Skip to content
CapRadio

CapRadio

listen live donate
listen live donate
listen live
donate
  • News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
    News
    • News

    • State Government
    • Environment
    • Health Care
    • Race and Equity
    • Business
    • Arts and Lifestyle
    • Food and Sustainability
    • PolitiFact California
  • Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
    Music
    • Music

    • Classical
    • Jazz
    • Eclectic

    • Daily Playlist
  • Podcasts & Shows
  • Schedules
  • Events
  • Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
    Support
    • Support
    • Ways to support
    • Evergreen Donation
    • One-Time Donation
    • Corporate Sponsorship
    • Vehicle Donation
    • Stock Giving
    • Legacy Giving
    • Endowment Support
    • Members
    • Member Benefits
    • Member FAQ
    • Member Newsletter

    • Fund drives
    • Drawing Winners
    • Thank You Gifts
  • About
  • Close Menu

Interview: UC Davis doctor gives an update on COVID-19

  •  Megan Manata 
  •  Vicki Gonzalez 
Saturday, April 9, 2022 | Sacramento, CA
Listen
/
Update RequiredTo play audio, update browser or Flash plugin.
Jae C. Hong / AP Photo

People wait in line for a COVID-19 test at a mobile testing site in Paramount on Wednesday, Jan. 12, 2022.

Jae C. Hong / AP Photo

We’re a few months into 2022, and while COVID-19 hasn’t vanished, there are signs it’s diminishing. 

The World Health Organization reports that deaths are falling globally, with a 16% decline in new cases last week.

In the U.S., patients hospitalized with COVID-19 have fallen more than 90% in more than two months. Some hospitals even report having no COVID-19 patients in their ICU beds.

Doctors in Sacramento are seeing more mild disease that leads to outpatient care instead of severe inpatient care.

“Things are good right now. There’s a relatively low rate of transmission compared to previous months, and the disease that we’re seeing in people, it’s been relatively mild,” Blumberg said on Insight. “That’s resulting in a relatively low hospitalization rate.”

While things may be looking up in the U.S., this can’t be said for many places globally. In Shanghai, the city of 26 million people are in various stages of lockdown due to a recent coronavirus outbreak.

There’s concern that what’s happening in China could be a foreshadowing of what’s to come. 

Blumberg, the chief of pediatric diseases at UC Davis Medical Center, spoke with CapRadio’s Insight Host, Vicki Gonzalez, about the latest context and perspective on the coronavirus pandemic.

This interview has been edited for clarity and length

Interview Highlights

On the current predictions on how the pandemic is affecting children

Children continue to get the occasional infection, but again, it tends to be mild and an outpatient illness rather than resulting in hospitalization like we were seeing before.

And we think this is because most people at this point in the pandemic, including most school-age children, have at least partial immunity. They’ve either been immunized or [with] the last omicron surge, which had such high rates of transmission, then they were infected during that surge that peaked in January.

So that if they do get another infection at this point, they have partial immunity, that it’s a mild outpatient illness more like a cold or flu, and they’re less likely to result in severe disease.

On the latest variant of concern

So the omicron sub variant — BA.2 — that’s of concern. It’s about 30- to 80% more transmissible than the original omicron strain and now accounts for almost three-quarters of the circulating strains in the U.S.

And when we’ve seen this before in the U.K. and Denmark and other European countries, we’ve seen it once it gets to be that high, once it gets to be over 50%, that may result in a surge. They’re currently seeing that in the U.K. and in several countries in Europe.

On how California is fairing next to countries experiencing COVID-19 surges

I think that’s partially due to the government policy. So in China, they’ve had the zero COVID policy. 

They’ve had relatively low rates of transmission and they’ve also had relatively low rates of vaccination compared to California and the U.S., so they have more vulnerability to these outbreaks. 

And even though they are shutting down cities such as Shanghai, there’s still a relatively low rates of transmission that’s occurring in China. So I think it’s all a result of their philosophy and their policy.

On getting booster shots for those ages 50 and up.

