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| Ventura County Star
COVID Vaccine: Can You Still Be Contagious?
Vaccinologist Dr Greg Poland discusses what it is like after your first dose of COVID-19 vaccine.
Staff Video, USA TODAY
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The 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 residents in Ventura eclipsed the rate of 127.3 in Los Angeles County.
The rate is for the week ending Jan. 2 and is the second highest in the 11-county area of Southern California. Only San Bernardino County is higher.
A record 449 COVID patients were receiving hospital care in Ventura County, officials reported Tuesday, including 89 in the ICU. Hospitals were inundated with a total of 1,002 patients, including those with non-COVID illnesses.
“Almost half of our inpatients are COVID patients and it’s just staggering,” said Steve Carroll, administrator of the Ventura County Emergency Medical Services Agency, noting that the total of 1,002 patients seems to be a record. “It doesn’t seem to be improving unfortunately.”
More: Inconsistent pipeline complicates plans to boost COVID-19 vaccinations in Ventura County
Hospitals are taken to extremes but still provide care, said Carroll who praised their efforts.
“Our heroes in the hospital are just exhausted. They need our help, ”said Rigoberto Vargas, public health director for Ventura County. He urged people to stay home, wear masks and follow other COVID protocols.
“Do whatever it takes,” he said.
The ever-growing number of the virus was revealed at a Ventura County Supervisory Board meeting where officials also provided a vaccine update that included new information on how people appearing on the priority list can register for vaccines.
The state adjusts COVID case rates in counties based on the volume of testing efforts in an area. Vargas said the county’s per capita testing rate was the best in the state for a week.
The test levels mean the county’s adjusted case rate per 100,000 population is 72.7, better than several counties in Southern California, including Los Angeles.
Testing volume aside, Vargas called the county’s COVID numbers alarming. He attributed at least part of the increase to Christmas gatherings.
He also said cases were emerging due to the high rate of COVID testing. He and others have urged people to continue to be tested for the virus.
If people test positive, they should isolate and share information about other people who have been exposed, Vargas said.
According to new state data, 17.5% of people tested in Ventura County tested positive over an average of seven days. That’s almost 1 in 5 people.
Speculate on the new virus strain
Ventura County health worker Dr Robert Levin called the surge in COVIDs the second big increase in the ongoing outbreak. He said the rise could continue or start to flatten.
“This week is crucial. I think we will know over the next five days by looking at our hospital census where we are at,” he said.
Experts: New COVID strains are not yet alarming
Levin said it was also possible, but not known for sure, that the new strain of the virus – first reported in the UK – is present in small numbers in Ventura County.
“I guess it’s here,” he said, noting that the viral strain would be susceptible to the COVID vaccine. Levin said the county’s vaccination efforts meant he was on the right track.
COVID-19 vaccine registration
Although the county still needs more vaccines from the state, it is stepping up efforts to administer vaccines, officials said.
“Whatever it takes to make it happen,” said Mike Powers, Ventura County General Manager, of efforts involving multiple county agencies. “Everyone on the bridge.”
The county said it was accelerating current efforts to include not only the first level, but all levels of the so-called Phase 1A, in line with state recommendations issued last week. The three levels of the phase include a range of medical workers ranging from dentists to home health workers.
People in Phase 1A can register for vaccinations in a new portal at https://www.venturacountyrecovers.org/vaccine-information/portal/. Registered persons still need to present a professional license or other identification document to be vaccinated at vaccination sites.
“If they are not in the health care sector at this point, they will not be eligible to receive a vaccination,” said Barry Zimmerman, chief deputy director of the Ventura County Health Care Agency.
Federal officials said on Tuesday they are now encouraging states to vaccinate people 65 and older as well as younger people with pre-existing conditions. The federal government is also encouraging states to use all of their doses and not withhold any for the required second shot.
Zimmerman said the county is awaiting direction from the state on how to handle the new federal guidelines.
Ventura County Public Health received about 24,000 to 28,000 initial doses of the vaccine, Zimmerman said. A similar amount has been received and is currently being held for the second doses.
About 10,000 additional doses of Pfizer are expected in the coming days.
‘Like a war zone’: ICU beds expanded, body bags at stake as Oxnard hospital faces increase
The goal is to build the deployment to the point where 5,000 shots per day are given by the end of the month. That’s about twice the current rate, Zimmerman said.
Vaccination sites for those eligible and registered include two sites at Oxnard, the Ventura County Fairgrounds and an undisclosed site for first responders.
The county is also looking for qualified people who will volunteer to administer vaccines.
Some pharmacies, including several sites in the Vons area, are also vaccinating people on the priority list, Zimmerman said.
Officials said they constantly demand more vaccines from the state, noting that supplies could run out at some point if the pipeline is not sped up.
“The constraint right now is our allocation and not our capacity,” Powers said, reiterating the goal of getting as many vaccines into the guns as possible. “We’re going big here.”
Officials from the California Department of Public Health have also said that counties can vaccinate people low on the priority list if the vaccine is about to expire or if demand in priority groups has declined. . Zimmerman said the directive was being followed in Ventura County.
Update: Ventura County adds 3,288 new COVID cases over the weekend, 17 new deaths
The next phase of vaccination – 1B – is a massive group that includes people aged 75 and over, law enforcement, firefighters, farm workers, grocers, public safety workers and teachers.
Planning for this phase has started. Levin predicted that the vaccinations could start in two or three weeks. The exact time will depend on the vaccine supply.
Levin also said vaccination efforts could help with the ongoing outbreak. He said up to 40% of deaths in the county involve residents of long-term care facilities. Residents of the facilities are currently vaccinated.
“This could mean a significant decrease in hospitalizations and intensive care units and a decrease in deaths,” he said.
Tom Kisken covers healthcare and other news for the Ventura County Star. Contact him at [email protected] or 805-437-0255.
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