The County Well being and Human Companies Company is urging individuals to present themselves, their household and pals one of the best present obtainable this vacation season― vaccinations to guard towards COVID-19 and the flu.
The up to date bivalent COVID-19 boosters that present the best safety towards COVID-19 have been not too long ago made obtainable to everybody six months of age and older.
COVID-19 and the flu are circulating at excessive ranges this winter and vaccinations for each are broadly obtainable at native pharmacies and medical suppliers. The County can even offer vaccinations all through the vacations at its vaccination websites. Examine on-line right here for the times and hours websites shall be open.
“Many San Diegans have taken benefit of the flexibility to get vaccinated,” stated County Public Well being Officer Dr. Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H. “However we will nonetheless vaccinate and shield extra individuals. COVID-19 stays extremely prevalent in San Diego County, and we’re coming into January, the month traditionally after we’ve had our highest peak variety of circumstances. So please take benefit and full your vaccinations to guard your self, your loved ones, and others.”
County officers report that by this week, 80.5% of eligible San Diegans have obtained their two-shot major vaccinations, 60.8% have obtained the first vaccinations and a booster. Additionally they report that one in 5, 20%, of all eligible San Diego residents 5 years and older have obtained the brand new bivalent booster. As well as, 40% of individuals 65 years of age and older have obtained the brand new bivalent booster.
Folks throughout the nation and right here in San Diego County proceed to cope with a number of respiratory illnesses this winter season, together with COVID-19, flu and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Public Well being officers nonetheless strongly urge individuals to get vaccinated for each COVID-19 and the flu.
The bivalent COVID-19 booster and flu vaccinations are separate photographs, however they are often given on the identical go to. They lower the possibilities of getting contaminated, however extra importantly, they successfully scale back the danger of extreme sickness and problems like hospitalization and loss of life. Boosters can be found by native taking part pharmacies and healthcare suppliers. Folks can go to the state’s My Flip web site to schedule an appointment. Booster dose availability is listed on the County’s COVID-19 vaccinations schedule webpage.
Vacation Prevention Measures
County officers additionally advocate sporting a masks if you’re ready, significantly throughout indoor public gatherings, to guard your self and people round you.
Along with vaccination and masking, San Diegans can take different precautions to guard themselves towards COVID-19, in addition to seasonal sicknesses just like the flu. These measures embody:
- Cleansing arms totally and infrequently
- Staying away from sick individuals
- Staying house and avoiding contact with others when sick
- Repeatedly cleansing generally touched surfaces
- Residence testing when uncovered or when ailing. The federal authorities is offering free at-home COVID-19 checks obtainable once more by the winter for a restricted time. Households can order one pack of 4 free checks by the U.S. Postal Service. For extra details about testing, go to the County of San Diego COVID-19 testing webpage.
COVID-19 Vaccination Progress:
- Greater than 2.69 million or 80.5% of San Diegans obtained the first collection of one of many permitted COVID-19 vaccines.
- Bivalent boosters administered: 497,928 or 20% of two,494,948 eligible San Diegans.
- Extra vaccination info might be discovered at coronavirus-sd.com/vaccine.
COVID-19 Deaths:
- 18 further deaths have been reported because the final report on Dec. 15, 2022. The area’s complete is 5,626.
- Of the 18 further deaths, 9 have been ladies and 9 have been males. They died between March 8, 2022, and Dec. 14, 2022. 13 of the newly reported deaths occurred prior to now two weeks.
- 13 of the individuals who died 80 or older, three have been of their 70s and two have been of their 60s.
- 14 of those individuals had been vaccinated and 4 had not obtained any COVID-19 vaccines.
- 18 had underlying medical circumstances.
COVID-19 Circumstances, Case Charges and Testing:
- 4,764 COVID-19 circumstances have been reported to the County prior to now seven days (Dec. 13, 2022, to Dec. 19, 2022). The area’s complete is now 957,586.
- The 4,764 circumstances reported prior to now week have been decrease in comparison with the 4,821 infections recognized the earlier week (Dec. 6, 2022 by Dec. 12, 2022).
- 4,730 checks have been reported to the County on Dec. 17, and the proportion of latest optimistic circumstances was 11.4% (Knowledge by Dec. 17).
- The 14-day rolling share of optimistic circumstances, amongst checks reported by Dec. 17, is 9.8%.
Influenza Exercise
The County Well being and Human Companies Company now publishes the Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report weekly. The report is printed every Thursday and tracks key respiratory sickness indicators, together with flu circumstances and deaths.
For the week ending Dec. 17, 2022, the report exhibits the next:
- Seven further flu deaths; the season’s complete is now 27.
- 4 of the extra flu deaths have been ladies and three have been males. They died between Nov. 30, 2022, and Dec. 13, 2022.
- Certainly one of them had obtained a flu shot this season and 6 had not.
- Six of the seven had underlying medical circumstances; one had no underlying medical circumstances. Not one of the newly reported deaths have been coinfected with COVID-19.
- Emergency division visits for influenza-like sickness: 6% of all visits (in contrast with 7% the earlier week).
- Lab-confirmed influenza circumstances for the week: 1,141 (in comparison with 1,609 the earlier week).
- Whole lab-confirmed circumstances so far: 18,439 (in comparison with 888 on the identical time final season and a 1,201 prior 5-year common throughout the identical week).
Extra Info:
Knowledge updates to the County’s coronavirus-sd.com web site shall be printed Thursdays round 5 p.m., aside from holidays. Extra details about the flu is obtainable on the County’s influenza web site.
