Boone County Health Officer Dr. Herschell Servies said there has been a rise in COVID-19 cases across the nation, and Boone County is no exception.
During a Nov. 15 Boone County Commissioners meeting, Servies said the Boone County Health Dept. reported 158 positive COVID-19 cases for the reporting week that ended Nov 12. Another 77 cases were reported over the weekend, leading Servies to believe more cases would be reported during the department’s next reporting period.
“Two or three weeks ago, we were in the low hundreds and looking really good,” Servies said. “The thing that’s interesting, of those 158 positives, 20 of those were younger than 11. This younger-than-11 age group is where we are seeing it (spread).”
In addition to the rising cases in children is a limited supply of pediatric doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized emergency use of the pediatric vaccine Oct. 29 for children ages 5 to 11, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention soon after recommended children in the age group get it.
But local health officials are reporting supply shortages just days after the first doses of the pediatric vaccine arrived. The BCHD initially received 300 doses of the pediatric vaccine and ran out by the end of the first week.
“Now, the state tells us they have no idea when we are going to get more,” said Servies, adding that some counties still have doses.
Hamilton County Health Dept. Emergency Preparedness Coordinator Christian Walker said supply is a limiting factor for his department, too. He said the department is coordinating with the Indiana State Dept. of Health to determine how it can receive more pediatric doses.
