Manteca, Ripon, and Lathrop have a higher percentage of its targeted population fully vaccinated against COVID-19 than the California and national averages.

As of Wednesday:

*38.4 percent or 23,432 of targeted Manteca residents were fully vaccinated while 16.35 percent were partially vaccinated.

*40.34 percent or 4,977 of targeted Ripon residents were fully vaccinated while 12.56 percent were partially vaccinated.

*42.13 percent of 7,055 of targeted Lathrop residents were fully vaccinated while 20.19 percent were partially vaccinated.

So far 32.4 percent of California’s targeted population is fully vaccinated as opposed to 32.3 percent nationally.

Health officials want to get as many people vaccinated as possible.

Proof that it results in a substantial drop in COVID-19 cases and deaths can be found west of the Altamont Pass.

Two-thirds of all adults in San Francisco and almost 60 percent of the greater metro area of 4.7 million have been vaccinated with at least one dose — one of the highest rates in the nation. Its positive test rate is at 1.2 percent.

By comparison, 53 percent of Ripon adult residents have at least one dose, 62 percent of Lathrop adults, and 55 percent of Manteca adults.

Health experts have estimated that 70 percent to 85 percent of a city’s population will need to be immune to reach herd immunity. However, that number is a moving target based on numerous factors.

Based on current conditions, San Francisco is in the verge of slipping into yellow or the least restrictive tier. Gov. Gavin Newsom has set June 15 as a date to “reopen” California.

 By going to sjready.org you can find vaccination sites where you can register for COVID-19 vaccines.

It includes all Costco stores in the county including Manteca, the Ripon and Lathrop SaveMarts, CVS Pharmacy, Walgreens, Safeway, and Walmart.

Modern Urgent Care in Manteca at 1630 W. Yosemite Ave., Suite A, offers shots seven days a week 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Heath care provider networks that typically deal with established patients include Golden Valley Health Centers, Kaiser Permanente, and Sutter Health.

Manteca has had 110 deaths to date while 7,017 people have contracted COVID-19. Ripon has had 21 deaths and 1,388 people that have tested positive. Lathrop has had 20 deaths and 2,350 coronavirus cases.

Countywide there have been 2,784 cases out of 767,000 residents since March 2020. There are 1,207 currently positive although that does not necessarily mean they have or will become ill.

There have been 1,384 deaths countywide. Of those, all but 16.9 percent had at least one underlying condition that worked to compromise their ability to fight COVID-19. That included 39.6 percent that were diabetic, 31.1 percent that had cardiovascular disease, 14 percent that had chronic lung disease, 13.6 percent that were obese, and 5.9 percent with asthma.

Hospitals in San Joaquin County on Wednesday reported having 43 COVID positive patients admitted for care. Adult intensive care units (ICU) are operating at 94% of licensed bed capacity with 14% or 13 of those beds being used by COVID-19 patients. San Joaquin County hospitals reported one patient death due to COVID in the 24 hour period ending Wednesday at noon.

Over the past week, the number of COVID hospitalizations has decreased by 30.3%.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com