Yuma Sun e-Edition

COVID-19 on the rise in Yuma County

Health director: Vaccines still the most effective tool against virus

BY MARA KNAUB SUN STAFF WRITER

Yuma County is seeing an increase of COVID-19 infections, propelled by the delta variant, like elsewhere throughout the nation.

Diana Gomez, director of the Yuma County Public Health Service District, warned that the coronavirus still poses a threat to the local population. She noted that the vaccine remains the most effective tool against infection.

While the daily number of new infections had been consistently in the single digits for several months, the numbers jumped to the double digits for several weeks. Gomez pointed to the delta variant of the virus as the cause.

The new delta variant is “spreading more than twice as easily from one person to another compared with earlier strains,” the health director noted.

“Viruses mutate and change to adapt and survive. That’s what viruses do,” Gomez added. “People infected with the delta variant have higher viral loads, meaning more virus in their body, which makes it more contagious.”

Several samples taken across the region as part of the Yuma County COVID Early Warning Sewage Testing Project have found that concentrations of the virus have been increasing for the past three weeks.

The project, which tests samples of sewage at multiple locations, not only indicates a rising presence of the virus, but shows that it’s

spreading to more areas in the county.

VACCINE THE MOST EFFECTIVE TOOL

Gomez stated in a press release issued Wednesday that the vaccine remains the most effective tool because it helps protect against severe illness, hospitalization and death associated with the delta virus.

Children under the age of 12 are still not eligible to receive the vaccine, therefore high vaccination coverage among the rest of the population is needed to help reduce the spread of the virus, she noted.

“As much as I wish we were, we’re not done with COVID-19 yet,” Gomez said. “Getting vaccinated is a tremendous service to yourself, your children, your co-workers, and your community.”

The district reported 37,479 total cases and 852 deaths in Yuma County as of Wednesday.

More than 97% of current hospitalizations across the country are among those who are unvaccinated, according to Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

She also noted that almost all COVID-19 deaths, which climbed by 26% in the past week, are among people who have not received a shot.

“There is a clear message that is coming through:

This is becoming a pandemic of the unvaccinated,” Walensky said. “We are seeing outbreaks of cases in parts of the country that have low vaccination coverage because unvaccinated people are at risk, and communities that are fully vaccinated are generally faring well.”

The Yuma County Health District continues to provide free COVID-19 vaccines from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Monday through Thursday. Appointments are needed. To make an appointment, call 928-317-4550 or 928-317-4687.

Only the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are available at the Health Department. The Pfizer vaccine currently can be given to anyone age 12 and older. The Moderna vaccine currently can be given to anyone aged 18 and older.

The Health Department is also hosting back-toschool vaccine clinics from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. now through Friday. For more information, call 928-3174550.

A list of other locations offering the vaccine in Yuma County can be found by visiting the Arizona Department of Health Services Vaccine Finder at https://tinyurl.com/5ymr3azu.

‘MISINFORMATION CAUSING AVOIDABLE DEATHS’

Fort Yuma Indian Health Center CEO Jeremy Woodruff has tried to counter misinformation that might be keeping some people from getting the vaccine.

In a video posted on the Cocopah Emergency Management Facebook page, Woodruff noted that during the COVID-19 pandemic, health misinformation has led people to resist wearing masks in high-risk settings, to turn down proven treatments and to choose not to get vaccinated.

“All this has led to avoidable illness and death,” Woodruff said.

“If we want to fight health misinformation, we need all of society to do their part. Individuals and families should raise the bar for sharing health information by checking sources before sharing information to ensure it’s backed by credible scientific sources. If you’re not sure, just don’t share it,” he said.

“Simply put, health misinformation has cost us lives. The importance of getting vaccinated is only increasing as the delta variant spreads. People are dying of COVID every day, and those people have one thing in common: they’re unvaccinated. So please, get vaccinated as soon as possible,” Woodruff added.

The Fort Yuma Indian Health Center offers the Pfizer vaccine for patients 12 years and older and the Moderna and Johnson & Johnson vaccines for adult patients.

Woodruff noted that reports of Guillain-Barre syndrome are rare and only connected to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine. He pointed out that the Food and Drug Administration and CDC continue to monitor reports of this rare adverse event. The FDA has updated the Johnson & Johnson fact sheet to include information about the risk so doctors and patients can be aware of the symptoms.

“Additionally, most people recover from this very rare side effect,” he said.

The Fort Yuma Health Center continues to offer curbside medication pickup as well as COVID-19 testing. Patients can come into the facility for all other services and business. Masks are still required when entering the facility.

For more information, call 760-572-4100 or toll-free 1-800-862-4911.

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2021-07-29T07:00:00.0000000Z

2021-07-29T07:00:00.0000000Z

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