Becerra and Ghaly also reflected on what the past few years have taught them about equity and talked about planting the seeds for a more robust health care system.
Here are five main takeaways from the event.
1. Vaccine rates are picking up, but they鈥檙e still low
Although Becerra said the outlook for COVID-19 is far better than it was when the Biden administration took office at the beginning of 2021, he noted that between 300 and 400 people a day in the U.S. are still dying from the disease.
鈥淚f we had a jetliner in America crashing every day, killing everyone on board, we'd be talking about how we're going to change our aviation industry or finding out what's going on,鈥� he said.
In response, Becerra said it鈥檚 crucial for everyone to get vaccinated. He noted the people who are dying of COVID aren鈥檛 up to date on their vaccines or didn鈥檛 get the shot in the first place. 鈥淎nyone you're planning to hug or kiss during these holidays, I hope they and you are vaccinated,鈥� he said.
In California, Ghaly said more people are picking up the pace when it comes to getting the updated COVID booster. He said on Wednesday of this week 40% more bivalent boosters were given than the seven-day average of the week before.
鈥淐alifornians are starting to get the message,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hey're starting to see the real reality of the threat.鈥�
According to the , 18.3% of Californians have received the bivalent booster. The number is higher for Sacramento County, at almost 21%.
2. We鈥檙e still not utilizing enough COVID treatment
Ghaly said that while vaccines and mask-wearing are powerful tools, , or forgo, treatments for COVID, like Paxlovid, which must be taken within five to seven days of symptom onset.
He said for people who are at high risk, 鈥済etting early treatment can really not just save their life, but really save so much of the symptoms and difficulty of those initial days of infection.鈥�
Other California health officials have recommended that all residents over 50 years old to get care early if they come down with COVID.
3. Mental health care and harm reduction are federal priorities
The pandemic has , leading to people leaving their jobs and widespread stress in the healthcare field.
鈥淚 have spoken to clinicians who are burnt out but have to continue forward because there are people who are on the edge,鈥� Becerra said.
He and Ghaly both highlighted investments made by state and federal agencies to beef up, recruit and retain health care workers.
Becerra added society needs to continue to de-stigmatize mental health issues and substance use disorder. He said health workers aren鈥檛 the only ones whose stress levels have been taken 鈥渢o the nth degree,鈥� referencing record numbers of drug overdoses and the teen mental health crisis.
He said the federal government鈥檚 new strategy on drug overdose prevention is harm reduction: 鈥淪o it's not just prevention and treatment, but it's trying to reduce the harm that someone can cause themselves while they are using,鈥� he said.
As for putting the focus on mental health, Becerra said he鈥檇 be taking President Joe Biden鈥檚 lead.
鈥淗e said we should be treating behavioral health, mental health, in the same way we treat physical health,鈥� Becerra said. 鈥淭here should be no prejudice or discrimination or lack of equal treatment because of a mental health concern.鈥�
4. Inequality persists, especially in booster uptake
Becerra said he was proud of the way the federal government 鈥淸erased] the disparity in vaccination between Black and Brown communities and the white community,鈥� by making vaccines free and doing outreach. 鈥淲e went to where they were and they responded, and that's what we intend to do again.鈥�
In California, Ghaly said there is 鈥渘early a 22% difference鈥� between high and low socioeconomic groups when it comes to getting the updated booster.
鈥淚f we deluded ourselves that we could wake up in the throes of a global pandemic and catch up on issues like equity and disadvantage and distrust of a health care delivery system, we've been dissuaded against that idea,鈥� he said.
Ghaly said that the California state Legislature鈥檚 decision to allocate $300 million annually to local public health departments was an important step in making health care effective at the block-by-block level.
5. Just because California鈥檚 state of emergency is ending, doesn鈥檛 mean COVID is no longer serious
California鈥檚 COVID state of emergency is slated to lift early next year. In October, the state of emergency would end on February 28, 2023.
When it was first implemented, this response encompassed more than 600 provisions, but many of those have been phased out over the past 18 months.
Ghaly said the state鈥檚 two priorities are maintaining the flexibility of care that the state of emergency provided (including telehealth and utilization of different staff) and the flexibility of space usage.
However, just because the state of emergency is ending, doesn鈥檛 mean Californians should stop getting COVID boosters or taking the virus seriously.
鈥淲e avoid the strain and difficulty on ourselves, our families and the health system by doing our part,鈥� he said.
The federal state of emergency is still in place and Becerra said it will remain there until the authorities it grants are no longer crucial to dealing with the crisis.
鈥淲e can see the light at the end of the tunnel,鈥� he said.
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