So for those who have comorbidities, for those who are at risk for more severe disease, then I think it’s a great idea to get that second booster shot.

For others, it’s not so clear to me. There’s one study from Israel that showed that the booster was very beneficial in those over 60 years of age in decreasing hospital admission as well as mortality. But as far as over 50 years of age, I haven’t seen data to that effect yet. And there are other studies that show only a modest increase in the immune response for that second booster dose in this age group. 

So, it’s really not clear to me that this applies to everybody, but certainly if you do have comorbidities or if you’re going to be at increased risk for exposure and infection, such as traveling to somewhere where there’s increased rates of transmission, then it’s a good idea to consider that booster.

On what’s going on with vaccinations for children under 5 years of age

Right, so we’re in a pretty good place. We’re getting close. For [the] Moderna vaccine, the less than 5-years-old data shows that the vaccine is safe and has a good immune response.

But that study was performed during the omicron outbreak and didn’t show as much protection as we would like. So the FDA is expected to review the Moderna data sometime later this month.

And then we should get CDC recommendations for maybe at the end of this month or in May.

For the Pfizer vaccine, the data is supposed to be available later this month. I haven’t seen it. They did run into a glitch with the dosing for the 18 months to the four years of age, and had to adjust that. And so we’ll see what that adjustment — if it has been successful.

On reminding people that the virus is still around

You know, [COVID-19 is] still serious and still may result in hospitalization. 

Infection still results in death, so it’s not something to be taken lightly. So I would encourage everybody to stay up to date with their vaccination status, and then to wear masks … in situations where they can’t social distance, and they don’t know the vaccination status of others, such as being on an airplane.


Follow us for more stories like this

CapRadio provides a trusted source of news because of you.  As a nonprofit organization, donations from people like you sustain the journalism that allows us to discover stories that are important to our audience. If you believe in what we do and support our mission, please donate today.

Donate Today  

    More about Coronavirus

  • NIAID-RML via AP

    Coronavirus In California: Latest Updates And Resources

    The coronavirus has impacted nearly every aspect of life in California and around the world. Here are resources and all our coverage at CapRadio and NPR.
  • Health Care
  •  

 Coronavirus

Megan Manata

Interactive Producer

Megan Manata is an Interactive Producer at CapRadio where she shares CapRadio’s content across our website and social media.  Read Full Bio 

Vicki Gonzalez

Insight Host

Vicki Gonzalez is a Murrow and Emmy award-winning journalist with 15 years’ experience as a reporter and news anchor. Previously, she spent five years as a reporter at NBC’s Sacramento affiliate KCRA. She also worked at KSNV-TV, KXFV-TV and KABC-TV.  Read Full Bio 

 @VickiLGonzalez Email Vicki Gonzalez

Sign up for ReCap and never miss the top stories

Delivered to your inbox every Friday.

 

Check out a sample ReCap newsletter.

Thanks for subscribing!

Thank you for signing up for the ReCap newsletter! We'll send you an email each Friday with the top stories from CapRadio.

Browse all newsletters
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 
 We Get Support From:
Become a Supporter 

Back to Top

  • CapRadio

    7055 Folsom Boulevard
    Sacramento, CA 95826-2625

    •  
      (916) 278-8900
    •  
      (877) 480-5900
    •  Contact / Feedback
    •  Submit a News Tip
  • About

    • Mission / Vision / Core Values
    • Stations & Coverage Map
    • Careers & Internships
    • Staff Directory
    • Board of Directors
    • Press
  • Listening Options

    • Mobile Apps
    • Smart Speakers
    • Podcasts & Shows
    • On-Air Schedules
    • Daily Playlist
    • Signal Status
  • Connect

    •  Facebook
    •  Twitter
    •  Instagram
    •  YouTube
  • Donate

  • Listen Live

  • Newsletters

CapRadio stations are licensed to California State University, Sacramento. © 2023, Capital Public Radio. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Website Feedback FCC Public Files: KXJZ KKTO KUOP KQNC KXPR KXSR KXJS. For assistance accessing our public files, please call 916-278-8900 or email us.