Sonoma County ‘optimistic’ as Covid hospitalizations, deaths decrease

Sonoma County health officials are “cautiously optimistic” that the worst of the Delta surge has passed. “This remains a pandemic of the unvaccinated, with unvaccinated residents accounting for nearly all hospitalizations,” according to a County update released today.

As of Tuesday, 38 COVID-19 patients were in Sonoma County hospitals, compared to 84 on Aug. 15 — the lowest total since July 16. This includes 18 COVID-19 patients in ICU beds, down from 24 on Sept. 6.

Fifteen COVID-related deaths have been reported in September after 34 were reported in August and 16 in July. The county reported one death from COVID-19 in May and four in June. Deaths typically lag hospitalizations by a month or more. Nearly all of the 386 COVID-19 deaths that have occurred in the county have been unvaccinated residents.

As of today, a total of 690,484 doses of COVID-19 vaccine have been administered to Sonoma County residents. This means nearly 85 percent of our 12 and older population is fully or partially vaccinated. The state released a new fact sheet, “Busting Myths,” to help educate those residents who are vaccine hesitant and continue to put themselves and others at risk.

Sixteen percent of eligible county residents have not received a dose to date. And children under the age of 12 are currently not eligible to be vaccinated. That means nearly 30 percent of our residents are not vaccinated. Sonoma County’s priority remains getting more first doses administered and more people fully vaccinated.