COVID updates: California distributing ‘extremely limited’ supply of antiviral pills
California’s transmission numbers for COVID-19 are improving from an apparent peak of the omicron wave, but the state has officially passed the milestone of 7 million lab-confirmed cases since the start of the pandemic, less than four weeks after hitting 5 million.
California Department of Public Health officials in a daily update Friday reported 125,861 new infections, bringing the official cumulative tally to 7,123,571, a figure that largely excludes at-home test results.
The daily case rate has fallen to 255 per 100,000 residents, down 11% from an all-time record of high 288 per 100,000 five days earlier. California’s positivity is 21.2%, ticking up slightly from the 21.1% reported Thursday but still down from 23.1% recorded earlier this month.
CDPH reported 15,383 COVID-positive patients were in hospital beds Thursday, up 15% from one week earlier.
The patient total dropped by 10 patients Thursday compared to Wednesday. Though very small, the change marked the first day-to-day decrease since before Christmas.
Close to 2,500 virus patients are in intensive care units, up 21% from a week ago.
Health officials, first responders and emergency room doctors in Sacramento County are pleading with residents not to call 911 or go to a hospital ER for a mild case of COVID-19 or a test.
The county continues to expand on its hospitalization record, with CDPH reporting 634 COVID-positive patients hospitalized Thursday.
Severe symptoms warranting emergency medical attention include chest pain, difficulty breathing or a high fever. Mild symptoms include cough, sore throat, congestion, headaches, fatigue or low-grade fever.
California counties receive limited supplies of COVID pills
Health offices in California have begun to receive shipments of COVID-19 pills — oral antiviral treatments from Pfizer and Merck, which were each cleared for use by the Food and Drug Administration in late 2021.
The pills are only available with a doctor’s prescription following diagnosis of a mild or moderate case of COVID-19. Supply of the treatments remains very limited, though distribution is expected to ramp up in the coming weeks.
According to letters sent by CDPH to local health offices, California in late December received initial allocations of 28,920 courses of Merck’s treatment, Molnupiravir, and 6,180 of Pfizer’s treatment, Paxlovid.
The treatments are being distributed across California counties “based on new COVID-19 cases and an equity measure,” which factors in the state’s Healthy Places Index. The exact formula used was not available.
Health officer Dr. Olivia Kasirye said on a call with reporters Thursday that Sacramento County every two weeks is being allocated about 1,220 courses of Molnupiravir, which are being distributed to about 30 to 40 local facilities including some retail pharmacies; and about 300 courses of Paxlovid, which are going to about 10 facilities.
“These are very limited supplies,” Kasirye said.
Kasirye said that, due to the ongoing outbreak, the local health office is allocating about 40 courses of Paxlovid from each bi-weekly allocation to the county’s two jail facilities — 20 apiece to the Main Jail downtown and Rio Cosumnes Correctional Center in Elk Grove.
Yolo County officials in late December announced the county was receiving initial shipments of about 140 courses of Molnupiravir and 20 of Paxlovid.
Because of this “extremely limited” supply, Yolo County health officer Dr. Aimee Sisson wrote that the first doses to arrive would be “prioritized for those at highest risk of disease.”
Clinical studies showed Paxlovid reduced the risk of hospitalization by about 88%, according to Pfizer and the FDA. Merck’s Molnupiravir reduced hospitalization by about 30%. Both are intended for mild or moderate infections, not for those who already require hospitalization.
For those with a lab-confirmed COVID-19 diagnosis and doctor’s prescription, Paxlovid or Molnupiravir should each be taken within five days of symptom onset. Each antiviral regimen involves taking multiple pills for five consecutive days.
The FDA and health officials emphasize that the pills should not be considered a substitute for vaccination.
Bill would let young teens get vaccine without parents’ permission
State Sen. Scott Wiener, D-San Francisco, proposed a law Thursday that would allow anyone 12 and older to get any kind of vaccine without parental permission in California.
Children over 12 can currently get HPV and hepatitis B vaccines without parent permission, but not other vaccinations.
Wiener said his proposal, Senate Bill 866, was prompted by parents not allowing their kids to get the COVID-19 vaccine.
About 64% of Californians ages 12 to 17 are vaccinated against COVID-19, compared to about 79% of California adults, CDPH data show.
“I think it’s outrageous that a parent would block their child from getting a vaccine that could save their life,” Wiener said.
Wiener’s bill would need to pass both houses of the Legislature and be signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom to become law.
Latest Sacramento-area numbers
Sacramento County has recorded 237,878 total lab-confirmed cases and 2,623 deaths from COVID-19 over the course of the pandemic, according to local health officials.
The county as of Friday reported the daily case rate at 191 per 100,000 residents, declining about 20% from an all-time high of 238 per 100,000 one week earlier, according to the local health office.
According to CDPH, Sacramento County’s latest test positivity rate is 25.1%.
County hospitals were treating 634 patients with confirmed COVID-19 as of Thursday, setting an all-time record for a sixth straight day, according to CDPH. The ICU total has increased to 107 from 82 in the past week.
Placer County has tallied 51,622 cases and 510 virus deaths to date, last updated Wednesday.
Local health officials last reported the daily case rate at 165 per 100,000 for the week ending Jan. 10.
Placer’s positivity rate is 25.9%, CDPH reported Friday.
Placer County hospitals had 229 COVID-positive patients Thursday, up from 205 one week earlier. The ICU tally increased to 45 from 33. Placer’s all-time records are 231 patients including 56 in intensive care, set during the peak of the delta variant surge.
Yolo County has confirmed 28,988 infections and 269 deaths from COVID-19, last updated Thursday.
The county’s latest reported case rate is 206 per 100,000, for the week ending Jan. 15.
CDPH reports Yolo County’s positivity rate at 7.7%, the lowest among all of the state’s 58 counties.
Yolo County hospitals were treating 25 patients with COVID-19 on Thursday, up from 14 one week earlier. The ICU total doubled to eight from four.
El Dorado County has reported 22,640 cumulative cases and 182 deaths from COVID-19, last updated Thursday.
El Dorado’s latest reported case rate, for the week ending Jan. 13, was 148 per 100,000. That’s down slightly from a rate of 152 per 100,000 each of the previous two days.
The county had a positivity rate of 24.4%, CDPH reported Thursday.
Hospitals in El Dorado County had 25 COVID-positive patients Thursday, up from 13 a week earlier. Eight patients were in ICUs, up from one.
Sutter County has recorded 18,721 cases and 207 deaths, and Yuba County has recorded 14,510 cases with 95 deaths, according to a Thursday update from the bi-county health office.
CDPH reported Yuba County at 182 daily cases per 100,000 and Sutter County at 166 per 100,000 as of Friday.
Positivity was 34.4% in Yuba and 32.9% in Sutter, ranking second- and fourth-highest respectively among California’s 58 counties,.
The lone hospital serving Yuba and Sutter counties, Adventist Health and Rideout in Marysville, as of Thursday had 59 patients with confirmed COVID-19, up from 34 one week earlier. Eight were in the ICU, up from seven.
This story was originally published January 21, 2022 at 9:56 AM.
