Calum County health officer warns of COVID surge, urges testing and pertussis vaccinations

Dr. Allison Berry, the health officer for Jefferson County, told the Calum County Public Health meeting on Aug. 19, 2025, that Calum County is seeing a surge in COVID-19 transmission and an ongoing local outbreak of pertussis (whooping cough). Berry advised residents to test when symptomatic, stay home when sick and mask for 10 days after the start of infection once symptoms improve. She said free federal test shipments have largely ended and tests are now mostly available over the counter.

Berry said COVID-19 cases are not as severe as in earlier pandemic years because of vaccination and prior infections, but transmission and hospitalizations remain significant in the region. She recommended that people in high-risk groups — including adults 65 and older and those with underlying conditions who did not receive a spring booster — consider receiving an updated booster now if they can obtain it locally.

The county is also experiencing a pertussis cluster. Berry reported 30 documented pertussis cases in Calum County and noted that health surveillance typically detects roughly one in 10 cases, implying a larger community burden. She emphasized that pertussis is a bacterial illness treatable with antibiotics and that staying up to date on the tetanus-containing vaccine that includes pertussis protection is the best prevention, especially for young children. Berry said the county has seen hospitalizations among children in this outbreak and cited misinformation-driven declines in childhood vaccination starting around 2020 as a factor in vulnerability.

On testing and treatment, Berry explained that pertussis testing uses a nasopharyngeal swab and may be less sensitive later in illness; clinicians may start antibiotics based on exposure and symptoms. For adults with prolonged cough (four to six weeks), she advised contacting a health care provider because antibiotics can shorten illness and reduce transmission. Berry said many recent exposures were clustered around churches and other gatherings, underscoring that close-contact events remain important transmission settings.

Berry also briefly addressed a locally acquired malaria case reported in nearby Pierce County, explaining malaria requires transmission by mosquitoes and is not spread person-to-person. She described the Pierce County case as likely an unusual event where a mosquito bit an infected traveler and then bit a local resident; she said the risk to Calum County is very low and advised standard mosquito-bite prevention.

Discussion: Board members asked for clarification about current masking and isolation guidance. Berry summarized current practice: remain home while ill, be fever-free for 24 hours before resuming activities, and mask for 10 days after illness onset; health-care-worker rules are stricter. She said the antiviral Paxlovid (referred to in the meeting) remains an option to reduce illness severity and duration for eligible high-risk adults, but availability and insurance coverage have become more variable since the federal emergency period ended.

This update was given as part of the meeting’s public-health-officer report; no formal county action or vote was taken on the guidance.