BERRIEN COUNTY, Mich. -- With Berrien County now categorized with substantial transmission levels of COVID-19, the Berrien County Health Department is now recommending that people return to wearing masks while indoors at public settings.

This recommendation follows updated guidance from both the CDC and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for areas in substantial or high categorizations of COVID-19 transmission levels.

Between August 3 and Tuesday, Berrien County has had a case rate of 84.7 per 100,000 persons and a test positivity rate of 7.9 percent.

This recommendation comes at the risk that the Delta variant could continue to increase case counts and hospitalizations in the area if precautions are not made.

“When providing guidance and recommendations to our community about which COVID-19 mitigation measures may need to be in place, we are taking into consideration many local factors, such as the current rate of COVID-19 transmission, our health system's capacity, vaccination coverage, testing and which populations may be at risk,” said Courtney Davis, Interim Health Officer of the Berrien County Health Department.

Wearing a mask indoors, maintaining social distance and getting vaccinated remain to be the best mitigation suggestions from health departments.