South Bay health official warns 'the pandemic is still here'
SAN JOSE (KPIX) -- The Chief Public Health Officer in Santa Clara County, Dr. Sara Cody, is once again warning about skyrocketing COVID-19 infections which have tripled in the past month.
But despite the uptick in cases, people will have to rely on themselves for protection without the support of government mandates.
"The pandemic is still here. We are seeing more activity. So, it is time to break out your masks and break out your tests. And just be a bit more cautious," Dr. Cody told members of the media at a press conference Tuesday.
According to the Public Health Department, the rolling seven-day average of COVID-19 infections jumped from 193 on April 3 to 589 a month later.
"It has wreaked havoc. We can't ignore it. But we also have to have balance and do those things we enjoy doing," Dr. Cody said.
Dr. Cody says right now she is not considering any new public health measures like mask mandates or stay-at-home orders. However, she urged the public to take advantage of mitigations like vaccines, boosters, masks and social distancing.
"The whole family got COVID and we're thinking this is getting too close," says Mark Stevensen who received his second booster shot at the county's vaccination site at the fairgrounds. Mark and his wife Edna says some family members recently came down with COVID and that prompted them to get their second booster.
"Being seventy, we thought we don't want to risk it. And with the numbers going up again, we thought we're going to do it," Edna said.