JaCo Public Health breaks down pandemic, endemic differences

JACKSON COUNTY, Ore. —Although public health says Covid cases in Jackson County have been trending down, it says we’re not making the transition to endemic just yet.

The term pandemic refers to a widespread disease, that can be found everywhere. Endemic is more predictable, happening in certain pockets of the population at a given time, like the flu which has a season.

Jackson County medical officer, Dr. Leona O’Keefe says we’re not there yet with Covid. She says part of that is because we still don’t understand the patterns of covid. Other hurdles that can get in the way, are low vaccination rates.

“If Covid didn’t keep changing and bringing new variants, we probably would already be there, but that’s not the reality for a variety of reasons Covid has continued to mutate and bring new variants and that continues to bring these large influxes that impact just about everyone,” said Dr. O’Keefe

Dr. O’Keefe says the best way to protect yourself from severe illness is through vaccinations and booster doses.