The California surge in coronavirus cases has shut down schools and sidelined thousands of police, firefighters, teachers and health care workers but officials are hoping it will be short-lived.
"My hope is that, you know, by the time we get to February, we’re on the downside of seeing that massive amount of community transmission," Los Angeles County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer said Thursday.
But vaccinations and booster shots were protecting many people from severe illness, health officials said. Fewer than half of hospital patients with COVID-19 were there because of the infection. Most were hospitalized with unrelated illnesses, the county said. San Francisco reported on Tuesday that 167 officers were quarantined and 135 firefighters — both representing about 8% of their forces — were absent due to COVID-19. San Diego had nearly 200 officers and other personnel out Tuesday, reflecting a similar percentage of the department.
One processing lab used by Santa Clara County has been sending samples to Texas due to staff shortages, Dr. Jennifer Tong, associate chief medical officer at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, told the Bay Area NewsThe virus surge has been straining school systems. District officials said all 54 schools in West Contra Costa County, east of San Francisco, will be closed Friday and Monday.
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