-19 subvariants are causing a surge in cases.
BA.5, which accounts for 65% of cases, and BA.4, which is 16% of cases, are omicron's smarter cousins. The two subvariants are evading antibodies and even vaccine protections, as they are one of the most contagious versions of the virus yet.
"It knows how to trick our immune system," said TEGNA's medical expert Dr. Payal Kohli.
Since the subvariants derived from the original omicron variant, symptoms fall under the same umbrella. However, symptoms still vary depending on vaccination status, age, prior infection, medication and other factors, said Kohli.
Data collected from the Zoe app in the UK show most symptoms mimic the common cold, with sore throats and runny noses. Kohli said a significant change in symptoms for the subvariants are heightened amounts of sneezing, something not seen in earlier forms of the COVID-19 variant.
The subvariants responsible for the latest surge pose a different threat as it also has higher rates of reinfection.
Parents can schedule vaccine appointments for young children
The Indiana Department of Health (IDOH) announced that the public can now schedule COVID-19 vaccine appointments for children through age 5 by visiting www.ourshot.in.gov.
Appointments are available for individuals seeking the Moderna vaccine for children ages 6 months through 5 years and the Pfizer vaccine for children ages 6 months through 4 years on the state's scheduling platform.
IDOH has updated its map at www.ourshot.in.gov to show sites that offer vaccines for the youngest age group.
Appointments are recommended due to vaccine and provider availability. Individuals also can call 211 for assistance or contact their child’s healthcare provider to determine if they are offering vaccines.
Visit the Indiana Department of Health at www.health.in.gov for important health and safety information.
Riley Children's Health offering COVID-19 vaccines
Riley Children's Health has the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine for children 6 months to 5 years old.
Appointments are required and can be made by calling 211.
Riley Physicians at IU Health West:
- Mondays and Thursdays: 5 p.m.-8:20 p.m.
- Saturdays: 8 a.m.-11:20 a.m.
- 1111 Ronald Reagan Pkwy, Avon
Riley Physicians at IU Health North:
- Tuesdays and Wednesdays: 5 p.m.-8:20 p.m.
- Saturdays: 8 a.m.-11:20 a.m.
- 11700 N. Meridian Street, Carmel
Riley Physicians at East Washington
- Tuesdays and Fridays: 5 p.m.-8:20 p.m.
- Saturdays: 8 a.m.-11:20 a.m.
- 9650 Washington St #245, Indianapolis
Riley Physicians at Methodist Medical Plaza South
- Wednesdays and Thursdays: 5 p.m.-8:20 p.m.
- Saturdays: 8 a.m.-11:20 a.m.
- 8820 S Meridian St Suite 125, Indianapolis
Riley Physicians at Georgetown
- Tuesdays and Fridays: 5 p.m.-8:20 p.m.
- Saturdays: 8 a.m.-11:20 a.m.
- 4880 Century Plaza Rd Suite 250, Indianapolis
MCPHD offering COVID vaccine for kids 6 months to 4 years old
The Marion County Public Health Department is offering COVID-19 vaccinations to children ages 6 months to 4 years old at its district health offices and ACTION Health Center.
To see the schedule for each location, click here. Vaccinations are by appointment only. Call the specific location to make an appointment, or call MCPHD's Immunization Program at 317-221-2122.