| Ventura County Star
COVID vaccine: can you still be contagious?
Vaccinologist Dr. Greg Poland discusses what it is like after his first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
Team video, USA TODAY
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Transmission of COVID-19 is increasing at an increasingly alarming rate in Ventura County, pushing even more patients into already crowded hospitals, officials said on Tuesday.
Data released by the California Department of Public Health showed that the unadjusted rate of 131.4 COVID cases per day per 100,000 people in Ventura exceeded the rate of 127.3 in Los Angeles County.
The fee is for the week ending January 2 and is the second highest in the 11 county counties of Southern California. Only the county of San Bernardino is higher.
A record 449 patients with COVID were receiving hospital care in Ventura County, officials said on Tuesday, with 89 of them in the ICU. Hospitals were flooded with a total of 1,002 patients, including those with diseases unrelated to COVID.
“Nearly half of our hospitalized patients are COVID patients and this is just astonishing,” said Steve Carroll, administrator of the Ventura County Emergency Medical Services Agency, noting that the total of 1,002 patients appears to be a record. “It doesn’t seem to be improving, unfortunately.”
More: Inconsistent pipeline complicates plans to increase COVID-19 vaccination in Ventura County
Hospitals are pushed to the limit, but still provide care, said Carroll, who praised his efforts.
“Our heroes at the hospital are exhausted. They need our help,” said Rigoberto Vargas, director of Public Health for the municipality of Ventura. He encouraged people to stay at home, wear masks and follow other COVID protocols.
“Do the right thing,” he said.
The growing number of viruses was revealed at a meeting of the Ventura County Board of Supervisors, where officials also provided a vaccine update that included new information on how people at the top of the priority list can register for vaccines.
The state adjusts the county’s COVID case rates based on the volume of testing efforts in a region. Vargas said the county’s per capita test rate was the best in the state in a week.
The test levels mean that the county’s adjusted case rate per 100,000 people is 72.7, better than several southern California counties, including Los Angeles.
Test volume aside, Vargas called the municipality’s COVID numbers alarming. He attributed at least part of the increase to Christmas parties.
He also said that the cases were arising due to the high rate of COVID testing. He and others encouraged people to continue testing for viruses.
If people test positive, they need to isolate and share information about other people who have been exposed, Vargas said.
According to the new state data, 17.5% of people tested in Ventura County tested positive on an average of seven days. That’s almost 1 in 5 people.
Speculating about the new virus strain
Ventura County Health Officer Dr. Robert Levin referred to the rising numbers of COVID as a second sharp drop in the continued increase. He said the bull may continue or start to stabilize.
“This week is critical. I think we will know in the next five days by looking at our hospital census where we’re at, ”he said.
Experts: New COVID strains are not a cause for alarm yet
Levin said it is also possible, although it is not known for certain, that the new strain of the virus – first reported in the UK – is present in small numbers in County Ventura.
“My guess is that it’s here,” he said, noting that the strain of the virus is believed to be susceptible to the COVID vaccine. Levin said the county’s vaccination efforts meant he was on the right track.
Registering for the COVID-19 vaccine
Although the county still needs more vaccine from the state, it is expanding efforts to deliver vaccines, officials said.
“Whatever it takes to make this happen,” said Ventura County Executive Director Mike Powers of the efforts involving several county agencies. “All hands on the deck.”
The county said it is accelerating current efforts to include not just the first level, but all levels of the so-called Phase 1A, according to state recommendations issued last week. The three levels of the phase include a variety of medical professionals, from dentists to home health professionals.
People in Phase 1A can register for vaccines on a new portal at https://www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/portal/. Registered persons still need to present a professional card or other identification document to be vaccinated at the vaccination sites.
“If they are not in the healthcare sector at this time, they will not be eligible to receive the vaccination,” said Barry Zimmerman, deputy director of the Ventura County Health Agency.
Federal officials said on Tuesday that they are now encouraging states to vaccinate people 65 and older, as well as younger people with pre-existing illnesses. The feds are also encouraging states to use all their doses and not withhold some for the second necessary injection.
Zimmerman said the county is awaiting state guidance on how to deal with the new federal guidance.
Ventura County Public Health received about 24,000 to 28,000 first doses of the vaccine, said Zimmerman. A similar amount has been received and is currently being maintained for a second dose.
Another 10,000 doses of Pfizer are expected in the next few days.
‘Like a war zone’: ICU beds increased, body bags in action while Oxnard hospital faces increase
The goal is to build the roll-out to the point where 5,000 shots a day are fired by the end of the month. That’s about twice the current rate, said Zimmerman.
Vaccination locations for eligible and registered people include two locations in Oxnard, the Ventura County Fairgrounds and an undisclosed location for first responders.
The county is also looking for qualified people who offer their services to deliver vaccines.
Some pharmacies, including several Vons in the area, are also vaccinating people on the priority list, said Zimmerman.
Authorities said they are constantly asking for more vaccines from the state, noting that supplies may run out at some point if the pipeline is not accelerated.
“The constraint is now our job, not our ability,” said Powers, reiterating the goal of putting as much vaccine as possible in weapons. “We are growing up here.”
California Department of Public Health officials also said that counties can vaccinate people who are below the priority list if the vaccine is about to expire or demand in higher priority groups has declined. Zimmerman said the directive is being followed in Ventura County.
Update: Ventura County adds 3,288 new COVID cases over the weekend, 17 new deaths
The next vaccination phase – 1B – is a huge group that includes people aged 75 and over, police, firefighters, agricultural workers, grocery stores, public security workers and teachers.
Planning for this phase has already started. Levin predicted that vaccinations could start in two or three weeks. The exact timing will depend on the vaccine delivery.
Levin also said that vaccination efforts can help with the continued increase. He said that up to 40% of deaths in the county involve residents of long-term care facilities. The facility’s residents are now being vaccinated.
“This could mean a significant decrease in hospitalizations and ICUs and a decrease in deaths,” he said.
Tom Kisken covers health care and other news for the Ventura County Star. Please contact him at [email protected] or 805-437-0255.
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