Vaccinations Are Here, but COVID-19 Testing Is Still Important
While most of the County’s recent COVID-19 focus has been on launching our vaccination campaign, residents are reminded not to forget the importance of getting tested for the virus, especially in light of new, possibly more contagious variants.
“We’ve seen a notable decline in the rate of testing in recent weeks, yet the need today is as great as ever,” said County Public Health Director Corwin Porter. “This is especially true because of the emergence of new variants of the coronavirus, including one here in southern California that appears to be responsible for a significant number of new cases.”
That new variant, called CAL.20C, was first detected last summer in Los Angeles County. It then spread in November and December during a regional surge in coronavirus cases. Although appearances of the variant have increased, scientists are still unsure whether it is more infectious or leads to more serious health complications than the original virus. Still, Porter said the County is emphasizing caution.
Get tested before any out-of-household gatherings
San Bernardino County is now in the purple tier of the State Blueprint for a Safer Economy, which allows for gatherings of up to 12 people from no more than three households (including your own). But in advance of any such gathering, health officials strongly encourage all individuals to get tested to give everyone valuable piece of mind.
This means that if a group is planning to get together for a birthday party, or a weekend ski trip, it makes a lot of sense for everyone to take advantage of free, convenient testing in the days prior to the event so that everyone in the group can feel comfortable knowing they are safe.
“Getting tested is especially important if you are coming in contact with people outside your immediate household,” said Porter. “Our vaccination program is expanding steadily, yet it’s still essential for everyone to remain vigilant. You absolutely do not want to be the one who spreads the virus to others — especially when we’re making such excellent progress on vaccinations and inching closer toward herd immunity.”
Fortunately, testing is widely available, and there are numerous testing sites located throughout the County, so securing an appointment is not difficult. Testing is available to everyone (including those without symptoms), a doctor’s prescription is not required, and testing is free. Results are shared within about 48 hours.
For more information on testing, and to schedule an appointment, please visit the testing section of our COVID-19 website: https://sbcovid19.com/testing-sites/
County Introducing Senior Mobile Vaccination Clinics
As part of our efforts to vaccinate older residents residing throughout our geographically far-flung regions, San Bernardino County is introducing its new Senior Mobile Vaccination Clinics beginning today in Crestline, and in Lytle Creek and Lake Arrowhead next Monday and Tuesday.
There are plans to have many more such clinics strategically located in each of the five supervisorial districts. Senior Mobile Vaccination Clinics are planned for the communities of San Bernardino, Chino Hills, Colton, Lucerne Valley, Twentynine Palms, Rancho Cucamonga, Chino, Hesperia, Montclair, Trona, Needles, and others.
“Getting our older residents vaccinated as quickly as possible will save lives, relieve strain on our hospitals, and allow us to reopen additional businesses and return to some sense of normalcy,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “San Bernardino is the nation’s largest county, so our vaccination campaign requires establishing sites in a wide variety of different locations. We want to make it as easy as possible for residents to get their shots, which means bringing the clinics to them rather than asking them to commute long distances for their appointments.”
The new mobile vaccination sites will exclusively serve 65+ residents. The County’s Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) is coordinating the scheduling and locations of each clinic, and working with local area community partners in alerting seniors and setting up appointments.
The mobile vaccination vans have been outfitted with vaccines and related supplies. Once established at a location, seniors will be able to walk up for their vaccine, and directed to an area for a 15-minute observation period to monitor for any possible side effects. A second appointment is made for them at the same time.
‘Community Conversation on COVID-19’ Livestream Town Hall Will Offer Latest on Vaccines
San Bernardino County Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. is hosting a “Community Conversation on COVID-19” on Wednesday, Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. This is a virtual community town hall aimed at sharing key information surrounding the vaccine roll-out in the county.
Residents of Supervisor Baca’s district are welcome to attend the event either through Facebook Live, YouTube Live or via a phone conference line. The event is also available in Spanish using a Spanish-specific telephone link (below). The town hall will also allow for submitted questions during the event.
The Community Conversation on COVID-19 will feature industry professionals Dr. Sharon Wang, an infectious disease specialist from Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC), County Public Health Director Corwin Porter, and County Assistant Executive Officer Diana Alexander -- all of whom will provide expert, up-to-date information to participants.
Supervisor Baca will moderate the conversation covering the following topics:
- Vaccine myth busting
- Expert medical advice regarding the benefits and potential side effects of the vaccine
- Resources available to learn more about vaccines
- How and when to schedule an appointment for the vaccine
- How we’re helping hard-to-reach and diverse populations
There are three ways to participate in the Community Conversation on COVID-19 town hall:
Via Facebook Live: @SupervisorBacaJr
Via YouTube Live: https://tinyurl.com/bacajr
Via telephone in English: 669-900-9128; Meeting ID - 824 5205 1039
Via telephone in Spanish: 609-663-4744
For more information about this event, please visit www.sbcounty.gov/bosd5/covidconversation. For ongoing COVID-19 updates and to sign up for vaccine notifications, please visit www.sbcovid19.com.
Sheriff Update on Inmates and Employees Testing Positive for COVID
A total of 968 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 964 inmates have recovered from the illness, leaving only four inmates still recovering.
A total of 1,002 department employees have tested positive for COVID-19 and are self-isolating at home; 982 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
283,356 Confirmed Cases (up 0.2% from the previous day)
2,292 Deaths (up 1.4% from the previous day)
2,385,444 Tests (up 0.4% 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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