By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health Last week, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted Emergency Use Authorizations (EUA) for Moderna and Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 booster doses. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Western States Scientific Safety Review Workgroup followed suit…
Read More
By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health
You may have heard that a COVID-19 booster shot is being recommended and are wondering if you are eligible for it and if you should get it.
On Friday, September 24, 2021, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) endorsed the recommendation for a booster shot of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine in certain populations and for persons in high risk occupational and institutional settings.
People previously vaccinated with Pfizer BioNTech who SHOULD receive a booster include:
People who MAY CONSIDER receiving a booster based on their individual benefits and risks include:
Why do I need a booster shot?
COVID-19 booster doses are meant to boost immunity that may have waned overtime and are the same dose of vaccine that were given as part of the primary series. Those that should receive a booster dose are at highest risk of hospitalization or death and need to be prioritized for booster doses.
Booster doses can be received at least six months after completion of the initial vaccine series. California is ready to administer boosters to those that are recommended for boosters immediately.
What about those who didn’t get the Pfizer-BioNTech shot?
At this time, CDC is evaluating available data to make recommendations for other populations or people who got the Moderna or Johnson & Johnson vaccines. We are anticipating these recommendations imminently.
Where do I get a booster shot?
You may obtain your booster shot at local pharmacies and in some instances, through your primary care provider. Please consult with your primary health care provider if you have questions about receiving a booster shot.
Source: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/booster-shot.html
With the advent of the Delta variant, we had not yet recuperated from the mental and emotional exhaustion felt from the pandemic.
Read More
By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health
If you’ve been waiting for full federal approval for a COVID-19 vaccine, the wait is over!
The Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine received full approval on August 23, 2021, from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for persons 16+ years of age. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine, will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older.
The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), including for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.
According to Peter Marks, M.D., Ph.D., director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research: “Our scientific and medical experts conducted an incredibly thorough and thoughtful evaluation of this vaccine. We evaluated scientific data and information included in hundreds of thousands of pages, conducted our own analyses of Comirnaty’s safety and effectiveness, and performed a detailed assessment of the manufacturing processes, including inspections of the manufacturing facilities. We have not lost sight that the COVID-19 public health crisis continues in the U.S. and that the public is counting on safe and effective vaccines. The public and medical community can be confident that although we approved this vaccine expeditiously, it was fully in keeping with our existing high standards for vaccines in the U.S.”
FDA-approved vaccines undergo the agency’s standard process for reviewing the quality, safety and effectiveness of medical products.
Santa Barbara County, please get vaccinated today! Visit https://publichealthsbc.org/vaccine/ to find a clinic near you.
If you have been fully vaccinated, you have taken the best step possible to protect yourself, your friends, family and co-workers from getting the virus and the Delta variant.
Read More
Everyone regardless of vaccination status will be better protected from the Delta variant when wearing a well-fitting mask in indoor settings. Unfortunately, the Delta variant can infect even vaccinated persons, however, they may not get severely ill or need hospital care.
Read More
The Delta Variant, the latest virus strain of COVID-19 is of great concern as cases are increasing locally in Santa Barbara County, throughout California and across the U.S.
Read More
You may have heard or read about a new strain of the coronavirus called the Delta Variant and you may be wondering if this variant impacts you and your family. The Delta Variant has been reported in neighboring counties. If you have been vaccinated, you have taken a big step in protecting yourself, your friends, and your family.
Things you need to know about the Delta variant:
How prevalent is the Delta Variant?
As of June 29, the Delta variant represents over 23% of all new Covid infections in California. It is spreading fast and will likely become the dominant variant in the United States by end of August.
Are booster shots needed?
No booster shots necessary since our available vaccines are highly protective after the complete series.
Is masking recommended?
In Los Angeles County, a new recommendation to wear a mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status has been made. At this time, Santa Barbara County Public Health is not adding this recommendation, however masking is required by the State of California while using public transportation, indoors at K-12 schools, in jails and other state/local detention facilities, homeless shelters, emergency and cooling centers, and in medical settings. If Santa Barbara were to experience a significant increase in case rates, this guidance could change.
