Tampa Bay has been officially classified, and finally, with a “high” risk of COVID-19, federal health officials reported Thursday.
Federal guidelines recommend that all residents, regardless of health status, wear appropriate masks in the interior public spaces of 10 Florida counties, including Hillsborough, Pinellas, and Pasco.
The announcement corrects an error that remained unchanged for nearly a week, during which Florida recorded more than 64,000 infections.
Related: How the CDC’s COVID warning system fails in Tampa Bay and Florida
The Miami Herald reported on May 19 that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had identified an error on its website that caused three South Florida counties to appear in a “medium” state instead of “high”. “risk. The fix appeared as a footnote at the bottom of the CDC website.
The Tampa Bay Times reported Monday that the same error also affected Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco counties, which reached the CDC’s “high” risk threshold but were still considered “medium”, according to the federal system. COVID-19 warning. .
The CDC data used in this calculation showed zero infections detected in Tampa Bay from May 13-19. But that was wrong: all three counties had exceeded the 7-day case rate of 200 infections per 100,000 residents to ensure a “high” risk, according to state and federal data released May 20.
Hillsborough, Pinellas and Pasco achieved the other mark that determines the “high” risk of infection: hospitals in the region exceeded more than 10 hospital admissions for COVID-19 per 100,000 residents.
Related: Tampa Bay has “high” levels of COVID, masks are recommended indoors
A CDC spokesman said the agency does not update its alert system daily, but once a week every Thursday.
Public health experts also criticized the CDC’s warning system (the renewed guidelines were published in February) for relying on hospitalizations for COVID-19, which is a delayed indicator of community transmission. Florida has seen nine weeks in a row of rising infections, but it may take days or weeks for those infected to get sick enough to need a hospital bed.
Everyone should have worn a tight-fitting mask inside again, South Florida University epidemiologist Jason Salemi told the Times on Monday, “but we’re waiting too long for community spread to be too high and we are waiting for hospitalization.number to activate (universal masking recommendation).
The other counties with “high” levels of COVID-19 are Polk, Sarasota, Alachua, Palm Beach, Broward, Miami-Dade and Monroe counties. Another 19 counties have “average” levels of COVID-19, including Hernando and Manatee counties.
Related: Is this the end of COVID’s public testing sites in Tampa Bay?
In counties with “medium” community levels of COVID-19, residents at high risk of serious infection are advised to wear a mask indoors in public. High-risk people include those with pre-existing conditions, the elderly, and those who have not yet been fully vaccinated.
Residents in “high” and “medium” risk areas should make sure their vaccines and booster are up to date, according to CDC guidelines. You should also be tested for symptoms of COVID-19.
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How to take the test
Tampa Bay: The Times can help you find the free public test sites for COVID-19 in the Bay Area.
Florida: The Department of Health has a website that lists test sites in the state. Some information may be out of date.
The USA: The Department of Health and Human Services has a website that can help you find a test site.
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How to get vaccinated
The COVID-19 vaccine for those over 5 years of age and booster vaccines for eligible recipients are being administered in medical offices, clinics, pharmacies, grocery stores, and public vaccination sites. Many allow you to book appointments online. Here’s how to find a place near you:
Find a place: Visit vaccines.gov to find vaccination sites in your zip code.
More help: Call the COVID-19 National Vaccination Helpline.
Phone: 800-232-0233. Help is available in English, Spanish, and other languages.
TTY: 888-720-7489
Information line and access for people with disabilities: Call 888-677-1199 or email DIAL@n4a.org.
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OMICRON VARIANT: Omicron changed what we know about COVID. Here’s the latest on how the infectious variant of COVID-19 affects masks, vaccines, enhancers, and quarantine.
CHILDREN AND VACCINES: Do you have questions about vaccinating your child? Here are some answers.
BOOSTER SHOPS: Are you confused about which COVID boost should be obtained? This guide will help you.
REINFORCEMENT QUESTIONS: Are there any side effects? Why do I need it? Here are the answers to your questions.
PROTECTION OF THE ELDERLY: Here’s how seniors can protect themselves from the virus.
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