Editorial: COVID cases are on the rise, protect yourself and others

There is no vaccine for RSV, but simple measures like regular hand washing and covering coughs can help.

To read this editorial in Spanish, click HERE

Photo by Marty Cheek
Linda Clark, a resident of Wheeler Manor, receives a COVID-19 vaccine shot from a Gilroy firefighter at Gilroy Senior Center Feb. 17.

This editorial is the opinion of Gilroy Life

Monitoring at the San Jose-Santa Clara Regional Wastewater Facility detected a sharp increase in COVID-19 levels in the county this past month.

“Our wastewater numbers are absolutely skyrocketing,” Santa Clara County Public Health Officer Dr. Sara Cody told the news media in mid-December. “There’s a ton of virus circulating. If you want to be healthy for the holidays, you need to take action and the first on the list is to get a vaccine and you’ve had your initial shot, get boosted.”

The amount of virus detected in wastewater means we’ll see a rise in COVID cases and hospitalizations in the county, officials said. Despite the public health threat, only about 25 percent of residents in the county who are eligible have received the updated Omicron COVID booster. Also known as the bivalent booster, this vaccine targets the Omicron variant, as well as the original 2020 virus.

Respiratory viruses impact the most vulnerable, including young children, the immunocompromised, people living in crowded housing or congregate living facilities, and seniors, especially at skilled nursing facilities. The increase in patients put a strain on healthcare systems and impacted families. That’s why we encourage our readers to make an important New Year’s resolution for 2023. Get vaccinated for COVID and the flu as soon as possible to protect yourself and your loved ones.

Earlier in the pandemic, COVID vaccination rates in the Bay Area were high, shielding some communities from the worst outcomes. This vaccine protection has decreased over time, but an Omicron COVID booster can rebuild it. These boosters are available for ages six months and older. The vaccines are improved to provide the best protection against severe symptoms of COVID and hospitalization.

With the “immunity debt” to other viruses from COVID-19 isolation, more people in the Bay Area are getting the flu this year than earlier in the pandemic. This only adds to the burden on our public health systems. Now is the time to get your flu shot. Your doctor can give you the flu shot and the Omicron COVID booster in the same visit. COVID shots are free and available most days of the week at the county’s San Martin substation. Other recommended immunizations are widely available at low or no cost.

There is no vaccine for RSV, but simple measures like regular hand washing and covering coughs can help.

There are simple actions we all can take to help protect each other’s health. Experts recommend if you feel ill, stay home. No matter which virus you have, if you are sick the best way to keep from spreading germs to others is to stay home until you have recovered. If you think it might be COVID, get tested.

It’s also a good idea to wear a mask in indoor public places. Masks can prevent transmission of COVID, flu, RSV, and other respiratory viruses all at once. Wearing a high-quality mask, such as a KN94, KN95 or N95, can prevent you from getting sick and missing out on life, work, school, and holiday parties. Masking is strongly recommended indoors in public settings to prevent the spread of viruses and reduce the risk of illness.

Improve ventilation indoors by turning on HVAC systems, filtering the air with a portable HEPA filter, pointing fans out open windows, or opening doors and windows when possible. These can all help viruses from spreading indoors.

Get tested before an indoor gathering or if you feel sick. Reduce the chances of infecting someone else with COVID by finding out if you have the virus before gathering with others. Remember, COVID symptoms may be mild or absent. Make sure to stock up on home test kits.

And, of course, get treatment if you need it. Free treatments are available if you test positive for COVID. Free medication prevents hospitalization and is available to most adults and some teens with even mild symptoms.

Talk to your doctor about treatment options or visit covid19.ca.gov/treatment or find a test to treat location near you: aspr.hhs.gov/TestToTreat. Treatments work best when started right after symptoms begin, and within five days of symptoms starting.

It’s up to all of us to make sure our fellow residents in the South Valley can stay as healthy as possible from viruses that can endanger our health and even our lives.

This editorial was rewritten from material provided by the Santa Clara County Public Health Department. To learn more, visit www.publichealth.sccgov.org.