COVID is rising, but manageable since California reopened

Two weeks after California reopened after a 15-month pandemic restriction, COVID-19 infections are on the rise again. It is caused by highly contagious variants of the coronavirus that spread around the world, but is manageable by one of the highest state immunization rates in the country.

The approaching Independence Day holiday is very different from a year ago. Governor Gavin Newsom and state health officials have in vain accused California associates of quitting the July 4 party with non-family members.

This year, more Californians have been vaccinated against the disease, and indoor public where unvaccinated children (including children under the age of 12 who have not yet been allowed to fire) can spread the virus. I want to keep wearing the mask in place. simply.

“As a father and pediatrician, I am vaccinated by all qualified Californians to protect not only myself but also children who are not vaccinated in their lives and communities. I highly recommend that, “said Dr. Mark Garry, California Secretary of Health and Welfare. .. “The data are clear. Hospitalization and death from almost all new COVID-19s are preventable. The vaccine works and protects us.”

California has lifted most of the pandemic restrictions on June 15 rallies and activities, lifting the state-wide requirement that vaccinated people continue to wear masks in public places indoors. New infection rates per 10,000 residents across California increased by 9% from the first 14 days of June to the next 14 days, according to state data compiled by the press.

State officials said they expected more cases and were not overly concerned.

“Although the overall COVID-19 index is close to the lowest ever, California is always prepared for a slight increase in cases and hospitalizations after resumption,” the California Public Health Service said on Friday. .. “No threat to the state’s health system’s capabilities is expected. There are enough people vaccinated with COVID-19, so there is no risk of system overwhelming with more cases.”

Over half of California’s approximately 40 million inhabitants are fully vaccinated, and more than 72% of eligible residents aged 12 and over are often at least one of two vaccinations required. Is inoculated.

Dr. John Swartzberg, Professor Emeritus of Infectious Diseases and Vaccinations at the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program, sees an increase in “mixed” cases.

“It’s encouraging to see what these vaccines are doing — you won’t be disappointed at any level,” Swartsburg said. “On the other hand, I’m disappointed to see the number of cases increasing here.”

The increase is driven primarily by the state’s Coastal Population Center.

In a region of 23.1 million people in Southern California, including San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego, and Sun, infection rates rose by nearly 24% from early to late June, 2.9 per 10,000 inhabitants. It became a matter. Bernardino, Riverside, Imperial, Inyo and Mono counties.

In 8.5 million people in the Bay Area of ​​11 counties, infection rates increased slightly from 2% to 3.3 from early to late June.

In other less populated areas of the state, infection rates remained high, but declined during that period. Infection rates fell from 4% to 5.5 in the Greater Sacramento region, from 8% to 3.5 in the San Joaquin Valley, and from 19% to 5.9 in the Northern California region.

The state’s pandemic situation has improved significantly since January, when the virus surged in Southern California, causing the worst outbreak in the country. On the first Thursday of the month, on January 7, when the vaccine was still limited to front-line medical staff and caregiver residents and workers, California reported more than 50,030 new infections. The state reported 1,792 new cases on Thursday, a 96% decrease.

COVID-related hospitalizations have also declined by 94% since January 7, when California hospitals were filled with nearly 23,000 patients. On Thursday, it fell to 1,366.

The outlook for California is similar to many of the countries. Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said at a White House press conference Thursday that the seven-day average of new cases fell by about 90% from January, but increased by 10% last week. He said he was doing it.

This increase is believed to have been caused by a delta variant of the virus that struck India in the spring and is rapidly spreading throughout the highly vaccinated United Kingdom. It accounts for about 1 in 4 cases nationwide.

Delta variants “account for about 36% of cases sampled in California and are expected to increase,” said Dr. Thomas Aragon, California Public Health Officer and Director of State Public Health, said Friday. Stated.

“COVID-19 hasn’t disappeared,” he said. “Even if you haven’t been vaccinated, you’re still at risk.”

How will it unfold during the holiday weekend of July 4th, when family and friends gather for barbecue and fireworks? A year ago, Californians largely ignored state pandemic orders prohibiting people from gathering with others outside their homes. California no longer bans it, and vaccinated people say they no longer need masks in most places.

But in Los Angeles County, where new infection rates increased by 23% from early to late June, health officials this week will continue to wear masks in public indoor areas, whether vaccinated or not. I urged the residents.

Dr. George Rutherford, an infectious disease specialist at the University of California, San Francisco, said he believes that vaccination here does not need to be done unless the risk of COVID-19 is particularly high. But unvaccinated?

“If people are gathered and mixed, if not vaccinated, yes, they need to wear masks indoors,” Rutherford said, including children. “We’ve seen clusters for kids, but that’s still a concern. If you have kids under the age of 11, you’ll have to treat this holiday the same as last year.”