In an attempt to eliminate COVID-19, vaccines, masks, social distancing, and hygienic protocols such as handwashing are all being employed as part of the arsenal of weapons against the illness. The battle is ongoing and has accelerated because of the Delta variant surge which officials say is worse than the original. The effort to reach herd immunity is getting harder to reach and County Public Health Officer Dr. Scott Kellerman says it has become increasingly difficult to identify what herd immunity is.

Immunity is reached through vaccination and also by contracting the virus, but he says that it is not clear how many people have contracted the virus and never reported it because they had mild symptoms or no symptoms.
Deputy Health Officer Dr. Glennah Trochet says, because the Delta Variant is different than the original variant, a person who got sick earlier in the pandemic may not have immunity from the newer variant.

Dr. Trochet does say that there is some immunity from surviving COVID, but better immunity is reached when vaccinated.

All medical officials continue to urge people to get vaccinated and those with compromised immune systems to get a booster as well.