News From Los Alamos County
March 3, 2023
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Inside this newsletter, you will find...
The Epidemiology Corner - COVID-19 Update, COVID Testing Sites Closing, Long COVID Data, COVID Conspiracies & Misinformation, Children's Vaccinations,
Weekly Survey, COVID-19 data, and more.
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COVID-19 Update:
Low-Level Transmission Continues in US and the County - XBB.1.5 Variant Accounts for Most Cases...
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COVID-19 Update: Omicron XBB.1.5 Variant Continues Rising – No New Variants Reported
CDC projects that the Omicron variant XBB.1.5 now accounts for 90% of COVID-19 cases nationwide, with most remaining cases due to the receding BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 (BQ.1x) variants. All other previous Omicron variants circulating in the US have nearly disappeared and CDC is reporting no new emerging variants of interest or concern on the horizon. See HERE Recent clinical data reported by CDC indicate no difference in disease severity between the XBB.1.5 and BQ.1x variants in regard to both hospitalization and death. See HERE COVID-19 health indicators have been trending downward nationwide since the beginning of 2023 despite the rapid ascent of the XBB.1.5 variant, which now stands at 90% prevalence.
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Older Persons Remain at Highest Risk of Severe Disease – Decision on Second Bivalent Booster Pending
Advancing age has been a risk factor for disease severity throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Both the risk of hospitalization and death increase with age in a similar way. Persons 50 years and older are at particularly high risk and account for the vast majority of COVID-19 deaths (>90%) in the US. See HERE Vaccination has proven to be effective at reducing the risk of severe disease, especially among seniors. See HERE
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CDC Community Level Risk Remains at LOW for the County as Reported Cases Dwindle
For the week ending March 1, the CDC Community Level remained at LOW for Los Alamos County, as it did for the three other counties (Taos, Rio Arriba, Santa Fe) which collectively comprise the regional Health Services Area (HSA) over which CDC hospitalization metrics are calculated. Reported cases in the county have been declining since the beginning of 2023, with only three cases reported over the past two weeks ending March 1. In contrast, reported case incidence has been trending slightly higher in the three other counties included in the HSA. The HSA hospitalization rate remained relatively stable at 4.6 new admissions per 100,000, which indicates ongoing and stable transmission and progression to severe disease among some persons. No new hospital admissions among county residents were reported by NMDOH during the month of February, however, NMDOH is now only reporting data every other week, so there is a gap in this surveillance measure.
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Emergency Department Visits for COVID-Like Illness Remain at Stable Low Level
NMDOH reports the percentage of emergency department (ED) visits in county residents for COVID-like illness remained stably low at 1.8% for the two-week period ending February 28. Statewide, the percentage of ED visits for COVID-like illness stands at about 3%. ED visits for flu-like illness have declined sharply from a peak of 18% in December to about 4% currently. See HERE
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COVID-19 Virus Continues to be Detected in County Wastewater – XBB.1.5 Variant Predominates
Levels of SARS-CoV-2 virus in county wastewater continue to be detected at levels consistent with on-going virus transmission despite the declining trend in officially reported cases. For the week of February 13, the CDC/Biobot contractor reports that the XBB.1.5 variant accounted for all virus detected in county wastewater. See https://biobot.io/data/
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PCR Testing in County Remains at Historically Low Levels
The sharp decline in county PCR testing that began in early January 2023 has continued through the third week of February. High prevalence use of at-home testing coupled with the decrease to less than five PCR tests per day on average likely has contributed to the decline in officially reported cases occurring in the county since the beginning of 2023. For background, see HERE A total of 3 county cases were reported by CDC for the two weeks ending March 1, however, over the same time period, the Los Alamos Public Schools reported 8 positive cases among elementary/middle school students and staff.
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New Mexicans Encouraged to Self-Report Positive COVID-19 Home Tests
To assist with more complete case monitoring in New Mexico, NMDOH encourages residents to download the NM Notify app and to report positive COVID-19 home tests on the app, or for a fast and easy way to report your at-home test results online, visit https://makemytestcount.org/.
The NMDOH/CDC COVID-19 incidence data reviewed here are based on PCR-confirmed testing results and do not include data on positive at-home antigen tests. As such, case counts are incomplete and underestimated, but by how much cannot be determined precisely at any given time point.
