COVID update

Barton County Health Department Administrator Joel Dermott reported that since there hadn’t been a COVID update in a while, he thought he would give a quick run through on what is happening in the county. He commented that similar to last year’s summer outbreak of the Delta variant, it appears that the Omicron variants are similarly waning as the dog days of summer hit.

Dermott stated, “New cases were highest during June and July; however, as we roll into August we are seeings numbers in the region receding. He added that other areas to the east and north of us are now beginning to see elevated caseloads as the outbreak makes its way across the state.

“With school starting back up and fair time just around the corner, the declining numbers are a great blessing for our community,” said Dermott, adding, “COVID in some form will always be with us, requiring us to remain aware of its potential impact, while still living life to the fullest”.