HUTCHINSON, Kan. — Reno County has seen an increase in positive COVID-19 cases over the past two weeks. The case count was down to only nine on April 6, the lowest it has been since last summer, but quickly increased and has been hovering around 40 active cases.
The Reno County Medical Collaborative wants to remind community members to be vigilant in mitigation measures such as social distancing, mask wearing, and sanitizing hands. Those measures along with vaccinating are the best defense against contracting COVID-19.
Thirty-three percent of Reno County Residents have now received at least one dose of a vaccine, however the demand for vaccines has decreased in Reno County. If case counts continue to rise, the need to quarantine will again become an issue for more individuals. That’s one less worry for those who have been vaccinated.
“Fully immunized individuals do not need to quarantine if exposed, as their likelihood of getting infected is drastically reduced,” stressed Dr. Scott Pauly, Hutchinson Clinic. “Unimmunized individuals will have to quarantine, and that scenario is more likely for everyone when the numbers are high. It’s the vaccine or the virus, you choose.”
The Reno County Health Department, 209 W. 2nd, is accepting walk-ins for the Moderna vaccine during normal operating hours. To check availability of other vaccines and locations, visit vaccinefinder.org