As a growing number of San Diego residents are vaccinated against COVID-19, the San Diego County Health Services Agency reminds the community that it is too early to stop the use of facial covers and social distancing. These measures will be necessary for the foreseeable future to curb the spread of the virus.
Although the two FDA-authorized vaccines have shown promising results in clinical trials, the vaccines take a few weeks to become fully effective. In addition, it is not yet known whether a vaccinated person could catch and spread COVID-19 to someone who has not been vaccinated.
“Even if some of your older relatives and friends have been vaccinated, we urge you to postpone visits with them until the end of this year, when you are also fully vaccinated and protected,” said Wilma J. Wooten, MD, MPH, official public health county. “COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, but we can only end this pandemic once the herd’s immunity is achieved.”
Herd immunity refers to the stage of the pandemic in which the majority of the population is immune to the virus, either because a person received the vaccine or because they developed antibodies after a COVID-19 infection. Public health officials say we will need to vaccinate up to 80% of the U.S. population to get herd immunity.
So far, just over 10% of 16-year-olds and over in San Diego have received at least one of the two shots needed to develop antibody protection against the virus.
Until most of the region is fully protected, San Diego should limit its interactions with people outside its home. Although small meetings are currently allowed, they should be limited to no more than three homes and interactions should take place outside. People should also keep their distance and wear a face cap.
“Ending this pandemic will require us to take advantage of all the tools we have at our disposal,” Wooten said. “For now, we need to be a little more patient and continue to mask and distance ourselves socially, as well as vaccinate ourselves, so that we can return to normalcy as soon as possible.”