The Federal Drug Administration (FDA) has expanded the emergency use of the updated Pfizer and Moderna bivalent booster vaccines for children as young as six months. The FDA previously expanded availability to include 5- to 11-year-olds in October. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and California Department of Public Health quickly recommended vaccinations for young children after the FDA approval.

“We can now provide additional protection for children as young as six months of age from COVID-19,” said County Public Health Officer Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H.  “This is especially important with the high incidence of COVID-19 in our community. Please take advantage and have your children vaccinated to protect them and the rest of your family.”

County residents continue to deal with a triple threat of respiratory diseases this winter season, from COVID-19 to the flu to respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Public Health officials still strongly urge people to get vaccinated for both COVID-19 and the flu.

The bivalent COVID-19 booster and flu vaccinations are separate shots, but they can be given at the same visit. They effectively decrease the chances of getting infected, being hospitalized, or dying from the separate viruses that each vaccine targets. Boosters are available through healthcare providers and at participating pharmacies. Parents can visit the state’s My Turn website to schedule an appointment.

County of San Diego Health and Human Services Agency began offering boosters for children as early as six months age today. Booster dose availability is listed on the County’s COVID-19 vaccinations schedule webpage.

The updated boosters were designed to protect individuals from the worst outcomes of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death. Everyone six months of age and older who has had their primary vaccination series is eligible to get the updated booster two months following any COVID vaccine or booster dose.

County officials also recommend wearing a mask if you are able, particularly during indoor public gatherings, to protect yourself and those around you.

In addition to vaccination and masking, San Diegans can take a number of other precautions to protect themselves against COVID-19, as well as seasonal illnesses like the flu. These measures include:

• Cleaning hands thoroughly and often;
• Staying away from sick people;
• Staying home and avoiding contact with others when sick;
• Home testing when exposed or when ill; Regularly cleaning commonly touched surfaces.

Federal Government Makes Free At-home Tests Available Again:

The White House has moved to make free at-home COVID-19 tests available again through the winter for a limited time. Households can order one pack of four free tests through the U.S. Postal Service.  For more information about testing, go to the County of San Diego COVID-19 testing webpage.

COVID-19 Vaccination Progress:

• Close to 2.69 million or 80.4% of San Diegans received the primary series of one of the approved COVID-19 vaccines.
• Bivalent boosters administered: 474,245 or 19% of 2,494,254 eligible San Diegans.
• More vaccination information can be found at coronavirus-sd.com/vaccine. 

COVID-19 Deaths:

• 24 additional deaths were reported since the last report on Dec. 8, 2022. The region’s total is 5,608.
• Of the 24 additional deaths, 14 were women and 10 were men. They died between Jan. 8, 2022, and Dec. 6, 2022. Nine of the newly reported deaths occurred in the past two weeks.
• 12 of the people who died were 80 years or older, four were in their 70s, two were in their 60s, five were in their 50s and one was in their 20s.
• 15 of these people had been vaccinated and nine had not received any COVID-19 vaccines.
• 21 had underlying medical conditions. Three had no underlying medical conditions.

COVID-19 Cases, Case Rates and Testing:

• 4,821 COVID-19 cases were reported to the County in the past seven days (Dec. 6, 2022, to Dec. 12, 2022). The region’s total is now 952,752.
• The 4,821 cases reported in the past week were higher compared to the 5,649 infections identified the previous week (Nov. 29, 2022, to Dec. 5, 2022).
• 6,197 tests were reported to the County on Dec. 10, and the percentage of new positive cases was 10.1% (Data through Dec. 10).
• The 14-day rolling percentage of positive cases, among tests reported through Dec. 10, is 10.1%.

Influenza Activity

The County Health and Human Services Agency now publishes the Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report  weekly. The report is published each Thursday and tracks key respiratory illness indicators, including flu cases and deaths.

For the week ending Dec. 10, 2022, the report shows the following:

• Seven additional flu deaths; the season’s total is now 20.
• Four of the additional flu deaths were women and three were men. They died between Dec. 1, 2022, and Dec. 6, 2022.
• Four of them had received a flu shot this season and three had not.
• All had underlying medical conditions. One of the newly reported deaths was coinfected with COVID-19.
• Emergency department visits for influenza-like illness: 7% of all visits (compared with 10% the previous week).
• Lab-confirmed influenza cases for the week: 1,603 (compared to 2,600 the previous week).
• Total lab-confirmed cases to date: 17,182 (compared to 696 at the same time last season and an 815 prior 5-year average during the same week).

(Source: County of San Diego Communications Office)

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