Delta Variant Drives Coronavirus Surge in Mendocino County
By Alicia Bales\n\nJuly 23, 2021--The County of Mendocino Department of Public Health and Department Operations Center held their biweekly Covid-19 Briefing on Friday afternoon. According to Deputy Public Health Officer Dr. Mimi Doohan, Mendocino County is experiencing a surge of Covid-19 infections, numbers which she said would have put the county into the Purple Tier of the states tiered system that ended in June.\n\nDepartment Operations Center Manager Kirk Ford presented several slides with Mendocino\u2019s Covid statistics. There are currently 9 patients in the Hospital, and 5 in the ICU, which is causing Health Officials to worry about the capacity of the local healthcare system should the surge increase. The county\u2019s total vaccination rate is hovering around 53%, with only a tiny fraction of the new infections are occurring in people who are fully vaccinated.\n\nThe driver for the current surge seems to be the Delta Variant of the Covid-19 virus, which Dr. Doohan explained is significantly more contagious with a shorter incubation time. She cautioned both vaccinated and unvaccinated residents to be extremely careful as the county\u2019s coronavirus case numbers rise, to avoid overwhelming the local hospital system. Public Health recommends that all people, regardless of vaccination status, should wear masks indoors when in public. She also thanked front line health care workers, who are experiencing case numbers reminiscent of the darkest days of what feels like an endless pandemic.\n\nTo watch the full briefing on Youtube: