Santa Clara County has reached 100,000 cases.Vaccine Initiatives Soar – CBS San Francisco

San Jose (CBS SF) —Almost a year after the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Santa Clara County, health officials announced that the county had more than 100,000 cases of coronavirus.

As of Thursday, there were 100,468 positive cases in the county, according to the county’s COVID dashboard. The 7-day moving average for new cases was 829, down from the two-week high of 1,463. 1,134 people have died in the county due to COVID-19, including 57-year-old Patricia Daud, the first confirmed death in the United States since the pandemic began.

On January 31, 2020, Dr. Saracody presented the first known case of COVID-19 in the county. At the time, according to Cody, the patient was a man who recently returned to the county after traveling to Wuhan, China, and was the global epicenter of the outbreak at the time.

Since then, 435,000 Americans have died of COVID-19, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

“Very sad. Each of those people is not a number. They represent a person. They may be your parents, your brothers, your sisters, your mother, your father.” Dr. Marty Fenstershake, who oversees the county’s inspection and vaccination program, said on Friday.

On Friday afternoon, a sad family gathered outside the San Jose Community Healthcare Center. They waited for the beloved patriarch of the family, who recently died of COVID-19, to be loaded into a hearse in the hospital ambulance bay. The family said they would track the hearse from the hospital to the graveyard.

“We know the illness is terrible, and there were certainly many mortality rates. But what makes it all worse is the isolation that these patients are experiencing. That’s terrible.” Dr. Paul Silka, head of the emergency department at the Community Health Center, says.

Shilka also emphasized that the pandemic is not over yet. “We will continue to see illness and death for some time to come,” Shilka said.

Santa Clara County Public Health Service He said on Friday that vaccination efforts were expanding Even if supply remains limited.. The county reported that it had given at least 185,535 vaccinations, including 147,838 first doses and 37,697 second doses. On Monday, the county administered a total of more than 160,000 vaccines.

“The county and other vaccination providers have made significant progress in vaccination of residents aged 75 and over. The group has the highest risk of serious illness and death from COVID-19. We are facing, “Fenster sheib said in a statement. “As we proceed with the vaccination process, equity remains a top priority and the county is committed to ensuring access to vaccines in the most affected communities through a variety of strategies.”

On Tuesday, the county announced For residents aged 65 and over Get vaccinated You can schedule your booking from the county website.. Extended eligibility follows the state’s current guidance on vaccine distribution.

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The county health system said it has partnered with community-based organizations to provide information, testing and vaccination to the most affected communities. This week, partner Gardner Health Services launched the first stop-off vaccination site for healthcare professionals and people over the age of 65 at Mexican Heritage Plaza in East San Jose.

“As the vaccine becomes available to more residents, the county will continue its deep commitment to fairness and ensure access to the communities at highest risk of being infected with COVID-19,” said the county associate. Dr. Jennifer Ton, Chief Medical Officer, said. Santa Clara Health System.

The county also said it had partnered with a local clinic to set up a pilot mobile vaccination clinic for residents and care facility staff. We also coordinated with the first local responders to administer the vaccine on-site and set up three mass vaccination sites.

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The county is waiting for additional information from California and a change in the criteria for who should be vaccinated in what order after the announcement of a third-party administrator of the state’s vaccination system this week. Said.

County officials also said they were working with other groups to look for new options for mass vaccination sites and community-based locations.

“Everyone needs to keep masking, stay away, keep testing, and get vaccinated when it’s your turn,” Fenster Shake said. “Check with your provider, see if you qualify, and sign up for the shot. These are the tools you need to guide your course from this pandemic.”