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COVID call centers and testing sites close in further sign US is moving past the pandemic
Several COVID data trackers have also recently shut down.
COVID-19 call centers and testing sites are closing across the United States as more Americans look to move on from the pandemic and with the emergency declaration set to end in May.
In Rockland County, New York -- just north of New York City -- the call center closed Tuesday after three years in operation.
The center was launched in early March 2020 after the county's health department became inundated with telephone calls from people asking questions about the virus. According to a press release, the center received 19,163 calls during its operation and provided residents and businesses with information about COVID-19 guidance, testing sites, testing results and how to schedule vaccination appointments.
"I commend our staff for their tireless efforts to assist the community during this global pandemic," said county health commissioner Dr. Patricia Schnabel in a statement. "As the number of COVID-19-related calls continues to decrease, the health department is able to reallocate personnel to other critical health work."
In nearby Massachusetts, the state's department of public health announced Monday it is shutting down its remaining free PCR testing sites, which were known as "Stop the Spread" sites, at the end of March.
UMass Memorial Health, which runs one of the sites in Worcester -- located in central Massachusetts -- cited "less demand for COVID-19 testing" as the reason behind the health department's decision.
Drive-thru testing sites are also coming to an end. Carilion Clinic, a health system based in Roanoke, Virginia, closed its drive-thru testing sites on Wednesday.
According to a press release, the sites completed more than 340,000 tests over the course of three years and saw staff members often working from 5 a.m. until 11 p.m.
Kim Roe, vice president of family and community medicine, said testing personnel "truly worked tirelessly these past three years; their work was invaluable in keeping our workplace and communities safe."
"A closure is an odd thing to celebrate, but this is a moment to recognize all that was accomplished as we transition into the endemic stage of this virus," her statement continued.
It comes as several COVID data trackers also shut down, including Johns Hopkins University's Coronavirus Resource Center, one of the first to launch in early 2020 and a vital source that filled in information gaps.
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services also shut down its data website last month but has kept the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's dashboard running.
According to the CDC, COVID-19 cases have been declining for several weeks. During the week of Feb. 22 -- the latest date for which data is available -- a total of 236,131 cases were recorded in the U.S., a 48.2% decline from the 455,866 cases recorded the week of Jan. 11.
Hospitalizations and deaths, both of which are traditionally lagging indicators, have also been trending downward. Over the same period, weekly deaths have fallen from 4,448 to 2,407, according to CDC data.
The data also shows the seven-day average of hospitalizations declined from 39,837 on Jan. 11 to 22,766 on Feb. 22.
To view the article, click HERE!
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Long COVID: What Do the Latest Data Show?
As of January 25, 2023, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) data show that COVID cases, deaths, and hospitalizations have stabilized after a small surge around the holidays. However, there is still a great deal of uncertainty about long COVID and whether there will be increased long COVID cases following the holiday bump. (The working definition of long COVID is “signs, symptoms, and conditions that continue or develop after initial COVID-19 or SARS-CoV-2 infection.) Although the evidence is mixed as to whether vaccines reduce the likelihood of getting long COVID, or if they reduce the severity of long COVID among people who already have it, only 15% of the population up to date on their vaccines. Within this context, we examine the latest data on long COVID from the Household Pulse Survey, as reported by the CDC. Previous research has highlighted the implications of long COVID for employment and health coverage and it’s potential to exacerbate existing disparities in those areas. The latest data and research suggest that those concerns are important but also show that among people who have had COVID, the percentage with long COVID is declining (Figure 1).
The percentage of people who have had COVID and currently report long COVID symptoms declined from 19% in June 2022 to 11% in January 2023. That decrease reflects a reduction in the share of people who have COVID and later report long COVID, which declined from 35% to 28% during the same period. Despite the decline, the rate of long COVID among people who have had COVID remains high. It is in line with other research and federal reports, but higher than some other studies have found. As of January 16, 2023, 15% of all adults in the US reported having had long COVID symptoms at some point and 6% reported current symptoms.
Among those who have ever had long COVID, over half are no longer reporting symptoms. Among people who have had COVID, 11% are currently experiencing long COVID but an additional 17% had long COVID in the past and are no longer reporting symptoms. Those numbers suggest that more people have recovered from long COVID than currently report symptoms.
