COLUMBUS – Columbus and Franklin County health authorities have dropped their mask recommendations for residents as the rate of COVID-19 infections declined.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday downgraded the community level of spread of the disease for Franklin County from high to medium.
As a result, Franklin County Public Health and Columbus Public Health lifted the indoor mask advisories issued in July.
Even under a medium, or “yellow,” community transmission level for COVID-19, the CDC recommends residents stay up to date on vaccines and boosters, get tested if they have symptoms, and wear a mask if they have symptoms, a positive test or exposure to someone with COVID-19, Columbus Public Health officials said.
“We strongly encourage people who may be at higher risk for severe outcomes of COVID-19 (e.g. immunocompromised or unvaccinated) to continue to mask when in public,” Franklin County Health Commissioner Joe Mazzola said. “If you have been exposed to COVID-19, it is important to wear a well-fitted mask in public for 10 days and to test on day 5, regardless of vaccine or prior infection status.”
Currently, the case rate in Franklin County is 186 per 100,000 people, officials said.
New hospital admissions were a rate of 12 per 100,000 people, with 4.1 percent of patients being treated for confirmed cases of COVID-19.