County Officials Report 642 New COVID Cases, While White House Plans For More Vaccine Boosters

San Diego CA

16 August, 2021

10:34 AM

Description

By Editor, Times of San Diego August 16, 2021 San Diego County health officials reported 642 new COVID-19 cases on Sunday, and no deaths as White House officials began to plan to roll out more vaccine boosters in the fall. The cumulative total of county cases rose Sunday to 314,247, while the death toll remained at 3,824. Meanwhile, the state reported 13,472 new COVID-19 cases, and 45 more deaths. With the new data, the total number of California cases during the pandemic rose to 4.02 million, and the death toll to 64,183. Public health officials in the state reported a 6.4% positivity rate for the virus in the past seven days. That's down slightly, 0.1%, since a week prior. On the vaccine front, the first boosters are likely to go to nursing home residents and health care workers, according to a report in the New York Times. Other older people who were near the front of the line when vaccinations began late last year would follow. Officials in the Biden administration envision giving people the same vaccine they originally received. They have discussed starting the effort in October, but have not settled on a timetable, the report added. The Food and Drug Administration already cleared the way for third doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines this week – but for the most vulnerable, such as those who have undergone organ transplants. Reuters contributed to this report. Times of San Diego is an independent online news site covering the San Diego metropolitan area. Our journalists report on politics, crime, business, sports, education, arts, the military and everyday life in San Diego. No subscription is required, and you can sign up for a free daily newsletter with a summary of the latest news.