San Diego County Enters 'Medium-Risk' COVID-19 Category

SAN DIEGO, CA — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has moved San Diego County into its medium-risk level for COVID-19 this week following consistently rising cases.

The CDC bases risk levels on hospital bed capacity, hospital admissions, and the total number of new COVID-19 cases in an area. 8,850 new cases were reported in the week from May 19 to May 25, a 26 percent increase from the previous week, according to the county’s Health & Human Services Agency.

On Thursday, the agency reported 1,897 new coronavirus cases, and six additional deaths since last week’s report.

The number of people in the county hospitalized with COVID-19 has also increased to 169, 67 more than one month ago, according to the latest state data. The number of available hospital beds is 228, a decrease of 11, NBC San Diego reported.

San Diego County moved into the low category in March, prompting the San Diego Unified School District to remove its mask mandate.

The medium-risk level means that immunocompromised residents should consider resuming higher levels of protective measures, the county said in a news release. The county also recommended that every resident stay up to date with vaccines, and get tested if they develop symptoms of COVID-19. Symptoms include fever, chills, cough, fatigue, difficulty breathing, muscle or headaches, and more.

Eighty-three percent of county residents are fully vaccinated. See here to learn about vaccination options, and here to learn about county treatment options.

Face masks only become mandatory when a county enters the high-risk phase, but county officials are still encouraging their use.

“While facial coverings are no longer mandatory in most places, the County, along with the California Department of Public Health, strongly recommends masking, especially indoors and around those who may be vulnerable to COVID-19,” said Cameron Kaiser, M.D., M.P.H., County deputy public health officer. “Spread of the virus has increased in recent weeks and we should step up individual efforts to keep our community safe.”

Counties all over California have moved from the low to medium-risk categories. Orange, Ventura and Santa Barbara counties entered the medium-risk level in the past week. Los Angeles County and all the Bay Area counties were already in the medium level. Thirty-three of California’s 58 counties are now in the CDC’s medium level, which accounts for 78 percent of the state’s population, according to the Los Angeles Times.