Jay is orange again

Red, orange, yellow. Orange, orange, yellow.

And now orange again.

Jay County moved back to “orange” (high risk for the spread of coronavirus) in the metrics Indiana State Department of Health update Wednesday.

Over the past couple of months, Jay County had been the only county in the state to drop to “yellow” (moderate) in the county metrics. It reached that level first on Dec. 30 and again Jan. 20. Both times it shifted back to orange the next week.

While Jay County saw its level move to orange, there was marked improvement statewide. Only five counties (Whitley, Franklin, Ohio, Spencer and Gibson) were rated “red” (severe) after that number was 33 last week. Eight counties, including Adams and Wells, were rated yellow, with the other 79 coming in at orange.

Jay County’s numbers went up in the metrics for both seven-day positivity rate and cases per 100,000. The county had 274 cases per 100,000 residents, up from 195 last week. Its positivity rate ticked above the 10% threshold to 10.1%, up from 8.07% last week.

There have been 185 new cases of COVID-19 this month as the county is just four short of reaching 1,700 over the course of the ongoing pandemic. That is an average of 7.1 per day in January, down from 13.2 in December and the peak of 22.8 in November.

Jay County currently has two coronavirus vaccination clinics — one at the health department and the other at IU Health Jay. They run on alternating days, with the hospital’s clinic from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays and the health department’s clinic from 11:15 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays as well as 8:30 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. Saturdays.

Appointments for vaccinations are currently available only to those 70 and older. Those interested in making an appointment can do so online at ourshot.in.gov or by calling the state’s 2-1-1 telephone assistance service.

Coronavirus is mainly spread through respiratory droplets or small particles from an infected person coughing, sneezing, talking or breathing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 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.

CDC guidelines encourage wearing a mask and avoiding close contact when around others and frequent hand washing and surface cleaning as ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

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.