PHO Discusses Mask Mandate, Herd Immunity

Johnson County Public Health Officer Dr. Mark Schueler, during Tuesday morning’s COVID Emergency Operations Center briefing, discussed issues currently facing the county, and touched on the recent statewide mask mandate enacted by Governor Mark Gordon.

Schueler said he is concerned about three people that were in the Emergency Room Tuesday morning with COVID symptoms, which is the highest number the hospital has seen at one time so far during the pandemic.

The increase is likely due to people gathering at Thanksgiving.

Schueler is encouraged by the opportunity for vaccinations.

He said state-wide there are about 32,000 confirmed cases of COVID, and likely that many more that aren’t confirmed, that probably means the state has reached about a 10% herd immunity.

To significantly limit the transmission of the disease, the herd immunity needs to be upwards of 60% according to estimates by health experts, he said.

Schueler described the likely process for distributing the vaccine once it arrives.

Schueler said he feels vaccinations are the only way we will reach that 60% herd immunity level, based on how long its taken so far to get to the 10% level.