COVID-19 infection rates in the Bay Area and across the state have increased in recent months and health officials recommend people get updated vaccines when they become available.
In California, 13.7% of people tested for COVID reported positive results during the seven-day period ending September 6, just a 0.4% increase from the previous week, according to figures published by the California Health and Human Services Agency (HHS). website.
The last time testing rates were this high was August 1, 2022, when the seven-day test positivity rate was 14%.
And while the current week-over-week increase is small, the number of cases has been steadily increasing statewide since late June, when HHS reported that 4.3% of tests were positive for COVID.
At the same time, people appear to be getting less sick when they contract the virus: The state’s seven-day average of new hospital admissions reached about 375 on Sept. 1, compared to 519 on Sept. 1, 2022.
“It is encouraging that despite this wave, we are not seeing a proportional increase in the severity of the disease compared to previous waves,” said Dr. Stephen Parodi, an infectious disease specialist and clinical leader of the coronavirus response at Kaiser Permanente.
That trend is reflected in the Bay Area, where all counties have seen an increase in positive COVID tests since June 30.
For example, the seven-day testing positivity rate in San Mateo County was 6.7% at the end of June, but is now 16.3%, an increase of 2.6% over the week former.
Additionally, there were 49 new COVID hospitalizations in the county, a 4.3% increase from the previous week, according to HHS.
Marin County’s seven-day test positivity rate was 15.1 (a 1% decrease from the previous week and a 5.4% increase from June 30) and there were 17 new hospitalizations in the county, a decrease of 26.1% from the previous week.
The seven-day positive test percentages for Alameda, Contra Costa, Solano, Sonoma, Santa Cruz and Napa counties ranged from approximately 11 to 14.5%, while the percentages for San Francisco, Santa Clara and San Francisco counties Joaquín ranged from just over 8 percent to 9%.
“We continue to encourage people with symptoms to take precautions, wear masks and isolate when possible, as well as seek treatment for COVID-19 as appropriate from their providers,” Parodi said. “We also recommend that people receive the early COVID-19 vaccine when it becomes available soon so we can continue to protect against serious illness.”
On Tuesday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced that the updated vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna will be available later this week and the California Department of Public Health said all state residents should take advantage the new vaccines.
State health officials said everyone age 5 and older should receive a dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine, as long as two months or more have passed since their most recent dose.
Recommendations for younger children depend on the number of doses previously received.
“Staying up to date with the COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to keep your immunity strong and protect yourself and others from serious illness, hospitalization and death,” said CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer, Dr. Tomás Aragón. “As we enter the winter season, it is critical that everyone is up to date on vaccinations when they are eligible, including those for flu, COVID-19 and RSV.”
People can schedule a vaccine appointment by visiting or by contacting your local pharmacy or healthcare provider.
2023-09-13 23:44:04
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