FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 4, 2021
The latest data show case rates among the unvaccinated are nearly four times higher than cases among those fully vaccinated
Santa Clara County, CA – The County of Santa Clara released a new data dashboard on Wednesday, breaking out COVID-19 case rates by vaccination status. The latest numbers reflect what public health officials have been echoing in recent weeks: the Delta variant is fueling a surge in cases and the unvaccinated are at the highest risk of infections.
As of August 4, the data show a stark difference in how the latest wave is affecting those who have not been vaccinated versus those who have – with positive cases among the unvaccinated nearly four times higher than those fully vaccinated. The case rate per 100,000 residents for the unvaccinated has jumped from about 3 to more than 25 over the past month. The case rate among the vaccinated, while also increasing in recent weeks, is not experiencing as steep of a spike.
“Vaccines are still excellent at protecting against serious illness and death. They also provide significant protection against infection, though perhaps not quite as effective against the Delta variant,” said Dr. George Han, County of Santa Clara Deputy Health Officer. “To protect those who are not yet eligible for vaccination, such as children, and people who are elderly or immunocompromised, we need everyone who can get a vaccine to do so now. Additionally, wearing masks indoors will help minimize the spike in community transmission.”
For the dashboard, residents are considered fully vaccinated two weeks after the final dose of the vaccine, and are considered unvaccinated if they have not received any doses of a COVID-19 vaccine. Case rates are used in the dashboard instead of the number of cases because case rates allow for a better comparison of the burden of COVID-19 between different sized populations.
Currently, 84% of Santa Clara County residents age 12 and older have received at least one dose of COVID-19 vaccine and roughly 78% have completed their vaccination. Santa Clara County has among the highest vaccination rates in the nation, but it remains critical that more individuals get vaccinated to further protect the community, particularly children, the elderly, and people who are immunocompromised.
Vaccination sites throughout the county continue to accept drop-ins for COVID-19 vaccines and same-day appointments are also available. Visit sccfreevax.org for the latest information and updates.
# # #
Follow our Twitter for updates: @HealthySCC
County of Santa Clara Website: http://www.sccgov.org/coronavirus
Public Health Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/sccpublichealth