PD Editorial: As summer beckons, don’t forget COVID

Who isn’t eager to see COVID in the rearview mirror?

Through March and April, with most restrictions lifted and the number of new cases reported each day in Sonoma County dipping into single digits, the pandemic finally seemed to be fading away.

But, like the proverbial party guest who doesn’t know it’s past time to leave, the virus is sticking around.

On Thursday, with new infections again on the rise, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention put Sonoma and a dozen other California counties back in the high-risk category.

Alameda County reinstated an indoor mask mandate, and so have several school districts and universities around the state.

It’s disappointing, but there’s no need to panic.

We’ve been here before. A year ago, with safe and effective vaccines widely available, Americans were peeling off their masks, heading back to the office, dining indoors, attending graduation ceremonies and anticipating a “summer of freedom” — a return to life without social distancing and other irksome pandemic restrictions.

Then came delta, then omicron and a succession of subvariants.

Vaccines and boosters are saving lives and keeping infection rates from surging out of control, even as hopes for herd immunity have given away to grudging acceptance of COVID as an entrenched, and still potentially fatal, disease.

Our advice: Be cautious. If you are exposed, get tested. Home test kits allow you to quickly determine whether you have been infected and need to isolate yourself to protect others. You can find test kits in most drugstores or order up to eight for free from the federal government at covid.gov/tests or by calling 800-232-0233.

Sonoma County residents, by and large, have done their part to combat the coronavirus — following expert advice, complying with public health orders and getting vaccinated against COVID-19.

But with numbers again on the rise, we need to fight off COVID fatigue and keep doing what’s necessary to contain the spread of the disease and protect the most vulnerable among us — senior citizens, young children and the immunocompromised.

The best defense remains vaccination.

Sonoma County’s aggregate numbers are good: 88% of the population over 5 years of age is vaccinated, compared to 73% statewide and 67% nationally. But vaccination lags for younger residents: 69% for ages 12-15, according to the county’s latest data, and just 42% for children 5-11.

Vaccines for children under age 5 could be available as soon as June 21, Dr. Ashish Jha, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, said this week.

Schools have been a top spreading ground for COVID, according to county numbers, which should be a strong incentive for parents to get their children vaccinated as soon as possible.

Masks remain optional in Sonoma County, but more and more people are putting one on before going into a store, restaurant or office. Sure, they fog your glasses and hide your smile, but they are a proven weapon in the arsenal against the virus. Don’t hesitate to wear one to protect yourself and others.

Another summer is getting underway with all the activities Sonoma County has to offer. Make the most of it but be careful out there. The virus is still stalking us.

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