Among people with long COVID, 79% report having limitations to their day-to-day activities and 27% characterize the limitations as significant. The Pulse survey asks people who report having long COVID whether it limits their day-to-day activities and most people with long COVID report activity limitations. Only a quarter report that the limitations are significant. Understanding the severity of limitations and whether they are permanent is relevant to the uncertainty surrounding how long COVID will affect employment. Estimates of the effects of long COVID on the workforce range from 500,000 or possibly even fewer to as many as 4 million.
Looking ahead, although a smaller percentage of people with COVID are reporting long COVID, 5% of the adult population is struggling with activity limitations from long COVID. A recent study highlights the myriad of ways in which long COVID presents, noting that many people may have lifelong disabilities as a result. Among people who currently have long COVID, many have trouble accessing the health care they need. Patients often visit many specialists before getting a diagnosis and when they have a diagnosis, struggle to find a provider on account of provider shortages. Providers themselves wrestle with uncertainty regarding the course of treatments most likely to help.
Longer-term, it is unclear what is driving the reduced percentage of people with COVID who report having long COVID and whether current trends will continue. The change could stem from changes in SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID, or from increasing population immunity through vaccination and prior infection. In August 2022, the Department of Health and Human Services released a National Research Action Plan on long COVID aimed at providing a call to action for public and private researchers to accelerate their work. The federal RECOVER initiative aims to understand how people recover and why some people don’t. That initiative coupled with on-the-ground research and work by doctors and long COVID clinics could help to increase long COVID recovery rates and to identify how to best care for those who do not recover.
To read the entire article, click HERE!
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Department of Health recommends parents and guardians check that their children’s immunizations are up to date
The New Mexico Department of Health encourages parents and guardians to speak with healthcare providers about childhood and adolescent immunizations, so children can catch up if they have fallen behind schedule.
“There is no better time to schedule a well-child visit to keep your child up to date on their immunizations than right now,” said DOH Deputy Secretary Dr. Laura Parajon. “All vaccines are tested to make sure they are safe and effective. Immunization can save your child’s life from life-threatening illnesses like polio and measles.”
Immunization rates for school aged children have declined since 2020 both nationally and in New Mexico. According to the CDC childhood immunization rates dropped to 94% in the U.S. during 2020-2021. Below is a graph showing vaccination rates for MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) in New Mexico for the last three years - measles is so contagious that coverage should be 95% or higher.
Immunization builds up defenses against chicken pox, hepatitis, whooping cough and more. Parents and guardians are urged to schedule their well-child visits as soon as possible to make sure their kids are healthy and are meeting immunization and developmental milestones.
All common vaccines are available at your local public health office or by speaking with the medical provider of your choice. You can find a complete list of immunizations available here.
To view the news release, click HERE!
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Would you be interested in reading about other health topics that may impact Los Alamos County?
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Yes - the more the better
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No - I am only interested in COVID
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Syringes with vaccines are prepared at the L.A. Care and Blue Shield of California Promise Health Plans' Community Resource Center where they were offering members and the public free flu and COVID-19 vaccines Oct. 28, 2022, in Lynwood, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill, File)
COVID-19 conspiracies soar after latest report on origins
COVID-19′s origins remain hazy. Three years after the start of the pandemic, it’s still unclear whether the coronavirus that causes the disease leaked from a lab or spread to humans from an animal.
This much is known: When it comes to COVID-19 misinformation, any new report on the virus’ origin quickly triggers a relapse and a return of misleading claims about the virus, vaccines and masks that have reverberated since the pandemic began.
It happened again this week after the Energy Department confirmed that a classified report determined, with low confidence, that the virus escaped from a lab. Within hours, online mentions of conspiracy theories involving COVID-19 began to rise, with many commenters saying the classified report was proof they were right all along.
Far from definitive, the Energy Department’s report is the latest of many attempts by scientists and officials to identify the origin of the virus, which has now killed nearly 7 million people after being first detected in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in late 2019.
The report has not been made public, and officials in Washington stressed that a variety of U.S. agencies are not in agreement on the origin.
Many scientists believe the likeliest explanation is that the coronavirus that causes COVID-19 jumped from animals to humans, possibly at Wuhan’s Huanan market, a scenario backed up by multiple studies and reports. The World Health Organization has said that while an animal origin remains most likely, the possibility of a lab leak must be investigated further before it can be ruled out.
