Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning
By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health
Santa Barbara County is seeing an alarming increase in new case rates for COVID-19, with active cases up 90% over two weeks ago. With the current uptick, it is expected that the daily case rates will continue to increase and cause a new wave of infection similar to the Summer of 2020.
The biggest obstacle to stopping the virus is the proportion of unvaccinated community members. In Santa Barbara County, an unvaccinated person is15 times more likely to get infected and fall ill from COVID-19 compared to if they were vaccinated. The new surge is truly a wave of unvaccinated people falling ill and spreading the virus to others.
Severe COVID-19 can be very dangerous: The sooner you get vaccinated, the sooner you, your friends and family will be protected.
How do I protect myself against variants?
• Get vaccinated if you are 12 years of age or older. The three COVID-19 vaccines authorized for use in the US offer the best protection against all variants currently spreading here. They have proven to be very safe and effective. If you have concerns or questions about COVID-19 vaccines, talk with your doctor. If you are already vaccinated, encourage your family, friends, and neighbors to get vaccinated.
• Wear a mask. Masks remain the most powerful tool to protect yourself from infection and others if you were unknowingly spreading the virus before developing symptoms. Make sure you wear a well-fitting mask that covers both your mouth and nose in public indoor settings. Because the Delta variant is capable to occasionally infect vaccinated people, we strongly recommend that fully vaccinated persons also wear masks indoors in public places .
Learn more about masks at https://publichealthsbc.org/individual-health/.
• Wash your hands and/or use hand sanitizer often - especially after being in public spaces where surfaces are touched by many people.
How do I get a COVID-19 vaccine?
Vaccines are available across Santa Barbara County and free to everyone, regardless of immigration status. Many vaccination sites take walk-ins, or you can choose to make an appointment.
• Visit https://publichealthsbc.org/vaccine/ to find a location near you.
• Visit https://www.vaccines.gov/ for additional locations
• Information is also available in many languages 24/7 by calling 2-1-1.
• TEXT: GETVAX (438829) for English or VACUNA (822862) for Spanish
Comments Penalty Box
9 Comments deleted due to down vote
25 Comments deleted by Administrator
126 Comments
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Jul 30, 2021 07:43 PMThe more I read here, the more I realize most people just regurgitate opinions that are backed by little if any actual agnostic research. (Data like per capita deaths per 100,000 by state is agnostic to politics. It sheds a light on red state, blue state governance, but the data is firm that CA is #17 in the USA at 160 per 100,000 and FLA #25 at 183 deaths per 100,000.
Numbers 1,2,3,4 are NJ at 299 per 100,000, NY at 276 per 100,000, MASS at 262, RI at 259
Politically agnostic data doesn't care if those states are deep blue and doesn't care if deep red MS is #5 at 253 per 100,000
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Jul 30, 2021 09:27 PMExcept the numbers say the opposite Mac …
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Jul 30, 2021 09:25 PMIt's apparent that post-trump in red states, many people have grown accustomed to dumpster fires everywhere, and consider it a normal condition that they should just ignore.
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Jul 27, 2021 09:27 AMlet's make it very simple for many of you: you are either helping fight/prevent the spread and are getting vaxed or are already vaxed and you wear a mask when it's appropriate to do so.
OR
you are part of the problem and are helping spread misinformation, refusing common sense and logic and won't get vaxed and won't wear a mask and act like an unruly child when approached to mask up.
there are only two choices. which road will you take?
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Jul 27, 2021 10:17 AMZEROHAWK - you forgot the third choice:
Acting like a know-at-all and nitpicking CDC numbers and arguing it's all wrong because of some "science" that you "researched" on YouTube, and just being all around argumentative and spending all your time complaining about the numbers as if there isn't a verifiable, global risk that you should just adult up and protect yourself and your family against.
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Jul 27, 2021 08:35 AMWhere are our buddies that used to say how well Florida was doing? How sad are those stories of the Floridians who ask if they can still get vaxxed right before they are intubated.
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Jul 30, 2021 09:23 PMExcept when you account for age demos… in which case California did worse. At least we have the memories of a whole year with no school though… so we got that going for us… which is nice…
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Jul 30, 2021 09:18 PMDeaths are more of a measure of the resiliency of a state's healthcare system, given that we have gotten a lot better at treating COVID. Each case is a potential death, and especially so if the healthcare system gets overwhelmed.
Cases are a measure of how well a state is protecting its citizens, with policies like vaccination, distancing, and masking.
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Jul 30, 2021 09:08 PMToday alone, Florida had over 17,000 new cases. We had just over 1000.
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Jul 30, 2021 08:55 PMYes, it was over 103,000 cases in the last reported week, not deaths.
