Newsom addresses current COVID-19 cases and effort to increase speed of administering the vaccine
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (KION) Gov. Gavin Newsom gave his first update on the COVID-19 pandemic of 2021, Monday.
Newsom announced 29,633 new cases of the virus were reported for January 3, which is lower than the seven-day average of 37,845 cases. However, he says this is likely because of a lag in testing during the holidays. Newsom says California is still expecting a "surge on top of a surge" and "this week is critical" to see if that is going to happen.
The positivity rate is "relatively stable" at 12.4%, according to Governor Newsom, down from 12.2% two weeks ago. Hospitalizations increased 18%, and ICU admissions increased 22%, over the last 14 days, which Newsom calls a "more moderate growth" than we've seen in the past. However, this is an expected low before the anticipated holiday surge.
Newsom points to the last two months to show an increasingly devastating virus, with hospitalizations increasing "seven fold" and ICU admissions "six fold" over the last two months.
Since the beginning of the pandemic, the state has reported more than 2.4 million confirmed cases. 26,635 people have died.
Governor Newsom also announced new efforts to increase oxygen availability and distribution statewide, as well as a plan to increase the pace of administering the vaccine.
About one-third of the state's received COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered (454,306 out of 1,297,000 doses), which Newsom admits is "not good enough. We recognize that."
Newsom says the state is 'working to increase the number of distribution sites and accelerate the efforts of those who can administer the vaccine." The plan includes dentists, pharmacy techs, the National Guard, the pharmacy program with CVS and Walgreens, and clinic and doctor partnerships.
Dr. Mark Ghaly, the state's Health and Human Services Secretary, says the state is also working with vaccine distribution sites to figure out how to best distribute leftover vials. The state is working to "bring together those vaccinators with the populations that are next in line to receive the vaccine."
Newsom says more details to address the lag in administering the vaccine will be discussed in the next couple days.
California is still in "Phase 1a" of administering the vaccine, which includes frontline health care workers and long-term care residents. On Wednesday, the Community Vaccine Advisory Committee will hear from the vaccine guidelines working group about who is included in phases 1b and 1C.
