Yavapai County, Arizona both still in high transmission for COVID

Locally 1,229 cases, 15 deaths added in past 5 days

The county reported 1,229 COVID-19 cases and 15 deaths since Friday, Jan. 14, Yavapai County Community Health Services stated Tuesday.

Yavapai County has tested 40,713 residents for COVID-19 in the past six months, and there have been 125,676 positive cases and 1,026 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.

Yavapai Regional Medical Center is reporting 56 COVID patients, Verde Valley Medical Center reports 20 patients, and the Prescott VA reported six patients.

Yavapai County is still experiencing “high transmission” of COVID-19 with a 24.6% positivity rate and 664 cases per 100,000 residents for the week ending Jan. 2, according to the county health department.

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or what seems to be a bad cold, please get tested for COVID-19 and/or flu, the YCCHS advises.

The Arizona Department of Health Services COVID-19 Hotline is 844-542-8201 (select Option No. 8) – help in English and Spanish from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week, except for major holidays.

ACROSS ARIZONA

The ADHS reported Tuesday 23,836 COVID-19 cases and 183 deaths across the state, bringing Arizona’s totals since the beginning of the pandemic to 1,645,694 cases and 25,395 deaths. The ADHS also reported that 67.3% of people in Arizona are vaccinated.

The state is experiencing “high transmission” of COVID-19 with 22,891.8 cases per 100,000 population and 353.2 fatalities per 100,000 population, according to the ADHS dashboard.

BINAXNOW TESTS

The shelf-life of the BinaxNOW Ag Card, BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card Home Test, BinaxNOW COVID-19 Antigen Self-Test, BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag Card 2 Home Test, and the BinaxNOW COVID-19 Ag 2 Card going forward are now 15 months at room temperature.

The YCCHS expects to have a letter and list in the coming weeks for kits that recently expired and will qualify for an extension of 15 months. Please consider holding on to recently expired kits as they may be extended; the county will release updates on the situation.

FREE COVID-19 VACCINES AND BOOSTERS

YCCHS will be on site to provide COVID-19 Moderna first and second dose vaccines and boosters. Please bring your insurance card. There is no cost for uninsured individuals:

• Tuesday, Jan. 25 – Prescott Public Library, 215 E. Goodwin St., Prescott, from 1 to 3 p.m. For 18 and older. For more information, please contact YCCHS at 928-771-3122.

FREE COVID-19 TESTING

YCCHS is offering free COVID-19 testing in Prescott, Prescott Valley and Cottonwood:

• Prescott – every Monday and Friday, 1 to 5 p.m. at the Pioneer Park Front Parking Lot, 1200 Commerce Drive;

• Prescott Valley – every Tuesday and Thursday, 1 to 5:30 p.m. at the Humboldt Unified School District Office, 6411 N. Robert Road; and,

• Cottonwood – Tuesdays and Thursdays (through Feb. 1), 10 a.m. to noon at the Cottonwood Fire Station, 199 S. 6th Street. Drive through testing will be set up at the entrance of the parking lot off East Aspen Street and exiting onto south 6th Street.

The county asks that you wear a mask at the testing sites and that you come only to be tested if you are symptomatic or have been recently exposed to COVID-19. Please check the county’s Facebook page for cancellations due to extreme weather, www.facebook.com/YCCHS.

NEXT STEPS

The county Community Health Services states we can help preserve hospital capacity by:

• Get vaccinated and boosted, www.yavapaiaz.gov/chs/COVID-19/Vaccine.

• Get kids 5 and older vaccinated.

• Get your flu shot, www.azhealth.gov/flu.

• Mask up, physically distance, keep hands washed, stay home if sick, and follow other prevention steps detailed at www.azhealth.gov/COVID-19.