County Pulls Off First Mass Vaccination Event
Officials focusing on vaccinating older residents
San Bernardino County completed its first mass vaccination event on Tuesday, delivering initial doses to 3,235 people — primarily residents aged 65 and over — and successfully signing them up for a follow-up shot on March 2.
The vaccination event was held at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana. The speedway is also where people will return for their second dose.
County officials, who are expecting to receive another 21,000 doses of the COVID-19 vaccines next week, confirmed that their top priority now is administering the vaccines to residents aged 65 and over.
“The data are clear: the elderly are much more likely to require hospitalization and not survive COVID-19, so our focus now is on getting them inoculated as quickly as possible,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “Tuesday's event at the speedway not only resulted in more than 3,200 people getting vaccinated, it also served as a valuable learning experience for all of us.”
Hagman noted that while the event triggered considerable traffic congestion around midday, the County was able to work with the Highway Patrol to make necessary adjustments.
“Though we experienced some hiccups, we responded quickly and ultimately were able to make significant progress toward vaccinating many of our most vulnerable residents,” he said.
County officials are also asking those who secure appointments to future events to adhere to the provided instructions, such as not arriving more than 15 minutes prior to their scheduled appointments.
“Arriving too early increases traffic congestion while having no impact on your ability to actually receive a vaccine,” Hagman said. “Our people are committed to staying as long as necessary to ensure everyone with an appointment receives a shot.”
Status of vaccinations through Phase 1A
The County has largely completed its vaccination of frontline health workers and others in Phase 1A of the vaccination distribution schedule. In addition, County firefighters and law enforcement personnel have all been afforded an opportunity to receive the vaccination.
The County has also authorized vaccinations for private school and public school teachers who are currently providing in-person instruction or who will be providing in-person instruction before the end of the 2020-2021 school year. Vaccination appointments for teachers who meet these criteria can only be made through their schools or school districts. Appointments for teachers cannot be made through the County website nor can they be made by calling the County’s COVID-19 hotline.
Private schools and public school districts will make arrangements with their local hospitals for these vaccinations. The County will supply these hospitals with the necessary doses.
“This process will ensure that eligible teachers will be served while reserving other appointment avenues for our senior population,” Hagman said.
The County will conduct more super-site events and stand up additional neighborhood vaccination clinics when supplies from the State become larger and more reliable. A list of all vaccine providers, along with links for setting an online appointment, can be found at https://sbcovid19.com/vaccine/locations/. Individuals having trouble with online registration can call the county’s information hotline at 909-387-3911 from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Friday.
In addition to the County’s Public Health vaccination sites, hospitals, pharmacies and private physician practice partners, this week the State of California opened an OptumServe vaccine clinic at Ayala Park Community Center, 18313 Valley Blvd. in Bloomington that will be open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. OptumServe has a Helpline for people who need assistance making an appointment 1-877-218-0381 and the call center is open from Monday through Friday 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
County Opening Two New Vaccination Locations for Desert Communities Next Week
Two new appointment-only County vaccination sites will open next week in Victorville and Joshua Tree to serve desert community residents. They are specifically open for those aged 65 and over.
The Victorville location is at the Hook Community Center located at 14973 Joshua Street in Victorville and the second location is at Copper Mountain College located at 6162 Rotary Way in Joshua Tree. Information on appointments and hours of operation will be announced soon.
Like all County sites, both first and second doses will be given at these sites.
NFL Star Returns Home to Help County Fight the Pandemic
Minnesota Vikings running back and San Bernardino High School graduate Alexander Mattison is returning to San Bernardino County to help in the fight against COVID-19.
Mattison, a former football, wrestling and track and field star at San Bernardino High School, is serving as a spokesperson for the County’s vaccination effort. The bilingual athlete has filmed public service announcements in both English and Spanish encouraging residents to get vaccinated.
“As football players, we protect one another on the field,” Mattison says in the new ad, the first of which is in Spanish. “Off the field, as neighbors, we need to protect our community. Don’t stay on the sidelines. Get the vaccine to help you and our community stay healthy and win the battle against COVID. Stay healthy, San Bernardino County.”
The ads will run on ESPN Deportes (in San Bernardino County) during the Super Bowl, and in upcoming weeks on Spectrum and other broadcast and online media outlets.
“This is a very exciting development in our ongoing battle against the coronavirus,” said County Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “We’ve long been proud of Alexander for his achievements in the classroom and on the field. Now he is making his mark through contributions to the community.”
Mattison was a star running back for the San Bernardino High Cardinals, rushing for 2,017 yards and 26 touchdowns in his junior season and 2,057 yards and 22 touchdowns in his senior year. He was also a wrestler and a high-profile track star, competing in the 110-meter hurdles, the 100-meter sprint, the 200-meter sprint, the long jump and the shot put. He was the Mountain Valley League champion in the 110-meter hurdles his senior year.
Mattison played for the Boise State University Broncos before being drafted by the Vikings.
“Alexander is not merely a superb athlete; he also was an outstanding, straight-A student who mastered both English and Spanish in his school’s Dual Immersion program,” said Hagman. “He is an impressive role model in his hometown community and elsewhere, and we are grateful for his assistance in this effort.”
Public Health Officials Urge Caution this Super Bowl Weekend
While many recognize Super Bowl Sunday as a veritable national holiday, San Bernardino County health officials are urging residents to avoid behaviors that could lead to another spike in COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations.
“We are just beginning to recover from a major spike that we largely attribute to recent holiday gatherings, so we’re asking people to take steps to avoid further spread of the virus,” said Public Health Director Corwin Porter. “It‘s really not that hard to enjoy the game safely.”
Porter is echoing advice from the Centers for Disease Control, which notes that the safest way to celebrate the Super Bowl is to gather virtually or only with the people in your own household.
Safe options include outdoor gatherings where guests can view the game on a big screen while staying 6 feet apart, or a virtual watch party, which might include creating a text group so you can comment on the game in real time.
“We understand that these options are not ideal, and that people would much prefer enjoying the big game in their usual fashion,” Hagman said. “But these are not usual times, and the pandemic is still raging. So please, do what you can to protect your friends and neighbors and help us get through this difficult period. The more cautious everyone is, the sooner we can get back to normal.”
Sheriff Update on Inmates and Employees Testing Positive for COVID
A total of 947 County jail inmates have tested positive for COVID-19. Many of the inmates are only experiencing minor symptoms of the virus. The infected inmates are in isolation, being monitored around the clock, and are being provided with medical treatment. A total of 928 inmates have recovered from the illness.
A total of 989 department employees have tested positive for COVID-19 and are self-isolating at home; 913 employees have recovered from the virus. Other employees are expected to return to work in the next few weeks. It is unknown when or where the employees were infected with the virus. The department continues to encourage all department members to heed the warnings of health officials.
Latest Stats
275,960 Confirmed Cases (up 0.2% from the previous day)
1,966 Deaths (up 2.6% from the previous day)
2,245,059 Tests (up 0.6% from the previous day)
For more statistics from the COVID-19 Surveillance Dashboard, click the desktop or mobile
tab on the County’s sbcovid19.com website.
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