By Jondi Gumz
Santa Cruz County reports two more COVID-19 deaths and more hospitalizations and the state confirms via genome sequencing that a variant of concern, Omicron, is in California.
To detect and prevent the spread of the new variant, the state is increasing COVID-19 testing at airports for arrivals from South Africa, Botswana, Eswatini, Lesotho, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia or Zimbabe, all identified by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as countries with Omicron cases.
Little is known about Omicron, whether the spread is the same or faster, whether it is more severe or milder.
The state Department of Public Health issued this statement: “We must remain vigilant against this variant, but it is not a cause for panic.”
Keep those masks handy if you are hosting family indoors for the holiday.
Staff with Inspire Diagnostics set up for testing for K-12 students and staff in parking lot K at Cabrillo College, where drive-through vaccine clinics — no appointment needed — take place Monday through Friday 2:30-5:00 p.m. and Saturday 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Santa Cruz County Health Officer Dr. Gail Newel ordered masks to be worn indoors starting Nov. 22, to stave off a surge of winter cases and hospitalizations. The order applies when you are indoors and not eating, regardless of vaccination status, at work and also at home when non-household members are present.
Santa Cruz County reports 540 active cases as of Nov. 28, up from 517 a week ago, 21,124 cases since the pandemic began, 624 hospitalizations, and 225,600 negative test results. Statistics are updated on Mondays and Thursdays.
County hospitalizations are up from 6 to 14, including one in intensive care.
The two people who died were unvaccinated and had underlying conditions. One was an Asian woman in her mid40s and the other a white man in his mid70s.
Schools countywide report 41 active cases, including four students in the Scotts Valley Unified School District. Brook Knoll Elementary has two cases, Vine Hill Elementary one and Scotts Valley Middle School one. No active cases involved staff.
San Lorenzo Valley Unified District reports 7 active student cases, three at San Lorenzo Valley Charter School, two at Boulder Creek Elementary and two at San Lorenzo Valley Middle School. No active cases involved staff.
See santacruzcoe.org/coviddashboards.
Felton Community Hall will host a new popup vaccine clinic on Wednesdays, to make vaccination more convenient. For a list of COVID vaccine providers, visit www.santacruzhealth.org/coronavirusvaccine.
Vaccine Mandates
Deaths are still rising — 777,000 in the United States, 73,800 in California, 224 in Santa Cruz County — and part of President Biden’s strategy is to mandate vaccines or weekly tests for employers with 100 more employees (part time as well as fulltime — independent contractors are not counted). The deadline to comply is Jan. 4.
Attorneys general from 27 states sued. One argument is the president set legislative policy, which is the job of Congress, and another is Congress did not give federal Occupational Safety and Health administrators the power to end pandemics.
On Nov. 6, a federal appellate court in Louisiana temporarily blocked the mandate.
Due to legal challenges, the future of the mandate is not known.
Officials at the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services mandated full COVID-19 vaccination for staff by Jan. 4 at healthcare facilities participating in Medicare and Medicaid.
That prompted a lawsuit Nov. 10 by 10 states, Missouri, Nebraska, Arkansas, Iowa, Wyoming, Alaska, South Dakota, North Dakota, New Hampshire and Kansas.
They challenged the federal agency’s authority to implement the mandate.
On Nov. 29, U.S. District Judge Matthew Schelp in Missouri that a preliminary injunction blocking enforcement of the mandate in the 10 states is warranted pending a full judicial review.
According to Schelp, “Congress has not provided CMS the authority to enact the regulation at issue.”
He wrote, “No one questions that protecting patients and healthcare workers from contracting COVID is a laudable objective. But the court cannot, in good faith, allow CMS to enact an unprecedented mandate that lacks a ‘rational connection between the facts found and the choice made.’”
States are likely to succeed in their argument that the agency unlawfully bypassed federal notice and comment requirements, he added.
A CDC analysis published Nov. 18 in the American Journal of Infection Control found 30 percent of healthcare workers in more than 2,000 U.S. hospitals were unvaccinated against COVID-19 as of Sept. 15.
The Biden administration backed off on penalties this year for federal workers and military personnel not fully vaccinated (or requested a religious or medical exemption) by Nov. 22.
