Omicron is seen in 97.7 percent of COVID-19 cases – no identified deaths from variant

STOCKTON - San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors Receive COVID-19 Updates and Take Actions Omicron is seen in 97.7 percent of COVID-19 cases – no identified deaths from variant STOCKTON – San Joaquin County Public Health Officer Dr. Maggie Park told the Board of Supervisors today that COVID-19 case rates, hospitalizations and ICU admissions are currently high throughout the County. She noted that even though people in the hospital may have COVID-19, it may not be the primary reason they were admitted to the hospital. Dr. Park told the Supervisors that COVID-19 case rates have increased from 87.8 to 237 cases per 100,000 since January 11, 2021.

• 144,773 total COVID-19 cases; 1,959 deaths; 307 people hospitalized; 70 COVID-19 positive people in ICU
• To date, 1,108,586 vaccines have been administered to county residents.
• 65% (472,162 residents) of vaccine-eligible residents are fully vaccinated and another 14.4% (104,204 residents) have received partial vaccinations through the County, as well as other multi-county entities, hospital systems, and pharmacies
• 79.4% of San Joaquin County's total population has received at least one dose /li>
• County hospital ICU's are over 156% full, with 45% of hospital ICU beds are filled by COVID-19 patients

To view weekly updates of the County's COVID-19 statistics, visit: http://www.sjcphs.org/Disease/Epidemiology.aspx

Dr. Park told the Board that over 97 percent of new COVID-19 cases are due to Omicron stating, “Omicron is clearly the dominant variant in the county and nationwide, and we are watching our numbers closely to see when we can confidently say that we have turned the corner from this surge. Before we can claim victory over this virus, we still need to look ahead to new variants on the horizon to see what impact they may have on the community. Until then, we still need to use every tool at our disposal including testing, vaccines, masks and social distancing. It has made a huge difference in slowing and preventing the deadly spread of the Delta variant and could help prevent future outbreaks of imminent forms of the virus.”

Dr. Park discussed the amount of testing that is occurring throughout San Joaquin County. She said that over 2 million PCR tests have been conducted in the county with 30,000 – 40,000 tests being administered each week over the past couple of weeks. She said the state distributed 8 million at-home tests to schools throughout California for students returning from winter break. In addition, the state also distributed over 67,000 at-home tests for the county to distribute to the general public including clients of county agencies, higher education, childcare providers, community and faith-based organizations, congregate settings and homeless shelters. She also noted that the federal government is distributing at-home tests (four per household) on a one-time basis to anyone who makes a request on COVIDtests.gov or by calling 1-800-232-0233.

The Board was given an update on therapies being used to treat COVID-19. Currently, Molnupiravir (33% effective) and Paxlovid (88% effective) are available at several pharmacies throughout the county. While pharmacies are receiving the medications on a weekly basis, supplies are limited. Only patients who are at-risk and have a prescription from their physician are eligible to receive the treatment. In addition, monoclonal antibody infusions of Sotrovimab (MAB) are also available to treat people with mild to moderate COVID-19 symptoms with a referral from a physician. MAB therapy is available through each emergency department and infusion clinics operated by Sutter Health, Kaiser Permanente and San Joaquin County Clinics. Available locations can be found here. Residents are also encouraged to check www.SJReady.org or www.MyTurn.ca.gov to find testing and vaccine locations.

Supervisor Chuck Winn, Chair of the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, responded to Dr. Park's presentation stating, “Interventions such as oral antivirals and monoclonal antibodies along with testing and vaccinations can help save lives and reduce suffering. These no-cost treatments can reduce the risk of COVID-19- related hospital visits and deaths and help those who are sick with the virus feel better faster. These therapies can also reduce the burden on hospital staff and increase the amount of hospital beds for people who are admitted for other serious health conditions.”

Consent Items

• Approval for use of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act grant funds for carpet and tile flooring replacement in the Transportation Security Administration Offices, in the amount of $12,250, and related budget adjustments.
• Approval for use of Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act Grant Funds for the Chiller Circuit B Coil Replacement Project at the Stockton Metropolitan Airport, in the amount of $23,095, and related budget adjustments.
• Approval of Amendment 1 to lease agreement (A-15-112), between the County of San Joaquin and Big Valley Aviati.

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