BCPH urges those who have not yet gotten vaccinated to do so as soon as possible

BUTTE COUNTY, CA (MPG) - Butte County Public Health announces that four additional community members have died due to their COVID-19 illness. BCPH expresses its sincere condolences to the family and friends of those who have passed. These recent deaths include persons from the following age groups: 55-64, 65-75, and 75+.

Sadly, BCPH will likely have more deaths to announce this week but is awaiting the review of medical records and death certificate confirmation before confirming and announcing those losses. Unfortunately, BCPH had anticipated an increase in deaths due to a surge of COVID-19 hospitalizations since August.

“Typically, hospitalizations increase 1-2 weeks after an increase in the number of cases, and lives lost increases 1-2 weeks after the increase in hospitalizations. Then there is an additional delay in reporting deaths as we gather the needed information to determine that the death was due to COVID-19,” explained Linda Lewis, Health Scientist and Epidemiologist for BCPH. “Tragically, many of these deaths could have been avoided if more people had been vaccinated.”

Since this latest surge started in late July, the death toll due to COVID-19 in Butte County has increased by 19. Sixteen of those deaths have been reported in the past seven days. Since the start of the pandemic, Butte County has endured the loss of 221 residents, with an additional 56 probably deaths. Probable deaths are those that have been reported from the result of a positive “rapid” antigen test in comparison to a viral PCR test.

Since April 15th, of the 25 deaths in persons below the age of 80, 4% were fully vaccinated.

BCPH urges those who have not yet gotten vaccinated to do so as soon as possible and for those who have missed their second dose of a two-dose vaccine, to reschedule as soon as possible, even if it is outside the recommended timeframe. Getting fully vaccinated against COVID-19 is the safest choice everyone can make to prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death.

View a full list of COVID-19 vaccination locations throughout Butte County, visit the BCPH COVID-19 Vaccine website: www.buttecounty.net/COVIDvaccine. Questions? Call the Butte County COVID-19 Call Center: 530.552.3050.