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‘Better to be safer’: Nevada County officials discuss COVID-19 cases, vaccines

Nevada County is experiencing “somewhat of an increase” in COVID-19 cases, county Director of Health and Human Services Ryan Gruver said in a Q&A Wednesday.

From peaking at 488 new cases reported in a single week in early September, the county then saw a significant drop in new cases, with the week ending in Oct. 22 reporting 117 new cases, said Gruver. However, he said, the three weeks since then reported 157, 132, and then 167 new cases.

“So, generously interpreted, we’ve plateaued,” said Gruver. “But, it looks as though we have somewhat of a surge on our hands, and we’ll be closely looking at how things play out from here.”



According to the state dashboard on COVID-19, from Oct. 31 to Nov. 6, people who were unvaccinated were 6.9 times more likely to get the virus, and 11.9 times more likely to be hospitalized with it, than those who had been fully vaccinated.

Although the 5 to 11 age group only became eligible earlier this month, according to state data on vaccination, 16.2% of Nevada County children in this group had received at least one dose as of Wednesday.



Overall, according to Gruver, around 63% of eligible Nevada County residents have been fully vaccinated, and approximately 8% are partially vaccinated.

Dr. Glennah Trochet, the county’s deputy public health officer, said Wednesday that it was a good time for all residents who are eligible, whether they are children or adults, to receive a first dose if they have not done so yet, or to get a booster dose if they are eligible.

“We are entering the winter season, and it’s better to be safer if you’re going to be meeting with family members, particularly elderly family members,” said Trochet.

While previous eligibility guidelines for vaccine booster doses had taken into account factors such as age group or health conditions, Trochet said Wednesday that state officials had recently directed vaccine providers to give boosters to anyone who wants one and meets the appropriate timeline.

As a result, Trochet explained, boosters are being offered in California to anyone 18 and older who wants a booster and has passed two months since receiving the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, or six months since the two-dose Pfizer or Moderna vaccines.

Victoria Penate is a staff writer with The Union and Sierra Sun. She can be reached at vpenate@theunion.com

LEARN MORE

To find and make vaccine appointments, visit:

myturn.ca.gov

For information on local providers, visit:

https://www.mynevadacounty.com/3183/Get-Vaccinated

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