Live Blog: San Diego County Reports 2,381 New COVID-19 Cases As More Vaccines Arrive

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Here’s Where COVID-19 Outbreaks Have Happened In San Diego County

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San Diego County Reports 2,381 New COVID-19 Cases As More Vaccines Arrive

-3:49 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020

San Diego County public health officials Tuesday reported 28 new deaths and 2,381 new COVID-19 infections, the fewest reported since Dec. 14.

Tuesday’s reported cases mark the 22nd consecutive day with more than 1,000 cases. It was also the 15th day overall with more than 2,000 new cases. With 3,252 COVID-19 infections reported Monday, 3,611 Friday, 3,493 Saturday, 2,807 Wednesday and 2,604 cases Thursday, the five highest daily case counts have all occurred in the past week.

The county’s cumulative cases increased to 132,098.

The county’s death toll is now 1,311: 16 men and 12 women died between Dec. 9 and Dec. 21, and their ages ranged from early 50s to mid-90s. All but one had underlying medical conditions.

Another 35 people were hospitalized as of Tuesday, with six additional people sent to an intensive care unit.

Meanwhile, UC San Diego Health received its first shipment of 5,500 doses of the Moderna vaccine for COVID-19 Tuesday. This shipment follows receipt on December 15 of the first 2,925 doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine.

“With two vaccines in hand, we can redouble our efforts to provide protection from infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus,” said Patty Maysent, CEO of UCSD Health. “These are still early days, however. We must continue to mask, distance, wash our hands and follow all public health measures until everyone has been offered the chance to vaccinate and we have gained significant immunity. That day will come. This day is a big step toward it.”

–City News Service

San Diego County Announces Holiday Schedule For Free COVID-19 Testing

-3 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020

San Diego County has announced it will continue to offer free COVID-19 testing seven days a week throughout the holidays, but with fewer locations and shorter hours on certain days.

All the testing sites will be open until 4 p.m. on Dec. 24th and 31st. Only three will be open from 10:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. on Dec. 25, Christmas Day: At the University of San Diego, CSU San Marcos and the Tubman-Chavez Community Center in Southeastern San Diego.

Five testing sites will be open on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, from 10:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Those sites are the Tubman-Chavez Community Center, the Lemon Grove Community Center, the University of San Diego, the Imperial Beach Sports Park Recreation Center and the Linda Rhoades Recreation Center in Vista.

Health officials said walk-in testing sites do not require appointments, but holiday testing demand is expected to be high, with wait times expected to exceed an hour at times.

–KPBS Staff

San Diego County Reports 3,252 New COVID-19 Cases, Three New Deaths

-8:02 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 22, 2020

San Diego County public health officials reported 3,252 new COVID-19 infections on Monday, while virus-related hospitalizations continued to increase as the first batch of Moderna vaccines arrived in the area.

The number of new cases marked the third-highest daily increase since the pandemic began, following only Friday’s 3,611 and Saturday’s 3,493. Together with Wednesday’s 2,807 cases and Thursday’s 2,604, the five highest daily case counts have all occurred in the past week.

Monday’s total also marked the third time the number of daily infections has surpassed 3,000 and the 21st consecutive day with more than 1,000 cases. It was also the 14th day overall with more than 2,000 new cases.

The new cases gave the county a cumulative total of 129,717 confirmed cases throughout the pandemic.

The county also announced three more COVID-19 deaths, raising the overall death toll to 1,283.

Another 32 people were hospitalized as of Monday, with one additional person sent to an intensive care unit. A total of 1,296 people were hospitalized due to the virus, with 334 of those in ICUs — both records.

A drop of 43 non-coronavirus patients in the region’s ICUs freed up space Monday. Roughly 22% of ICU beds were available in San Diego County, compared to 19% reported Sunday.

There was one new outbreak reported, which brings the total number of outbreaks within the last seven days to 40.

