By KEN CARPENTER
Great Bend Post
The Barton County Health Department is continuing to see new cases of COVID-19 in the county. Karen Winkleman, Health Department Director, spoke to Eagle Radio Great Bend on Wednesday about the latest numbers.
“In the last 10 days, we have had 10 positive cases reported to us,” Winkleman said. “Out of those 10, six of those have been identified as the new Delta variant, the variant of concern.”
The Delta variant is now the dominant strain of the coronavirus in the United States according to the Centers for Disease Control. It has been found to be more transmissible than the original virus and can cause more severe illness in those who are infected.
Winkleman said one of the cases involved an 11-year-old child.
“At 11, there is no vaccine that has emergency use authorization yet, so it makes it important for people to be vaccinated to protect those who cannot be,” Winkleman noted.
The vaccine has been approved for children 12 years and older. The CDC is reporting that all of the approved COVID-19 vaccines are effective against the Delta variant.
Free vaccinations are available at the Health Department’s offices Monday through Friday during operating hours. The Health Department will also be offering the vaccine at this week’s Barton County Fair on Thursday and Friday from 6–8 p.m. and on Saturday from 9–11 a.m.