First Batch of Johnson & Johnson Vaccines Reach County
Doses Distributed to Hospitals as well as Mobile Clinics for Homeless Population
With the arrival of more than 12,000 doses of the recently approved Johnson & Johnson (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine, San Bernardino County continues our efforts to vaccinate those who are eligible, including launching a concentrated effort to inoculate the county’s homeless population.
The County’s first vaccination event specifically focused on unsheltered individuals was held today at Mary’s Mercy Center in the city of San Bernardino. Doses of J&J have also gone to Loma Linda University Medical Center, Colorado River Medical Center in Needles, and Mountains Community Hospital in Lake Arrowhead.
“Preventing transmission of the virus in congregate care facilities such as homeless shelters is extremely challenging, so vaccinating this population is a high priority for us,” said County Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “Fortunately, the new J&J vaccine offers us enormous advantages in this effort: it only requires a single dose, making it an ideal solution for inoculating hard-to-reach groups.”
The J&J vaccine differs from the other two approved vaccines (Pfizer and Moderna) in that it only requires a single dose. Colorado River and Mountain Communities were selected because the single-dose nature of the J&J vaccine make it ideal for more-remote locations where ensuring timely second doses can be a challenge.
Hagman noted that County agencies and nonprofit organizations are collaborating to establish additional vaccination clinics specifically for homeless individuals.
New vaccine shown to be highly effective
Extensive studies have found the Johnson & Johnson vaccine to be highly efficacious. An analysis by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found it to be 100 percent effective at preventing death from the disease, 85% effective at preventing severe COVID-19 and 72% effective at preventing moderate to severe disease. (By comparison, an annual flu shot is typically 50% to 60% effective.)
The new vaccine was developed using a different technological approach than that employed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, which used what is called “mRNA” technology. Essentially, mRNA is a little piece of genetic code the vaccines deliver to a patient’s cells. The code serves as an instruction manual for the individual’s immune system, teaching it to recognize the virus that causes COVID-19 and attack it, should it ever encounter the real thing.
The J&J vaccine, on the other hand, employs a more traditional virus-based technology that uses a disabled adenovirus to deliver the instructions. The adenovirus — which is not related to the coronavirus and will not give one a viral infection— can deliver instructions to the cells on how to defeat the coronavirus.
A tremendous advantage of the J&J vaccine is, unlike the first two vaccines, it can be stored at normal refrigerator temperature and does not spoil quickly.
“The new vaccine is not only effective, but also can be quickly and easily administered to County residents — including those living in widely dispersed rural communities,” said Hagman. “It will play an invaluable role in helping us reduce illness and getting our lives back to normal.”
Disabled and High-Risk Patients will soon be Eligible for Vaccine
Beginning next week, another group of San Bernardino County residents will become eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccination: individuals aged 16 to 64 whose medical condition puts them at high risk of suffering perilous consequences from the disease.
“Our vaccination efforts have been highly focused on protecting those who are particularly vulnerable to serious illness from COVID-19,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “That includes elderly residents, who are the people most likely to be hospitalized and to suffer severe illness or even death. We are now turning our attention to another such high priority group: individuals with serious underlying health conditions.”
Healthcare providers will be authorized to approve the vaccination of individuals who, in a physician’s professional judgement, are at significant risk for morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Vaccinations will be offered to individuals with one or more of the following severe health conditions:
- Cancer, current with debilitated or immunocompromised state
- Chronic kidney disease, stage 4 or above
- Chronic pulmonary disease, oxygen dependent
- Down syndrome
- Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system) from solid organ transplant
- Pregnancy
- Sickle cell disease
- Heart conditions, such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, or cardiomyopathies (excludes hypertension)
- Severe obesity (Body Mass Index of 40 or above)
- Type 2 diabetes mellitus with hemoglobin A1c level greater than 7.5%
In addition, another group that will become eligible for the vaccines are those with a developmental or other high-risk disability, including:
- Individuals likely to develop severe life-threatening illness or death from COVID-19 infection
- Those for whom a COVID-19 infection will limit their ability to receive ongoing care or services vital to their well-being and survival
- Those for whom receiving adequate (and timely) COVID-19 care will be particularly challenging due to a particular disability
If you believe you are eligible for vaccination under these new guidelines you should first inquire with your health care provider, who might be able to provide vaccinations. If you don’t have a provider, or your provider does not offer vaccination, you can make an appointment on the County’s vaccination website or by calling the County COVID hotline at 909-387-3911. If you make an appointment at a public vaccination clinic or pharmacy, please bring a form of verification of your high-risk medical condition or disability.
“The County is committed to providing a safety net to ensure access to everyone in this at-risk group,” Hagman said.
Virtual Town Hall: Mental Health in the Justice System
“Eliminating Bias: Addressing Mental Health in the Justice System” will be the subject of the San Bernardino Superior Court’s third public town hall meeting on Thursday, March 25, from noon to 1:15 p.m.
During this 75-minute virtual online town hall, leaders within the county justice system will continue an ongoing conversation on bias and community impacts by answering questions and providing information about programs and services available to the public for individuals who suffer from mental illness, their families, and the organizations that serve them.
“We hope that you join the conversation on March 25 and hear about the important mental health programs and services available through our justice partners,” said Presiding Judge Michael A. Sachs.
Opening remarks will be provided by Sachs, with moderation by Judge John M. Pacheco and Judge Winston Keh. Panelists will include Judge Tara Reilly, Judge Michael Knish, Judge Denise Trager Dvorak, and Commissioner Ronald Gilbert.
The panel will also include Dr. Veronica Kelley, director of the County Department of Behavioral Health; Deputy District Attorney Katherine Norman, Deputy Public Defender IV Lisa Slade, Supervising Probation Officer Diana Waitschies, and Probation Officer III Todd Holmes.
“The COVID-19 pandemic has taught us a great deal about gaps in our society, including the lack of priority placed upon behavioral health,” said Dr. Kelley. “The Department of Behavioral Health is pleased to join our partners in the Superior Court in acknowledging the importance of attending to mental health and addiction and identifying the stigma and bias that exists related to both. We can’t change it if we don’t address it.”
Members of the public must register in advance of the event and are encouraged to submit their questions and/or comments to townhall@sb-court.org.
This recently-produced video tells the El Sol story!
El Sol Promotores Helping a Spanish-speaking Community in Fight Against COVID-19
Since 1991, El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center (El Sol) has served vulnerable communities in the Inland Empire, with an emphasis on mono-lingual Spanish speakers, immigrants, and residents with limited-english proficiency.
Through the years, El Sol has engaged and deployed highly trained lay workers as community health workers (CHWs) and promotores de salud. Their CHWs and promotores help the community on many fronts, including improved prenatal care, reduction in child abuse prevention, enhanced social support, strengthening referral systems, improving self-esteem, and psychological functioning.
Update on Inmates and Employees Testing Positive for COVID
A total of 983 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 980 inmates have recovered from the illness.
A total of 1,012 department employees have tested positive for COVID-19 and are self-isolating at home; 1,000 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
288,297 Confirmed Cases (up 0.1% from the previous day)
3,225 Deaths (up 0.8% from the previous day)
2,560,332 Tests (up 0.3% 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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