Santa Barbara County confirms 236 cases over three days, three deaths
Pfizer and BioNTech announced Monday results from a Phase 2/3 trial of its COVID-19 vaccine that showed safe and effective immune responses in children ages 5 to 11.
Pfizer said it plans to submit the results to the Food and Drug Administration for an emergency-use authorization soon.
The study utilized two doses, just like the prescription for adults, but the dosage is smaller at 10 micrograms instead of 30 micrograms.
The antibody response at the 10 microgram dose was comparable to the response of those ages 16-25 with 30 microgram doses. The side effects were also similar, according to Pfizer.
“Over the past nine months, hundreds of millions of people ages 12 and older from around the world have received our COVID-19 vaccine. We are eager to extend the protection afforded by the vaccine to this younger population, subject to regulatory authorization, especially as we track the spread of the Delta variant and the substantial threat it poses to children,” Pfizer Chairman and CEO Albert Bourla said in a news release.
The Santa Barbara County Public Health Department recorded 236 COVID-19 cases over the weekend and into Monday. It has tracked a cumulative 41,402 cases of which 473 are still infectious.
Public Health also reported three deaths, bringing the county’s total to 497.
Two of the deceased were between 50 and 69 years of age, and one was at least 70 years old. Two had underlying health conditions.
Two resided in Santa Maria, and one called Orcutt home.
Santa Maria confirmed the most COVID-19 cases this weekend, with 95 new cases. It has a total of 13,660 cases and 162 active cases.
Lompoc detected 41 cases, boosting its total to 4,907 cases of which 82 are active.
Orcutt recorded 28 new cases. It has a cumulative 2,492 cases and 47 cases still infectious.
Santa Barbara claimed 26 cases. It has 7,534 total cases and 66 active cases.
The following areas also reported cases: the unincorporated area of the Goleta Valley and Gaviota, 13 cases (1,555 total, 22 active); the North County area containing Sisquoc, Casmalia, Garey, Cuyama, New Cuyama and Guadalupe, nine cases (1,534 total, 16 active); the South County area containing Montecito, Summerland and Carpinteria, five cases (1,616 total, 15 active); Goleta, three cases (2,207 total, 23 active); Isla Vista, two cases (1,539 total, four active); the Santa Ynez Valley, two cases (1,377 total, seven active).
The geographic locations of 12 of this weekend’s cases are pending.
There are 45 COVID-19 patients in Santa Barbara County hospitals, 12 of whom are in critical care.
email: ahanshaw@newspress.com
