Merced County COVID hospitalizations up again. Health officials renew calls to get vaccinated
Merced County officials are making renewed calls to the community to get vaccinated, as concerns over the increase in Delta variant cases continue amid rising hospitalizations locally and statewide.
Merced County reported 26 COVID-19 hospitalizations over the last week, marking a rise from prior weeks, local public health officials say. State data on Merced County supports this, showing the county’s 14-day average of patients hospitalized for COVID-19 has consistently risen throughout July.
A notable July case spike is also evident on the county’s COVID-19 information dashboard. Recent daily case counts have regularly tallied in the dozens this month compared to counts of 10 or less in June.
The sense of urgency is evident at the state and federal level, too. California officials on Monday announced that state workers and health care employees must either show proof of vaccination or continue to wear masks, as well as undergo regular COVID-19 testing.
Meanwhile, the Department of Veterans Affairs the same day became the first major federal agency to require that health care workers be vaccinated.
“This (state) policy comes in response to rising COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations statewide, and is intended to make healthcare facilities as safe as possible for both workers and patients,” Merced County Health Officer Dr. Salvador Sandoval said to the Sun-Star in a written statement.
California public health officials on Wednesday recommended all residents wear face coverings in indoor public settings regardless of their vaccination status.
The Delta variant — now the dominant COVID-19 strain in the U.S. — has been tied to communities like Merced County who are reporting increases in case counts and hospitalizations among unvaccinated individuals.
With Merced County’s low vaccination rates, local public health officials say they worry about COVID-19 hospitalizations rising again and potentially overwhelming the health care system.
More worries over Delta variant
While the Delta variant isn’t known to be more severe than other COVID-19 strains, is is 40% to 60% more transmissible, meaning that individuals without the protection of a COVID-19 vaccination are left vulnerable.
“The hospitalizations and deaths we are seeing now throughout the country and in Merced County are almost exclusively of unvaccinated people,” Salvador said. “We urge Merced residents to get vaccinated and also to wear masks in public places.”
Just six Delta variant cases have been confirmed in Merced County to date, but that number is likely an under count since the county’s lab doesn’t have in-house capacity to test for the strain, Public Health officials say.
A total of 484 Merced County residents have died from COVID-19 and 32,961 individuals have contracted the virus so far, according to the Merced County Department of Public Health.
Vaccines protect against against the Delta variant and other COVID-19 variants, but do not offer complete immunity.
The strongest defense of getting vaccinated is in preventing severe COVID-19 cases that lead to hospitalization and death.
“The Delta variant has a viral load one thousand times higher than the original Wuhan virus, meaning that it spreads much more quickly than did the original, and for that reason even minimal exposure can lead to contagion,” Salvador said. “This why masking in so important.”
Due to the increase in cases, Merced County is entering a new COVID-19 wave, Salvador said.
Officials encourage residents who are not yet vaccinated to schedule an appointment online using MyTurn.CA.gov or by calling 833-422-4255. Residents can also visit their primary care provider or pharmacy, as well as the COVID-19 Mobile Vaccination sites throughout Merced County, which offer walk-ins with no registration necessary.
More state funds go toward combating the virus locally
The Merced County Board of Supervisors on Tuesday approved the Public Health Department’s plan to spend nearly $15 million in funds received from the California Department of Public Health Emergency Preparedness Office.
The funds are part of $1.19 billion allocated to local governments to fight the virus via the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act.
Merced County must spend its millions by a July 31, 2023 deadline. The dollars will be received in three stages each fiscal year through 2023, with the first chunk being granted during the 2020-21 budget cycle.
According to county documents, the Public Health Department intends to allocate dollars toward furthering six strategies to combat the virus.
These initiatives include improving COVID-19 surveillance and prevention, strengthening laboratory testing and advancing data sharing between public health labs, among other tactics.
The department also plans to add several new staffing positions to advance efforts. The planned jobs are three community health technicians, two public health coordinators, two health education specialists, a staff services analyst and a support services assistant. The additional jobs are funded entirely through the grant.
This story was originally published July 27, 2021 at 2:59 PM with the headline "Merced County COVID hospitalizations up again. Health officials renew calls to get vaccinated."
