COVID-19 transmission rate in Kern remains low, but no longer statewide

The COVID-19 transmission rate in Kern County remained low last week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This was the case throughout California with the exception of Imperial County, where the transmission rate was gauged at medium. The CDC uses three rankings to measure COVID-19 community levels by county throughout the United States.

Indicators for community levels are related to new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population and the percentage of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, both on a seven-day average. If it’s less than 10 percent, the transmission rate is considered low. But as metrics rise, the level is adjusted, first to medium and then to high.

Across the country, the CDC reported that more than 78.5 percent of counties had a low transmission rate with about 19 percent at medium and less than 3 percent at high.

LOCAL NUMBERS

Data from Kern County Public Health Services Department showed 33 new cases in the 93561 ZIP code between Nov. 11 and Nov. 18, compared to 28 new cases reported the previous week. The total number of cases reported for the year is 4,077 and the total since the beginning of the pandemic in 2020 is 10,193.

At the California Correctional Institution, where incarcerated individuals are included in the 93561 ZIP code count by the health department, there were eight active cases among the inmate population on Nov. 18. The number of staff cases was 2 on Nov. 2 and had not been updated again as of Nov. 18.

Kern County reported a total of 2,566 COVID-19related deaths countywide on Nov. 18 — with no new deaths in at least two weeks. The county does not provide death data by specific community or ZIP code, citing privacy concerns.

TESTING AND VACCINATIONS

The health department reminds residents they can find testing locations by going to kernpublichealth. com, clicking on the COVID-19 button and looking for “find a testing site near you.”

Current vaccination information is available online at kernpublichealth.com/ coronavirus-vaccine. According to the California Department of Public health, COVID-19 vaccinations are now available for children under 5. Children can now get vaccinated with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine if they are 6 months or older.