The Berrien County Health Department is once again advising everyone to wear masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Spokesperson Gillian Conrad tells WSJM News the county slipped into the “substantial” category of COVID transmission this week, meaning the CDC and the health department have updated their guidance.
“Aligning with the recommended guidance from the CDC and MDHHS, the Berrien County Health Department is now also recommending that when we are experiencing substantial and high transmission levels, everyone, and that includes fully vaccinated individuals, wear a face mask when in a public, indoor setting,” Conrad said.
Conrad says no one is happy to be back into mask territory, but the transmission rate in Berrien County is now sufficiently high to justify it. Even if you’re vaccinated, you’re still asked to wear a mask.
“With the Delta variant providing such a high viral load with that new infection, it is possible for someone who is fully vaccinated to spread the Delta variant, even if they don’t feel sick themselves.”
Conrad says breakthrough cases of COVID, in which someone is vaccinated but gets the illness anyway, are rare, but they do happen. The health department urges everyone to get vaccinated, and is asking the parents of teenagers to make sure their kids are protected before going back to school.
