Nevada’s test positivity rate is once again dropping but, unlike late last week when just a couple of counties were flagged for elevated risk of transmission, five counties were back on that list Wednesday.
After more than a week at 5.7 percent of tests returning positive, that number is down to 5.4 percent on a rolling 14-day average.
But Douglas, Lyon, Storey, Elko and Esmeralda counties all crossed the line on two of three measures. In four of the five, however, one of the factors was the inability to test enough people.
All five counties were at or above the 8 percent cutoff for positivity rates.
Carson City, after being flagged a good share of the past two weeks, was down to 6.2 percent positivity but still above the 200 cases per 100,000 residents at 334.
Karissa Morgan, who manages the vaccination program for the state, said more than 2 million doses of vaccines have now been administered. That equates to 47 percent of the population having received at least one shot and 37.4 percent having completed vaccination.
With the CDC and FDA preparing to authorize the Pfizer vaccine for adolescents as young as 12, she said Nevada may be able to start giving kids their shots the day after authorization.
“We have the doses in the state to meet the demand,” she said.
She added the state and counties are all working to make vaccines available in more places including pharmacies, doctor’s offices, schools, churches, businesses and other places. She said more vaccination sites will also accept walk-in patients.
