COVID cases plummet in Benzie-Leelanau; first day without cases since Sept. 5, 2021
From staff reports
According to statistics from the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department, 0 new positive cases of COVID-19 were reported yesterday, Feb. 21. That’s the first day without reported cases since last September 5, when the weather was still warm, people still fraternized outdoors, and before the Omicron variant spread.
Daily case counts for the two-county health district in the past week have ranged between 0 and 12 cases. COVID-positivity rates, which once topped 20 percent, have receded to 13.3 percent in both Leelanau County and the Traverse City region and 11.7 percent in Benzie County.
“It is great news that the number of cases is declining in our state and our region,” Lisa Peacock, health officer for the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department, said in a press release today. “We want to keep this downward trend continuing and prevent another surge. Therefore, it is still critical that anyone who is eligible get vaccinated and receive their booster shot.”
Being fully vaccinated — two doses of Moderna or Pfizer or one dose of Johnson & Johnson — leads to fewer hospitalizations and deaths, according to information released by the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS). MDHHS created an eligibility assessment tool to assist residents in identifying if they are eligible for a booster dose of the COVID- 19 vaccine, or if they are up to date.
The MDHHS recently released data showing that 76.8% of COVID-19 cases are reported in people who are not fully vaccinated. More than 84% of hospitalizations and 81.8% of deaths are in people not fully vaccinated.
For information about locally offered COVID-19 vaccines and tests, visit the Benzie-Leelanau District Health Department.
