Orange County officials preach precautions to public ahead of Labor Day weekend

Orange County officials are cautioning the public ahead of Labor Day weekend.

By Andrew TurnerStaff Writer

Aug. 31, 2021 7:09 PM PT

With end-of-summer plans set to be put into motion over Labor Day weekend, Orange County officials are cautioning the public to follow the recommended practices to protect themselves, and others, against the spread of the coronavirus and the contagious Delta variant.

Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong, Orange County’s deputy health officer, advises the public to be proactive in minimalizing risk factors by wearing a mask properly, maintaining physical distancing and keeping gatherings outdoors where possible.

She warns against indoor gatherings that lack good ventilation, leading those present to share each other’s air.

“The question is does your body have the right defenses to immediately not make that exposure an actual infection, so first and foremost, get vaccinated if you haven’t already, or finish your vaccine series if you haven’t finished it — hopefully before the weekend,” Chinsio-Kwong said during a Zoom meeting with reporters on Tuesday.

“Also, there’s a lot of other things to consider. Take good care of yourself. Exercise is still important during this time period. Eating healthy foods is still very important, getting the right nutrients.”

Asked about her thoughts on traveling during the holiday weekend, Chinsio-Kwong said she could not recommend doing so, saying that people would be better off staying at home or traveling safely while remaining close to home.

“When you get to the airport, you’re going to be exposed to a whole lot of people, and then you’re going to get in an airplane, and even if you’re wearing your mask, you’re going to be in an enclosed area for a prolonged period,” Chinsio-Kwong said. “Your immune system takes a hit because you’re not sleeping well.”

The county reported 355 coronavirus cases and five deaths attributed to the virus on Tuesday in the latest data released by the Orange County Health Care Agency.

During the pandemic, the county has seen 285,453 infections and 5,225 fatalities due to the virus.

The cases requiring hospitalization were at 556, and there were 150 patients currently hospitalized because of the virus that were being treated in intensive care units.

The county also reported 10,851 tests for the virus, raising the total tests administered to 4,670,946.

Orange County is reporting averages of 18.6 daily cases per 100,000 residents and a testing positivity rate of 6.8%. Those statistics are recorded as seven-day averages with a seven-day lag.

Chinsio-Kwong was asked if the county was putting out mixed signals by asking for guidelines such as wearing a mask and avoiding indoor gatherings to be followed while the county has been largely reopened. She said the focus should be on learning how to live with the virus.

“I think the last thing we need to do is lockdown and shelter in place because I think we do have these three vaccines that can protect you from hospitalization and death, and we do have other methods that people can follow to help reduce their potential for getting an infection,” Chinsio-Kwong said. “I agree, it may sound like it’s a mixed message, but at the same time, the last thing we want is a lockdown.”

Orange County Supervisor Katrina Foley urged residents to put politics aside and to prioritize the health and safety of the community.

“Your comment that we have to learn how to live with this and we don’t want to be locked down and let it take over our lives any more than necessary is really what this is about,” Foley said as a follow-up to Chinsio-Kwong’s remarks. “[Continue] to encourage people to get away from the politics and focus on the public health. Wear the damn masks.”

Updated figures are posted daily at occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/coronavirus-in-oc. Information on COVID-19 vaccines in Orange County can be found at occovid19.ochealthinfo.com/covid-19-vaccine-resources.

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