– City News Service

San Diego County Reports 3,493 New COVID-19 Cases, No New Deaths

-6:17 P.m., Monday, Dec. 21, 2020

San Diego County public health officials reported 3,252 COVID-19 infections Monday, while virus-related hospitalizations continued to increase as the first batch of Moderna vaccines arrived in the area.

The number of daily infections reported Monday marked the third- highest daily increase since the pandemic began, following only Friday’s 3,611 and Saturday’s 3,493. Together with Wednesday’s 2,807 cases and Thursday’s 2,604, the top five-highest daily case counts have all occurred in the past week.

Monday’s total also marked the third time the number of daily infections has surpassed 3,000 and the 21st consecutive day with more than 1,000 cases. It was also the 14th day overall with more than 2,000 new cases.

The new cases gave the county a cumulative total of 129,717 confirmed cases from throughout the pandemic.

The county also announced three more COVID-related deaths, raising the overall death toll to 1,283.

– City News Service

Cruise Ships Will Begin Returning To San Diego This Week Without Passengers

-4:42 P.m., Monday, Dec. 21, 2020

Cruise ships are scheduled to return to the Port of San Diego this week and through the new year, as part of an effort by the cruise lines to reestablish ships in U.S. waters as a prerequisite to resume cruising in a post-COVID-19 world, it was announced Monday.

Five Holland America Line ships and one Princess Cruises ship are scheduled to arrive beginning Wednesday, periodically docking at the B Street Cruise Terminal for fuel, food, supplies and services. At this time, none of the vessels will be carrying passengers or conducting any sailings, according to local port officials.

To resume cruises after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention deems it safe in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, the ships must reestablish operations in United States waters to meet CDC and U.S. Coast Guard guidelines.

According to port officials, time spent docked in San Diego will be limited. Each ship is scheduled to dock at B Street the morning of their scheduled arrival date and depart that evening.

– City News Service

San Diego County Releases Reports Detailing Resident Health Data, Areas To Improve

-4:42 P.m., Monday, Dec. 21, 2020

The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency Monday published two reports showing the progress made and work still needed to reduce health inequalities in the region and improve the quality of life for San Diegans.

The first report — the Community Health Assessment — includes morbidity, demographic and health data of residents and communities in the region. The data was used to develop the strategic framework of the second report — the Community Health Improvement Plan.

The two documents, as well as Public Health Services’ Strategic Plan, are a requirement for national, voluntary public health accreditation.

“These plans are reflections of the leadership and dedication of our communities to the lives of our fellow San Diegans,” said Nick Macchione, director of the HHSA. “These regional plans will continue to be living documents that evolve to reflect future strategies within each region to create safe, healthy and thriving communities.”

In the Community Health Improvement Plan, regional community leadership teams produced “enrichment plans,” many of them already underway, that lay out priorities to help each region address the most important issues in their communities.

– City News Service

Gov. Newsom Says Stay-At-Home Order Expected To Be Extended

-11:29 a.m., Monday, Dec. 21, 2020

With regional intensive-care unit capacity still officially considered to be zero, Gov. Gavin Newsom said Monday the regional stay-at-home order imposed by the state for the entirety of Southern California will almost assuredly be extended beyond next week’s expiration date.

“We are likely, I think it’s pretty self-evident, going to need to extend those regional dates,” Newsom said. “… Based upon all the data and based upon all these trend lines, it is very likely based on those current trends that we’ll need to extend that stay at home order, (which) you recall was a three-week order when we announced it.”

The regional stay-at-home order for the 11-county Southern California region took effect at 11:59 p.m. Dec. 6, and was originally set to end on Dec. 28. Newsom did not give an indication of exactly when a decision on extending the order will be made, or much long the order will remain in place.– City News Service

Here’s Where COVID-19 Outbreaks Have Happened In San Diego County

–8:07 a.m., Monday, Dec. 21, 2020

Community outbreaks of COVID-19 have touched every corner of San Diego County and all types of establishments over the past nine months, but they are most prevalent in big box stores, restaurants and group living situations like nursing homes and jails, according to county outbreak records obtained exclusively by KPBS.

