Fortunately, we have ways to protect ourselves and loved ones.

Vaccines are safe and effective against COVID-19 and flu, and the supplies and availability of both remain plentiful.

While it takes about two weeks after vaccination until the body develops sufficient immunity against both vaccinations, there are other steps people can take to lessen their risks.

These include wearing a well-fitting, good-quality mask indoors or in crowded spaces; washing hands thoroughly and often; staying away from sick people; and cleaning commonly touched surfaces.

“This is a wonderful time of year, and we want everyone to celebrate smartly and protect themselves, their family and community,” said Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “Don’t let flu, COVID-19, or other winter illnesses spoil your family reunions this holiday season.”

COVID-19 and flu vaccines are widely available across the region at pharmacies, medical centers and clinics. The two vaccines can be administered during the same visit. It is important to note that the COVID-19 primary vaccine series or booster does not protect against the flu and the flu vaccine does not protect people against COVID-19. Therefore, it is recommended that eligible San Diegans get vaccinated against both viruses.

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.
• Boosters administered: 1,500,106 or 60.2 % of 2,492,580 eligible San Diegans.
• More vaccination information can be found at coronavirus-sd.com/vaccine.

COVID-19 Deaths:

• Five additional deaths were reported since the last report on Nov. 17, 2022. The region’s total is 5,562.
• Of the five additional deaths, two were women and three were men. They died between Nov. 5, 2022 and Nov. 14, 2022. Three of the newly reported deaths occurred in the last two weeks.
• Two of the people who died were 80 years or older, one was in their 70s, one was in their 60s and one was in their 50s.
• Four received at least the primary series of the vaccine and one had not.
• All had underlying medical conditions.

COVID-19 Cases, Case Rates and Testing:

• 3,034 COVID-19 cases were reported to the County in the past seven days (Nov. 14 to Nov. 20, 2022). The region’s total is now 938,321.
• The 3,034 cases reported in the past week were higher compared to the 2,193 infections identified the previous week (Nov. 7 to Nov. 13, 2022).
• 5,012 tests were reported to the County on Nov. 19, and the percentage of new positive cases was 6.6 (Data through Nov. 19).
• The 14-day rolling percentage of positive cases, among tests reported through Nov. 19, is 5.3%.

Influenza Activity

The County Health and Human Services Agency now publishes the Respiratory Virus Surveillance Report weekly. The report is published each Thursday (it was published a day early this week due to the Thanksgiving holiday) and tracks key respiratory illness indicators, including flu cases and deaths.

For the week ending Nov. 19, 2022, the report shows the following:

• Three additional flu deaths; the season’s total is now five.
• Of the three additional flu deaths, two were women and one was a man. They died between Nov. 8, 2022 and Nov. 14, 2022.
• One had received a flu shot this season and two had not.
• All had underlying medical conditions and none of the newly-reported deaths were coinfected with COVID-19.
• Emergency department visits for influenza-like illness: 10% of all visits (compared with 10% the previous week).
• Lab-confirmed influenza cases for the week: 2,353 (compared to 2,387 the previous week).
• Total lab-confirmed cases to date: 10,231 (compared to 357 at the same time last season and a 381 prior 5-year average during the same week).

The United States Department of Agriculture and County of San Diego estimate that up to 40% of the total food supply in the United States is wasted every year.

That can be really hard on your wallet. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates the average family of four spends $1,500 a year on food they end up not eating. That also wastes the land, water, energy and things used to produce, transport, prepare and store food.

On top of all of that, food waste also worsens climate change.

That’s because when you toss organic matter―like food waste―into landfills to decompose, it creates methane, a greenhouse gas pollutant. The EPA says methane traps 80 times the heat carbon dioxide does and is responsible for roughly one-third of the warming from greenhouse gases occurring today.

How can you help? Here are some simple steps you can take to stop wasting food, save money and help fight climate change.

Reduce Wasted Food — Shop and Plan Wisely

The easiest way to reduce wasting food, during the holidays or just day to day, is to not cook too much, right? To help, plan ahead, shop smart and serve just enough food to make everyone happy. Of course, that sounds easy. But it can be hard to do. How do you know how much food is enough? SaveTheFood.com has a “Guest-imator” that can help you calculate how much food you need to prepare, based on how many people you’re serving and how much they typically eat, even for Thanksgiving. And yes, it can even calculate having leftovers if you want them.

Freeze or Find Ways to Reuse Leftovers

Of course, even the best planners can end up with leftovers sometimes, especially at a big event like Thanksgiving. But you don’t have to let them go to waste. If you’re having guests, provide to-go containers, or invite your guests to bring their own, so they can take leftovers home with them. Rethink your leftovers and use them as ingredients for new meals. Leftover meat and vegetables can make a great soup or casserole. Or turn mashed potatoes into potato pancakes. And of course, you can freeze leftovers to use in future meals.

Compost What’s Left!

And don’t forget to compost leftovers. If you don’t have your own compost pile or bin, you can place any remaining food scraps and organic waste into your curbside green bin! (Note: If you do have your own compost bin at home, you probably want to avoid composting meats and bones; they can attract unwanted pests.)

Recycling and Cutting Down on Wasting Food Can Keep Your Pipes Clean

Believe it or not, recycling and cutting back on wasting food can even protect your house. That’s because cooking oils and grease can gunk up your plumbing and even cause sewage overflows if you discard them down your sink’s drain. Making sure you’re not over-preparing food can cut down on the amount of cooking oils you’re using. And keeping used oils out of your plumbing by collecting them and recycling them can keep your pipes clean and your house protected. Contrary to popular belief, mixing used oils with soap, or pouring hot water down the drain after discarding oils in the sink, doesn’t prevent fat clogs that can back up your pipes.

There are free drop-off locations for used cooking oils all around the county. Just collect your used cooking oils in a secure container with a lid and label it “used cooking oil.” Don’t mix chemicals or other liquids in with them. To find the nearest drop-off location, visit the County’s Recycling and Household Hazardous Waste database, WasteFreeSD.org, or call 1-877-R-1-EARTH (1-877-713-2784).

Whatever you do, be sure you don’t ship or bring back a present nobody wants—a harmful pest!

It can happen if you’re not careful. The gifts you send or receive could be carrying hitchhiking pests or plant diseases that could potentially damage the County’s $1.75 billion agricultural industry and our environment.

That homemade wreath you brought home from grandma’s could be carrying spongy moth eggs; that citrus you picked from your backyard to send to a friend could be carrying huanglongbing—a destructive citrus disease. Or that beautiful fruit basket you made from scratch to send to a friend could be hiding mealy bugs.

So remember. Don’t pack a pest!

Every year San Diego County’s Department of Agriculture, Weights and Measures inspectors — human and detector dogs — work hard to stop the spread of invasive pests like the emerald ash borer, glassy-winged sharpshooter, and South American palm weevil.

How can you help?

Here are some simple guidelines:

Don’t Pack a Pest

• If you’re traveling — whether it’s out of state or out of the country — leave whatever you find on your trip right where you found it. Don’t bring home a keepsake clipping from Aunt Penny’s holiday wreath, or those bulbs you found in Florida, any citrus branches, leaves or stems from anywhere, or avocado leaves from Mexico.
• Don’t transport any fresh, raw, uncooked, untreated foodstuffs. Same for seeds, beans, nuts, rice, dried fruit, decorative greenery, untreated wood items, animal products or soil from almost any foreign country.
• If you are traveling and think you may have accidentally packed some plant or animal item away, declare those products when you’re asked by an agricultural inspector if you have anything in your luggage.