Health Advisory 07/01/21: Emergence of Delta Variant

 

From: Saint Louis County Department of Public Health and City of St. Louis Department of Health

Subject: Emergence of Delta Variant

 

The St. Louis County Department of Public Health (DPH) and the City of St. Louis Department of Health (DOH) are issuing this Health Advisory based on significant increases in community transmission of COVID-19 with the emergence of the Delta variant.

New cases of COVID-19 are rising among the unvaccinated, particularly among children who are being exposed to SARS CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, as they resume normal activities without protection and without others being vaccinated or practicing protective measures.

For your safety and our ongoing recovery, we recommend that residents of St. Louis County and the City of St. Louis take the following steps to protect themselves and each other:

1. Wear a face covering in indoor public places when other people are present, even if you are vaccinated. We only recommend removing masks when eating and drinking and when you know that others around you are fully vaccinated. Fully vaccinated means that 14 days (2 weeks) have passed since the person has received a dose of the Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine or the second dose of the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.
2. Please assume that 1 in 3 people in any crowd or gathering may be unvaccinated. Also, be aware that all children younger than 12 will be unvaccinated and vulnerable in crowds to being exposed to COVID-19. We recommend that children and unvaccinated residents do not engage in large crowds and gatherings.
3. Protect children younger than 12 as they engage in school, camps, and other areas of their normal life. They can be exposed to other unvaccinated adults and children, and outbreaks among children in these settings are becoming more common. Masks, social distancing and hand washing are still highly recommended in order to protect children in these activities.

DPH and DOH continue to recommend the following actions for individuals to protect themselves and their families:

1. Get vaccinated and encourage your loved ones 12 and older to get vaccinated. Vaccines are effective against variants to the COVID-19 virus including the Delta variant, and vaccination is the best tool we have to prevent illness.
2. If you have any symptoms, even just cold symptoms (like headache, runny nose and sore throat), get tested. Stay home if you are sick.
3. Wherever possible, maintain social distancing of at least 6 feet unless you are 100% certain that others are fully vaccinated.

Please visit www.stlcorona.com and www.stlouis-mo.gov/COVID-19/ for more information about Covid-19 testing and vaccination.