Local COVID-19 numbers for April 20-27

The 7-day positivity rate for COVID-19 jumped to 10% in Winnebago County over the past week, as 18 new positive tests were recorded between April 20-27. The county has now seen 1,489 positive cases of the illness since the start of the pandemic, with 1,308 of those cases considered recovered. No additional deaths linked to the illness were reported in the county last week, as the total stands at 31.

Kossuth County reported a 7-day positivity rate of just 2% last week, with six new positive cases. There have been 2,258 positive cases overall in the county, with 2,011 recovered. One additional death was reported last week, bringing Kossuth County’s total to 64.

An additional 321 Winnebago County residents completed their two-dose COVID-19 vaccination series last week, for a total of 2,783. In Kossuth County, another 362 residents received their second dose of a two-dose vaccine, for a total of 4,497. Three Kossuth County residents also received a single-dose vaccine shot, bringing the countywide total to 403.

J&J vaccinations resume

On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) lifted the pause on the administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the U.S., and the Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) recommends that any vaccine provider in the state who has available Johnson & Johnson vaccine resume administration, effective immediately.

The pause was recommended after reports of six cases of a rare and severe type of blood clot, known as thrombosis-thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS), in individuals following administration of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

The CDC and FDA issued the following:

• The FDA and CDC have confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective in preventing COVID-19.
• The FDA has determined that the available data show that the vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks in individuals 18 years of age and older.
• At this time, the available data suggest that the chance of TTS occurring is very low, but the FDA and CDC will remain vigilant in continuing to investigate this risk.

More information can be found on the CDC website at https://www.cdc.gov/media/releases/2021/fda-cdc-lift-vaccine-use.html