Covid Task Force Presents
By Alma Flowers
The Covid Task Force met and discussed updated information regarding Covid 19 transmission and prevention. We are presenting this information to assist you in your decision to make your worship experience comfortable and worry-free. We are all aware that the Covid 19 Virus still exists, and people continue to be infected. The task force has set guidelines for our parish that hopefully will ease anxieties in deciding your in-person church interactions. We encourage each of you to make individual choices based on the information provided to you.
Continue hand washing, avoiding crowds where there are individuals you do not know, self-testing at home at least once a week, or if you are exposed to someone who is symptomatic and/or has tested positive.
The Task Force has set forth the following guideline for setting protocols for the St. Philip’s parish family:
- Masks are optional if the positivity rate in our community is ten or below.
- The positivity rate on Thursday, September 22, 2022, was 5.2 for Duval County
Additional considerations:
- The Florida Department of Health has recommended a third booster vaccine. This vaccine is a combination of the original Covid vaccine and the omicron strain, making this a Bivalent Booster for ages 12 and over. Unvaccinated people greater than 5 years old have an 8 to 14 times greater rate of death than boosted individuals.
- Statical data
- It changes rapidly and may differ by location
- It includes confirmed and probable cases
- It shows positive tests, which differ from positive cases
- It’s constantly updated from resources around the world
- It may differ from other sites and sources
- Moderna Bivalent booster contains both Omicron (BA.4/BA.5) and ancestral strain SARS Covid 2 has a superior antibody response. Pfizer also provides the vaccine for the third booster. The Bivalent vaccine pears to provide a more diverse response overall, improving response to future vaccines For individuals recovering from Covid 19 infection, a Bivalent booster should be delayed 3 months from the onset of symptoms.
In summary, we are all aware there is no absolute to not getting infected, just like the other viruses, (Flu, Pneumonia, Hepatitis, and the common cold) but when we practice safe guidelines, we are less likely to become infected and if we are infected, we can expect mild to no symptoms and prevent hospital admission.
We welcome feedback and questions. Direct your questions or concerns by email to Katrina Crews kcrews2008@gmail.com and it will be shared to members of the Task Force for a response.
