COVID-19 cases once again are on the rise, just as worries begin to surface over the flu and RSV.
On Thursday, health officials in the South Bay renewed their public plea for everyone to get vaccinated.
“We encourage everyone to wash hands, stay home when you’re sick, and wear a mask in indoor crowded areas as well,” said Dr. Sarah Rudman, Santa Clara County deputy public health officer.
Rudman said she just reviewed COVID levels in local wastewater, and she didn’t like what she saw.
“What I see when I look at the data is the transmission of COVID right now, especially in the San Jose area, is very high,” she said. “That tells me, on average, when I’m indoors in a crowded place, I’m probably being exposed to COVID.”
The bottom line is doctors are urging everyone age 6 months and older to get the COVID and flu vaccines soon, and they're calling on parents to get the RSV vaccine for all infants.
While there are reports of a COVID vaccine shortage in some parts of the country, Rudman says that’s not the case here.
“We were fortunate to make sure we coordinated early orders and have received the majority of our supply,” she said. “But it’s different this year in different locations.”
The next question: Is the doctors' plea enough to get people to roll up their sleeves three years into the COVID crisis?
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“I want to acknowledge the amount of vaccine fatigue all of you must be feeling right now. And I’m here to tell you the truth about them. And the truth is they work. They do the job it's meant to do. They prevent severe infections, which can lead to hospitalizations,” said Dr. Vidya Mony, infectious disease pediatrician.
Anyone looking for the vaccine is urged to call their doctors or pharmacies
Anyone without insurance should visit vaccines.gov and look up the new bridge access program for locations where the vaccine can be obtained for free.
