As a lot because the Bay Space wish to be carried out with COVID-19, the virus isn’t carried out with us.
Santa Clara County Public Well being Officer Dr. Sara Cody introduced Wednesday that the county will shut its COVID-19 vaccination and testing websites by the top of February. On Monday, the Biden administration stated it plans to let the coronavirus public well being emergency expire in Might.
These selections make sense. The emergency part of the pandemic is over. However that is no time to let down our guard, as a lot as Bay Space residents wish to put away their masks for good and return to enterprise as common.
COVID-19 instances have considerably decreased for the reason that worst days of the virus. However 40,000 People are nonetheless contracting the virus, and 500 People are dying from COVID-19 each day, or roughly 182,500 a yr. The coronavirus continues to be the fourth main reason behind demise in america, behind solely coronary heart illness, most cancers and accidents. COVID-19 is far more contagious and thrice extra lethal than the flu and extra lethal than such notable killers as stroke, Alzheimer’s and diabetes.
The top of the emergency part merely signifies that as a substitute of public well being leaders deciding and setting insurance policies for everybody to observe, each particular person now has to do their very own cost-benefit evaluation and resolve how they need to act, with steerage from these public well being leaders.
Some issues shouldn’t change. Each Bay Space resident ought to be sure that they’re updated on their vaccines and the newest booster pictures obtainable. It not solely protects people from the specter of COVID-19 and the potential devastating impacts of lengthy COVID, nevertheless it additionally helps shield those that are on the highest threat of contracting the virus. Sadly, that’s not taking place within the Bay Space. Greater than 90% of Bay Space residents have been absolutely vaccinated, which means they’ve accomplished their main collection of pictures. However solely 32% of Santa Clara County residents, for instance, have had their up to date (Bivalent) booster pictures, growing the potential for contracting the most recent model of the virus. The vaccines and booster pictures will now not be free after the federal emergency order ends in Might. Pfizer and Moderna have indicated vaccines will seemingly price between $82-$130 per dose.
Equally essential, Bay Space residents ought to proceed to masks, particularly at crowded indoor services. Santa Clara County wastewater knowledge reveals the danger of an infection, whereas decreased from a yr in the past, continues to be within the “medium” vary, which means that COVID-19 continues to be on the market and a threat for residents. The newest knowledge reveals that a mean of 144 folks within the county are contracting COVID-19 each day, which equates to 1,000 instances every week or greater than 50,000 a yr. Alameda and Contra Costa counties are exhibiting related numbers, with a mean of 132 new instances in Alameda County and 118 new instances in Contra Costa County every day over the past seven days.
Because the numbers have dropped from the final yr, higher numbers of individuals are abandoning masks altogether, growing the social strain to observe swimsuit. Cody stated that may be a mistake, particularly so in crowded indoor services comparable to airports and theaters.
Scientists agree that COVID-19 goes to be with us for years to come back. What we don’t know is what path it’s going to take within the weeks and months forward. Taking affordable precautions to remain protected whereas we proceed to study extra concerning the virus is the prudent plan of action.
