Omicron has quickly change into the predominant COVID-19 variant of concern, driving a spike of case charges in the US on the similar time that prolonged households collect for the vacation season. For households with older and immunocompromised people, worries about COVID-19 are comprehensible. However with its excessive fee of vaccination, the San Francisco Bay Space seems to be well-equipped to deal with the upcoming wave. And whereas specialists need the general public to be cautious, in addition they are not looking for mass panic and nervousness to overwhelm and overrule the present COVID-19 response.
“Largest piece of recommendation: Don’t panic,” mentioned Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, an infectious illnesses professional at UCSF. “This isn’t March 2020. The vaccines are a revolution in serving to us keep protected and defending our hospital capability.”
Susan Philip, San Francisco’s well being officer, emphasised the significance of getting the booster in an interview with SFGATE.
“We’re ranging from a majority inhabitants that has had their first doses, and now we’re saying this extra booster dose is what’s wanted to actually, actually guarantee that folks have the utmost safety for themselves and to ensure our metropolis is as protected as attainable,” she mentioned.
We requested three specialists — two infectious illness specialists and a number one San Francisco well being official — for his or her enter on how the Bay Space has been affected by omicron thus far, in addition to their ideas on how you can navigate frequent situations because the variant continues to proliferate.
Discover COVID-19 case, hospitalization and dying charges for San Francisco, Alameda County and Contra Costa County on their respective public well being dashboards.
This story might be up to date.
Are COVID instances going up within the San Francisco Bay Space?
Philip mentioned that instances have risen inside the previous 4 to 5 days within the metropolis.
“They’ve gone from about 10 to 21 [people infected for every 100,000 people] previously 4 to 5 days. So this can be a related sample. We’re going to be seeing an identical trajectory present up … that we’re seeing in New York Metropolis.” (In New York, after hovering across the 100 mark in November, simply over 225 folks had been contaminated for each 100,000 folks on Dec. 7. As of Dec. 18, the latest day for which the town has information, 795 per 100,000 had been contaminated, in response to New York’s dashboard.)
Philip mentioned she anticipates seeing individuals who have been vaccinated however not boosted getting breakthrough infections at a better fee than their boosted counterparts.
Are COVID hospitalizations going up within the Bay Space?
Philip mentioned that hospitalizations haven’t risen but in San Francisco, however given traits in New York and elsewhere globally, she anticipates an uptick in hospitalizations right here as properly.
“We count on that we’ll see will increase in hospitalizations,” she mentioned, “and what we’re attempting to do is give folks data in order that we are able to mitigate the peak of that surge, the peak of these hospitalization peaks. As a result of once more, we need to maintain folks out of the hospital in order that they themselves have higher well being and should not having horrible well being penalties.”
Her message hearkens again to an oft-repeated message from earlier within the pandemic: Flatten the curve.
A medical skilled prepares to manage a pediatric Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination throughout a vaccination clinic at Emmanuel Baptist Church on Nov. 3, 2021, in San Jose, Calif.
Justin Sullivan/Getty PhotographsAre vaccinated folks within the Bay Space reporting critical sickness with omicron?
Definitive information is not accessible but to point whether or not omicron infections look completely different from these attributable to different variants.
Chin-Hong advised SFGATE in an e mail that preliminary information has discovered that whereas the “overwhelming majority … reporting critical sickness are unvaccinated,” there have been some hospitalizations amongst older people (these over 75, he mentioned) and immunocompromised people. Nevertheless, these people for essentially the most half had not had booster shoots.
UCSF epidemiologist Dr. George Rutherford mentioned information from exterior the area indicated omicron causes milder illness in vaccinated folks.
He referred to current information from the U.Ok. Well being Safety Company that has recognized greater than 143,000 attainable omicron instances. Of these instances, there have been 129 hospitalizations and 14 deaths. (As of Dec. 17, greater than half of the UK’s over-18 inhabitants has obtained the booster.)
“There are undoubtedly vaccinated folks getting contaminated with omicron and some boosted folks getting contaminated, however folks with omicron seem like hospitalized at a comparatively decrease fee” in contrast with different variants, Rutherford mentioned.
What makes this potential Bay Space COVID surge completely different from previous waves?
Our specialists all pointed to various factors distinguishing this present surge from earlier ones.
Chin-Hong mentioned that “the great infectivity” of omicron units it aside, with at the least double the unfold of the delta variant.
