Spike in hospitalizations sends Henrico into ‘high’ COVID community level

A spike in COVID-19-related hospitalizations in Henrico County during the past week has elevated the county to the “high” COVID-19 community level as of Thursday, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Virus-related hospitalizations in the county jumped from just more than 3 per 100,000 people to 10.5 during the past week, triggering the shift to the “high” level after two weeks in the “medium” level.

The change came even though the number of new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 people in the county remained generally unchanged, just shy of 300.

The CDC uses three metrics to determine whether a locality is in the “low,” “medium” or “high” community level:
• number of cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days;
• number of virus-related hospitalizations per 100,000 people in the past seven days;
• percentage of staffed inpatient hospital beds in use by COVID patients.

For localities with more than 200 new cases per 100,000 people in the past seven days, the “high” classification is triggered when either the hospitalization rate during that same period of time surpasses 10 or more per 100,000 people or when the percentage of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID patients exceeds 10%. (The latter percentage in Henrico is currently just 2.7%).

Officials from the CDC and Richmond and Henrico Health Districts recommend that people in localities with a “high” community level wear masks indoors in public (regardless of their vaccination status), stay up to date on their vaccinations and boosters, improve ventilation indoors and follow CDC recommendations for isolation or quarantine if sick or exposed to the virus. Those with symptoms should get tested.

“For any folks who have taken a break from indoor mask wearing during times of low and medium COVID-19 levels, now is the time to break out those masks from the drawer and make sure to stay diligent about wearing it in indoor places,” said RHHD Acting Director Melissa Viray. “Mask wearing alongside vaccinations and staying home when sick will help us stay as safe as possible during this wave of higher COVID-19 levels.”

Free at-home tests may be requested online at covidtests.gov. Most insurance plans also will provide reimbursement for the purchase of at-home tests. The RHHD also is making free test kits available at the Richmond Public Library locations at Broad Rock, East End, Ginter Park, Main Library, and North Avenue.

The RHHD also is adding more PCR testing opportunities locally; visit rchd.com for dates, times and locations.