Pasadena City Hall on Thursday, June 1, 2023. (Photo by Sarah Reingewirtz, Los Angeles Daily News/SCNG)
With respiratory illness rates rising as we enter the new year, the Pasadena Department of Public Health is reminding residents this weekend to work to limit transmission in an effort to align with recently updated state guidelines. I called out.
“COVID-19 is a preventable disease,” Pasadena Interim Health Officer Dr. Parveen Kaur said in a statement Friday. “We can all do our part to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses by staying home when sick, wearing a mask, and getting vaccinated. .”
In Pasadena, which runs its own health department, the seven-day rolling average of cases from Nov. 20 to Jan. 8 has steadily increased from 7.7 to 8.9, city officials said. Officials say the numbers underestimate the actual number of cases because people are not required to report positive home antigen tests to public health authorities.
This increase reflects increases at the county level.
Los Angeles County public health data showed last week that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, is circulating widely in the county, officials said, and wastewater He pointed out that virus concentration tests showed it was 60% of last winter. The peak was up from 49% the previous week. Pasadena Public Health relies on additional COVID-19 data provided by Los Angeles County.
All the while, the county Department of Public Health reported hospitalizations remained elevated. The average number of positive coronavirus cases per day for the week ending January 6 was 806, up from 784 the previous week.
The rise in coronavirus infection rates is not entirely surprising. Since 2020, coronavirus infections have surged every winter. But this year, doctors say the country is seeing a troubling influx of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which health experts said last week is back with a vengeance.
Dr. Kimberly Schreiner, an infectious disease and tropical medicine specialist in Huntington, said last week that the recent local outbreak mirrors previous surges, but on a smaller scale and this time due to other respiratory infections such as influenza. He said that this overlaps with organ disease.
Schreiner said vaccinations and the population’s natural immunity have kept the number of cases down this time, and he is encouraging people to keep their vaccinations up to date.
“That’s probably one of the reasons we’re seeing a significant number of illnesses. I think people are experiencing a kind of vaccine fatigue,” she said. “I think we probably assume that the first two or three times you get it, you’re never going to get over it, but unfortunately it’s like the flu and it can actually be a little bit more difficult.” It’s better than the flu because you need to get vaccinated every six months to definitely every year. ”
Pasadena public health officials encouraged people to find ways to limit infection and stop the spread. On January 9, the Department updated the State Public Health Officer’s Guidelines for COVID-19 Control and Prevention based on actions by the California Department of Public Health. The update reflects changes to home isolation guidelines for people who test positive for COVID-19, recommendations for testing of close contacts, and definition of an “infectious period” for isolation purposes. .
In a news release Friday, PPHD summarized its isolation guidance for people who test positive for the coronavirus, including asymptomatic individuals:
- If you have symptoms of COVID-19, please stay home without taking fever-reducing medications until you have been fever-free for 24 hours and your other symptoms of COVID-19 are mild and have improved. If you do not have symptoms, follow the recommendations below to reduce your exposure to others.
- Wear a mask when indoors and around other people for 10 days after getting sick or testing positive (if asymptomatic). At least he can take off his mask sooner than 10 days if he has two consecutive negative test results more than one day apart. Day 0 is either the date of symptom onset or the date of a positive test.
- Avoid contact with people who are at high risk for severe COVID-19 infection for 10 days. Individuals at higher risk include the elderly, those living in congregate care facilities, those who are immunocompromised, and those with other conditions that put them at increased risk of severe illness.
- If you have symptoms, especially if you are at high risk for severe COVID-19, contact your health care provider and seek treatment as soon as you receive a positive test result. You may be eligible for antiviral drugs and other treatments for COVID-19. Antiviral drugs for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) work best when taken as soon as possible and within 5 to 7 days after symptoms begin.
PPHD also recommends the following safeguards:
- Test immediately if you have symptoms or within 3-5 days of your last infection if you have no symptoms to determine if you have been in close contact with a confirmed case of COVID-19. Testing for coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is now easily available at home to determine whether an individual has respiratory symptoms or has had known contact with someone infected with COVID-19. It becomes important to assess your own condition.
- Workplaces, organizations and schools will implement more protective policies to protect employees, students and customers, including adhering to advance guidance on isolating people who test positive for COVID-19. can do.
- Respiratory viruses are expected to continue circulating in the coming weeks, so it’s not too late to get the latest COVID-19 and influenza vaccines. Both vaccines are effective in reducing severe symptoms and are recommended for everyone over 6 months of age.