Erie County sees drop in COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations but new variants a slight concern

Erie County residents have reason to feel a bit optimistic this summer with regard to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New cases and hospitalizations have declined in recent weeks, and local health officials said they don't expect another surge in the near future. In addition, COVID-19 vaccine is now available to children as young as 6 months old.

More:Erie health systems receive COVID-19 vaccine for young children; shots to start Thursday

The virus is still circulating, however, with the county reporting a daily average of 33 newly confirmed cases and 24 hospitalizations last week, according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Two deaths due to COVID-19 have occurred in the county in June, following 13 deaths in May.

And while no surge is expected in this part of the country, health officials believe two new omicron variants, BA.4 and BA.5, could keep the numbers of new cases and hospitalizations from declining further. About one-quarter of COVID-19 cases in this part of the country are one of these two variants, according to the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention.

"Of course, we are hoping for a dramatic downturn but that just may not be the case this summer," said Christopher Clark, D.O., Saint Vincent Hospital president. "We could be seeing numbers like this for a period of time."

The county's number of newly confirmed cases declined from 276 between June 8-14 to 232 between June 15-21, the state health department reported. The average number of county residents hospitalized with COVID-19 also dropped during that period, from an average of 28.4 a day to 23.7.

But the county's COVID-19 test positivity rate rose slightly from 15.9% to 16.1%. The amount of virus found in the Erie Wastewater Treatment Plant samples also rose, though it remains well below what was found during the omicron surge this spring.

"We also know these variants spread much more easily than previous ones," said Charlotte Berringer, R.N., director of community health services for the Erie County Department of Health. "Being outside still helps reduce the risk of transmission, but not to the degree that it did the last two summers."

Berringer recommended wearing a face mask if gathering in large groups, even outdoors.

More:Erie County's latest COVID-19 surge nears end; causing fewer hospitalizations, deaths

Here is a look at the county's other COVID-19 measurements between June 8-14 and June 15-21, according to the state health department:

• The rate of COVID-19 cases per 100,000 residents dropped from 102.3 to 86.
• The average daily number of COVID-19 patients requiring ventilators increased from 0.7 to 1.4.
• The percentage of emergency department visits due to COVID-19 symptoms rose from 0.6% to 0.7%.

As a result of its lower rates of new cases and hospitalizations, Erie County is now at a low COVID-19 Community Level, according to the CDC. Crawford County, which has a higher rate of new cases and hospitalizations than Erie County does, is at a medium level.

LECOM Health opens COVID-19 'test-to-treat' site

Patients who believe they might have COVID-19 can now get tested and prescribed antiviral medication during the same visit.

The LECOM Institute for Successful Aging and the Erie County Department of Health have partnered to open a "test-to-treat" site at the LECOM Center for Health & Aging, 3910 Schaper Ave.

"No appointment is needed," said Jaime Babiak, the institute's director of operations. "People can come and get a rapid antigen test, with results in 15 minutes. If they test positive, our pharmacists and physicians will consult to determine if treatment with antivirals is necessary."

People who are at risk of severe illness or complications due to COVID-19 could receive Paxlovid or Molnupiravir during their visit, Babiak said.

The drive-through site is open weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with extended hours on Tuesdays until 7 p.m.

Contact David Bruce at dbruce@timesnews.com. Follow him on Twitter @ETNBruce.