If you’ve gone out at all since the pandemic first struck, you quite likely walked into a place where an outbreak occurred, according to the KPBS analysis of 1,006 outbreak records dating from March through the end of November. For example:

– At least 208 outbreaks have occurred in restaurants, with popular chains like Olive Garden, Cheesecake Factory, Denny’s and The Broken Yolk Cafe having multiple outbreaks each.

– At least 205 outbreaks have occurred in businesses with services that run the gamut from car repair to pet care to banking and shipping.

– At least 125 outbreaks have occurred in large retailers and grocery stores like Walmart, Costco, Target, Home Depot and Trader Joe’s.

However, just because you visited a place that had an outbreak doesn’t necessarily mean you were exposed to the virus and doesn’t mean you can catch COVID-19 by going there now.

— City News Service

San Diego County Reports 3,493 New COVID-19 Cases, No New Deaths

–8:08 p.m., Monday, Dec. 21, 2020

San Diego County public health officials reported 3,493 COVID-19 infections as of Saturday and no new deaths, bringing the county’s total to 126,465 cases and the death toll remaining at 1,280.

Prior to Sunday’s report, a record 3,611 COVID-19 infections were reported Friday. The cases surpassed the previous record set one week ago — 2,867 on Friday, Dec. 11 — by 744 new cases.

Saturday’s total marks the second time the number of daily infections has surpassed 3,000 as well as the 19th consecutive day with more than 1,000 cases and the 12th day overall with more than 2,000 new cases.

The top four-highest daily cases have all occurred in the past week, with Wednesday’s 2,807 cases, Thursday’s 2,604, Friday’s 3,611 and Saturday’s 3,493.

The county on Sunday reported 1,264 hospitalizations of COVID-19 patients and an additional 320 COVID-19 patients in ICUs.

There were seven new outbreaks reported, which brings the total number of outbreaks within the last seven days to 40.

– City News Service

SD County Reports 2,509 New COVID-19 Cases, 27 More Deaths

–5:30 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 19, 2020

San Diego County public health officials have reported 2,509 COVID-19 infections and 27 additional deaths, bringing the county’s totals to 122,972 cases and 1,280 fatalities.

The top four-highest daily cases have all occurred in the past week, with Wednesday’s 2,807 cases and Thursday’s 2,604.

A jump of 46 hospitalizations Friday set a record with 1,218 COVID-19- positive patients hospitalized locally. An additional 305 COVID-19 patients are in ICUs — also a record.

The county’s hospitals have 16% of their ICU beds available, unchanged since Tuesday, which is at odds with the state estimate that the Southern California region’s ICU beds are entirely full.

Where the discrepancy comes from is unclear. – City News Service

San Diego County has seen a 220% increase in COVID-19 hospitalizations in the past 30 days and a 155% increase in ICU patients in the same time frame.

The previous peak in hospitalizations — in mid-July — topped out at about 400 patients.

San Diego County is home to 82,623 health care workers toiling in hospital or psychiatric facilities, 39,755 of whom are considered “highest risk” and will first receive vaccines.

The 28,000-plus vaccines will cover about 72% of those slated to be inoculated until more vaccines arrive in California.

San Diego County Reports Record 3,611 COVID-19 Cases

– 6:20 p.m., Friday, Dec. 18, 2020

San Diego County public health officials reported a record 3,611 COVID-19 infections and 14 deaths Friday as the county seeks to appeal a judge’s ruling allowing for restaurants to resume operations.

The cases surpass the previous record set one week ago — 2,867 last Friday — by 744 new cases. It marks the first time the number of daily infections has surpassed 3,000 as well as the 18th consecutive day with more than 1,000 cases and the 11th day overall with more than 2,000 new cases.

The top four-highest daily cases have all occurred in the past seven days, with Wednesday’s 2,807 cases and Thursday’s 2,604.

