On the off-chance that anyone needed proof of COVID-19’s relentless grasp on the state and the region specifically, one only needs to take a quick look at the numbers.
Just four weeks ago (June 22) there were 56 COVID-19-positive patients in San Diego County hospitals; on Tuesday (July 20) that number jumped to 193. As of July 20, there were 10 patients admitted to Imperial County hospitals with a confirmed case of COVID-19, a change of 50% from one month ago (June 20).
It’s important to note that we are nowhere near the surge numbers that we experienced in 2020 and earlier this year, but the rising hospitalizations and case numbers are a good reminder that the virus remains with us.
For those who thought that the virus would take a summer vacation, the Delta variant has shown us that it’s not ready to take a break, and other variants, perhaps, are lurking in the background. Vaccinations are vital to helping ensure that hospitals will not be overwhelmed, as they were in past surges. Close to 1.9 million residents, or 67.6% in San Diego County, are fully vaccinated, and 208,639 vaccine doses have been administered in Imperial County. Data from the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency show the efficacy of the vaccines — since Jan. 1, 2021, 99.88% of hospitalizations and 99.1% of cases are attributed to those who are not vaccinated.
While the vaccines have proven to be a highly effective tool in fighting this pandemic, we must continue to get the word out and advocate for people to get vaccinated to protect our communities.
