As the vaccine is deployed, the county continues to lose a small number of cases.

Nevada County has moderately improved its COVID-19 risk level assessment for the second straight week.

Nevada County’s case rate fell from 35 last week to 30.5 per day, and positive rates fell 0.6% from the previous week to 8.2%, according to state public health data released on Tuesday.

The state data uses a 7-day average and a 2-week delay. So the latest numbers are for the week starting December 13th.

Nevada County’s coronavirus risk level indicators have risen since October, with significant spikes in the weeks following Halloween and Thanksgiving.

The week after Thanksgiving, the county’s risk assessment reached its highest, with a case rate of 54 new cases per day starting November 29, with a positive rate rising to 11%.

Two weeks after that peak, the county had the highest number of deaths in a week, with 18 deaths in the week starting December 13.

Since then, the total number of cases in the county has slowed from 396 cases in the peak week to a total of 218 cases in the latest full week with data since December 20th.

As of Tuesday, the regional capacity was 17.4%. Of the 244 beds available at the ARCO / Sleep Train Arena alternative care site, 20 were active and 13 were in use.

Skilled nursing facility

While case numbers and capacities may tend to be positive, state and local health professionals warn that staffing of health care facilities remains a concern.

According to state records, skilled nursing facilities at Wolf Creek Care Center, Crystal Ridge Care Center, and Golden Empire are exempt from staffing.

Since October, Newsam said Wednesday that 80% of COVID-19 deaths across the state have been 61 years or older.

In Nevada County, outbreaks in skilled nursing facilities were the main cause of the county’s total death toll of 50. According to state records, there were resident deaths at each skilled nursing facility in the county.

In the Golden Empire, 21 people died among the inhabitants. The total number of residents of the facility is 92, 16 of which are active, and 36 of them are health care workers, of which less than 11 are active.

Eleven residents have died in Spring Hill Manor. There are a total of 44 residents and 29 medical staff in the facility, none of which are active.

The Crystal Ridge Care Center, Tahoe Forest Hospital SNF, and Wolf Creek Care Center each have less than 11 resident deaths.

In Crystal Ridge, a total of 28 health care workers are active, 13 of which are active, 17 of whom are residents, and less than 11 of them are active.

At the Wolf Creek Care Center, a total of 18 healthcare professionals are active, less than 11 of which are active, and a total of 24 resident cases are active, of which less than 11 are active.

Tahoe Forest Hospital SNF has a total of less than 11 cases between healthcare professionals and residents, and less than 11 cases are active among healthcare professionals.

Elderly home care facilities in the three counties of Atria Grass Valley, Brunswick Village, and Escaton Village Grass Valley each had less than 11 resident deaths.

vaccine

The county continued to distribute vaccines to front-line hospital health care workers this week, bringing the total dose to 1,875. According to state records, the county has been assigned a total of 2,850 doses of both vaccine variants.

The county will submit a vaccine prioritization schedule based on state guidelines, which will be approved and posted by the state in mid-January.

State guidelines prioritize health care workers, skilled nursing facility workers and residents, and other collective living facility workers and residents — Phase 1A, Tier 1 —.

The county’s first dose went to the hospital, but another priority facility is the Federal Pharmacy Long-Term Care Partnership (LTC), which allows CVS and Walgreens pharmacy staff to administer vaccines directly to skilled nursing facilities free of charge. Provided through the program.

The priority of the next stage of the state has not yet been finalized and may be decided by the state’s Community Vaccine Advisory Board next Wednesday.

Currently, Phase 1B, Tier 1 recommendations include people over the age of 75, education, childcare, emergency services, food and agricultural workers. Phase 1B, Tier 2 recommendations include people over the age of 65 with an underlying illness or disability. Workers in transportation, logistics, critical manufacturing workers, imprisoned individuals, and people experiencing the homeless.

Phase 1C recommendations are still under discussion, but early recommendations include people aged 16-64 with underlying illness or disability, underwater workers, waste management, defense, energy, telecommunications, IT, and finance. Includes services, government operations, and community services. group.

Email to contact staff writer John Orona [email protected] Or call 530-477-4229.