The CDC continues weekly metrics, updated every Thursday by 8 pm ET at CDC.gov or (800-CDC-INFO).  In Guilford County, community level risk of COVID transmission is currently LOW. There are key spots in the US, as well as the rest of the world,  that are recently experiencing surges with the BA.2 Omicron variant. The northeastern US has seen increasing cases, enough to reinstate an indoor mask mandate in Philadelphia. The NC Health and Human Services Department has changed the COVID dashboard to reflect metrics more likely to reveal an imminent surge in different ways, since reported testing is not currently occurring as frequently as previously. The dashboard this morning shows that the BA.2 variant currently is present in about 31 % of cases that have been checked in NC. Hospitalization rates remain low. NC’s dashboard is now updated weekly on Wednesdays.

Although most mandates for masking have been lifted, under recommendation of the Covid Medical Advisory group, our corporate decision  for NGFM  to require masks for all Meeting activities is still in effect.

Vaccines are the best protection against serious COVID disease, hospitalization, and death. The FDA has now authorized the administration of a second COVID booster dose, with those over age 50 and individuals 12 or older with certain immuno-compromising conditions. The next COVID medical advisory Group meeting will be held Tuesday April 26th at 1:00 pm.  Please reach out to Kat Rice, Janie Foy or Jennifer Schaal for addition of any questions/issues you have for that meeting agenda.