Santa Cruz County Confirms First 2 COVID Deaths Among Vaccinated Residents, Encourages Boosters
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY (BCN) -- Santa Cruz County officials announced the confirmation Monday of two more deaths due to COVID-19, the first deaths in the county among vaccinated people with underlying health conditions.
The first victim, a woman in her mid-60s, died Sept. 3 while the second, a woman in her early 70s, died Sept. 24, according to the county's public health department.
The two women represent the 214th and 215th COVID-related deaths in the county since the pandemic began.
While vaccination broadly reduces the risk of severe COVID-19 illness and death, Santa Cruz County public health officials noted that some residents can be more vulnerable to the virus if they have a weakened immune system or a severe underlying medical condition.
Residents in those demographics are encouraged to get an additional vaccine dose as soon as possible to bolster their immune response to the virus, particularly as more-transmissible variants such as the delta variant become more common.
County residents can find information about getting vaccinated at the Santa Cruz County Health Department website or by calling (831) 454-4242 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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