SWEETWATER COUNTY At what is typically considered the peak of flu season, there appears to be little to no sign of it locally in Sweetwater County, and it seems that is the case nationally.
As the spread of COVID-19 remains a concern, many have been wondering where the influenza (flu) has been. On many coronavirus-related social media posts you might see the same comments, “what about the flu?”
Mask wearing, social distancing, public health orders and an overall conscious effort be cleaner and safer are actions that could be attributed to what has been a rather mild flu season, say medical professionals and other officials.
Credit Public Domain
During Teton County s weekly COVID-19 update, St. John s Health CEO Paul Beupre said the vaccine progress is going pretty smoothly in the county. Yet, he said the state is not receiving as many vaccine doses as it should be, according to the amount of vaccine the federal government has purchased.
The federal government purchased 200 million Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine doses. Wyoming was slated to receive 45,000 doses, said Beyore. If you do the math and you figure it out by state, we should be getting 125,00 doses. But instead we were slated to get 45,000 doses.
Wyoming Department of Health s Kim Deti said that assessment is not accurate. She said the 45,000 doses likely only includes what the state has received so far and expects to receive for first doses only through January. Deti said people should focus on the benefits of the vaccine and when an individual will be able to receive it.
The Wyoming Department of Health disagrees with St. John’s Health CEO Dr. Paul Beaupre’s assessment that the state isn’t receiving its rightful share of COVID-19 vaccines.
The Wyoming Department of Health reported 541 new cases of COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, bringing the statewide total to 40,554. 55 new cases were reported for Natrona County, leaving the current number of active cases in Natrona County at 139.