San Diego County’s cumulative case total has risen to 120,463 and the death toll has risen to 1,253.

A jump of 46 hospitalizations Friday set a record with 1,218 COVID-19- positive patients hospitalized locally. An additional 305 COVID-19 patients are in ICUs — also a record. — City News Service

San Diego Appeals Court Issues Stay In Restaurant Reopening Ruling

– 6:14 p.m., Friday, Dec. 18, 2020

An appeals court Friday stayed a judge’s decision to halt enforcement of COVID-19 restrictions against San Diego County restaurants, meaning eateries must again abide by the state’s regional stay-at-home order, at least for now.

Lawyers for the state filed the emergency challenge to San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil’s preliminary injunction, which was issued Wednesday in a lawsuit filed by two San Diego strip clubs that the judge ultimately ruled could remain open.

Wohlfeil’s ruling also encompassed all restaurants in the county and all businesses that provide “restaurant service.”

Three justices from the Fourth District Court of Appeals, District One, read and considered the order and stayed the injunction “pending further order of this court.” The court ordered any oppositions to the state’s filing to be submitted by noon Wednesday, according to an appeals court docket.

Lawyers from the state argued that Wohlfeil overreached in his ruling, as no restaurants were parties in the suit initially filed in October by Cheetahs Gentleman’s Club and Pacers Showgirls International. — City News Service

State Files Appeal To Immediately Stop Judge’s Ruling To Reopen Restaurants

– 3:43 p.m., Friday, Dec. 18, 2020

The state of California on Friday filed an appeal seeking an immediate halt to a ruling by a San Diego judge that allowed all San Diego restaurants to reopen despite pandemic restrictions.

Superior Court Judge Joel Wohlfeil ruled Wednesday that two strip clubs, Cheetahs Gentlemen’s Club and Pacers Showgirls International, could reopen despite the shutdown order from the state because of the surge in coronavirus cases and dwindling intensive care beds. The order also applied to restaurants in San Diego County.

In the filing, lawyers for the state said the judge’s ruling was “a clear abuse of discretion” because restaurants did not challenge the order nor did the strip club ask the court for a class-action certification on behalf of restaurants.

The strip clubs were challenging the shutdown order on a First Amendment issue and not the public health order as it applied to restaurants, the state wrote.

Wohlfeil’s ruling went into effect Wednesday and the county said it would not enforce COVID-19 restrictions while an appeal is pending.

“I believe the decision is fundamentally wrong,” Supervisor Nathan Fletcher said before a closed session Board of Supervisors meeting Friday. “His ruling, which is convoluted and murky and unclear, has put the county in a position where we are forced to temporarily stop enforcement of the public health orders as it applies to restaurants.” — Alexander Nguyen, KPBS web producer

County Reports 2,604 New Cases 22 Deaths As Hospitalizations Continue To Rise

– 5:22 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020

San Diego County public health officials reported 2,604 COVID-19 infections and 22 deaths Thursday, as hospitalizations continue to set records and restaurants appear poised to reopen.

Thursday marks the third-highest daily total cases, after Friday’s 2,867 and Wednesday’s 2,807. Thursday marks the 17th consecutive day with more than 1,000 cases and the 10th day overall with more than 2,000 new cases.

The county’s cumulative case total has risen to 116,852 and the death toll has risen to 1,239.

A jump of 43 hospitalizations set a record with 1,186 COVID-19- positive patients hospitalized locally. An additional 295 COVID-19 patients are in ICUs.

The county’s hospitals have 16% of their ICU beds available, unchanged from Wednesday. This is even as the state estimates the Southern California region’s ICU beds are entirely full. Where the discrepancy comes from is unclear. – City News Service

Judge Clarifies Ruling, Says All San Diego Restaurants Can Reopen

– 3:13 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020

“A California judge said Thursday that all restaurants in San Diego County can resume on-site dining with safety protocols, marking a setback to the governor’s stay-at-home order to slow the spread of the coronavirus.

