Play it Safe on Superbowl Sunday
- Category: News Releases, COVID-19
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Media Contact: Karina Rusk
831-759-1843
Healthcare Leaders at Salinas Valley Health are urging people not to let their guard down going into Superbowl weekend. Monterey County has made great strides over the past couple of weeks, reducing the average number of people hospitalized countywide from a peak of some 230 people to a current daily COVID-19 inpatient number of about 120.
“It’s a welcome relief to see a decline in COVID-19 hospitalizations taking place,” said Pete Delgado, Salinas Valley Health President/CEO. “We are concerned however, with the vaccine rollout taking place and businesses opening up, people might be tempted to take part in large Superbowl celebrations. As a community we have to play it safe to beat this virus. That is the real victory we want to achieve in the coming months.”
Just last week, Salinas Valley Health Medical Center had four active units caring for COVID-19 patients. As of this morning, the decrease in hospitalizations allowed clinical staff to consolidate the number of COVID-19 units to two.
“The trend is going in the right direction,” said Carla Spencer, RN, Associate Chief Nursing Officer at Salinas Valley Health. “People need to be smart this weekend and remember the variant virus is in our community, which has the potential of spreading faster than the original strain of COVID-19.”
The Monterey County Health Department and all four of the county hospitals including Salinas Valley Health are supporting expanded vaccine administration to people 75 years and older. In addition, CVS pharmacy recently added Salinas to a list of two other pharmacy locations in Monterey County which will offer COVID-19 vaccine to eligible individuals.
Spencer warns that even if someone has received both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine, there is still a risk of contracting the virus. She suggests that if people gather for Superbowl Sunday or any other event, you can reduce the risk by holding activities outdoors, wearing masks and maintaining social distancing protocols.
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