Photo: KBJR-TV

By Abigael Smith of KBJR-TV - July 28, 2021

Following the new CDC guidelines from Tuesday, vaccinated and unvaccinated people are recommended to wear masks in counties where COVID case rates are highly transmissible.

Cases have doubled in Lake County over the last two weeks, but Dr. Andrew Thompson points out the number of COVID tests is low.

A number of those tests came back positive, causing a higher positivity rate the CDC uses to deem a highly transmissible county.

With a relatively small population, only five new cases in a week give the county the designation of having a high transmission.

In the past two weeks, there have been 10 positive COVID cases bringing up the total number of cases to 846.

But even as cases rise, the number of positive cases is far below the peak late last fall.

Thompson said more tests will be helpful for figuring out what's happening, especially if you've been exposed, and masks are the next logical step for everyone as long as cases rise.

"Really more testing would be helpful into knowing who might be infected," Thompson said.

In the meantime, Thompson encourages those who haven't gotten vaccinated yet to get it, adding that it is the best tool against the delta variant.

"The vaccine works, it works really well against the Delta variant. So if you have not been vaccinated, get vaccinated," Thompson said.

Upcoming vaccine opportunities include:

July 29 or Aug. 5, 2-4 p.m., Lake County Health & Human Services, 616 3rd Ave., Two Harbors (one-dose J&J vaccine, open to 18+, walk-ins welcome)

Aug. 11, 4:30-7:30 p.m., Lake View Medical Clinic, 325 11th Ave., Two Harbors (first dose of Pfizer, open to 12+, walk-ins welcome)

Officials told us 59% of Lake County residents have been vaccinated.

To see the original report and read related stories, follow this link to the KBJR-TV website.  https://kbjr6.com/2021/07/28/lake-co-becomes-highly-transmissible-area-masks-recommended/