A medical staff member treats a patient suffering from the coronavirus disease COVID-19 in the Intensive Care Unit at Scripps Mercy Hospital in Chula Vista. REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson
The number of people in San Diego County hospitalized with COVID-19 increased by 10 to 311, according to state data released Saturday.
The number of those patients in intensive care increased by three to 36 and the number of available hospital beds increased by five to 265.
San Diego County public health officials are reminding residents that a more traditional option for a COVID-19 vaccine is now available in the protein-based Novavax shot.
San Diegans can get Novavax at local health care providers, retail pharmacies and community clinics, as well as county public health centers and community vaccination events, according to the county Health and Human Services Agency.
While the Novavax vaccine is not showing up as available in some online appointment systems, all county of San Diego locations have it in stock for anyone who asks, regardless of which vaccine was selected during scheduling, officials said.
“Novavax is another vaccine option we have to slowing the spread of COVID-19,” said Dr. Wilma Wooten, county public health officer. “It represents a new choice for the prevention of serious complications from COVID.”
Novavax is only available to people who have not received any of the other COVID-19 vaccines. It is not yet authorized as a booster shot for people who have previously been vaccinated with Pfizer, Moderna or Johnson & Johnson. It has been authorized as a two-dose primary series, given three to eight weeks apart, to people ages 18 and older. Clinical trials showed that the vaccine series is 90% effective at preventing mild, moderate and severe COVID-19.
The HHSA reported 859 new infections and six additional deaths linked to the virus in its most recent data, increasing the county’s cumulative counts to 903,885 cases and 5,448 deaths since the pandemic began. A total of 5,285 cases were reported in the past week compared to 7,045 infections identified the previous week.
San Diego County’s case rate per 100,000 residents 12 years of age and older is 43.35 for people fully vaccinated and boosted, 27.54 for fully vaccinated people and 85.20 for not fully vaccinated San Diegans.
More than 3.01 million or 90% of San Diegans age 6 months and older are at least partially vaccinated. More than 2.66 million or 79.7% are fully vaccinated. A total of 1,437,457 or 58.8% of 2,443,652 eligible San Diegans have received a booster.
The HHSA updates data on Monday and Thursday nights.
— City News Service