DHSS Press Release

MONTHLY COVID-19 UPDATE - JULY 15, 2022: DPH ENCOURAGES ELIGIBLE DELAWAREANS TO GET A BOOSTER NOW TO PROTECT AGAINST BA.5, OTHER COVID-19 VARIANTS; DON'T WAIT UNTIL FALL

DOVER, DE (July 15, 2022) - The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) reports that COVID-19 cases experienced an uptick in the daily 7-day average for the percentage of positive tests since the previous monthly COVID-19 update released on June 17, 2022. Since that time, Delaware has also exceeded 3,000 COVID-related deaths. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) COVID-19 Community Levels data tracker, which was last updated on June 14, case levels in Kent County are considered high, while case levels in New Castle and Sussex Counties are listed as medium.

Many people are expressing concerns about getting vaccinated or boosted now, both because of reported lack of effectiveness against the circulating BA.5 variant and the expected updated vaccines in the fall. Approximately 66% of test results sequenced in late June contained a variant strain, which means that one-third contained the original strain of COVID-19 against which the vaccines are highly effective. Approximately 45.3% of variants sequenced were BA.5; BA.2 still accounted for 38.7%. While the current vaccines may be less effective in preventing infection if you get the BA.5 variant strain, they still offer some level of protection. The vaccines also remain highly effective at preventing more severe consequences, including serious illness, hospitalization and death against all variants. This is why getting a booster when eligible becomes particularly important. As immunity from your initial vaccine doses wane, the boosters are critical for increasing your antibody level and continue to provide your best protection against serious illness. Some people who have not gotten either their first or second booster plan to wait for the expected updated vaccines in the fall. The CDC and White House advisors urge people not to wait, indicating that getting your booster now will not exclude you from getting one in the fall. It's better to have all the protection you can get now by getting all the vaccine doses for which you are eligible.

You are eligible for a booster dose if you:

• Are 5+ and it has been 5 months since your second dose of Pfizer.
• Are 18+ and it has been 5 months since your second dose of Moderna.
• Are 18+ and it has been 2 months since your initial dose of Johnson & Johnson.
• Qualified for an "additional/third" dose of Pfizer or Moderna because you have certain immunocompromising conditions.
• You can get your second booster (fourth) dose four months after receiving your initial booster if you are 50+ or are immunocompromised.

Getting vaccinated and boosted when you are eligible remains one of the key ways to Stay One Step Ahead of COVID-19 in our state. View materials that are available for download or ordering free at covidmaterialsde.com.

COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations:

• Total positive cases since March 11, 2020: 289,266*
• 7-day daily average of new positive cases: 306.7 an increase of 46.8 average new positive cases reported since June 17, 2022
• 7-day daily average for the percentage of total positive tests: 17.5 percentage points, an increase of 3.4 percentage points reported since June 17, 2022
• Hospitalizations: 127 current hospitalizations; critically ill: 14
• Total COVID-19 deaths: 3,008, an increase of 31 since last month, including 25 deaths from a review of vital statistics

*Case and testing data are based on reporting of lab-confirmed COVID-19 tests only. The number of COVID-19 cases in the community is higher than what is reported because of the use of at-home test kits.

Some of our youngest Delawareans are now eligible to be vaccinated. On June 18, the CDC gave final authorization to both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines for children ages 6 months through 5 years old, making vaccines available to everyone ages 6 months and older. Additionally, the following week, the CDC authorized Moderna's vaccines for children ages 6-17. Pfizer's vaccine for this age group was already authorized. Just this week, the FDA granted full approval for Pfizer's vaccine for ages 12-15. Information about the vaccine and where you can get your child vaccinated is available at de.gov/youthvaccine

COVID-19 Vaccinations:

• Total number of doses administered in Delaware: 1,890,810
• Percentage of Delawareans 5+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 74.4%
• Percentage of Delawareans 12+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 78.6%
• Percentage of Delawareans 18+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 80.1%
• Percent of Delawareans who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 70.3%

All qualifying Delawareans should get vaccinated. For a location near you, visit de.gov/getmyvaccine.. Delaware's latest COVID-19 vaccination statistics can be found under the Vaccine Tracker dashboard at de.gov/healtycommunity

COVID-19 Case Vaccination Status Report:

The following reports capture a weekly breakdown of non-boosted cases, deaths, and hospitalizations for the time frame of July 4 - July 10, 2022.

Weekly Overview (07/04/22 - 07/10/22)	# of Non-boosted Cases
Total Non-boosted	1249
Total Cases	1888
Percent of Non-boosted Cases	66%

Non-boosted Hospitalized cases	# of Cases
Total Non-boosted Hospitalized Cases	88
Total Hospitalized Cases	135
Percent of Non-boosted Cases	65%

Non-boosted Deaths	# of Cases
Total Non-boosted Deaths	0
Total COVID-19 Deaths	2
Percent of Non-boosted Deaths	0%

Long-term Care Statistics:

As of Thursday, July 14, 2022, there have been a total of 4,150 positive COVID-19 cases involving long-term care residents, and 969 residents of Delaware long-term care facilities have died from complications related to COVID-19.

Resources:

Individuals with general questions about COVID-19 should call Delaware 2-1-1, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can text their ZIP code to 898-211, or email delaware211@uwde.org. Hours of operation are:

• Monday - Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.
• Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Medically related questions regarding testing, symptoms, and health-related guidance can be submitted by email at DPHCall@delaware.gov.

DPH will continue to update the public as more information becomes available. For the latest on Delaware's response, go to de.gov/coronavirus.

Anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf-Blind or speech disabled can contact DPH by dialing 711 first using specialized devices (i.e. TTY, TeleBraille, voice devices). The 711 service is free and to learn more about how it works, please visit delawarerelay.com.

DPH, a division of DHSS, urges Delawareans to make healthier choices with the 5-2-1 Almost None campaign: eat 5 or more fruits and vegetables each day, have no more than 2 hours of recreational screen time each day (includes TV, computer, gaming), get 1 or more hours of physical activity each day, and drink almost no sugary beverages.

Delaware Health and Social Services is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware's citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.

Delaware's Government

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