COVID-19 transmission in Kern drops from high to low
After a week ranking with a high rate of transmission of COVID-19, Kern County dropped back to a low level last week while most of the state was at a medium rate. Only Los Angeles and Imperial counties remained at a high rate.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention uses transmission rankings to measure COVID-19 community levels by county throughout the United States. On a map, counties colored green are identified as having low transmission rates; yellow indicates medium transmission rates and counties colored orange have high transmission rates.
Indicators for community levels are related to new COVID-19 admissions per 100,000 population and the percentage of staffed inpatient beds occupied by COVID-19 patients, both on a seven-day average. If it’s less than 10 percent, the transmission rate is considered low. But as metrics rise, the level is adjusted, first to medium and then to high.
Across the country, the CDC reported that more than 55.47 percent of counties had a low transmission rate with 25.24 percent at medium and 9.29 percent at high.
LOCAL NUMBERS
No updated numbers were available from Kern County Public Health as of noon on Friday, Dec. 30. Local case numbers and county deaths will be updated when information becomes available.
The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation reported four active cases among the incarcerated population at the California Correctional Institution on Dec. 30. It reported eight active cases among CCI staff as of Dec. 28.
TESTING AND VACCINATIONS
The health department reminds residents they can find
testing locations by going to kernpublichealth.com, clicking on the COVID-19 button and looking for “find a testing site near you.” Current vaccination information is available online at kernpublichealth.com/ coronavirus-vaccine. According
to the California Department of Public health, COVID-19 vaccinations are now available for children under 5. Children can now get vaccinated with the Pfizer or Moderna vaccine if they are 6 months or older.