Sacramento County health officials say they are encouraged by an increase in people getting vaccinated and a related boost in vaccine orders by providers lately. There was about a 41% increase in initial doses of COVID-19 vaccines that were administered in the county for the week of July 18 to 24 when compared with the July 4 to 10 period, Sacramento County immunization program manager Rachel Allen said in a virtual update on Thursday. “Definitely encouraging to see that,” she said.Allen called for more people on the fence to get vaccinated to avoid the possibility that other variants could emerge.She also released statistics for July on hospitalizations and the numbers of breakthrough COVID-19 cases.About 16% of total COVID-19 cases (8,905) were breakthrough cases of people who were fully vaccinated (1,441). But just 3.5% of breakthrough cases (316) were people who had symptoms, she said.The vast majority of the 98 people who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 in July were unvaccinated. Nine people who were fully vaccinated were hospitalized, about 9% of the total.There were 17 deaths for the month, including two people who were fully vaccinated (11%).A little more than half of fully vaccinated cases (53%) were symptomatic, compared to 83% of non-fully vaccinated cases, she also said.Overall, less than 1% of the more than 760,000 fully vaccinated people to date have had a breakthrough COVID-19 infection, she said.What’s driving the increase in vaccinations? More than 54% of people in the county have been at least partially vaccinated and more than 48% fully vaccinated, according to the county’s dashboard. Allen said there were at least two factors that she could attribute as influencing more people to get the shot. The first was a greater realization about the risks from the delta variant and that slowing the spread of COVID-19 is a way to protect against other variants. She also said that reports in the media about people who have not gotten vaccinated and who fell ill or died could also be a motivating factor. “They’re hard to hear but they are helpful,” she said of those reports. County health officials have also heard from people who have been hesitant about getting vaccinated say they are waiting for full authorization by the Food and Drug Administration. “If you’re waiting for that, I would still reevaluate,” she said. “I think delaying, even a day, could be risky.”No plans for more restrictions in Sacramento CountyDr. Olivia Kasirye, Sacramento County’s public health officer, said the county did not have plans for further COVID-19 restrictions beyond the recent indoor mask mandate.“We’re not considering any additional restrictions at this time and we do continue to work with the state in terms of if there are any additional metrics that we need to look at,” she said. She said that hospitalization rates are rising but that administrators say so far they still have the capacity to handle the increase.Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg has said that he is considering following New York City’s direction in requiring that customers at some businesses be vaccinated.
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
Sacramento County health officials say they are encouraged by an increase in people getting vaccinated and a related boost in vaccine orders by providers lately.
There was about a 41% increase in initial doses of COVID-19 vaccines that were administered in the county for the week of July 18 to 24 when compared with the July 4 to 10 period, Sacramento County immunization program manager Rachel Allen said in a virtual update on Thursday.
“Definitely encouraging to see that,” she said.
Allen called for more people on the fence to get vaccinated to avoid the possibility that other variants could emerge.
She also released statistics for July on hospitalizations and the numbers of breakthrough COVID-19 cases.
- About 16% of total COVID-19 cases (8,905) were breakthrough cases of people who were fully vaccinated (1,441). But just 3.5% of breakthrough cases (316) were people who had symptoms, she said.
- The vast majority of the 98 people who were hospitalized due to COVID-19 in July were unvaccinated. Nine people who were fully vaccinated were hospitalized, about 9% of the total.
- There were 17 deaths for the month, including two people who were fully vaccinated (11%).
- A little more than half of fully vaccinated cases (53%) were symptomatic, compared to 83% of non-fully vaccinated cases, she also said.
- Overall, less than 1% of the more than 760,000 fully vaccinated people to date have had a breakthrough COVID-19 infection, she said.
What’s driving the increase in vaccinations?
More than 54% of people in the county have been at least partially vaccinated and more than 48% fully vaccinated, according to the county’s dashboard.
Allen said there were at least two factors that she could attribute as influencing more people to get the shot. The first was a greater realization about the risks from the delta variant and that slowing the spread of COVID-19 is a way to protect against other variants. She also said that reports in the media about people who have not gotten vaccinated and who fell ill or died could also be a motivating factor.
“They’re hard to hear but they are helpful,” she said of those reports.
County health officials have also heard from people who have been hesitant about getting vaccinated say they are waiting for full authorization by the Food and Drug Administration.
“If you’re waiting for that, I would still reevaluate,” she said. “I think delaying, even a day, could be risky.”
No plans for more restrictions in Sacramento County
Dr. Olivia Kasirye, Sacramento County’s public health officer, said the county did not have plans for further COVID-19 restrictions beyond the recent indoor mask mandate.
“We’re not considering any additional restrictions at this time and we do continue to work with the state in terms of if there are any additional metrics that we need to look at,” she said.
She said that hospitalization rates are rising but that administrators say so far they still have the capacity to handle the increase.
Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg has said that he is considering following New York City’s direction in requiring that customers at some businesses be vaccinated.