All those extra deaths in Florida per 100,000 are truly apolitical, at least now. DeSantis is also doing his best to suppress COVID reporting and cause more deaths with his ridiculous policies.
Freedumb!
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Jul 30, 2021 07:59 PMA-1627699052
You confused cases with deaths
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Jul 30, 2021 07:55 PMUmmmm, you just confused weekly cases with deaths. You do know that FLA has only had 39,079 TOTAL deaths cumulative since day one of the pandemic right?
The FLA death rate per 100,000 is down to 108 per 100,000 from 180 per 100,000
http://ww11.doh.state.fl.us/comm/_partners/covid19_report_archive/covid19-data/covid19_data_latest.pdf
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Jul 30, 2021 07:37 PMChoose "deaths" and "Count" and hover over Florida. 103,000 deaths.
https://covid.cdc.gov/COVID-data-tracker/?submenu-select=cases_casesinlast7days#cases_deathsinlast7days
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Jul 30, 2021 07:23 PMShare your links and sources on FLA
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Jul 30, 2021 07:21 PMLook at the date of the data I provided in the link.
Look at death rate per capita, not "surges"
Death rate is what matters, not cases. Remember a change from 1 to 2 is a "surge of 100%" so read the underlying data and the historical context
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Jul 30, 2021 06:01 PMAnd yet they are still doing better by age demo than California…
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Jul 30, 2021 05:38 PMEdney actually undersold Florida. When you actually break it down by age, Florida did better by every single age…
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Jul 30, 2021 05:38 PMThe disaster in Florida; they're pushing 100,000 cases a week
:https://www.factcheck.org/2021/07/scicheck-covid-19-surges-among-unvaccinated-in-florida-contrary-to-baseless-claims/
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Jul 30, 2021 04:59 PM1. Try not to mix up Florida and Alabama when recounting anecdotes. That Doctor where the patients were asking for vaccine in the ICU was talking about patients from Alabama
https://www.al.com/news/2021/07/im-sorry-but-its-too-late-alabama-doctor-on-treating-unvaccinated-dying-covid-patients.html
https://www.statista.com/statistics/1109011/coronavirus-covid19-death-rates-us-by-state/
2. Florida and California have very close death rates per 100,000.
Florida has 7% more people over 50 years of age (over 50 years of age constitute 95% of the deaths) are and has a death rate of 10% higher per 100,000 than CA. Adjusted for age, its more like a 5% difference
3. FLA has been open and unmasked. CA has been closed.
4. FLA is 4% less vaccinated than CA but has more people with recovered immunity (due to having been open)
I get partisanship, but wouldn't it be better for CA to see what FLA did right and adopt that?
And for FLA to see what CA did right and adopt that?
Because that stats say... (not studies, these are hard numbers) stats say FLA could make minor improvements in protecting people over 50, stay open and cut ahead of CA by simply saving 16 per 100,000 extra people in that over 50 cohort
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Jul 27, 2021 10:18 AMPit - might be a bit early to be declaring victory. It’s all about vaccinations, and while we are ahead (California is at 52.5% to Florida’s 48.6%) it isn’t that much. And since we’re completely open like Florida… you presumably are celebrating a bit early.
The key is to get vaccinated… and that’s an issue throughout the country, including here as again we’re barely over 50%. Our spike is slightly behind Florida, but the trajectory is the same.
Get vaccinated everyone… it’s very very simple (and free!!!).
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Jul 27, 2021 09:34 AMwhoo whee, I just googled. Florida is a hot mess.
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Jul 26, 2021 07:10 PMIt appears clear that almost everyone should get fully vaccinated, with some exceptions, such as those who suffer anaphylaxis with the first shot and are thus unable to get the second. But clearly there is still much that is not known about the virus and the variants, break through infections, and whether or not a breakthrough infection can infect others. Most experts agree that much more needs to be learned, and this should be a common sense observation also. Therefore the absolute confidence that some here have expressed that once vaccinated one need have no further concern about infecting others or of having a breakthrough infection themselves is concerning. Even more concerning is the predictable "pile-on" attacks on others who do not write in exact accordance with them. For example, at this time, I do not think I agree with CSF's perspective on mRNA technology, especially after having a chat with my pulmonologist friend whose close associate helped develop that technology. But that doesn't mean I have no interest in what he has to say. I am very interested in his explanation of why he thinks as he does. Because he is clearly more qualified to analyze this than the average person, his rationale is not only interesting, but perhaps there is a "loophole" or something overlooked in my confidence in that technology. His ideas could inspire a new area for me to research. While I'd likely come to the conclusion I already have about mRNA safety, I would only find myself more educated and better informed for my efforts. One need not fear new ideas if one feels capable of making one's own conclusions. It is hurtful to see the level of derision aimed at someone who is thinking outside "lock step."
