Stanislaus health officials are concerned about COVID vaccine rate as state reopens
Most of the coronavirus regulations were lifted Tuesday in Stanislaus County while a portion of the population is not vaccinated against COVID-19.
County health officials issued a news release Monday asking community members to get vaccinated if they haven’t already. California’s Beyond the Blueprint plan allows fully vaccinated people to stop wearing masks in stores and other indoor settings, effective Tuesday.
Social distancing is no longer required for those residents.
Gov. Gavin Newsom said he will issue an executive order Thursday stating that fully vaccinated workers don’t have to wear masks on the job. The Cal-OSHA board is expected to approve the rule at a meeting Thursday.
According to the news release, 39 percent of Stanislaus County residents who are eligible for coronavirus vaccine are fully vaccinated.
Wearing a mask and social distancing is still required for those who are not fully vaccinated when they’re outside the home in store buildings, restaurants, theaters, family entertainment centers and government offices, and in crowded outdoor settings.
“We have come a long way in this pandemic and our communities’ commendable efforts in getting us here make it possible for us to move beyond the blueprint and start returning to normalcy,” said Dr. Julie Vaishampayan, county public health officer. “We may all be done with COVID-19 and the associated measures, but the COVID-19 pandemic is not over.”
County public health said the coronavirus Delta variant has been detected in Stanislaus County. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the Delta variant, first identified in India in December, is classified as a “variant of interest.”
A former FDA commissioner said Sunday the variant could become the most dominant strain of coronavirus in the United States and threaten communities that have low vaccination coverage. It is considered more contagious and may cause more severe disease.
People age 12 and older are eligible for at least one of the three approved coronavirus vaccines. Stanislaus County has less vaccination coverage among young adults and students age 12 to 17.
The county news release said higher vaccination rates will provide community protection for younger children who are not eligible for vaccine.
The county holds vaccine clinics every week giving shots by appointment or walk-in. People can visit MyTurn.ca.gov to sign up for a appointment and find a vaccine site. The county Health Services Agency has a list of clinics at www.schsa.org.
The free vaccinations are available to eligible people who live or work in the county, regardless of immigration status.
The state guidance still requires masks when people, whether vaccinated or not, visit healthcare and long-term care facilities, ride in airplanes, trains, buses and ride-shares and visit K-12 schools, childcare and day camps. Masks are also required in homeless and emergency shelters.
This story was originally published June 15, 2021 at 5:00 AM.
