Door County Moves from Low to High Community COVID-19 Transmission Risk

In April 2022, there were 67 officially confirmed COVID-19 cases in Door County – official, because those who are testing with home kits are not included in the data.

In May, that number jumped to 256.

Meanwhile, there had been no new COVID-19 deaths since the end of March, and only two hospitalizations in June. Yet the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a “high” transmission-risk category for Door County last Thursday.

“I’m still curious why we jumped up into the high category,” said Sue Powers, Door County health officer/public health manager. 

The CDC’s COVID-19 community levels help communities decide which prevention steps to take based on the latest data. Levels – which can be low, medium or high – are determined by looking at hospital beds being used, hospital admissions and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area.

It seems that latter number is what catapulted Door County from low to high with no medium in between. After diving into the data and considering the environmental circumstances, Powers said the new rating was credible.

“There was Memorial Day in there, and then a little delay in all of that, and – here we are,” she said.

But it doesn’t seem that “here” is where Door County will remain for long. The CDC normally updates the data every Thursday, but an adjustment on Monday, June 13, showed that confirmed cases had gone down as quickly as they had risen.

“Over the weekend, we only had nine cases, and we’d been getting five or 10 a day before that,” Powers said. 

But Powers said she’s learned never to forecast what COVID-19 may do, and until the new numbers come out on Thursday – after the deadline for this issue of the Peninsula Pulse – Door County remained at a high transmission level.

A high community transmission level indicates a potential for health care systems to become overwhelmed. That means residents should take increased precautions against COVID-19, including wearing a well-fitting mask in public indoor settings. 

Door County Public Health continues to provide COVID-19 vaccinations at no charge, with no insurance information or ID needed. 

To see a complete list of vaccination-clinic offerings, the latest COVID-19 community level and guidance for Door County, follow Door County Public Health on Facebook, or visit co.door.wi.gov/909/Door-County-COVID-19-Situation-Update. To obtain information about booster doses, help with scheduling an appointment or answers to questions about positive at-home tests or general COVID-19 concerns, call Public Health at 920.746.2234.