Science would never have progressed as far as it has if the majority of researchers could not bear to hear any novel opinion. Even if a "novel opinion" is wrong, it may bring up an aspect that is of value or inspire another path of investigation that could be useful. Even the exercise of refuting can lead to strengthening knowledge. In meetings of those in the creative professions, ideas are freely thrown out with no censorship. It is expected that most of the ideas are not "winners" but by encouraging free thought and novel ideas new discoveries are more likely.
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Jul 26, 2021 09:50 PM" I am very interested in his explanation of why he thinks as he does." --
Are you interested in the explanations of why what he says about statistics shows a complete lack of understanding of the subject?
" It is hurtful to see the level of derision aimed at someone who is thinking outside "lock step.""
-- I lost track of the number of strawmen you attacked here.
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Jul 26, 2021 08:38 PMBene, give it a rest. When someone is making up information, there is no novel opinion.
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Jul 26, 2021 08:13 PMWhat do you think is his motivation for that? I'm truly curious.
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Jul 26, 2021 07:36 PMIf he had any ideas, you might have a point. But all he does is try to instill fear of vaccination. Not a good thing at all.
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Jul 26, 2021 09:48 AMcmon people....time to set the weird conspiracies aside and get vaxed. wear your mask, wash your hands. kinda ridiculous that we are here once again. Are we so bad that we can't think of others, think of our kids, of our elderly and weak, that we risk everything and everyone and not get vaxed and complain about a mask? it's better than dying.
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Jul 26, 2021 06:58 PMJUST…GET…VACCINATED. And if you don’t, I won’t be wearing one “for you” and oh yeah, you’re a loser who is risking: my kid’s chance to go back to school and live a normal childhood, as well as the overall well-being of our society as a whole.
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Jul 26, 2021 09:16 AMTo all of you complaining and nitpicking about numbers, again: Why? What's the point? If there is a risk out there, make the tiniest effort to protect yourself and others. Wear a mask indoors if required to. It's not hard, it's easy. Who cares the precise # of infections or rates or anything? Make life easier on yourself and stop nitpicking everything and play it safe, even if it's not EXACTLY as dangerous or effective as "your numbers" conclude. It's exhausting in here.
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Jul 26, 2021 05:23 AMMOUNTAIN- Welcome to the new fascism. Free speech no longer applies, you must say what they want to hear and believe what they tell you to believe. Of course this comment must not be allowed either.
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Jul 30, 2021 07:38 PMAsk any neo-Republicon supporter of the orange moron, since their beliefs line up pretty well with fascism.
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Jul 30, 2021 07:26 PMDefine fascism as you see it off the cuff and without consulting wikipedia
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Jul 27, 2021 09:23 AMchannelfog...really? i'm one to stand up to fascism in a heartbeat, but your comment is just lame and has nothing to do with freedom of speech or fascism, nor does a public mandate, nor does COMMON SENSE. get vaxed, wear a mask/err on the side of caution, wash your hands.
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Jul 26, 2021 04:42 PMChannel Fog got triggered because another poster violated Edhat's terms of service. If you don't like the rules, then leave.
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Jul 26, 2021 08:48 AMCHANNEL - I just breezed through MOUNTAINMAN's deleted comments. The few of the many I read, were deleted because of foul language, references to 1930s Germany, fake news about the vaccine and many more reasons..... all violations of Edhat's policies. They were not completely removed, everyone can go read them if they want. Go cry on Parler if you feel rules should not apply to you. Snowflake.
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Jul 26, 2021 08:44 AMPitmax - you are right on the money. To add "The First Amendment only prohibits Congress – the legislative branch of the United States government – from abridging the right to free speech. ... The First Amendment does not prohibit private individuals, companies and employers from restricting speech." So all these social media sites are well within their rights to remove any content they so choose. Also, free speech does not mean people are immune from criticism. If someone puts forth a proposition, others can use their free speech to criticize it.
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Jul 26, 2021 08:35 AMFree Speech: "the right to express information, ideas, and opinions free of government restrictions based on content and subject only to reasonable limitations (as the power of the government to avoid a clear and present danger) especially as guaranteed by the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution"
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Jul 26, 2021 07:50 AMFree speech does not apply to a privately owned website. Nobody is preventing you from going out on your patio and shouting your misinformation, are they?
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Jul 25, 2021 08:03 PMI only see Republicans comparing vaccines and masking to the Holocaust.
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Jul 30, 2021 07:27 PMThat seems extreme GT
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Jul 27, 2021 09:25 AMGeneral...i hate politics, but you are so right here...
