The delta variant of the COVID-19 virus has been identified in at least two counties in the greater Sacramento region. Health experts say the delta variant is much more contagious than the strain that forced statewide shutdowns for much of the past year. KCRA 3 confirmed with El Dorado County officials that someone from Diamond Springs tested positive for the delta variant on June 2. It is one of the first known cases of the infectious strain to be found in the foothills.”It makes me nervous,” said resident Joanna Baker, who lost several family members to COVID-19. “We’re all going maskless now. We’re all, living life again, which is great, but I think it’s a little easier for to spread now.” But not everyone in town agreed. “I think we’re being manipulated,” said Frank Johnson, who is vaccinated because of his age, but has no plans to change his day-to-day life. “Third or half the people don’t wear masks anyways. Up here in the foothills, it was more casual I think.”As of Thursday morning, data from the El Dorado County public health dashboard showed that just over half of residents have gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. As far as confirmed cases, 51% of those stemmed from people between 18-49. A spokeswoman for the county said the person who tested positive for the Delta variant has not responded to contact tracing efforts. The county also did not know the person’s current state of health or vaccination status. Local health officials have no plans to change the masking requirements at this time and are continuing to ask people to follow the rules laid down by the state.KCRA 3 learned Thursday there are 67 cases of the delta variant in Sacramento County. “It is possible to get sick with the delta variant even if you are vaccinated,” said Jamie White, Sacramento County Public Health epidemiology program manager. ” it is much less likely that you’ll get sick if you’re vaccinated than if you’re not vaccinated.”County representatives say the county is continuing to follow state guidelines and has no plans as of now to introduce new rules around social distancing or face mask-wearing just yet.
The delta variant of the COVID-19 virus has been identified in at least two counties in the greater Sacramento region.
Health experts say the delta variant is much more contagious than the strain that forced statewide shutdowns for much of the past year.
KCRA 3 confirmed with El Dorado County officials that someone from Diamond Springs tested positive for the delta variant on June 2. It is one of the first known cases of the infectious strain to be found in the foothills.
“It makes me nervous,” said resident Joanna Baker, who lost several family members to COVID-19. “We’re all going maskless now. We’re all, living life again, which is great, but I think it’s a little easier for [COVID] to spread now.”
But not everyone in town agreed.
“I think we’re being manipulated,” said Frank Johnson, who is vaccinated because of his age, but has no plans to change his day-to-day life. “Third or half the people don’t wear masks anyways. Up here in the foothills, it was more casual I think.”
As of Thursday morning, data from the El Dorado County public health dashboard showed that just over half of residents have gotten at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. As far as confirmed cases, 51% of those stemmed from people between 18-49.
A spokeswoman for the county said the person who tested positive for the Delta variant has not responded to contact tracing efforts. The county also did not know the person’s current state of health or vaccination status. Local health officials have no plans to change the masking requirements at this time and are continuing to ask people to follow the rules laid down by the state.
KCRA 3 learned Thursday there are 67 cases of the delta variant in Sacramento County.
“It is possible to get sick with the delta variant even if you are vaccinated,” said Jamie White, Sacramento County Public Health epidemiology program manager. “[But] it is much less likely that you’ll get sick if you’re vaccinated than if you’re not vaccinated.”
County representatives say the county is continuing to follow state guidelines and has no plans as of now to introduce new rules around social distancing or face mask-wearing just yet.