Santa Clara County reports first case of omicron variant: Santa Clara County health officials said the first omicron variant infection was reported in the county on Thursday. The infected person was fully vaccinated but had not received a booster and had recently returned from a national out-of-state trip, health authorities said Friday morning. The arrival of an omicron variant case was not unexpected, but county health officials said it was a reminder of the importance of receiving booster shots.
WHO will not endorse boosters for the general public as poor countries struggle to access vaccines: An advisory group to the World Health Organization again chose to retain broad support for COVID-19 booster vaccines, citing long-standing difficulties poorer countries have in accessing primary doses of the vaccine, the Washington reported. Post.
Omicron in Oakland: How a Wisconsin Wedding with ‘Super Responsible’ Vaccinated People Sparked an Outbreak: Most, if not all, of the guests wore masks when the Nov. 27 wedding ceremony began at a Wisconsin celebration that is now the suspected source of a COVID-19 outbreak and omicron variant among Center staff. Kaiser Permanente Oakland physician, according to an aide. . Read the full story here.
Charts show current COVID trajectories versus past waves in California and the Bay Area: Coronavirus case rates have risen 37% in the Bay Area and 30% statewide in the last week alone, according to analysis of data from The Chronicle. Though still less than a third of their levels a year ago, the highly mutated omicron variant is raising concerns around the world, and while only a handful of omicron cases have emerged in the state, experts say there are bound to be more cases. early. Read the full story here.
Signs of an Rise as Case Rates Rise in the Bay Area, California: Coronavirus case rates in the Bay Area have risen 60% in one week, and have risen 49% statewide during that time period, as the winter surge on which it appears to be materializing is the experts warned. Hospitalizations increased approximately 9% in the Bay Area since Thanksgiving, while hospitalizations statewide increased approximately 11%, according to analysis of data from The Chronicle. Read the full story here.
There are no additional cases related to individual SF with omicron: The San Francisco health department said Thursday that all of the city’s resident’s close contacts with the first confirmed case of omicron detected in the US have since tested negative. But officials said they expect more cases to emerge soon. “Based on community evidence spread across the country and recent case reports in other Bay Area counties, we know omicron is here and many more cases will continue to be detected,” said the San Francisco Department of Public Health. it’s a statement. to The Chronicle.
All AC Transit employees must be vaccinated according to the new mandate: All AC Transit employees will be required to be vaccinated within a timeframe yet to be determined based on a proposal approved by the agency’s board of directors. Read the full story here.
Yolo County reports first case of omicron variant: The person who contracted the variant is an adult in Sacramento who was fully vaccinated and recently traveled within the US “Detection of the potentially highly communicable Omicron variant is concerning, especially with more people traveling and visiting friends and family during the holidays”. said Dr. Aimee Sisson, Yolo County Public Health Officer. The case was sequenced through UC Davis.
Half Moon Bay becomes the latest city to impose a vaccinations mandate on workers: The coastal community says it will require city staff and contractors to be fully vaccinated, with two injections of Pfizer or Moderna, or a single dose of Johnson & Johnson, to protect public health and the community, reports the San Mateo Daily. Journal. No date has been set for the imposition of the new requirement, which will also apply to the Sheriff’s Office and could affect community policing if officers or your union reject the rules. Half Moon Bay’s requirement would be stricter than that of the surrounding San Mateo County, which also offers the option of weekly testing for unvaccinated employees.
The FDA authorizes boosters for 16 and 17 year olds:The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Thursday expanded booster eligibility to 16- and 17-year-olds for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention must now approve the recommendation, which Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla called a critical milestone. “While new variants, including Omicron, are emerging around the world, we believe that the best way to minimize the spread of COVID-19 and any future variants is to fully vaccinate all eligible individuals with the first two-dose, one-dose series. booster as recommended, ”he said in a statement.