How do I get a vaccination to protect myself?
Most vaccination sites do accept walk-ups. Vaccination appointments for individuals aged 12+ can be made by visiting myturn.ca.gov. The consent of a parent or legal guardian is needed for those between the ages of 12 and 17 to receive a vaccination. The consent form and other important information is available on our website https://publichealthsbc.org/vaccine/
By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health
By Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health
The highly transmissible COVID-19 delta variant, also known as B1617.2, was found in India in December 2020. It’s now the dominant strain in Europe and many parts of Africa and Asia.
As of June 14, 2021, the delta variant has reached 74 countries. Experts believe delta is anywhere from 30% to 100% more infectious than alpha.
The delta variant seems to affect younger people more often. In the United Kingdom, studies showed that children and adults under 50 were 2.5 times more likely to become infected.
In addition, the symptoms related to the delta variant appear to be more severe. People may be more likely to end up in the hospital if they have the delta variant. Studies suggest it might have almost double the risk of hospitalization than the alpha variant.
The delta variant is gaining momentum and will be the dominant strain in California within weeks. Already 5% of new infections are due to delta, as compared with 2% last week. Nationally currently 20% of new infections are due to the delta version of the virus.
Fortunately, our vaccines are very effective, however optimal protection is only achieved after the second dose of Moderna or Pfizer.
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, warned that the more the delta variant spreads, the greater the chance even more dangerous mutants could evolve.
“We know our vaccines work against this variant. However, this variant represents a set of mutations that could lead to future mutations that evade our vaccines,” she said.
“And that’s why it’s more important than ever to get vaccinated now to stop the chain of infection, the chain of mutations that could lead to a more dangerous variant,” Walensky said.
Those 12 years of age and older have been approved to receive the vaccine. Getting vaccinated is the best way to prevent getting the delta variant and in Santa Barbara County, there are many locations to obtain the free vaccine, often without an appointment. Please visit: www.myturn.ca.gov/ to make an appointment, or visit: https://publichealthsbc.org/vaccine/ for more information.
Dr. Henning Ansorg, M.D., FACP, Health Officer County of Santa Barbara, Department of Public Health and Van Do-Reynoso, MPH, PhD, Director, Public Health Department, Santa Barbara County
It would be wonderful if the worldwide coronavirus pandemic were truly over, but the fact is, June 15 marks the beginning of our return to normalcy in California, not the end of the Pandemic.
June 15, 2021, marks the State of California’s reopening, at which time the state will discontinue the use of the Blueprint colored tier structure that helped the state manage COVID-19 in our counties over the past year.
California is enjoying the lowest COVID-19 case rate of any US state, and hospitalizations are near record lows, but the virus can still infect persons without immunity and lead to severe illness.
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department is encouraging all eligible residents to get vaccinated and to adhere to masking where it is still required. The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a new masking guidance to go into effect on June 15 here.
The new guidelines align with recommendations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) stating that fully vaccinated people do not have to wear face-coverings or distance in almost all situations.
Under the state’s updated guidelines, vaccinated residents can safely choose to shed their masks except in select circumstances which include public transportation, indoors at schools and child-care facilities, health care and long-term care facilities, correctional facilities and homeless shelters.
Those who are not yet vaccinated will need to continue wearing masks at indoor public settings, including retail stores, government offices, and movie theaters.
After June 15 in California:
The removal of the Blueprint tiers on June 15 will happen with the emergency proclamation still in place. The emergency proclamation will remain in place for the time being as it gives California the needed administrative flexibility to respond to the crisis and ensures counties will be supported in their response to the pandemic. It allows for facilitation with FEMA on programs like vaccinations and testing.
While we are ready to reopen safely, COVID remains a risk and leaving the emergency order in place allows us to move quickly if the situation changes.
We want to take this opportunity to thank our amazing community for their diligence throughout the pandemic. We will continue to provide information and monitor data relevant to the pandemic at: publichealthsbc.org. Please stay safe Santa Barbara County!