Enforcement will begin in 2022, when the unvaccinated may get a letter of reprimand. About 92 percent of federal employees are vaccinated.
80% One Dose
Health experts had surmised that once 70 percent of the population (or 80 percent or 85 percent) was vaccinated against COVID-19, the new coronavirus would fade away — the world could return to normal.
That hasn’t happened.
The CDC Covid Tracker says Santa Cruz County has 90.5 percent of those 12 and older with one dose and 80.8 percent of that age group fully vaccinated.
Studies show protection from Pfizer’s and Moderna’s vaccine begins to wane after a few months, which is why booster shots are available to those 18 and older whose shots were six months ago.
Dominican Hospital’s vaccine clinic has provided COVID-19 booster shots every Thursday since they were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and CDC.
Dominican vaccinated about 500 people on Nov. 18 and will resume Dec. 2 after closing on Thanksgiving, according to Kevin Kimbrough, Dignity Health external communication manager.
To make an appointment, see myturn.ca.gov.
Although protection wanes, studies show the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are highly protective against hospitalization.
The CDC said people can “mix and match” vaccines.
Kids 5-11
After Pfizer was granted emergency use authorization for its COVID vaccine for kids age 5-11, the Dignity Health Medical Group-Dominican pediatric practices in Aptos and Capitola began offering the Pfizer vaccine to their patients 5 years and older.
Drugstores also have Pfizer vaccine for kids 5-11.
Dr. Faris Sabbah, Santa Cruz County superintendent of schools, is working with all nine school districts to offer vaccine clinics for kids age 5 to 11. For Scotts Valley appointments, see: https:/santacruzcoe.org/vaccines/svusd/
Some parents worry about myocarditis, heart inflammation, which has been reported in adolescent and young adult males. It is a rare condition and Dr. Steven Black, co-director of the Global Vaccine Data Network, a consortium researching vaccine safety, told The New York Times that physicians will know to look for it.
Some parents worried about long-term side effects do not want to vaccinate their children. In other cases, if the children have had COVID, the parents contend they have natural immunity.
Testing
With Inspire Diagnostics, the County Office of Education has conducted more than 97,300 PCR surveillance tests for COVID at no charge to those tested.
Testing sites are open at Cabrillo’s parking lot K, 2-5 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday; the PVUSD District Office parking lot, open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesday, and Fridays, and the county Office of Education, 400 Encinal St., Santa Cruz.
Juan Straub, Inspire project manager, said 230 people got tested at Cabrillo on Nov. 10 despite the rain.
Students and their families, and staff and their families can use this free service. Those needing a test fill out the registration once at http://sccoe.link/inspiresc and go to any site. No appointment is needed.
The CDC tracker reports test positivity in Santa Cruz County at 2.37 percent, up from 1.54 percent seven days ago; the statewide rate has risen to 3.4 percent.
More Jobs
Santa Cruz County had a healthy 105,100 jobs as of mid-October, and unemployment was 5.2%, down from 7.4% a year ago. November numbers will be posted Dec. 17.
Many businesses have “help wanted” signs.
REI, the co-op outdoor gear and clothing store, opened Nov. 12 at the former Toys R Us, 1662 Commercial Way, Santa Cruz.
“REI welcomed more than 300 people in the first minutes our doors opened on Friday and 150 patiently waited this morning (Nov. 13),” said Megan Behrbaum, REI communications manager.
In Felton, the historic Cremer House, shuttered in the pandemic, got a new name, Humble Sea Tavern cocktails + kitchen, courtesy of locally owned Humble Sea Brewing Co.
Pandemic-induced supply chain problems have delayed the start of Aptos library construction project.
The New York Times advised people to shop earlier this year because of expected shipping delays due to supply chain problems.
Or avoid that problem and shop local.
•••
Total COVID cases: 21,124
•••
COVID Deaths: 224
As of Dec.1
Age
85 and older: 98 • 75-84: 49 • 65-74: 40 • 60-64: 13 • 55-59: 3 • 45-54: 9 • 35-44: 7 • 25-34: 5
Underlying Conditions
Yes: 178 • No: 46
Race
White 123 • Latinx 82 • Asian 16 • Black 1 • Amer Indian/Alaskan native 1
Gender
Male: 114 • Female 110
Aging Facility
Yes: 105 • No 119