Whereas some San Diego County leaders mentioned COVID-19 instances throughout the area have hit a plateau, for now, some hospitals are reporting a latest uptick in instances.
In the meantime, health-care employees informed NBC 7 that they fear that instances will solely proceed to extend within the subsequent few weeks if extra individuals do not get vaccinated.
With college students returning to the classroom. the Labor Day weekend approaching and lots of county resident ineligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, Dr. Ghazala Sharieff informed NBC 7 that she’s involved instances will proceed to climb.
Sharieff, who’s the chief medical officer for Acute Care and Scientific Excellence at Scripps Well being, has been monitoring COVID-19 instances on the 5 Scripps Well being Hospitals. She’s calling the native COVID-19 scenario “the pandemic of the unvaccinated.”
Sharieff shared with NBC 7 knowledge she collected between June 1 and Aug. 29 of sufferers aged 55 and underneath, which confirmed that Scripps Well being handled 321 unvaccinated COVID-19 sufferers and solely 10 have been vaccinated. With regards to “common” COVID-related intensive-care unit admissions, unvaccinated sufferers spent 13 days within the ICU. Not one vaccinated affected person 55 and underneath was admitted into the ICU, Sharieff mentioned.
Regardless of the info proving COVID-19 vaccines are efficient, Sharieff mentioned individuals are nonetheless selecting to not get vaccinated. Two parts of the issue: Individuals who doubt well being care employees’ experience, and misinformation.
“We heard from a nurse final week who mentioned, ‘That is so troublesome,’ ” Sharieff mentioned. “Generally individuals will are available in, they’ve all of the COVID signs, the employees will inform them, ‘You may have COVID,’ they usually name them liars. And we’ve by no means had this earlier than.”
Sharieff mentioned some health-care employees not really feel supported, and are burned out and have left the health-care discipline.
“There’s numerous employees who’ve determined to not proceed in well being care — even the touring businesses don’t have employees to ship us,” mentioned Sharieff, including that it’s an issue throughout the area, not simply particular to Scripps Well being. “We wish to be there if you happen to get in a automobile accident or one thing occurs to you, however with these instances protecting going up, we’re again to the place we have been again in January.”
In an effort to fight misinformation and encourage extra individuals to get vaccinated, Chair Nathan Fletcher launched a brand new coverage, which might declare COVID-19 misinformation a public health crisis. He is anticipated to current the decision to the Board of Supervisors Tuesday. If it receives assist, Fletcher mentioned the county will allocate extra assets to coach the general public, together with the launch of a brand new informational web site devoted to COVID-19 information.
“[Misinformation] is actually costing individuals their lives,” Fletcher mentioned.
The coverage got here to the forefront after a heated board assembly earlier in August. Members of the general public shared incorrect feedback like; “There is no such thing as a proof that the COVID-19 photographs administered are protected or efficient.”
NBC 7’s Artie Ojeda shares clips of heated feedback made by the general public at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors assembly.
“I feel we have to name it what it’s, and we have to make investments the assets and equip the general public with the reality,” Fletcher mentioned. “Nothing we’re doing goes to infringe on anybody’s potential to say no matter they wish to say, however we have now to say what we have now an obligation to say, which is: These statements are harmful, they’re unfaithful and they’re going to damage your well being.”
