(SHEB. CO. DPH) – The Sheboygan County Division of Public Health (DPH) supports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s recommendations that were issued on July 27, 2021 and adopted by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) on July 28, 2021. The new recommendations are based on the most up-to-date information about the Delta variant of COVID-19. The Delta variant is highly infectious and spreads more quickly than any other strains of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, the virus that causes COVID-19. Wisconsin DHS reports that the Delta variant is currently the most common strain of the virus in Wisconsin.

In Sheboygan County there has been a concerning rise in COVID-19 cases since July 1st with an additional 142 new cases, compared to June’s 49; this is a 190% increase in cases in the past month. Sheboygan County is experiencing a high level of community transmission at this time with a 7 day case rate of 101.44 per 100,000 and a percent positivity rate of 10.55%. These numbers have been steadily increasing over the past month.

The best way to protect yourself and others from COVID-19 and the Delta variant is to get vaccinated. Local, state and national data confirm that getting vaccinated prevents severe illness, hospitalization, and death; it helps reduce the spread of the virus in communities and limits the ability of the virus to mutate or allow new variants to occur. Currently over half of Sheboygan County residents and nearly 85% of those 65 and older have chosen to be vaccinated. Public Health recommends anyone 12 years and older get vaccinated and continue wearing a mask until they are fully vaccinated. With the Delta variant, this is more urgent than ever.

While vaccination is the top defense against the Delta variant, the CDC guidance recommends masking when levels of community transmission are substantial or high. Our public health department strongly recommends masking in indoor settings even if you are vaccinated until transmission levels decline to low or moderate. This new guidance has been put in place to protect those who are unvaccinated, including children and those who are immunocompromised.

Information about COVID Vaccines in Sheboygan County can be found on our COVID Vaccine website. You can also visit vaccines.gov to find a COVID vaccine near you.

What Wisconsinites Can Do to Help (WI DHS)

If you have already gotten your COVID-19 vaccine, please talk to your extended family, talk to your neighbors, talk to your colleagues and friends – and help them get vaccinated. This is how we stop the spread and stop new variants.

Help stop the spread of health misinformation. The U.S. Surgeon General released an advisory about the urgent need to confront health misinformation. Below are ways you can help.

Learn how to identify and avoid sharing health misinformation.

If you are not sure if information is accurate, please don’t share.

Engage with your friends and family about misinformation.

If someone you care about has a misperception, you might be able to make inroads with them by first seeking to understand instead of passing judgment.

Try new ways of engaging: Listen with empathy, establish common ground, ask questions, provide alternative explanations and sources of information, stay calm, and don’t expect success from one conversation.

Address health misinformation in your community

Work with schools, community groups such as churches and parent-teacher associations, and trusted leaders such as educators and health care professionals to develop local strategies against misinformation

Are You a School, Employer, or Event Organizer? Host an On-Site Vaccination Clinic!

Summer programs, sporting programs, faith-based, schools, community-based organizations, or community events who want to hold an on-site clinic for a group of individuals ready to be vaccinated, can communicate their interest to DHS by filling out the vaccination clinic matching survey and learn more on the DHS COVID-19 vaccine partner resources webpage.

Employers can also hold an on-site clinic for their employees and their families, visit our COVID-19: Businesses, Employers, and Workers webpage to sign up.

Know the Facts: The COVID-19 Vaccines Work Against Variants