“With earlier surges, vaccines would have been extra highly effective as a singular measure [preventing transmission], however we’d like some further add-ons now to be the most secure, like masks [and testing],” he mentioned.
Rutherford mentioned the early proof suggests the brand new wave is “related to decrease ranges of great illness,” partly as a result of so many individuals have been vaccinated right here, he mentioned.
How does the COVID-19 surge within the Bay Space evaluate to different elements of California and the nation?
Philip mentioned that for now, San Francisco and the Bay Space at giant haven’t seen a rise in hospitalizations. However different areas of the state, particularly in Los Angeles County, hospitalizations have risen.
“We’re seeing statewide that hospitalizations have already elevated 12% general in comparison with a few weeks in the past, and in Southern California, LA County, they’ve elevated 31%,” Philip mentioned.
However Chin-Hong is optimistic that the Bay Space is ready to deal with this upcoming wave.
“Our hospitals will undergo with sick healthcare employees isolating at house and an inflow of sufferers,” he mentioned. However “if anybody goes to face as much as omicron, the Bay Space will. We’ve got among the many highest vaccination charges within the nation and we’ve been as COVID avenue good as any.”
Masked prospects and one unmasked exit Walgreens on Irving Avenue within the Outer Sundown on Monday afternoon, Aug. 2, 2021.
Kevin Kelleher/Particular to SFGATEThe place can I get examined?
You possibly can go on to your well being care supplier corresponding to Kaiser Permanente or Sutter Well being for testing. Pharmacies corresponding to Walgreens and CVS additionally present testing.
You also needs to seek the advice of assets out of your county that will provide distinctive testing alternatives at group and pop-up clinics.
— Discover testing data for Alameda County.
— Discover testing data for Contra Costa County.
— Discover testing data for Marin County.
— Discover testing data for Napa County.
— Discover testing data for San Francisco.
— Discover testing data for San Mateo County.
— Discover testing data for Santa Clara County.
— Discover testing data for Sonoma County.
— Discover testing data for Solano County.
The place can I purchase at-home COVID checks?
Over-the-counter antigen checks may be bought on-line or at most pharmacies and offer you ends in quarter-hour. They’re not as dependable as PCR checks, however they’re prone to catch COVID when individuals are at their most contagious.
These checks have been promoting out shortly. Examine along with your native pharmacy to seek out out when they’re going to obtain a brand new cargo.
Ought to I be frightened about passing COVID to my older family members at a vacation gathering if everyone seems to be vaccinated and boosted?
Consultants say, for essentially the most half, not likely.
“Not notably, however everybody must be totally vaccinated and boosted,” mentioned Rutherford, emphasizing that this implies everybody who’s eligible ought to have accomplished a vaccine sequence and gotten a booster shot. “The little or no youngsters who cannot get vaccinated are much less prone to be transmitters.”
Philip, although, famous that it isn’t a one-size-fits-all suggestion.
“Folks might select to take barely completely different approaches and use completely different layers of further safety based mostly on their very own circumstances,” she mentioned. People who find themselves extraordinarily frightened can plan for outside gatherings, indoor masking and testing earlier than gathering.
However it’s essential to do not forget that this yr’s vacation is vastly completely different from final yr’s.
“We’re not telling folks do not collect. We all know how essential it’s for psychological well being and general well-being for folks to see the folks that they love and care about. We simply must be conscious that omicron is right here,” Philip mentioned.
Is it protected to dine indoors at eating places or attend indoor occasions within the Bay Space if I am totally vaccinated and boosted?
Consultants are a bit torn. “Sure,” mentioned Rutherford. “I am planning on going to the Warriors sport on Jan. 3. I am taking a few of my youngsters with me. I believe the extent of vaccination is actually excessive within the Bay Space. I believe they aggressively display screen individuals who’ve been unvaccinated. I believe it is about pretty much as good as it is going to get.”
However Chin-Hong is a little more cautious.
“Proper now there should be a window earlier than instances surge additional and earlier than restaurant employees keep house and isolate in the event that they’re contaminated,” Chin-Hong mentioned. “However that window could also be closing in a short time. All of it depends upon your risk-benefit calculus.”
For individuals who are older than 65 or immunocompromised, or reside with a person who’s — particularly if they’re unboosted — Chin-Hong says it is value contemplating forgoing indoor eating for a brief time frame.
