Disabled, High Risk Residents Do Not Need to Show Proof of Eligibility for Vaccine
Based on new direction provided by the State, San Bernardino County have made it easier for residents whose medical condition puts them at high risk for serious illness or death from COVID-19 to get vaccinated. Such individuals will not be required to show proof of eligibility when they arrive for a vaccination appointment.
“We want to be very clear: disabled and high-risk residents will only be asked to self-attest to their eligibility; they will not be required to show documentation from a doctor or other healthcare provider,” said Board of Supervisor’s Chairman Curt Hagman. “This decision was made in order to speed the process of protecting our most vulnerable residents.”
Hagman noted that the signed attestation form, available on the County’s vaccine appointment webpage, can be reviewed in both English and Spanish.
Disabled and high-risk individuals should still begin by checking with their own health care provider, who might be able to expedite a vaccination. While some experts warned that requiring people to first receive proof of eligibility from their physician risked overwhelming medical offices with patient requests, Hagman said that was not the top concern for state or County officials.
“Our primary focus is on making sure those most vulnerable to serious illness, or even death, are able to receive a vaccine as quickly as possible,” Hagman said. “Requiring a doctor’s note could create bottlenecks, slow down the process and keep people from getting the shots they need.”
County Museums Announce Their Red Tier Reopening Schedules
San Bernardino County Museum in Redlands will reopen to the public on Thursday, March 18, featuring the long-awaited exhibit, Here Comes the Sun: Solar Science and Spirituality. The exhibit features dramatic, large-scale footage from NASA’s Solar Dynamic Observatory. While in the red tier, a 25% capacity guideline will be followed, including temporarily modified hours: Tuesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Victor Valley Museum in Apple Valley will reopen to the public on Wednesday, March 24, featuring the exhibit Military in the Mojave. The exhibit features artifacts and stories of the role that local residents played during wartime, including USAF Captain Joseph McConnell and Purple Heart recipient Army Lt. Manuel Rodriguez. While in the red tier, a 25% capacity guideline will be followed, including temporarily modified hours: Wednesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
The historic John Rains House in Rancho Cucamonga, will reopen to the public on Saturday,
March 20. While in the red tier, one-hour site tours can be scheduled 24 hours in advance, Tuesday to Saturday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., by calling (909) 798-8608. No drop-in tours will be offered at this time, and small related groups only (no more than 10).
All museum visitors will be required to follow Centers for Disease Control and California Department of Public Health guidelines, including wearing masks over the mouth and nose during the entire visit, maintaining six feet of social distancing, and using hand sanitizer located throughout the museum.
One year ago, the museum adhered to state orders, closed to the public, and reopened for only two weeks in June. During the closure, the museum staff developed virtual and drive-through programming to continue to engage the local community. Proving popular with families, these programs have included Old West Days, Old Spanish Trail Days, Cosmic Nights, Science Spooktacular, and Arthropolooza: The Ultimate Bugfest.
”During the last year, I’ve watched our County Museum staff adapt expertly, with resilience and creativity, in order to continue to serve the public,” said Museum Director Melissa Russo. “We are all thrilled to welcome the public back safely to see our fantastic new exhibits.”
The museum has also developed technology-based interactive exhibits and virtual collections research to supplement the museum’s physical galleries and collections spaces. This digital strategy, SBCM Connect, is currently in beta testing with expected launch by summer 2021.
The San Bernardino County Museum’s exhibits of regional, cultural and natural history and the Museum’s other exciting events and programs reflect the effort by the Board of Supervisors to achieve the Countywide Vision by celebrating arts, culture, and education in the county, creating quality of life for residents and visitors.
For more information, visit www.sbcounty.gov/museum to see the full schedule of activities.
County’s COVID-19 Vaccine Equity Group Works to Ensure Doses for All Residents
The COVID-19 Vaccine Equity group has been meeting monthly to address the issues related to ensuring equitable vaccine distribution and best practices among every population segment of San Bernardino County.
Coordinated through San Bernardino County Behavioral Health and Public Health departments, more than 20 community partners regularly participate in these Vaccine Equity group meetings. The partners include the Inland Empire HIV Planning Council, Young Visionaries, Westside Action Group, Mexican Consulate in San Bernardino, Inland Empire Concerned African American Churches, Rolling Start, Inland Empire Pacific Islander COVID-19 Response Team and the El Sol Neighborhood Educational Center.
