SAN DIEGO — COVID-19 is once again back in the headlines. We're seeing a summer surge with a positivity rate at nearly the highest it has ever been.
The good news is far fewer people are dying but a lot of people are still getting sick.
San Diego County's positivity rate is close to 21%, the second highest ever recorded since the start of the pandemic.
"Frequent hand washing, staying home when sick, covering cough, all of those things we were doing at the height of the pandemic still apply," Dr. Ankita Kadakia said, who is the Interim Public Health Officer for the County of San Diego.
Kadakia says being mask-free and closer than six feet apart has the virus circulating around San Diego County.
"We have seen increases, with summer travel and more frequent gatherings - as well as around holidays we seem to see those peaks and we are in a peak right now," Dr. Kadakia added.
San Diego County currently has a seven-day test positivity rate of 20.5%. The only time we were higher than that was in January 2022 when we had a positivity rate of 29 percent. At-home test results are not included.
"Vaccination remains a cornerstone on how to keep people safe and prevent severe death," Kadakia said.
COVID-19 seems to be spreading across our community faster than almost anywhere else, around 20%, while the state rate is 13.8% and the nationwide number is 14.3%.
"We know this virus is constantly mutating, it looks for ways to evade our immune system, looks for ways to get around the antibodies we've developed," Kadakia said.
Stemming from the Omicron variant, the latest mutation is called Flirt - which includes the KP and JN strains that are leading to this latest round of infections.
Just like the flu shot that morphs every year, those will be the focus of the next vaccine that will be ready this fall. Booster shots are still available now.
Health experts said the previous vaccines are still effective in making your cold and flu-like symptoms less severe, but they decline over time - so the CDC still recommends this newest vaccine for everyone six months and older.
"We've opened the Public Health Clinic for testing and that's free of charge. We're also offering home test kits," Dr. Kadakia said.
Thankfully our local hospitals say they are handling the summer surge. They do still recommend masks for patients and staff and say it's still the elderly and those with chronic diseases who see further complications from COVID.
"We're only at a 16% vaccination rate, so many many more people could get vaccinated and stay safe," Dr. Kadakia added.
Just last year according to the CDC, more than 75,000 people died from COVID in the U.S. So own it and mask up, if you're in a busy place and really don't want to get sick and continue to be mindful of others, who may have a more severe reaction to the virus.
WATCH RELATED: Here are health tips for older men