Jay County is rated yellow again

After five weeks in the blue, Jay County is yellow for the second week in a row.

Jay County was rated “yellow” (moderate risk for the spread of coronavirus) in the Indiana State Department of Health update released Wednesday.

The state’s COVID-19 metrics map became more yellow this week, with 37 counties at that rating as compared to 25 last week. Two — Blackford and Wells — were rated orange (high risk) while the other 52 were blue (low risk).

Jay County’s rating remained at yellow as its positivity rate continued to increase. It came in at 7.5% this week, up from 5.59% the previous week. It had been as low as 1.87% last month.

The county’s cases per 100,000 residents — 68 — was about the same for the third straight week. It came in at 63 last week and was 68 in the March 17 update. It had been as low as 23 in the March 3 update.

Blackford County’s orange rating came as its positivity rate was above 10% for the second week in a row. Both Blackford and Wells counties had more than 200 cases per 100,000 residents this week.

Randolph County shifted from blue to yellow this week as its positivity rate jumped to 7.5%. Delaware and Adams counties remained blue.

On Wednesday, coronavirus vaccine appointments were opened to all Hoosiers 16 and older. Jay County currently has coronavirus vaccination clinics available at Jay County Health Department and IU Health Jay. Appointments can be made online at ourshot.in.gov or by calling the state’s 2-1-1 telephone assistance service.

As of Wednesday, more than 7,600 doses of coronavirus vaccine had been administered in Jay County. Nearly 3,100 individuals were fully vaccinated.

Statewide, nearly 2.8 million doses had been administered with 1.13 million fully vaccinated.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines encourage wearing a mask, avoiding close contact when around others, frequent hand washing and surface cleaning as ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Indiana has been under capacity restrictions since March 2020 and a mask mandate since July. Those restrictions are scheduled to be lifted Tuesday, with restaurants, bars and other venues to be allowed to open at full capacity. The state will move to a “mask advisory,” meaning masks will be recommended but not required.

Coronavirus is mainly spread through respiratory droplets or small particles from an infected person coughing, sneezing, talking or breathing. The CDC reports that it may be possible those particles and droplets remain suspended in the air for an unknown period of time and travel beyond 6 feet, especially indoors.

The virus causes a range of symptoms, which can appear two to 14 days after exposure. Older adults and those with pre-existing health problems are susceptible to more severe illnesses.