San Diego Superior Court Judge Joel Wohlfeil said his ruling Wednesday that also protected two strip clubs extended to the thousands of eateries in the county of 3 million people.

County officials had suspended enforcement of restrictions barring indoor and outdoor dining and live entertainment on Wednesday and requested the hearing to get clarification from the judge about the scope of his ruling.

The ruling came after two strip clubs, Cheetahs Gentlemen’s Club and Pacers Showgirls International, sued the county over an order in October to shut down. — Associated Press

Southern California ICU Capacity At 0% Availability

– 12:03 p.m., Thursday, Dec. 17, 2020

Southern California region’s intensive care units availability is now at 0% availability, according to the state data released Thursday.

Overall, California’s ICU availability is at 3.0%. On Wednesday, the Southern California region’s ICU availability was at 0.5%.

The number does not necessarily mean there are no ICU beds available, since the state adjusts the percentage downward if counties have a higher-than-expected ratio of COVID-19 patients occupying ICU space.

“If a region is utilizing more than 30% of its ICU beds for COVID-19 positive patients, then its available ICU capacity is reduced by 0.5% for each 1% over the 30% threshold. This is done to preserve the capacity of the ICU to also treat non-COVID-19 conditions,” the California Department of Public Health previously said in an emailed statement.

In San Diego County, the remaining ICU bed Wednesday was 16%, according to the KPBS Trigger Tracker, but county officials previously said the metric only tracks open beds and does not consider the availability of health care workers. — KPBS Staff

Judge Rules 2 San Diego Strip Clubs Can Remain Open

– 7 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020

A San Diego Superior Court judge ruled Wednesday that the state and county are prohibited from enforcing California’s regional stay-at-home order against two San Diego strip clubs.

Judge Joel R. Wohlfeil, who previously granted a similar temporary restraining order for Cheetahs Gentlemen’s Club and Pacers Showgirls International, wrote in his nine-page ruling that the state of California and San Diego County have not provided evidence tying the spread of COVID-19 or lack of intensive care unit bed capacity to live adult entertainment or businesses with restaurant service.

Wohlfeil’s ruling also applied to “San Diego County businesses with restaurant service,” though it was unclear exactly what businesses that portion of the ruling would apply to.

Officials with the state and county did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the ruling.

The ruling comes after the clubs recently received cease-and-desist letters from the California Attorney General’s Office, which stated Cheetahs and Pacers were operating in violation of the Dec. 3 stay-at-home policy barring outdoor and indoor dining, as well as large gatherings. — City News Service

County Reports 2,807 New Cases As ICUs Crowd With COVID-19 Patients

– 4:55 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020

San Diego County public health officials reported 2,807 new COVID-19 infections — the second highest daily total — and 23 deaths Wednesday as the number of intensive care patients continues to climb.

Wednesday’s reported cases are second only to Friday’s 2,867 and follow Monday’s 1,863 cases. Wednesday marks the 16th consecutive day with more than 1,000 cases.

The county’s cumulative case total rose to 114,248 and the death toll increased to 1,217. The national death toll crossed 300,000 on Wednesday.

A jump of 39 hospitalizations and five newly-admitted ICU patients has officials concerned. With 301 COVID-19-positive patients in area ICUs Wednesday, that number passed the total patients without the virus — 282 — for the first time in the pandemic. – City News Service

Southern California ICU Capacity Slips To .5% Availability

– 1:37 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020

Southern California region’s intensive care units availability slipped to 0.5% availability, according to the state data released Wednesday.

Overall, California’s ICU availability is at 4.1%. On Monday, the Southern California region’s ICU availability was at 2.7%.

However, the state’s figure does not measure real-time remaining capacity because it is adjusted downward if a region has at least a certain percentage of COVID-19 patients occupying its ICU beds.