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Jul 25, 2021 08:34 PMthank you, the great OZ... Master of all, with keen wisdom to guide us in all truth...
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Jul 27, 2021 09:33 AMThe unvaccinated are consuming Republican propaganda.
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Jul 25, 2021 04:32 PMPure FUD. The unvaccinated are leading the surge. They are what you smell.
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Jul 25, 2021 02:56 PMPerhaps every hospital should inform their communities that if an individual does not trust the vaccine , that individual has absolutely no business trusting the treatment used to fight covid once they catch it .
Don’t swamp the hospitals if you are not willing to trust the health care industrial complex on the front end to get yourself vaxxed. Go without 100%, or buy in and get the shot!
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Jul 25, 2021 11:38 AMMore deceitfully worded FUD.
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Jul 24, 2021 10:16 PMAnd, like most posts by MM4865, the Portugal assertion is total social media lies.
https://fullfact.org/online/lisbon-portugal-covid-deaths/
https://www.theportugalnews.com/news/2021-07-09/covid-death-numbers-controversy/60916
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Jul 24, 2021 04:39 PMLATEST NUMBERS OUT OF PUBLIC HEALTH ENGLAND
Here’s the latest batch of data (Friday’s technical briefing 19) from Public Health England (PHE) regarding vaccinations and the delta variant. PHE is one of the very few government organizations that is fully transparent, providing a very high level of detail in their reports. You can look at the numbers yourself here: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/investigation-of-novel-sars-cov-2-variant-variant-of-concern-20201201
DELTA CASE NUMBERS: Most of the delta positive cases are currently unvaccinated people (53.0%), with 10.4% being fully vaccinated. That said, these numbers have been changing dramatically since early June, with an small net decrease in unvaccinated cases (-1.9%) and a rather large increase in fully vaccinated cases (+7.5%).
HOSPITALIZATIONS FROM DELTA: Overnight stays in the hospital have mostly been unvaccinated people, but since monitoring started in June these numbers tending toward a reversal. Cases of unvaccinated people with overnight stays in the hospital have dropped (-7.4%), and fully vaccinated hospitalizations have dramatically increased (+17.7%).
TOTAL DEATHS FROM DELTA:
460 people have died from the delta variant as of Friday’s report, with 224 of them being fully vaccinated (48.7%) and only 165 being unvaccinated (35.9%). Partially vaccinated account of 65 deaths (14.1%).
MORTALITY OF DELTA:
Based on the data provided in the latest technical briefing, mortality for fully vaccinated people is 0.10%, while mortality for unvaccinated people is slightly lower at 0.07%, for only 0.03% for partially vaccinated.
MY CONCLUSIONS:
The vaccines are failing against the delta variant in real-world England. While the majority of positive delta cases and hospitalizations are among unvaccinated people, those numbers are dropping and a fully vaccinated individuals are making up a larger proportion of cases and hospitalizations. Most concerning are the outcomes, with fully vaccinated individuals making up the majority of deaths (48.7% fully vaccinated vs 35.9% unvaccinated). I’ve been criticized as being misleading by presenting the numbers this way, which is why I’m now including the mortality rates (0.10% fully vaccinated vs. 0.07% unvaccinated). Either way you look at it, there vaccines are simply not providing the expect protection to certain populations of fully vaccinated individuals, which thus far appears to be those over 50 years of age. Links to pre-existing conditions are not apparent from the data. My suspicion is that unvaccinated people are still treating COVID as a threat and taking precautions, while fully vaccinated people have returned to a pre-COVID mentality and are now paying a price. If you think what’s happening in England can’t or won’t happen here, you are fooling yourself---or someone fooled you.
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Jul 30, 2021 07:16 PMIt isn't helpful to discussion to include the USA in discussions of Delta variant breakthroughs in India or UK using vaccines not legal in the US.
The UK vaccines may be perfectly fine, but please compare Delta variant breakthroughs on the vaccines we use here.
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Jul 27, 2021 04:32 PMHi Bene. Full disclosure to clear up the air. I’m not anti-vax. In fact, just prior to COVID I went in for my Hep A/B and TDAP boosters. Had the lab check my childhood vaccine titers and when they came back low I got MMR boosters and my annual influenza vaccine too. I’m all caught up.
I do have legitimate, scientific concerns about the new COVID vaccines, the scale on which they’re being rolled out, and the pressure being applied on everyone to take them. Given the apparent emergency we’re in, I think these vaccines are totally appropriate for some people, though I also feel they’re totally inappropriate for others. I won’t go into details here out of the interest in keeping my reply brief and because I don’t want to start another argument.
It’s very nice to hear from you again. I do hope you’re well.
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