The average testing positivity, hospitalizations, and deaths continue to fall as San Diego county eases out of the Omicron surge and the world approaches a grim second anniversary of the coronavirus outbreak.
The World Health Organization on March 11, 2020, declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic. According to recent state data released on Tuesday, San Diego County’s cumulative totals to 738,232 cases and 5,034 deaths since the pandemic began.
San Diego County reported 533 new COVID-19 cases and five additional deaths associated with the virus in its latest data, while the average test-positivity rate continued to drop.
The average percentage of COVID-19 tests county-wide that returned decreased to 5.2 percent from 5.7 percent Friday. An average of 12,602 tests were reported daily in the past week.
In the most recent report provided by Chula Vista Emergency Services Manager Marlon King, the city sees an average of 1,026 new cases in seven days. The seven-day average is 54 cases, which is a significant decrease from what was nearly 162.
It has been one year, 11 months, and 20 days since the COVID-19 Emergency Operations Center was activated in Chula Vista. According to King, the testing positivity levels are comparable to Summer 2021, when there was enough evidence to reopen indoor activities.
“The difference is we have much higher vaccination rates and we can be much more comfortable in opening these activities,” King said.
According to Tuesday’s state data, the number of county patients hospitalized with COVID-19 continued to fall, decreasing to 424 from 435. Those in intensive care decreased by one to 83, and available ICU beds increased by 19 to 231.
The community transmission rates in San Diego County and Chula Vista are still high, according to King, who expects that number to drop in the next few weeks.
“We have to live with the virus moving forward, but as long as it's not severely impacting the health of our communities and compromising our health care system, we can continue to live normally, but just with added precautions,” King said.
According to the County Health and Human Services Agency, a total of 1,151,574, or 54.3 percent of county residents who are fully vaccinated have received a booster shot. Over 2.9 million, or 92.6 percent of county residents age 5 and older are at least partially vaccinated and more than 2.56 million, or 81.4 percent, are fully vaccinated.
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom unveiled the SMARTER Plan, Policy guidelines that are intended to usher California into the next phase of the COVID-19 pandemic by “living with the virus. The plan’s name is an acronym for shots, masks, awareness, readiness, testing, education, and “Rx” (for pharmaceutical therapies to treat COVID)
Following this announcement, Newsom signed an order ending 12 state of emergency declarations which terminated any associated executive orders relating to those events. Newsom additionally issued new masking guidance about California Public school’s masking requirements, no longer requiring its use though it is “strongly recommended”.
The new rule will apply to schools and child care facilities on March 12, though individual school districts may still opt to keep them. ​​A spokesperson from Sweetwater Unified said, "Two weeks from today's announcement, we will reassess where the mask mandate stands, in the examination of the community spread at that time."
