From the Borrego Springs COVID-19 Task Force

During the last two weeks, the County reported 66 new COVID-19 cases in Borrego Springs. That is more new cases among our residents than the County reported in any previous two-week period of the pandemic. (Site to see the dramatic increase in caseload and what you are able to do to protect yourself, your family members and friends, and the community: https://accesshealthborrego.org/coronavirus/cases-surrounding-borrego-springs/)

Individuals, especially those vaccinated, can take comfort from reports that in most cases Omicron infections are less likely to result in hospitalization or death than the Delta variant. The latest County wide experience for unvaccinated individuals, however, is that they are four times as likely to be hospitalized and eight times more likely to die than fully vaccinated individuals.

From a community perspective, Omicron is so much more contagious than prior variants that it creates many more cases which are overwhelming hospitals and causing many deaths.

What can we do to protect ourselves, our family members and friends and our community?

1. Get fully vaccinated then boosted for COVID and get vaccinated for the flu

Call the Borrego Medical Clinic at 760.767.5051

Make an appointment at a County Center or Partner Center https://www.sandiegocounty.gov/content/sdc/hhsa/programs/phs/community_epidemiology/dc/2019-nCoV/vaccines/COVID-19-VaxEvents.html

Make an appointment at a clinic or pharmacy https://myturn.ca.gov

Make an appointment for the next vaccination event scheduled by CalFire https://myturn.ca.gov

School children can attend the next vaccination event at the schools

2. Test before visiting vulnerable people

Order four rapid (antigen) test kits from the Federal Government to be mailed to your home http://www.covidtests.gov

3. Wear an effective mask (e.g., KN95) when indoors, in crowded outdoor situations or when near vulnerable people

400 million KN95 masks are being supplied by the Federal Government to pharmacies, clinics like Borrego Medical Clinic and other organizations

4. Physically distance while cases are surging

5. Ventilate indoor areas as much as feasible

– Borrego Springs COVID-19 Task Force