Two state COVID-19 testing and therapy websites in San Diego County are scheduled to shut within the subsequent two weeks, and the state plans to shut the remaining 4 right here by Feb. 25 due to declining demand.
Nevertheless, County public well being officers mentioned there are nonetheless loads of locations and choices for San Diegans to get testing and therapy.
The state-supported testing/therapy web site in Escondido is scheduled to shut this week and the one in El Cajon is scheduled to shut the next week, each as a result of so few persons are going to them for checks. The state closed its Nationwide Metropolis testing web site final week for a similar causes. San Diegans can nonetheless get examined at three County-contracted websites, native pharmacies and their healthcare suppliers, in addition to on the 4 remaining native state websites till they shut Feb. 25.
Individuals can even get free COVID-19 dwelling checks on the County’s six Public Well being Facilities, many native libraries—test along with your library to see if they’ve them—and from the federal authorities by mail.
“We wish all San Diegans to know that there are many choices to get checks, be examined, get therapy, and get vaccinated, irrespective of the place you’re within the county,” mentioned County Public Well being Officer Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H. “For those who really feel signs and need to get examined for COVID-19 and discover therapy, in case you are optimistic, or if you happen to simply need to have COVID-19 dwelling checks accessible as a precaution, entry is accessible and you’ve got choices.”
COVID-19 instances decreased barely this week. Nevertheless, well being officers are nonetheless monitoring wastewater testing and say they’re seeing growing ranges of the virus, which can be an indication of a doable surge in instances. Flu instances and Respiratory Syncytial Virus infections each proceed to say no.
County well being officers proceed to induce folks to get vaccinated and boosted in the event that they haven’t already to guard themselves. COVID-19 vaccines, together with bivalent boosters, and flu vaccines are broadly accessible at native medical suppliers and pharmacies. The County continues to supply vaccinations all through the area. Test on-line for the times and hours websites will likely be open.
Preventive Measures
Along with staying updated with COVID vaccination, particularly receiving a bivalent booster, and staying dwelling when unwell, San Diegans can take different precautions to guard themselves towards COVID-19, in addition to seasonal sicknesses just like the flu. These measures embrace:
- Washing fingers completely and infrequently.
- Staying away from sick folks.
- Carrying a facial overlaying, particularly in crowded indoor settings.
- Commonly cleansing generally touched surfaces.
- Conducting dwelling testing when uncovered or when unwell. The federal authorities is offering free at-home COVID-19 checks accessible once more by means of the winter for a restricted time. Households can order one pack of 4 free checks by means of 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 have obtained the first collection of one of many authorized COVID-19 vaccines.
- Bivalent boosters administered: 538,060 or 21.6% of two,496,758 eligible San Diegans.
- Extra vaccination data could be discovered at coronavirus-sd.com/vaccine.
The County Well being and Human Providers Company now publishes the Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report weekly. The report is printed every Thursday and tracks key respiratory sickness indicators.
COVID-19 Information
For the week ending Jan. 7, 2023, the report exhibits:
- 3,344 COVID-19 instances have been reported to the County previously seven days. The area’s complete is now 970,479.
- The three,344 instances reported previously week have been decrease in comparison with the 4,684 infections recognized the earlier week.
- Twenty-one further deaths have been reported have been reported within the week ending Jan. 7, 2023. The area’s complete is 5,662.
- Seventeen of the individuals who died have been 65 or older.
- Fourteen of the folks had been vaccinated and 7 have been unvaccinated or had not accomplished the first vaccine collection.
- Nineteen had underlying medical situations. Two determinations of underlying medical situations are pending.
Influenza Information
For the week ending Jan. 7, 2023, the report exhibits the next:
- Three further flu deaths; the season’s complete is now 33.
- All had underlying medical situations.
- Emergency division visits for influenza-like sickness: 4% of all visits (in contrast with 6% the earlier week).
- Lab-confirmed influenza instances for the week: 338 (in comparison with 646 the earlier week).
- Complete lab-confirmed instances to this point: 20,379 (in comparison with 1,389 on the identical time final season and a 4,317 prior 5-year common throughout the identical week).
Extra Info
Information updates to the County’s coronavirus-sd.com web site will likely be printed Thursdays round 5 p.m., apart from holidays. Extra details about the flu is accessible on the County’s influenza web site.
