Public Health Officials Urge Californians to Stay Vigilant and Get Vaccines and Boosters to Help Prevent a Possible COVID-19 Winter Surge
SACRAMENTO – With the combination of colder weather keeping people indoors, the waning of vaccine and natural immunity, and more mingling among non-household members, public health officials urge Californians to get vaccinated and boosted as soon as possible to help prevent a possible winter surge in COVID-19 cases. In certain parts of the state, COVID-19 cases, hospitalizations and deaths are beginning to go up, signaling the need for Californians to get their booster shots and for the 5-11 age group to get vaccinated.
“With cases ticking up in most parts of the state, we cannot let our guard down and we cannot underestimate this deadly virus,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, California Department of Public Health Director and State Public Health Officer. “While we have a nation-leading vaccination effort, children ages 5-11 years have just become eligible, and last year at this time our COVID-19 cases increased at a dangerous rate, so we can’t underscore enough the importance to vaccinate and boost to protect yourself, your family and all of our communities against this virus.”
While California made considerable progress in the fight against COVID-19, in large part due to its successful vaccination program, last year daily cases quickly rose from less than 3,000 in October to more than 58,000 in December.
“Vigilance is our best defense against another challenging COVID-19 winter,” said Dr. Aragón. “Get vaccinated if you haven’t yet. Get your booster if you completed your vaccination series more than six months ago, especially if you or someone in your home has a medical condition or works around other people. Continue to be safe in public and in crowded spaces by wearing a well-fitting mask that has good filtration. Keep in mind that your mask also protects you against other respiratory illnesses, including the flu.”
Upgrade your Mask
Good fit and filtration continue to be the best way to get the most out of your mask. The best masks for preventing COVID-19 include the N95, KN95 and KF94. If you don’t have access to one of these masks, wear a surgical mask or a surgical mask with a cloth mask on top. If you choose a fabric mask, opt for one with three of more cloth layers. No matter what kind of mask you wear, check the fit by avoiding gaps above the nose or on the sides.
Tips for Protecting Yourself and Others This Holiday Season
Take commonsense steps to protect yourself, your family and your community as you celebrate the holiday season.
Statewide COVID-19 Data
The most up to date data is available on the state’s COVID-19 data dashboard.
Cases
- California has 4,707,178 confirmed cases to date.
- Today’s average case count is 5,232 (average daily case count over 7 days).
Hospitalizations
- There are 4,064 hospitalizations statewide.
- There are 996 ICU patients statewide.
Deaths
- There have been 71,979 COVID-19 deaths since the start of the pandemic.
- COVID-19 claims the lives of 51 Californians each day (average daily death count over 7 days).
Vaccinations
- 54,199,459 total vaccines administered.
- 81.4% of the eligible population (12+) has been vaccinated with at least one dose.
- 153,967 people a day are receiving COVID-19 vaccination (average daily dose count over 7 days).
Testing
- The testing positivity rate is 2.4% (average rate over 7 days).
Cases, hospitalizations and deaths are largely occurring among unvaccinated populations. See the data for unvaccinated and vaccinated cases, hospitalizations and deaths.
- Unvaccinated people were 6.8 times more likely to get COVID-19 (data from October 18 to October 24, 2021).
- Unvaccinated people were 9.5 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19 (data from October 11, 2021 to October 17, 2021).
- Unvaccinated people were 18.2 times more likely to die from COVID-19 (data from October 4, 2021 to October 10, 2021).
ADDITIONAL DATA & UPDATES
Tracking COVID-19 in California
- Data and Tools – Models and dashboards for researchers, scientists, and the public
- COVID-19 Race & Ethnicity Data – Weekly updated Race & Ethnicity data
- Cases and Deaths by Age Group – Weekly updated Deaths by Age Group data
- Health Equity Dashboard – See how COVID-19 highlights existing inequities in health
- Tracking Variants – Data on the variants California is currently monitoring
- Safe Schools for All Hub – Information about safe in-person instruction
Stop the Spread: Get Vaccinated for COVID-19
The risk for COVID-19 exposure and infection continues as a number of Californians remain unvaccinated. Real-world evidence continues to show that the vaccine is preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death. With the more transmissible Delta variant, there is additional urgency to get all eligible Californians fully vaccinated as quickly as possible, completing a two-dose vaccination process if they are receiving Pfizer or Moderna.
CDPH is working with local partners and health care providers to administer booster doses to all Californians who are eligible, including those aged 65+ and the immunocompromised, to ensure they maintain optimal protection from COVID-19 heading into the winter season. Boosters are recommended for all Johnson & Johnson vaccine recipients aged 18 and older who were vaccinated two or more months ago. The CDC and Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup have declared the following groups of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna recipients eligible for a booster dose six months or more after their initial series:
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- 65 years and older
- Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
- Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
- Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings
- Age 18+ who are at increased risk due to social inequity
Vaccination appointments for eligible individuals can be made by visiting myturn.ca.gov or calling 1-833-422-4255. The consent of a parent or legal guardian may be needed for those under age 18 to receive a vaccination. Visit Vaccinate All 58 to learn more about the safe and effective vaccines available.
