DOVER, DE (September 16, 2022) – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) is pleased to share declines in hospitalizations, test positivity rates and the 7-day average of new positive COVID-19 cases continued for the second month in a row.  Deaths also remain low. However, COVID-19 is still circulating in the community, and at higher levels in some counties. Additionally, while hospitalizations overall are down, in recent weeks they have increased in the 0-4 months age range and the 18-34 years age range.  According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC) COVID-19 Community Levels data tracker, which was last updated on September 15, COVID-19 community levels in Kent and Sussex counties are considered medium, while levels in New Castle County are listed as low.

Recently, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and CDC have authorized the new bivalent boosters from Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna, which target two strains of COVID 19: the original strain of the virus, and two of the Omicron variants (BA.4 and BA.5), currently, the most widespread variants in the world.  The updated bivalent boosters are available to all individuals 12 years of age and older who have received their primary series of vaccination at least two months before (a minimum of two doses of Pfizer, Moderna or Novavax and one dose of Johnson and Johnson).  Individuals who have recently had COVID-19 are still encouraged to get a booster to optimize their protection but should consider waiting three months after they have recovered.

Changes in the virus necessitated new, updated boosters to improve protection. To reduce confusion among the public and vaccine providers, and because they do not offer the increased levels of protection provided by the bivalent boosters, the original booster formula is no longer authorized for use in those 12 and older.  Medical providers may no longer administer them to anyone older than 12.

By authorizing the vaccines in September rather than waiting until later this fall, the CDC estimates the prevention of over 137,000 hospitalizations and 9,200 deaths in the first two months alone. To further support the effectiveness of vaccines and boosters in reducing serious illness, a study of the Journal of the American Medical Association indicates that during the original Omicron surge earlier this year, unvaccinated individuals were 10.5 times more likely to be hospitalized than those who were vaccinated and boosted.

Pfizer-BioNTech boosters are authorized for ages 12 and older, while Moderna is authorized for 18 years of age and older.  Regardless of which brand of vaccine you previously received, you can get any bivalent booster for which you are eligible.  As of this time, only the monovalent boosters targeting the original strain are available for children 5 through 11 years of age.  Parents are encouraged to vaccinate their children now with the primary series and most current boosters when eligible until the bivalent boosters are authorized for this age group. With the rise in hospitalizations among those ages 0 – 4 years old, parents of young children are particularly encouraged to get their children vaccinated.

DPH strongly encourages everyone 12 and older to get their bivalent booster as soon as they are eligible, and well in advance of any possible surge in the late fall or winter. Individuals may also get a booster at the same time as they get their annual flu vaccine, but it is recommended to do so in different arms.  Bivalent boosters are available at DPH clinics, many pharmacies, Federally Qualified Health Centers and some community events.  You can find a list of locations at de.gov/getmyvaccine or at vaccines.gov. More details on the bivalent booster can be found at de.gov/boosters.

The webpage also has a link to a flier for the public which highlights some similarities between the labels of bivalent boosters and some primary series vaccines. Those getting a booster are encouraged to print and take a copy of the flier with them, or pull it up on their phone’s web browser, and ask the vaccine provider to show you the vial that your bivalent booster is being drawn from so you can confirm it is the correct one. It is an important step in being an educated health consumer and advocate for your personal health.

The below data is as reported on Delaware’s My Health Community data portal on Thursday, Sept. 15, 2022. 

COVID-19 Cases and Hospitalizations: 

• Total positive cases since March 11, 2020: 305,517*
• 7-day daily average of new positive cases: 196.1, a decrease of 83.3 average new positive cases reported since Aug 18, 2022 
• 7-day daily average for the percentage of total positive tests: 12.5 percentage points, a decrease of 5.9 percentage points reported since Aug 18, 2022 
• Hospitalizations: 121 current hospitalizations; critically ill: 14 
• Total COVID-19 deaths: 3,080, an increase of 44 since last month (11 regularly reported, and 33 from a review of Vital Statistics between June and August)

*Case and testing data are based on reporting of lab-confirmed COVID-19 tests only. The number of COVID-19 cases in the community is higher than what is reported because of the use of at-home test kits. 

COVID-19 Vaccinations:   

• Total number of doses administered in Delaware: 1,893,787
• Percentage of Delawareans 5+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 75.1%  
• Percentage of Delawareans 12+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 79.2%   
• Percentage of Delawareans 18+ who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 80.7%
• Percent of Delawareans who are fully vaccinated (CDC data): 70.9% 

All qualifying Delawareans should get vaccinated. For a location near you, visit de.gov/getmyvaccine. Delaware’s latest COVID-19 vaccination statistics can be found under the Vaccine Tracker dashboard at de.gov/healthycommunity.  

COVID-19 Case Vaccination Status Report: 

The following reports capture a weekly breakdown of non-boosted cases, deaths, and hospitalizations for the time frame of Sept 5 – Sept 11, 2022.  

 Non-boosted: Case – Hospital – Death

Note:

Case and Hospitalization Count: based on RTS (Report to State Date)
Death: based on DoD (Date of Death)

Long-term Care Statistics:   

As of Thursday, September 15, 2022, there have been a total of 4,573 positive COVID-19 cases involving long-term care residents, and 979 residents of Delaware long-term care facilities have died from complications related to COVID-19.

Resources:   

Individuals with general questions about COVID-19 should call Delaware 2-1-1, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing can text their ZIP code to 898-211, or email delaware211@uwde.org. Hours of operation are:   

• Monday – Friday: 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m.   
• Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

 Medical-related questions regarding testing, symptoms and health-related guidance can be submitted by email at DPHCall@delaware.gov.   

DPH will continue to update the public as more information becomes available. For the latest on Delaware’s response, go to de.gov/coronavirus.

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The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH), a division of the Delaware Department of Health and Social Services, is a nationally accredited public health agency recognized by the Public Health Accreditation Board for its outstanding dedication to driving change through innovation. DPH is committed to improving the quality of the lives of Delaware’s citizens by promoting health and well-being, fostering self-sufficiency, and protecting vulnerable populations.  Anyone who is deaf, hard of hearing, Deaf-Blind or speech disabled can contact DPH by dialing 711 first using specialized devices (i.e., TTY, TeleBraille, voice devices). The 711 service is free and to learn more about how it works, please visit delawarerelay.com.

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