Yesterday, the County of San Diego announced it is following the state’s lead in recommending that all adults who meet the CDC’s guidelines for timing between doses get a booster shot if they want one. As of this writing, that exceeds federal guidance, but the FDA could change that as early as today. More COVID-19 updates below, along with these topics:
- Local business expands to produce COVID tests
- Community input shapes changes coming to the Village and Barrio
- Supporting our small businesses
- Latest info on efforts to create a trail on the south shore of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon
- Are you recycling “right?”
- Upcoming public meetings
- Kindness starts in Carlsbad
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COVID-19 update
Three things are expected very soon that could dramatically change how we manage our response to COVID-19:
- The official approval of booster shots for everyone 18 and up
- Approval of two new antiviral treatments for COVID-19
- More kids 5 to 11 becoming fully vaccinated
Still, the CDC Director said yesterday that areas should have low levels of transmission for several weeks before loosening mask requirements.
Now or later?
Last week I shared that the state of California was recommending booster shots for those 18 and up, as long as they wait the recommended amount of time between doses, which is two months for the J&J vaccine and six months for the other two. Yesterday the county echoed this state guidance.
The CDC’s guidance says only those at a higher risk, because of age, health conditions, living arrangements or work environment, should get the booster now. The way local health officials are interpreting this guidance is that you can use your own discretion to assess your risk. If you think you are at a higher risk, you can get the booster.
This may become a moot point soon. The FDA is expected to change this guidance as soon as today. The CDC is scheduled to meet on the topic tomorrow. This week’s actions affect the emergency use authorization of the Pfizer booster shot, but Moderna has also requested this approval. Health officials recommend getting a booster of the same vaccine you got originally, but you can mix and match if you want to or based on availability.
Dr. Anthony Fauci has even started to call the booster a third dose, signaling that three dose could become the new definition of “fully vaccinated.”
Active cases
Active cases in Carlsbad shot up this week by 30 after going up by three last week.
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On one hand, having 218 active cases in a city of 115,000 isn’t a lot. On the other hand, when you look at where we were this time last year or even over the summer, it’s higher, which is not good. Carlsbad continues to compare favorably to other cities in the region when it comes to COVID-19 spread, but that doesn’t mean we don’t still need to follow health precautions.
Local transmission status
In data released yesterday by the county, the current case rate per 100,000 people is 14.2 overall, 8.1 for fully vaccinated people and 24.6 for those not fully vaccinated. Two Carlsbad ZIP codes are in the orange or “substantial” tier, one is in the moderate tier and one has a high level of transmission.
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Safer gatherings
Here is what the CDC says about transmission rates and gathering if you or your guests live in an area with substantial or high transmission rates:
- Wear a mask indoors and in public
- Maintain a physical distance of 6 feet or more
- Avoid crowds
- Avoid poorly ventilated areas
Triggers dashboard
Aside from the transmission rate, headed into the holiday season, the triggers established by the County of San Diego are mostly in the “green” zone. This includes hospital capacity, new hospitalizations, ICU capacity and ventilator availability. Looking more closely, though, some are just a few percentage points from hitting the triggers.
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Vaccination progress
The county’s latest data show vaccination progress continues at a good clip:
- Doses administered: Almost 5.42 million
- Received at least one shot: Over 2.6 million or 82.9% of San Diegans 5 and older are at least partially vaccinated
- Fully vaccinated: Over 2.33 million or 74.3%
- Boosters administered: 344,495
Antiviral pills
Pfizer has applied for emergency use authorization for its anti-viral pill as well. The timing of that review and approval is not yet clear. However, Pfizer has already announced it will share the recipe so the pill can be manufactured more wildly, giving about half the world’s population access to the treatment. The federal government announced this week it will purchase 10 million doses.
So, promising developments appear to be just around the corner, but let’s all continue to take health precautions to minimize new cases and further loss of life over the holiday season. This is the very best way we can care for our loved ones and our community.
Local company makes a different worldwide
Quidel Corporation just opened new manufacturing facility in Carlsbad that will produce up to 600 million COVID-19 test kits every year and bring 400 new jobs to the city. Carlsbad city staff worked closely with the company to get the facility up and running in record time.
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Employment opportunities at the facility will include engineers, chemists, technicians, manufacturing, support services and more. To learn about the new jobs as they become available, visit www.CarlsbadLifeInAction.com.
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Community character the focus of recent changes to Village and Barrio plan
The City Council approved new policies and projects Tuesday to better align the Village and Barrio Master Plan with the community’s vision for the historical heart of the city.
The plan was approved in 2019, following several years of community input. The new updates incorporate additional feedback the city has received from the community since then. Some changes affect the timing of things already underway, and others are new. They include:
- Seek an official designation of parts of the Village and Barrio as a historic district
- Complete a feasibility study for the Grand Promenade project, which would create a signature space for walking and gathering along Grand Avenue
- Update city policies to encourage “vital uses” like small grocery stores, post offices, hardware stores, pharmacies and farmers markets
- Expand downtown parking options by updating the city’s program for collecting fees from developers to be used for parking
- Develop a plan, with community input, on whether to allow businesses to continue to utilize outdoor spaces after the COVID-19 special rules expire
- Expand where street markets for local food, arts and culture can operate
- Evaluate whether to make Tyler Street one-way with room for dedicated bike lanes to improve downtown traffic flow
Several community recommendations have already been implemented such as pursuing an arts district and reconfiguring streets to encourage more walking and biking.
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Nov. 27 is Small Business Saturday
Also at Tuesday’s meeting, the City Council recognized the upcoming Small Business Saturday planned for Nov. 27, the day after Black Friday. As you know, many local businesses were hit hard by COVID-19 closures and restrictions, so this is a wonderful opportunity to help them out by shopping in your own community.
Gift Carlsbad is one of many programs the city has helped support, working with the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce and Carlsbad Village Association. It’s coming back for the holidays, offering “bonus funds” on gift cards purchased for dozens of local businesses. So, even if you don’t want to do your shopping in person, you can buy a gift card online and help keep your money local.
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Take a hike!
Yesterday (Nov. 17) was National Take a Hike Day, designed to celebrate the beauty of the U.S. trail system. In Carlsbad, we have about 67 miles of trails and a new online portal called GoHike Carlsbad, which gives in-depth details about each trail in the city. It also includes interactive maps and navigational tools that show you where you are in real time as you’re hiking and help connect you to other trails, sidewalks and cross streets.
So, if you’re looking for a way to amp up your activities in anticipation of a Thanksgiving Day feast, explore trails near you.
Speaking of trails, city staff gave an update to the City Council this week on efforts to create a new trail on the south shore of the Agua Hedionda Lagoon. It’s a challenging project because we lease the land, which doesn’t currently connect to a good place to access the trail or to park. There is also sensitive habitat in the area and access roads that SDG&E wants to keep clear so they can easily maintain the power lines. The City Council asked staff to keep trying to negotiate agreements with the landowner, SDG&E, and others, which is what we’ll do!
You can read the latest about this project here.
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America Recycles Day
It’s been a busy week for nationally recognized days, including Monday’s America Recycles Day. Our Environmental Management Department used the occasion to remind residents that we all play a role in helping keep Carlsbad beautiful by reducing waste sent to landfills.
A big focus of late is making sure that we’re not just recycling but “recycling right.” This means taking a few extra steps to make sure what you put in your recycling bin can actually get recycled:
- Empty – Make sure recyclables have little to no food residue
- Dry – Make sure there are no liquids left in your bottles and cans
- Loose – Keep your recyclables loose and unbagged in your bin
- Break down your cardboard boxes before placing them in your blue recycling bin
Visit WasteFreeSD.org to find recycling options for plastic grocery bags and other plastic packaging that can’t go in your home recycling bin.
Thanks for doing your part.
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Get involved: Upcoming meetings
With COVID-19 cases starting to tick upward just as we enter the holiday season, the City Council decided Tuesday to continue virtual meetings through the month of December. The city’s boards, commissions and committees will also continue to meet virtually.
The next City Council meeting is Dec 7. The agenda will be posted on the city's website the Friday before the meeting.
In the meantime, the following city meetings are scheduled:
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Kindness starts in Carlsbad
Carlsbad has long been known as a kind community. Take a walk along the Sea Wall, and you’ll soon be greeted with a friendly hello and smile from total strangers. It’s no wonder that the international nonprofit Kids for Peace started right here in Carlsbad.
The group just unfurled (quite literally) its latest project, an 18-mile-long paper chain made with links of discarded paper, each one with a handwritten message of love and kindness. The 360,000 pieces were created by students in all 50 U.S. states and all continents except Antarctica.
The City of Carlsbad’s Cultural Arts Office helped sponsor the project, which was completed in time for World Kindness Day Nov. 13.
That’s it for this week. I’ll be back next Wednesday with tips for a safe Thanksgiving and other news.
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Fun things to do
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