The Springfield-Greene County Health Department said Tuesday there had been a 37 percent increase in COVID-19 cases in the county over the last week. That includes two consecutive days of 63 new positive cases just before the Memorial Day weekend. The health department said in a news release that 97 percent of positive cases are among individuals who have not been fully vaccinated.
The health department last week received confirmation of three cases of the Indian variant, B.1.617 of SARS-CoV-2 among Greene County residents. According to health officials, early research shows the natural immunity people get from having COVID-19 may be ineffective against that variant.
Even though COVID-19 vaccines are widely available now, just 38 percent of Greene County residents 18 and older are fully vaccinated.
You can find out where to get a vaccine by calling 417-874-1211 or by going to Vaccine417.com.
The health department says those who aren’t vaccinated should continue wearing masks and practicing physical distancing.
