Dear Editor,
In his remarks to the Board of Supervisors on Sept. 28, interim Colusa County Public Health Officer Dr. Julian Delgado emphasized the importance of prevention and early treatment of COVID-19. I share his dismay that there are apparently no medical sites in the county offering monoclonal antibody therapy, which may reduce serious illness when delivered early in a COVID infection. This is a significant social equity issue; while affluent residents may have the means and connections to obtain this potentially life-saving treatment outside the county, most people do not. I hope Dr. Delgado is successful in making monoclonal antibody treatment accessible to everyone in the county who might benefit from it.
I was shocked, however, that in his remarks, Dr. Delgado initially made no mention of vaccination. And in a press release the next day about his rescission of the local facial covering order, he urged personal responsibility and emphasized handwashing but was strangely silent about vaccination.
Even more disturbing, when asked in the Sept. 28 meeting about mandates, Dr. Delgado claimed that COVID vaccines are “experimental.” This is extremely misleading. The Pfizer vaccine has full FDA approval, and all the vaccines available in the U.S. have been extensively studied and monitored in clinical and real-world use. Data from hundreds of millions of doses administered in the U.S. and worldwide have proven the vaccines’ safety and efficacy. To call them “experimental” perpetuates misinformation and discourages people from taking a simple step to help protect themselves and others from serious illness, hospitalization, and death.
Forty percent of our county’s 12 and older population is still not fully vaccinated. I urge our Public Health Officer to make it a priority to inform the public about the safety, effectiveness and widespread availability of the COVID vaccines.
Jennifer Roberts, Arbuckle, Calif.