“If a region is utilizing more than 30% of its ICU beds for COVID-19 positive patients, then its available ICU capacity is reduced by 0.5% for each 1% over the 30% threshold. This is done to preserve the capacity of the ICU to also treat non-COVID-19 conditions,” the California Department of Public Health previously said in an emailed statement.

In San Diego County, the remaining ICU bed Tuesday is 17%, according to the KPBS Trigger Tracker, but county officials previously said the metric only tracks open beds and does not consider the availability of health care workers. — KPBS Staff

Poway To Suspend In-Person Learning After Winter Break

– 1:08 p.m., Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020

Poway Unified School District announced Tuesday that it plans to suspend all in-person learning for two weeks after its winter break.

The school board will vote on the matter at a public meeting on Thursday. The district made the decision in hopes to reduce the spread of COVID-19 after the holiday.

It also expects staff shortages caused by another surge in coronavirus cases following the week of Christmas.

The district expects to resume limited in-person instruction Jan. 18, 2021. — Joe Hong, KPBS education reporter

San Diego County Reports 1,863 COVID-19 Cases As First Vaccines Are Administered

– 5:37 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020

San Diego County public health officials reported 1,863 COVID-19 infections Tuesday and 32 deaths, as the first doses of vaccine for the virus were administered.

Tuesday’s reported cases marks the first time in a week the number did not exceed 2,000, but also marks the 15th consecutive day with more than 1,000 cases. More than 2,000 new infections were logged in the previous six days — including 2,206 on Monday and a record 2,867 on Friday.

The county’s cumulative case total rose to 111,441 while the death toll increased to 1,194.

Brittanee Randle, an emergency room nurse at Rady Children’s Hospital, was the first non-military San Diegan to receive the first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine on Tuesday. UC San Diego Health received 2,925 doses, while county health officials reported they had received 12,000 on Monday.

Rady was slated to get the remainder of the first batch of local doses — part of 28,000 allotted for the county from 327,000 doses California is expected to receive in the first distribution. The initial allotment will cover around 72% of what is needed for “all identified health care first-tier recipients,” San Diego County spokesman Jose Alvarez said. – City News Service

San Diego Unified Starts Testing Program For Students, Staff

– 2:13 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020

San Diego Unified School District on Tuesday launched its voluntary COVID-19 testing program for its students and staff.

The tests will be administered on 10 elementary school campuses by medical professionals from UC San Diego. District officials selected these 10 schools because they are in neighborhoods with high case rates. The district expects individual test results to be available within about 24 hours after they are taken.

District officials said the goal is to test all students and staff who are regularly on campus every two weeks. Currently, only about 12,00o high-needs students districtwide are coming to campuses for in-person learning. — Joe Hong, KPBS education reporter

UCSD Receives Its Share Of Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine

– 1:16 p.m., Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020

Another 2,925 of Pfizer’s long-awaited COVID-19 vaccines arrived at UC San Diego Health for frontline health care workers Tuesday morning.

The vaccine — estimated to be 95% effective at preventing COVID-19 — recently received emergency use authorization from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Vaccine distribution is coordinated through the California Department of Public Health and public health departments, governed by recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. Following these recommendations, health care workers are receiving the first available vaccinations.

“Our goal is to vaccinate as many employees as quickly as possible, depending upon supplies and evolving circumstances,” said Patty Maysent, CEO of UC San Diego Health. — City News Service

WATCH LIVE: Gov. Newsom gives update on the state’s response to COVID-19

– 10:00 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020

— KPBS Staff

San Diego Reports 6th Day Of More Than 2,000 New COVID-19 Cases

– 6:23 p.m., Monday, Dec. 14, 2020

San Diego County health officials reported 2,206 new COVID-19 infections Monday as the first batches of vaccines for the virus arrived in the region and hospitalizations continued to climb.

Monday was the sixth consecutive day more than 2,000 new cases were reported, with 2,416 Sunday, 2,490 Saturday and a record 2,867 Friday.