Many of those citing the report as proof, however, seemed uninterested in the details. They seized on the report and said it suggests the experts were wrong when it came to masks and vaccines, too.
“School closures were a failed & catastrophic policy. Masks are ineffective. And harmful,” said a tweet that’s been read nearly 300,000 times since Sunday. “COVID came from a lab. Everything we skeptics said was true.”
Overall mentions of COVID-19 began to rise after The Wall Street Journal published a story about the Energy Department report on Sunday.
With so many questions remaining about a world event that has claimed so many lives and upended even more, it’s not at all surprising that COVID-19 is still capable of generating so much anger and misinformation, according to Bret Schafer, a senior fellow at the Alliance for Securing Democracy, a Washington-based organization that has tracked government propaganda about COVID-19.
“The pandemic was so incredibly disruptive to everyone. The intensity of feelings about COVID, I don’t think that’s going to go away,” Schafer said. “And any time something new comes along, it breathes new life into these grievances and frustrations, real or imagined.”
To read the entire article, click HERE!
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Los Alamos Testing Information |
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PCNM COVID-19 testing in Los Alamos no longer available effective 2/27
Due to the decline in patients, Pathology Consultants of New Mexico (PCNM) will no longer provide COVID-19 testing service in White Rock effective immediately. Officials at Los Alamos County were informed Monday, Feb. 27, 2023, was the last day.
“Over the last month, we have seen a continual decreased volume, on average less than three patients a day,” said PCNM Director of Business Development Patricia Ramirez, “It has been our pleasure to have serviced your community for over a year now. We thoroughly enjoyed working with Los Alamos County.”
Residents are encouraged to use an at-home COVID-19 test if they are experiencing symptoms. Testing remains one of our best defenses against spreading COVID-19 and at-home testing provides a safe, convenient way to protect others from the virus. Serial testing with an at-home test separated by 48 hours is considered 90% accurate.
The New Mexico Department of Health recommends residents to take advantage of two programs offering free at-home antigen tests, while supplies are available:
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All U.S. households can order a total of four at-home COVID-19 tests that will be mailed directly to them for free. Tests can be ordered from www.COVID.gov/tests.
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Additionally, New Mexico residents can receive free at-home tests through the Rockefeller Foundation’s Project Act program while supplies last at: https://accesscovidtests.org/.
Users can follow up with a PCR test from a medical provider or test site to verify results. Visit findatestnm.org to find a convenient location. Individuals can self-report a positive COVID test at Make My Test Count. The reporting of tests on this site is confidential and no personal information is required to use the site.
It is still important to stay home if you have symptoms to prevent the spread of COVID and other respiratory illnesses such as RSV and flu.
For more information regarding COVID resources for Los Alamos County, visit the County website at www.lacnm.com/covid.
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Los Alamos County COVID Testing Resources
Visit the County COVID Page for information regarding testing, click below:
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Los Alamos Vaccine & Booster Information |
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Where can I get my COVID-19 Vaccine or Omicron booster?
In addition to the clinics that use the NMDOH scheduling site, Los Alamos has other options available. Click below on the vaccine/booster resources website for more information.
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Los Alamos County COVID Vaccine/Booster Resources
Visit the County COVID Page for information regarding vaccinations/boosters, click below:
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CDC COVID Data Tracker - March 3, 2023
To get today's break down of positive case data, demographics information, vaccine status and more for Los Alamos County or other counties across the United States, click HERE
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NMDOH Epidemiology Reports - Daily and Weekly Data
As part of the COVID-19 pandemic response, NMDOH collects and analyzes statewide data for COVID-19 positive cases, hospitalizations, and deaths. The reports reflect these critical data and are updated weekly - click HERE
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We are listening to you!
Your feedback is helping to shape future newsletters, inform decisions regarding services, and make Los Alamos County healthier and safer. Make sure to participate each week to be heard!
Check out the responses to our last survey:
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Remember, we appreciate your questions! We always try to respond in a timely manner, and if appropriate, we will include those Q&As in future newsletters.
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Have a question? Email us. |
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Los Alamos Treatment Information |
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Los Alamos County COVID Treatment Resources
Visit the County COVID Page for information regarding treatments, click below:
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Click below to email us your feedback and questions! |
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