In addition, since the beginning of the pandemic, Behavioral Health has held or participated in more than 50 COVID-19 related virtual events with community partners including Loma Linda University Health, California State University San Bernardino, San Bernardino Valley College, and the City of Rancho Cucamonga.
“We are thankful for the opportunity to meet with and listen to community members, and for their willingness to share how they have been uniquely impacted by COVID-19,” said Behavioral Health Director Dr. Veronica Kelley. “This information allows us to pivot our efforts and to ensure all voices are being heard and considered in the community vaccination process.”
Kelley also sits on the state’s Community Vaccine Advisory Committee, alongside California Surgeon General Nadine Burke Harris, MD, and California Department of Public Health and State Health Officer Tomas Aragon, MD. The committee meets weekly to discuss best practices for community engagement, equity and vaccine acceptability. Kelley is the only behavioral health director in the state to have a seat at this table.
The County’s Behavioral Health and Public Health departments have long worked to ensure equitable access to behavioral and physical health care through the Office of Equity and Inclusion (OEI) and Public Health’s Community and Outreach programs. These efforts have resulted in the development of strong relationships with community-based programs and their stakeholders, and with the onset of the pandemic, provided a trusted outlet for communication regarding COVID-19.
“We had anticipated the particular importance in equitable vaccine distribution and the specific difficulties involving that, as well as vaccine hesitancy throughout our community,” said Public Health Officer Michael A. Sequeira, MD. “Through the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity group and other education and outreach programs, we are able to address these concerns to ensure that all regions and groups in our county are informed and choose to get vaccinated.”
For more information on the COVID-19 Vaccine Equity group, email equity@dbh.sbcounty.gov.
Film Lovers Rejoice with Movie Theaters Re-opening
With San Bernardino County now firmly in the Red Tier, movie theaters across the region are now opening their doors again to welcome film lovers, date nights, and families looking to once again enjoy a night out at a movie theater.
Auditoriums are limited to 25% capacity or 100 attendees, but that is still enough to make movie fans excited for the experience that comes with a larger-than-life screen, a darkened auditorium, surround sound, and of course, the smell (and taste) of buttered popcorn.
And with the Oscar nominees announced earlier this week, it gives people a chance to see films on the big screen such as “Nomadland,” “Minari,” “Promising Young Woman,” and “Judas and the Black Messiah,” to name four of the eight films up for a Best Picture Oscar.
One question is whether movie fans themselves will feel comfortable enough to venture into local theaters now that they’ve re-opened. Fortunately, many theater chains have gone to great lengths to ensure their venues are safe.
"The safety and comfort of our guests remains our highest priority and we take this responsibility very seriously," said Amy Leach, a spokesperson for Harkins Theatres which has locations in both Chino Hills and Redlands. "We have many protocols in place to ensure everyone can enjoy their movies in a safe environment."
Among the actions that Harkins and other theater chains are taking include:
- Enhanced cleaning/disinfecting in all common areas such as auditoriums, restrooms, condiment stands, etc.
- Frequent handwashing by employees.
- Employee fever checks and symptom screenings.
- Requiring face coverings for all guests and employees.
“Although movie theaters involve people getting together indoors, the behavior of movie goers is generally fairly benign,” said the County’s Director of Public Health Corwin Porter. “Viewers usually keep their masks on throughout the film, they largely remain quiet during the show, and they typically all face the same direction.”
For many people, going back to the movies will be a sign of normalcy not seen in a year. “With continued safety precautions and the growing number of people getting vaccinated, we can all be excited about the direction we’re headed,” said County Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman.
“Theater owners and operators are being responsible and taking care to keep their facilities clean and healthy,” Hagman said. “But it’s also important for patrons to do their part. People should continue to wear their masks, keep their distance from the other patrons, and wash their hands thoroughly. Everyone needs to do their part.”
Update on Inmates and Employees Testing Positive for COVID-19
A total of 985 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 982 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; 1,002 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
289,242 Confirmed Cases (up 0.1% from the previous day)
3,619 Deaths (up 1.1% from the previous day)
2,609,720 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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