Today, Public Health launched an expansion to our COVID-19 Dashboard to include information on cases and hospitalizations based on vaccination status.  Some highlights include:

• Out of the 326,342 fully vaccinated residents in Kern County, only 0.06% have tested positive and 0.003% have been hospitalized.
• Since January 21, 2021, the date people could be first considered fully vaccinated in Kern, unvaccinated individuals have accounted for 99.19% of all COVID cases and 99.26% of all COVID hospitalizations.

In the most recent three weeks there has been a 53.8% increase in first doses of the COVID-19 vaccines administered in Kern County. With the arrival of the more transmissible Delta variant, it is imperative that all eligible residents get vaccinated to protect against severe illness and death due to COVID-19. Vaccination appointments for individuals aged 12+ can be made by visiting myturn.ca.gov.

“Vaccination is the fastest, safest, most controlled setting in which we can develop immunity against COVID-19,” said Brynn Carrigan, Director of Public Health.  “Masking, physical distancing, washing hands, covering coughs, staying home when sick or exposed, and staying in overall good health by eating well and regularly exercising are all layers of protection that we encourage our community to use to limit the transmission of COVID-19.”