The County of San Diego on Monday received its first deliveries of the second COVID-19 vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
The Moderna vaccine was approved by the FDA for emergency use late last week and by the Advisory Committee to the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this weekend.
The County received 20,000 doses in this first shipment of the first allocation of 43,700 Moderna vaccines to the region. Some local health care systems had vaccines shipped directly to them.
These 43,700 doses of Moderna’s vaccine are in addition to the roughly 28,000 doses of Pfizer vaccine that started arriving in San Diego County last week.
Like the Pfizer vaccine, the Moderna vaccine requires two doses for each recipient. Healthcare providers will ensure that recipients receive both doses from the same manufacturer, appropriately spaced apart.
Moderna’s vaccines are administered 28 days apart, while Pfizer’s vaccine is given 21 days apart. The initial doses of both vaccines will be distributed based on Phase 1A – Tier 1 guidelines.
“The arrival of the Moderna vaccine gives us another vital tool in fighting COVID-19 and protecting those who are at the highest risk of contracting the virus,” said Wilma J. Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County public health officer. “While the arrival of more COVID-19 vaccines is good news, it will take months until the general public will get vaccinated.”
Until vaccines are more widely available and herd immunity is achieved, Wooten urges San Diegans to continue to follow the public health guidelines that have been proven to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. These strategies include:
- Washing your hands properly and regularly or using hand sanitizer.
- Maintaining social distance from others.
- Wearing facial coverings.
- Avoiding crowded places to decrease your risk of exposure.
- Staying home and isolating yourself from others if you are sick and get tested.
The current ICU capacity for the Southern California region is 0.0% and will be updated by the state daily. The Regional Stay Home Order is in effect and prohibits gatherings of any size with people from other households and adds restrictions for multiple sectors. The order will last for at least three weeks or until the region’s ICU capacity meets or exceeds 15%. The order will be assessed by the state after the three-week period.
28,383 tests were reported to the County on Dec. 20, and the percentage of new laboratory-confirmed cases was 11%. The 14-day rolling average percentage of positive cases is 9.5%. Target is less than 8.0%. People at higher risk for COVID-19 who are with or without symptoms should be tested. People with any symptoms should get tested. Health care and essential workers should also get a test, as well as people who have had close contact to a positive case or live in communities that are being highly impacted. Those recently returned from travel, or who participated in holiday gatherings, are also urged to get tested.
In Coronado, 101 positive cases have been recorded in the month of December so far:
