00:00In California, a rise in COVID-19 cases and high levels of coronavirus in wastewater has at least one official recommending masking indoors.
00:11The State Department of Health now tracks diseases through wastewater, and it's been very effective since the pandemic.
00:18It's really the best way to see how active the virus is in a given community.
00:22Wastewater actually looks directly at the amount of virus that's being excreted literally from our bodies into the wastewater across the community.
00:30The CDC shows California is one of 21 states with high or very high levels of coronavirus in wastewater.
00:37They also show the number of COVID cases has risen and the epidemic trend is, quote, likely growing.
00:43Despite that, hospital admissions and deaths remain low.
00:46We need to see this in context. In 2020, just in the community that I was serving as a health officer, you know, we were seeing dozens of deaths every month.
00:58We are nowhere near that right now.
01:00In Yolo County, health officials recommend people take extra precautions, including wearing masks indoors.
01:07County health officer Dr. Amy Sisson said, quote,
01:09Based on current wastewater levels of the virus that causes COVID-19, I recommend that everybody in West Sacramento wear a mask when they are around others in indoor public spaces.
01:20I think it's reasonable as a recommendation.
01:23But I again, I think it's important to take this in context.
01:26You know, the masks just as a tool have been so politicized that we want to make sure that we're not, you know, overcalling it or undercalling it.
01:35And the fact is, is that as a tool, a mask is an effective way of preventing infection, period.
01:42According to Willis, the best way to fight the coronavirus is vaccination.
01:46High vaccination rates translates to lower mortality at the community level.
01:51And for an individual, it's the same.
01:53If you're vaccinated, you're much less likely to end up in the hospital.
01:56And that's just been proven over and over again.
01:58Now, that is not a political statement.
02:00That is just a scientific reality.
02:02Willis said the latest COVID-19 vaccine is effective and now available throughout California.
02:08For Straight Arrow News, I'm Lauren Keenan.
02:10If you want more on this story, download the Straight Arrow News app or visit san.com.
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