It was also the 14th day with more than 1,000 new cases. It is just the eighth time the daily cases have crossed 2,000 — the first of which occurred Dec. 3. The new COVID-19 infections reported Monday raised the region’s cumulative total to 109,578. No new deaths were reported, and that total remains 1,162.

Of 21,302 tests reported to the county, 10% returned positive, raising the county’s 14-day average to 8.2%.

The number of hospitalizations also continued to rise, with 41 people hospitalized and seven more patients put in intensive care units. A total of 1,035 people are hospitalized in the county due to the virus, with 278 of those in ICUs — both records.

The county’s hospitals have 17% of their ICU beds available, down from 18% Sunday but an improvement from 16% Saturday. The state estimates the ICU bed availability in the 11-county Southern California region at 2.7%, down from 4.2% on Sunday.

In the San Joaquin Valley, all available ICU beds are full. The Greater Sacramento region has 14.8% of ICU beds available, the Bay Area 17.8%, with Northern California at 29.0%.

The county has seen a 213% increase in COVID-19 related hospitalizations in the past 30 days and a 155% increase in ICU patients in the same time frame. The previous peak in hospitalizations, in mid-July, topped out around 400 patients.

One new community outbreak was reported Monday. A community setting outbreak is defined as three or more COVID-19 cases in a setting and in people of different households over the past 14 days. — City News Service

First COVID-19 Vaccines Arrive In San Diego County

— 9:57 a.m., Monday, Dec. 14, 2020

The first shipment of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine have arrived in San Diego County, according to health care officials. This first batch will be prioritized for frontline health care workers.

Doses of the Pfizer vaccine began shipping out from a Michigan facility Sunday bound for Southern California distribution centers and other locations in the United States.

The Naval Medical Center in San Diego and the Naval Hospital in Camp Pendleton, which will also serve as local distribution sites, should receive doses of the first coronavirus vaccine this week, the U.S. Department of Defense said.

— City News Service

SD County Reports 2,416 COVID-19 Cases, 11 New Deaths

— 5:32 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020

San Diego County health officials have reported 2,416 new COVID-19 infections and 11 new deaths, marking 107,372 total cases and 1,162 deaths.

Sunday marked the fifth consecutive day that more than 2,000 new cases were reported, with 2,490 cases reported Saturday, 2,867 cases — a record – – reported Friday, 2,050 reported Thursday and 2,104 Wednesday. It is also the 13th day with more than 1,000 new cases. It is just the sixth time the daily cases have crossed 2,000 — all of which have come in the past week.

Of 25,274 tests reported Saturday, 10% returned positive. — City News Service

Two San Diego Sites Prepare For COVID-19 Vaccine Distribution

— 3:19 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 13, 2020

The Naval Medical Center in San Diego and the Naval Hospital in Camp Pendleton should receive doses of the first coronavirus vaccine this week, the U.S. Department of Defense said.

Doses of the Pfizer vaccine began shipping out from a Michigan facility Sunday bound for Southern California distribution centers and other locations in the United States.

The head of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control signed off on the recommendation of an advisory committee Sunday, officially permitting the vaccine to be administered in the United States. It is said to be 95% effective in preventing the coronavirus.

Initial distribution sites — including the two San Diego sites — were selected by the DOD’s COVID Task Force based on recommendations from the military services and U.S. Coast Guard, to best support several criteria:

— Anticipated supply chain requirements, such as cold and bulk storage facilities;

— Local population of at least 1,000 priority personnel across the military services; and

— Sufficient medical personnel to administer vaccines and actively monitor vaccine recipients. -City News Service

COVID-19 Vaccine Shipments Begin In Historic US Effort

– 10:46 a.m., Sunday Dec. 13, 2020

The first shipments of a COVID-19 vaccine for widespread use in the United States headed Sunday from Michigan to distribution centers across the country, with the first shots expected to be given in the coming week to health care workers and at nursing homes.

