With the new CDC Mask Guidance there are areas of the Northwoods where mask wearing indoors is recommended, even if you’re vaccinated.
The delta variant is now the predominant strain in the state, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. It is extremely infectious and is spreading more quickly than any strain of COVID-19 during this pandemic.
According to the CDC, to maximize your protection from the Delta Variant and prevent possibly spreading it others, it’s recommended you wear a mask indoors in public if you are in an area of substantial or high transmission.
There are several counties in our region that fall into one of those categories.
Gogebic and Iron Counties in the Upper Peninsula are in the ‘Substantial Transmission’ category.
Price and Forest Counties are also in that category.
Florence County is one of two in the state in the ‘High Transmission’ Category as is Dickinson County in the U.P.
Most of the other counties in our region our experiencing moderate transmission of the virus.
Lincoln and Vilas are in the ‘Low Transmission’ category.
The CDC determines these transmission levels based on total new cases per 100,000 persons in the past 7 days.
While the number of new COVID cases in the North Central Region increase, there’s been no significant changes in hospitalizations.
There’s also been some progress with vaccinations.
Forest, Vilas, Oneida, Lincoln and Langlade counties all saw slight increases in the number of COVID-19 vaccinations as compared to the week before.
As a whole, the North Central region of Wisconsin is the lowest vaccinated in the state with 46% of its population with at least one dose.
Clark County and Taylor County within the region have the lowest vaccination rates in the state, each with fewer than 30% of their populations vaccinated.
More than 3 million people in Wisconsin have gotten at least one dose.
DHS says the best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community from COVID-19 and the delta variant is to get vaccinated.
Since the start of this year, more than 98% of COVID cases occurred among people who were not fully vaccinated.
