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KPBS Midday Edition

With The State Reopen But Herd Immunity Not Met, What Is The COVID-19 Infection Risk?

A disposable face mask discarded on a hiking trail in Balboa Park, Aug. 2, 2020.
Alexander Nguyen
A disposable face mask discarded on a hiking trail in Balboa Park, Aug. 2, 2020.

Following the end of most of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions, many Californians are beginning to drop their masks as they go about their daily lives.

But the threat of COVID-19 still remains.

RELATED: As California Reopens, Some Unvaccinated People Feel Left Behind

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A significant portion — 37% — of San Diegans are not fully vaccinated, according to the county's dashboard, and while 75% of eligible residents have at least one dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, all children younger than 12 remain unvaccinated.

While the county is inching closer to the goal of herd immunity, how will the reopening and the current infection rate affects the risk for spreading the disease? And, what risks do COVID-19 variants still pose?

Rebecca Fielding-Miller, an epidemiologist and assistant professor at UC San Diego in the Division of Infectious Disease and Global Public Health, joined KPBS Midday Edition Wednesday to answer that question and more.

Following the end of most of the state’s COVID-19 restrictions, many Californians are beginning to drop their masks as they go about their daily lives. But the threat of COVID-19 still remains. Plus, the city of San Diego will soon have a new resource for families to turn to for support. City Councilmember Raul Campillo talks about the goals of the new Office of Child and Youth Services. And after more than 160 years Black independence day, otherwise known as Juneteenth, is on its way to becoming a Federal holiday. How San Diego is commemorating the day that the last enslaved Americans learned they were free. Then, how has the San Diego County sports landscape fared since the Chargers left San Diego in 2016? Also, tips to help your dog adjust as you head back into the office after remote working. Finally, “In the Heights” opened last week. It serves up a rare commodity: a big budget Hollywood musical created by a Puerto Rican American, directed by an Asian American and featuring a racially diverse cast. Could this herald a change in Hollywood?