This story has been updated from its printed version. Correction Notice: Fouch & Son Pharmacy, and Davison Drugs do not provide COVID-19 vaccinations at this time.
Colusa County Public Health has reported that two more deaths can be attributed to COVID-19, bringing the total number of Colusa County residents that have died from the virus to 24.
Colusa County has had 3,316 confirmed cases of COVID-19 since March 2020, when the novel SARS-CoV-2 (coronavirus) first emerged in the region, up 34 from the 3,282 reported on Nov. 29.
According to Colusa County’s Monday update, there are 52 active cases, the same number reported on Nov. 29, and two people are hospitalized.
At a press conference on Dec. 1, Gov. Gavin Newsom continued to urge Californians to get vaccinated and get a booster shot, but cautioned people not to panic, after reports that the new variant Omicron was present in the state.
“The panic’s gotten ahead of the information,” Newsom said.
Although Colusa County has no vaccine or booster clinics scheduled at this time, appointments can be made at Rite Aid in Colusa; or with the health clinics with the Colusa Medical Center, Ampla Health, Colusa Indian Health Clinic, Riverside Health Clinic, or United Ag. Information about County Vaccination Clinics can be found at www.countyofcolusa.org.
According to the Centers for Disease Control, a preliminary study released Tuesday indicates that the vaccines currently available provide partial protection from the Omicron variant, which Dr. Anthony Fauci said, at a White House briefing, appears to be less severe than the Delta variant – as shown by the ratio of hospitalizations per number of new cases.
Fauci said a fuller picture will be developed after data on the effectiveness of the vaccines on the new variant start to be released, possibly by the middle of next week.
Meanwhile, cases of COVID-19, hospitalizations, and deaths have decreased in California over the past eight weeks, largely due to increased vaccination rates.
According to the California Department of Public Health, 77 percent of California’s population has been vaccinated.
In Colusa County, 73 percent of all people age 50 and older are vaccinated with at least one dose; 59 percent for age 20-49; 51 percent for age 18-19; and 30 percent for age 12-17, with 12,051 total vaccines utilized.