First Omicron COVID-19 Variant Case Discovered in Santa Clara County | News

Health officials said Friday morning that the first case of the COVID-19 Omicron variant was confirmed in Santa Clara County.

The county’s Public Health Service learned of the incident on Thursday, December 9. Residents were isolated, fully vaccinated, and not boosted. Residents have recently returned from a domestic trip outside the state. Dr. Sarah Cody, a county health officer and director of public health, said a booster shot was due for this month. Press conference On Friday.

According to Cody, the inhabitants were from the North County region (Palo Alto, Mountain View, Los Altos, Los Altos Hills, Stanford). She emphasized that the person’s illness was “very mild” and that the county notified all of the person’s contacts.

In addition to the reported cases, the Omicron variant was first detected on December 7 in sewer surveillance, Cody said. The county is tracking four wastewater sewers daily for the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its variants. Subspecies of Omicron were found in the area from Los Altos Hills to Stanford, as well as in the sewers of North County, including the East Palo Alto sliver in San Mateo County.

She said the department expects that the Omicron variant is probably already present in the county, but has not yet been detected locally.

The county said in a press release on Friday that the new incident was not surprising. Reported cases, coupled with increased cases across counties, bay areas, and states, employ precautions such as vaccinations and booster shots for residents to best protect themselves and their communities. It reminds me of that. The county expanded to give Pfizer vaccine booster shots to people aged 16 and 17 after approval by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday. Anyone over the age of 16 can make a reservation.

“There are still many unclear points about this variant, but if it hasn’t helped prevent Omicron yet, it’s highly recommended to get vaccinated and get a booster. This is a new variant. But we know what to do. All of our protective layers, including vaccinations, boosters, masks, ventilation, distance measurements, and frequent tests. “

The case rate of COVID-19 has also risen “straight” among unvaccinated individuals, exceeding 80 per 100,000 inhabitants per day. The population is about 2 million, about 1,600 per day.

Dr. Martifen Starshake, Head of COVID-19 Vaccine in the county, also emphasized the importance of booster shots. The county is approaching 80% of fully vaccinated eligible residents, which is one of the highest percentages in the country, but that is not enough. So far, only about 39% of the eligible population over the age of 16 has been boosted. He said the proportion of young people between the ages of 18 and 49 is much lower at only 20%.

“Currently the main message is the importance of boosters. The first two shots are not enough. Boosters have been shown to provide significant additional protection from serious COVID-19 infections.” He said.

Masking, testing, ventilation, and distance measurements continue to be the best defenses against COVID-19, according to health officials. As the holiday season progresses, people need to pay attention to risk.

Health officials recommend that you take the following precautions if you need to travel or get together for a vacation:

• Take the test again just before your trip, when you return home, and 3-5 days later.

• Have all people over the age of 5 get the COVID-19 vaccine.

• Get the COVID-19 booster for everyone over the age of 16.

• Wear a mask indoors and in crowded environments. It is important to wear a medical grade mask and adjust the mask for a tight fit.

• Keep group gatherings small, both in size and duration. We only meet in close family units.

• Outdoor gatherings are safer than indoor gatherings.

• Be careful around the elderly and people with immunodeficiency and consider the COVID-19 test before such interactions.

Very young children and unvaccinated parents should take all recommended precautions. Unless your child is under the age of two, it is advisable to avoid large gatherings and always wear a mask in indoor public places and in crowded outdoor environments.

According to Fenstersheib, nearly 40% of children aged 5 to 11 years receive at least one vaccination. Children living in the eastern and southern parts of the county, where many Latino and black residents live, have much lower immunization rates than the rest of the county. Authorities are trying to close the gap by adding clinics to schools and are urging parents to vaccinate their children during winter school holidays.

Vaccinations within the county are provided free of charge to the general public, no insurance is required, and there are no immigration requirements.

Vaccination appointments at the county clinic are available at: sccfreevax.org.. Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Janssen / Johnson & Johnson vaccines are all available in the county. Many clinics and pharmacies offer COVID-19 vaccines, including boosters.You can also make a reservation at myturn.ca.gov..