On Monday morning, Eureka Springs schools reported zero cases of Covid-19 and no quarantines among either students or staff. That was despite the mask mandate being removed a week earlier.
“We are zeroed out,” School Supt. Bryan Pruitt said. “It has been a while since that has happened. I’m hoping it has passed on through. I don’t know much about the next variant that’s coming. I know there has been discussion of a fourth vaccine down the road. We will just be diligent and approach it as carefully as we can. We have been blessed and fortunate we have not had any super sick people and no deaths.”
About 60 percent of the population of the school district is vaccinated, one of the highest rates in the state. Pruitt said that teachers, other staff, and students at the schools have been vaccinated, including at clinics held at the school by Eureka Springs Hospital.
“I have been really proud of how we have handled vaccinations here, proud of the parents, the students and staff,” Pruitt said. “We have some students and staff who are wearing masks., and that is okay. We recommend it, but it is not mandatory. If it makes them comfortable and makes them feel safe, that is not an issue at all. We will continue with our social distancing and good hygiene. We have all come together, battled this together, and succeeded as of now. It is great to be part of this organization.”
Active cases of Covid numbers have been on steep decline in Carroll County with 498 active Jan. 31, 288 active cases on Feb. 7 and 145 cases as of Feb. 14, according to the Arkansas Department of Health. ADH reports 87 Covid deaths in Carroll County, and Arkansas has now had more than 10,000 Covid deaths. Covid is now the third leading cause of death in the U.S., which has had some of the highest number of cases and deaths per capita in the world.
Dr. Dan Bell, co-founder, ECHO Clinic, was delighted with the news about how Covid cases are dropping locally and across the county.
“We are definitely coming out of the surge,” Bell said. “It has dropped down beautifully. In Carroll County, we were averaging fifty cases a day two weeks ago and now we are averaging ten cases per day. That is an eighty percent drop in two weeks. That is what is happening in Arkansas, too. While clearly this surge is winding down, and that is great news, it is not gone completely. I still think it is wise when you are close to people and don’t know their vaccination status to wear a mask.”
Bell urged people to start thinking about other aspects of their health. A lot of people haven’t gone in for cancer screenings, routine care such for diabetes and high blood pressure monitoring, and dental care. They have been concerned about catching Covid-19 at the doctor or dentist office. Bell said it is time to make those appointments and get caught up. In particular, he said people need to focus on preventive medicine to keep them well.
Bell referred to a recent comment that this is “the end of the beginning” of the pandemic; it is unlikely to disappear completely.
“We will have to adjust to it and live with it,” Bell said. “There is probably going to be a surge later in the year. Hopefully it won’t be until late summer. The surge starts in other parts of the world where it is winter when we have summer. The variants start during winter surges and then spread around the world, so we also have summer surges.”
He urges people who have not done so to be up to date with Covid vaccinations. Nationwide, only about 40 percent of people who have received the first two shots also received the booster, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC shows Arkansas with one of the lowest vaccination rates in the country with only about 53.2 percent of the population with two shots, and only 37.1 percent of those fully vaccinated getting the booster shot.
A number of fully vaccinated and boosted people locally have reported coming down with Covid, primarily those who are older. Bell said if you talk to fully vaccinated and boosted people who caught Covid, almost everyone will say it was kind of like a regular cold.
“There is no question it is helpful in preventing you from getting really sick,” Bell said. “The boosters definitely do improve your immunity. The question is if it lasts forever or a finite time. It looks like it has a finite time if you are trying to prevent mild disease. It appears the booster only holds up four to six months in preventing mild disease, but it has a lasting effect in preventing hospitalizations, ending up in ICU and dying.”
Bell said the problem is not only that the effectiveness of booster wanes, but that the booster was designed for the original variant, not for delta and omicron variants.
“Booster shots are effective,” Bell said. “It is a wise decision to get one. And a fourth booster shot is recommended about four to five months after your third shot if you have underlying health conditions such as immune system problems, lung disease or diabetes.”
Two recent CDC reports indicated the boosters remain safe and continue to be highly effective against severe disease. “They found that people 18 years and older who received the same mRNA vaccine brand for all their vaccinations experienced fewer adverse reactions following the booster dose than they did after their second dose of mRNA vaccine,” a CDC report said. “A second study reveals that a third dose of mRNA vaccine continues to offer high levels of protection against severe disease, even months after administration, underscoring the importance of staying up to date when eligible after receiving a primary series. … During omicron, vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization was 91 percent during the first two months after a third dose and remained high, at 78 percent, four or more months after a third dose.”
As of Feb. 14, free N95 masks were being distributed at the entrances to Walmart in Berryville. No information was available about how long the masks might be available.
Free Covid testing is available at the Eureka Springs Hospital by appointment. Call (479) 253-7400. Free Covid vaccinations are available the clinic across from the main entrance of the hospital Fridays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., no appointment necessary.