05/12/2022 | News release | Distributed by Public on 05/12/2022 19:50
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, older adults and those with compromised immune systems have been at the greatest risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19. New data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now shows that these high-risk populations have a better survival chance when they are both vaccinated and boosted.
The CDC report evaluated vaccination and infection data from close to 15,000 skilled nursing facilities during the height of the Omicron variant earlier this year. The data indicates that booster COVID-19 vaccine doses provided greater protection against Omicron than just the primary series of the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, or one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Boosters are currently available for everyone age 12 and older. Anyone 50 and older, and those who are severely immunocompromised, can get an additional dose four months after their initial booster.
More than 600,000 County residents ages 50 and older are currently eligible to receive a second booster, but so far, less than one in five in that group has taken advantage of the additional shot.
County health officials recommend that all immunocompromised San Diegans, especially those in skilled nursing facilities, get their booster doses when eligible.
"The majority of our local deaths have been in unvaccinated San Diegans, or those who did not receive the recommended booster doses," said Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. "As infection cases are beginning to trend up again in the region, I encourage anyone who is eligible for a booster to get it as soon as possible."
Vaccination Progress:
Deaths:
Cases, Case Rates, Hospitalizations and Testing:
More Information:
Data updates to the County's coronavirus-sd.com website will be published Mondays and Thursdays around 5 p.m., with the exception of holidays.