Manteca is closing in on 78 percent of those 12 and older being vaccinated against COVID-19.

That reflects 68.3 percent fully vaccinated and 9.9 percent partially vaccinated.

And while that is better than the national average of 64 percent having received at least one dose with 54 percent vaccinated, it pales when compared to Escalon.

Escalon will hit 96.8 of its residents vaccinated when the 11.9 percent that are currently partially vaccinated get their second shot. Right behind is Lathrop approaching 91.2 percent with 79.9 percent fully vaccinated and 11.2 percent partially vaccinated.

Ripon’s combined rate is 70.2 percent with 62 percent fully vaccinated and 8.2 partially vaccinated. Overall Can Joaquin County has 63 percent of those 12 and older at least partially vaccinated with 54.7 percent fully vaccinated,

Statewide, Californians are at 70.2 percent for at least one dose with 57.2 percent fully vaccinated.

In the past two weeks Manteca has recorded four more COVID deaths and Ripon two. The pandemic death toll for Manteca now stands at 128 with Ripon and Lathrop both recording 25 deaths each. There have been 1,544 deaths throughout San Joaquin County since the start of the pandemic in Mach 2020.

New cases have dropped as opposed to two weeks ago. In the past week there have been 94 new cases in Manteca compared to 154 two weeks ago, 20 in Lathrop compared to 54 two weeks ago, 16 in Ripon compared to 26 two weeks ago, 5 in Escalon compared to 14 two weeks ago, 77 in Tracy compared to 137 two weeks ago, 106 in Lodi compared to 129 two weeks ago, and 368 in Stockton compared to 569 two weeks ago.

Manteca Unified now has 76 students and staff positive for COVID-19. That is down from the previous week as well.

As of last week the Manteca Unified COVID dashboard indicated 70 students were positive and 6 staff members.  That is out of more than 26,000 students and staff.

Being positive doesn’t mean a person shows symptoms or will become ill.

Manteca Unified is now working on implementing Gov. Gavin Newsom’s mandate for all school staff to be either vaccinated or submit to weekly testing.

Manteca Unified three weeks ago indicated 69 percent of the district’s 3,000 teachers and support staff were fully vaccinated. That meant roughly 900 teachers and support staff needed to get vaccinated or submit to weekly testing.

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@mantecabulletin.com