Initially, about 3 million doses were expected to be sent out, and the priority is health care workers and nursing home residents as infections, hospitalizations and deaths soar in the U.S. With numbers likely to get worse over the holidays, the vaccine is offering a bright spot in the fight against the pandemic that’s killed nearly 300,000 Americans.

Federal officials say the first shipments of Pfizer’s vaccine will be staggered, arriving in 145 distribution centers Monday, with an additional 425 sites getting shipments Tuesday, and the remaining 66 on Wednesday. The vaccine, co-developed by German partner BioNTech, is being doled out based on each state’s adult population.

Doses should be delivered to all vaccination sites identified by states, such as local pharmacies, within three weeks, federal officials said.

The rollout will ensure there is enough vaccine to give people the two doses needed for full protection against COVID-19. That means the government is holding back 3 million doses to give those vaccinated in the first round a second shot a few weeks later.

The head of the FDA has repeatedly insisted that the agency’s decision was based on science, not politics, despite a White House threat to fire him if the vaccine wasn’t approved before Saturday. -Associated Press

SD County Reports 2,490 COVID-19 Cases, 14 New Deaths

– 5:01 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020

San Diego County health officials have reported 2,490 new COVID-19 infections and 14 new deaths, marking 104,958 total cases and 1,151 total deaths.

Saturday marked the fourth consecutive day that more than 2,000 new cases were reported, with 2,867 cases — a record — reported Friday, 2,050 reported Thursday and 2,104 Wednesday. It is also the 12th day with more than 1,000 new cases. It is just the sixth time the daily cases have crossed 2,000 — all of which have come in the past week.

Of 27,599 tests reported Saturday, 9% returned positive.

The number of hospitalizations continued to rise, with 38 people hospitalized and four patients put in intensive care units. The COVID-19- related hospitalizations increased to 965 — 249 in ICUs. Since the pandemic began, 5,064 or 4.9% of cases have been hospitalized due to coronavirus, 1,098, or 1.1% have been sent to the ICU. – City News Service

In Central California, All ICU Beds Filled Amid COVID Surge

– 4:59 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020

The number of available intensive care unit beds in California’s San Joaquin Valley plummeted to zero for the first time Saturday, state officials announced as ICU units fill up statewide amid spiking COVID-19 cases.

Just a day earlier, the region’s ICU capacity was at 4.5%, according to the California Department of Public Health.

The region comprised of 12 counties in central California, along with the enormous Southern California region, contains more than 60% of the state’s 40 million residents. Last week, the two regions were ordered to follow the strictest anti-COVID-19 rules under a new state stay-at-home order that aims to keep hospitals from being overwhelmed by restricting infectious contacts.

Overflowing ICUs has been a major concern.

It wasn’t immediately clear how hospitals in the San Joaquin Valley will respond. – Associated Press

US Says COVID-19 Vaccine To Start Arriving In States Monday

– 11:22 a.m., Saturday, Dec. 12, 2020

The nation’s first COVID-19 vaccine will begin arriving in states Monday morning, U.S. officials said Saturday, after the government gave the final go-ahead to the shots needed to end an outbreak that has killed nearly 300,000 Americans.

Trucks will roll out Sunday morning as shipping companies UPS and FedEx begin delivering Pfizer’s vaccine to nearly 150 distribution centers across the states, said Army Gen. Gustave Perna of Operation Warp Speed, the Trump administration’s vaccine development program. An additional 450 or so facilities will get the vaccine between Tuesday and Wednesday.

Initially, about 3 million shots are expected to be shipped nationwide. It was unclear exactly who would receive the first doses of the vaccine, though health workers and nursing home residents were the priority. Perna said health authorities would decide.

A similar number of shots will be held back for those recipients’ second dose, which is needed for full protection from COVID-19.

The announcement Saturday kicks off a massive logistical operation involving the federal and state governments, private companies and health care workers to quickly distribute limited vaccine supplies throughout the U.S. – Associated Press

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