Coronavirus Cases Drop In Orange County, Red Tier In Sight

ORANGE COUNTY, CA — Orange County's coronavirus positivity rate improved Tuesday enough to qualify for the red tier in the state's guidelines to reopen more businesses, although the county still doesn't meet all the metrics required to graduate from the most restrictive purple tier.

On Tuesday, 658 new coronavirus cases were reported, and 40 more residents lost their lives due to coronavirus. A total of 243,163 have been infected with coronavirus, and 3,617 of those have died.

The Tuesday released numbers included no update Monday for the Presidents Day holiday.

In Orange County, hospitalizations declined, with now 748 patients falling from 790 on Sunday. On Tuesday, a total of 235 residents remain in intensive care.

The county has 15.3% of its ICU beds available, as well as 56% of its ventilators, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.

Of the 40 deaths reported Tuesday, two were skilled nursing facility residents, and five were assisted living facility residents, raising those totals to 902 and 406, respectively.

The death reports are staggered because they come from various sources and are not always logged immediately.

But January surpassed 1,000 deaths over the weekend. The death toll for January now stands at 1,040 so far, beating the previous December record, which now has recorded 859 dead.

By the numbers, since the first Orange County resident died of coronavirus on March 19, 2020, over half of the people who have died within the county died between December and January.

A total of 26 people have died of coronavirus in February so far.

January holds the bitter honor of two of the deadliest days of the pandemic in Orange County. On Jan. 5, 63 people died. The second deadliest day was Jan. 3, when 61 people died.

The county's adjusted daily case rate per 100,000 people dropped from 29.7 last week to 20.7 on Tuesday, and the test positivity rate on a seven-day average, with a seven-day lag, fell from 9.4% to 7.8%, which meets the criteria for the red tier.

The county's Health Equity Quartile Positivity Rate, which measures the cases in highly affected, needier parts of the county, declined from 12.4% last week to 10.7%.

On Wednesday, to combat the low number of vaccinated Latino residents in Orange County, officials are debuting their third COVID-19 Vaccine Point of Dispensing site at Santa Ana College in Santa Ana.

To date, 14,718 Latinos over the age of 65-years-old have received at least one round of coronavirus vaccine, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.

A new initiative by Supervisor Andrew Do, Chair of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, and Vice-Chair Doug Chaffee will be a start toward addressing barriers that impede people's access to testing and vaccines.

“As a continuation of the Board’s Latino Health Equity Initiative, which was started in June 2020, the Board is proud to announce the opening of a COVID-19 Vaccine POD site at Santa Ana College,” Do said. “Addressing barriers that may impede people’s access to testing and vaccines, especially in low equity communities, is the reason why we came up with the Latino Health Equity Initiative very early in the pandemic. The Santa Ana College site is a tangible example of the County and Board of Supervisors delivering on our focus on equity in vaccine distribution.”

Santa Ana and Anaheim have the highest infection of COVID-19 in Orange County.

"Having a POD location here in the City, which is easily accessible to its residents, is the right thing to do," Do said.

This new third POD site will help support the ongoing and consistent distribution of the first doses as inventory is received. The Santa Ana College POD will operate five days a week, Tuesday – Saturday, from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Supervisor Doug Chaffee, Vice Chairman of the Orange County Board of Supervisors, spoke on the need among Santa Ana residents.

“We continue to communicate with residents who are anxious to receive the COVID-19 vaccine," Chaffee said. "We encourage patience as we work to improve the infrastructure and communication in dispensing our limited supply of vaccine to eligible individuals.”

Since the first and second Super POD sites opened at the Disneyland Resort and Soka University, there have been approximately 37,860 and 21,807 vaccine doses, respectively, distributed to eligible Orange County residents and those working in Orange County.

New POD sites and opportunities will open dependent on the supply of COVID-19 vaccines provided to the County. Additional POD sites, including Super POD sites, will open in a phased approach, ensuring access to residents in every county area.

“We are honored and grateful to be selected as a POD for Orange County to serve a central area that has been hard hit by this pandemic,” said Rancho Santiago Community College District Chancellor Marvin Martinez. “RSCCD is committed to preventing and limiting the spread of the novel coronavirus as we also continue to offer free testing at both Santa Ana College and Santiago Canyon College. Through this partnership, we can provide the same level of commitment with the distribution of vaccinations to our surrounding communities, helping to maintain a safe environment while delivering on our mission of providing quality education.”

Latino Health Equity Initiative

In alignment with the County’s Latino Health Equity Initiate, launched last June by Supervisor Do and Supervisor Doug Chaffee, the Orange County Health Care Agency has set up vaccine sites near some of the negatively affected zip codes to vaccinate eligible residents in critical need. With assistance from Latino Health Access and other local community health clinics, the county ensures communities impacted by the pandemic get direct access to vaccines.

Earlier this month, the CalOptima Board of Directors approved the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Pilot Program, first introduced by Chair Do and Vice-Chairman Chaffee to improve direct access to vaccinations CalOptima members who live in the hardest-hit communities by the pandemic.

In the next few weeks, CalOptima and health networks will engage seniors to get their vaccine through health networks and clinics. CalOptima and HCA will also develop vaccine-related information in linguistically and culturally appropriate ways.

Vaccinations dispensed at County Super PODs are currently available to Orange County residents and those who work in Orange County who are eligible under Phase 1A, all tiers.

Eligible individuals with an appointment must present identification and proof of eligibility at the Super POD site to receive a vaccine. To view a list of those who are eligible to receive a vaccine, visit the OC Health Care Agency: ochealthinfo.com/phased-approach-vaccine-distribution.

City News Service contributed to this report.