• Image via the CDC

INGHAM COUNTY - The Ingham County Health Department announced on Thursday that Ingham County is now an area of “substantial transmission,” according to CDC guidelines. To qualify as a “substantial transmission,” area, a county must have at least 50 or more cases per week per 100,000 people.

“They’ve had this map out there for a long time. I think people are just noticing it because of the announcement, and the decision nationwide to make a recommendation based off those metrics,” said Ingham County Health Officer Linda Vail.

The CDC data may be slightly different from local data, due to different methods of calculation.

“Unfortunately, the metric they [the CDC] are using is not one that has been used very many other places, a cumulative number of cases per week per 100,000. They also use a report date rather than onset date,” said Vail.

Ingham County still does not fall into the highest transmission risk category. Vail emphasized that getting vaccinated is the only way to avoid an increase in the number of cases, and potentially falling into this range.

It's a very simple and easy solution, it really is,” she said.

“It is the best tool we have, and it is very safe and effective.”

Although breakthrough cases are possible, Vail emphasized that they are rare.

“You’re still looking at a vaccine that’s almost 100% effective at preventing hospitalization and death,” she said.

“I think that really should be what matters to us.”