Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning title=
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning
COVID-19
126 Comments
Reads 21894

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

Login to add Comments

Comments Penalty Box

9 Comments deleted due to down vote

25 Comments deleted by Administrator

See All

126 Comments

Show Comments
Bene
  • 1
  • 1
  •  
Jul 26, 2021 07:10 PM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

It 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.

MarcelK
  • 1
  • 1
  •  
Jul 26, 2021 09:50 PM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

" 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.

PitMix
  • 3
  •  
Jul 27, 2021 08:35 AM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

Where 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.

dukemunson
  • 2
  • 1
  •  
Jul 27, 2021 10:18 AM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

Pit - 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!!!).

edney
  • 1
  •  
Jul 30, 2021 04:59 PM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

1. 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

a-1627691886
  • 1
  • 1
  •  
Jul 30, 2021 05:38 PM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

The 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/

edney
  • 1
  •  
Jul 30, 2021 07:21 PM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

Look 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

a-1627699052
  • 1
  • 1
  •  
Jul 30, 2021 07:37 PM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

Choose "deaths" and "Count" and hover over Florida. 103,000 deaths.

https://covid.cdc.gov/COVID-data-tracker/?submenu-select=cases_casesinlast7days#cases_deathsinlast7days

edney
  •  
Jul 30, 2021 07:55 PM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

Ummmm, 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

a-1627703757
  • 1
  •  
Jul 30, 2021 08:55 PM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

Yes, 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!

a-1627705083
  • 1
  •  
Jul 30, 2021 09:18 PM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

Deaths 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.

dukemunson
  • 1
  •  
Jul 30, 2021 09:23 PM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

Except 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…

ZeroHawk
  • 4
  •  
Jul 27, 2021 09:27 AM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

let'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?

sacjon
  • 3
  •  
Jul 27, 2021 10:17 AM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

ZEROHAWK - 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.

edney
  • 1
  •  
Jul 30, 2021 07:43 PM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

The 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

a-1627705513
  • 1
  • 1
  •  
Jul 30, 2021 09:25 PM
Increase in COVID-19 cases are very concerning

It'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.

Pages

Please Login or Register to comment on this.

RELATED ARTICLES