COVID tests kits are available from the Pulaski County Health Department and Pulaski Memorial Hospital clinics.
To obtain a COVID vaccination or booster shots, consult with your healthcare provider or pharmacy. Or visit the Indiana Department of Health website page on Where to Find a COVID-19 Vaccine.
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Pulaski County Area The breakdown by area zip codes: (Indiana - 54.8%)
Source: IDH Vaccine Dashboard |
A total of 3,867,330 individuals have completed the primary series of vaccines in Indiana, or a total of 54.8% of the state population. A total of 994,015 Hoosiers are up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccines and boosters. (Up-to-date includes all individuals who have completed the CDC's most up-to-date recommended vaccination schedule as posted on its website (www.cdc.gov). The CDC's recommended vaccine schedule is based on your age, the vaccine you first received, and time since your last vaccine dose.)
In Pulaski County there are 5,864 residents who have completed the primary series of vaccines. A total of 1,340 county residents are up-to-date with booster shots. Pulaski County population 12,339 (2021)
(The IDH COVID Dashboard is updated every Wednesday.)
CDC Respiratory Virus Updates
April 16, 2024, 12:00 PM EDT
What CDC knows
Cases of meningococcal disease are rising in the United States. Last year saw the highest number of cases since 2014, and cases are increasing fast this year. The cases reported are mainly caused by serogroup Y, which can be prevented with vaccination. Meningococcal disease is a rare but serious bacterial infection that requires immediate medical attention.
What CDC is doing
On March 28, CDC issued a health advisory to alert public health agencies and healthcare providers to the increase in cases of meningococcal disease. CDC is closely monitoring new cases and recommending that people stay up to date on their recommended meningococcal vaccines.
Keep reading: Cases of Meningococcal Disease Are Increasing in the United States
April 5, 2024, 2:50 PM EDT
What CDC knows
H5N1 bird flu has been spreading in wild birds and causing outbreaks in poultry with infections in a growing number of other animals worldwide. It is now causing a multi-state veterinary outbreak in the U.S. in a new animal: dairy cows. In addition, there has been one confirmed human infection in a person who works with cows. CDC has been tracking and evaluating H5N1 bird flu for decades and is actively engaged with these recent developments because H5N1 bird flu has the potential to infect more humans and become a more widespread problem. Preliminary epidemiologic and laboratory data are reassuring, leading CDC to conclude that the current H5N1 risk to the general public remains low.
What CDC is doing
CDC is working with USDA, FDA, and state health departments to monitor people who may have been exposed to H5N1 bird flu infected animals and test people who develop symptoms. CDC has updated and expanded its recommendations for the prevention and control of H5N1 to include measures for people that are exposed to other animals, including cows, that may be infected with this virus. The CDC lab has sequenced and analyzed the virus from the person who tested positive for H5N1, published a summary of their findings, and provided the full sequence of this virus to public databases. The virus from the Texas human case is very similar compared to those from poultry and impacted cattle, with only a few minor changes. There is no evidence of genetic adaptation that would make the virus more likely to spread from person-to-person. Additionally, the virus is picked up by CDC tests, susceptible to currently available flu antiviral medications, and at this time, there is no sign of person-to-person spread of this virus. CDC will continue to remain engaged with this situation.
Keep reading: Update: Human Infection with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N1) Virus in Texas
CDC Hospital Admission Levels
The CDC has replaced COVID-19 Community Levels with COVID-19 hospital admission levels to guide prevention decisions. Changes based on:
- MMWR: COVID-19 Surveillance After Expiration of the Public Health Emergency Declaration ― United States, May 11, 2023
- MMWR: Correlations and Timeliness of COVID-19 Surveillance Data Sources and Indicators ― United States, October 1, 2020–March 22, 2023
What You Need to Know
- COVID-19 hospital admission levels can help individuals and communities decide which prevention actions they can take based on the latest information.
- For each level, CDC recommends actions you can take to help you protect yourself and others from severe impacts of COVID-19.
Many people in the United States have some protection, or immunity, against COVID-19 due to vaccination, previous infection, or both. This immunity, combined with the availability of tests and treatments, has greatly reduced the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID-19 for many people.
At the same time, some people—such as those who are older, are immunocompromised, have certain disabilities, or have certain underlying health conditions—continue to be at higher risk for serious illness. Learn more about the factors that can affect your risk of getting very sick from COVID-19 to better understand how COVID-19 could affect you and others around you.
The CDC reports that last week COVID-19 hospital admissions in the U.S. totaled 6,406, which is down 13.8 percent from the previous revised report. COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population was 1.93. The trend in COVID deaths nationally was down 9.1 percent in the most recent report (data through April 13).
| County | New hospital admissions of confirmed COVID-19 past week | % change from prior week | New COVD-19 hospital admissions rate per 100,000 population in past week |
| Pulaski | 3 | 0 | 0.9 |
| Starke | 3 | 0 | 2.3 |
| Marshall | 3 | 0 | 0.9 |
| Fulton | 3 | 0 | 0.9 |
| Cass | 0 | -50% | 1.1 |
| White | 3 | -20.0% | 1.4 |
| Jasper | 14 | -30% | 2.0 |
The CDC hospital admission level for Pulaski County continues for the 13th week at "Green," in the latest report, following eight consecutive weeks at the "Yellow" (medium) designation. The neighboring counties of Starke, Marshall, Fulton, Cass, White and Jasper are also all at the Green level.
This week, all of Indiana's counties are at the Green level.
Low (Green) = Less than 10 new COVID-19 hospital admissions per 100,000 population past week.
Medium (Yellow) = 10 to 19.9 COVID hospital admissions per 100,000 population past week.
High (Red) = More than 20 COVID hospital admissions per 100,000 population past week.
Individual-Level Prevention Steps you can take based on your COVID-19 Hospital Admission Level
- Stay up to date on vaccination.
- Maintain ventilation improvements.
- Avoid contact with people who have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
- Follow recommendations for isolation if you have suspected or confirmed COVID-19.
- Follow the recommendations for what to do if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19.
- If you are at high risk of getting very sick, talk with a healthcare provider about additional prevention actions.
When the COVID-19 hospital admission level is Medium or High:
- If you are at high risk of getting very sick, wear a high-quality mask or respirator (e.g., N95) when indoors in public.
- If you have household or social contact with someone at high risk for getting very sick, consider self-testing to detect infection before contact, and consider wearing a high-quality mask when indoors with them.
Community-Level Prevention Strategies
- Promote equitable access to vaccination, testing, masks and respirators, treatment and prevention medications, community outreach, and support services.
- Ensure access to testing, including through point-of-care and at-home tests for all people.
- Maintain ventilation improvements.
- Provide communications and messaging to encourage isolation among people who test positive.
When the COVID-19 hospital admission level is Medium or High:
- Implement screening testing in high-risk settings where screening testing is recommended.
