Disabled, High Risk Residents Do Not Need to Show Proof of Eligibility for Vaccine
Other Sectors Open for Vaccinations Include Food & Agriculture, Education and Childcare
Based on new direction provided by the State, San Bernardino County has 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 are not required to show proof of eligibility when they arrive for a vaccination appointment.
“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.
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.
Other sectors still accepting vaccine appointments
Others currently eligible for the vaccine include individuals working in any role in the Food and Agriculture Sector from CA Essential Workforce list. This sector also includes any employee working in a restaurant, food delivery and veterinary services.
Other sectors previously opened for vaccines include persons working in education and childcare, all those age 65 and over, social workers, public transit workers, utility workers, and anyone working in health care or emergency response.
If you believe you are eligible for vaccination under these guidelines, you can make an appointment on the County’s vaccination website. If access to the website is a challenge, or you need personal assistance, call the County COVID hotline at 909-387-3911, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Public Health Director Corwin Porter Honored Upon Retirement
County Appoints ARMC’s Andrew Goldfrach as Interim Director
The Board of Supervisors and others praised and honored Public Health Director Corwin Porter today for his 33 years of public service, 32 of them with San Bernardino County, as he approaches his long-planned retirement on March 27.
“Corwin has worked tirelessly to protect the health of our county community for more than three decades, and for the past year he has been the calm and steady voice of the county’s effort to overcome COVID-19,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “It’s hard to think of anyone who deserves to finally hang up his coat and tie more than he does. We wish Corwin and his family all of the best.”
The Board of Supervisors appointed Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) Chief Operating Officer Andrew Goldfrach to serve as interim public health director upon Porter’s retirement. Goldfrach has been a key coordinator of the county’s successful COVID-19 vaccination program.
Porter has served as the director of the county Department of Public Health since May 2020. He previously served as assistant public health director and as chief of the department’s Environmental Health Services Division. He began working for the county part-time in 1987 while going to college. He worked for Riverside County for one year in 1990 and then returned to San Bernardino County in 1991.
“I feel a great deal of appreciation for the opportunities I have had to make a difference and leave a positive impact. I have gained so much from my years of service, perhaps much more than I gave,” Porter said.
“Corwin displayed exceptional leadership throughout the course of this pandemic and is a true public servant,” said Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Dawn Rowe. “While it will be difficult to lose someone as talented as Corwin, I have great confidence in Andrew’s ability to lead our Public Health Department. San Bernardino County residents are fortunate to have such dedicated healthcare professionals working on their behalf.”
“Corwin helped our County navigate turbulent and uncharted waters over the course of the past year, and I truly appreciate his willingness to step into that role in the middle of a pandemic,” said Second District Supervisor Janice Rutherford. “Corwin has lead with integrity, compassion, intelligence, and common sense. He is a good, good person and we will miss him.”
"Corwin Porter stepped into his role as Director of Public Health during the most serious public health crisis in a century,” said First District Supervisor Paul Cook. “His dedication, expertise, and leadership helped save lives and guided San Bernardino County through challenging and unprecedented times."
“We are saddened to see Corwin retire from the Department of Public Health after 32 years of excellent service,” said Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr. “In his tenure, he was able to build a culture of integrity and quality while developing staff to pursue leadership positions. I want to thank him for his leadership, guidance and availability to the community during COVID-19.”
“Corwin’s character and his dedication to our county community and organization serve as a model that all of us who will continue to carry the public service torch would do well to emulate,” said County Chief Executive Officer Leonard X. Hernandez.
“What a journey this has been,” Porter said. “I will miss those I have worked with, cried with, and laughed with as we worked through some very challenging times along this road. I leave with gratitude and appreciation for the opportunities I have had to serve the residents of this vast county, and I appreciate the trust that was placed in me, as well as the support of a wonderful county structure full of talent.”
State Recognizes County’s Success in Vaccinating Residents
New Agreement Affirms County will Continue Operating Vaccination Sites, Mobile Clinics
San Bernardino County has reached an agreement with the California Government Operations Agency that confirms the County will continue to play a central role in vaccinating its residents. The agreement ensures our local inoculation campaign will continue — and even accelerate — without disruption.
“The new agreement acknowledges our success in getting people vaccinated quickly and recognizes the crucial role we are playing in providing vaccines to our underserved communities,” said Board of Supervisor’s Chairman Curt Hagman. “In short, our own vaccination efforts will continue without interruption.”
Though the impact will be largely imperceptible to residents, the new arrangement will benefit the County by relieving officials of the need to determine vaccine allocations to various independent providers.
Currently, the Department of Public Health receives the County’s entire allotment of vaccines, which it then distributes to area hospitals, pharmacies and physician practices (while maintaining an adequate supply for County-run vaccination sites and mobile clinics). Under the new agreement, the state and Blue Shield will be responsible for supplying doses directly to these providers, allowing the County to concentrate on its own vaccination efforts.
“In the new system, we no longer have to invest time and effort determining how best to distribute the vaccines to multiple providers,” said Hagman. “We can now focus entirely on our own vaccination program.”
Residents who qualify for the vaccines are still encouraged to visit the vaccination page of the County’s COVID-19 website to schedule an appointment. The page will continue to provide links to local hospitals, pharmacies and doctor’s offices offering shots, along with various County-run sites.
Jovi’s Diner Survives the Pandemic, with Help from the Community
Like many restaurant owners, the past year has been the most challenging that Jovanna Rodriguez has ever faced. Now that she is able to reopen Jovi’s Diner, she thinks back in appreciation to the tangible assistance she received during this trying period.
The experience, in fact, has reinforced her faith in the power of community and goodwill. “Although we’ve been through some extremely hard times, I have found that when we help each other, we can get through even the most difficult circumstances,” she said.
Jovi’s Diner is a San Bernardino restaurant that serves breakfast, lunch and Mexican food from 6 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day. Like the vast majority of restaurants in the County, Jovi’s Diner was hit hard by restrictions imposed to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Reacting quickly to the shock of closing
“At the beginning, we were really in shock; we asked ourselves ‘is this really happening’?” Rodriguez said. But like others in her position, she moved quickly to adapt. She purchased an outdoor tent that allowed people to wait in their cars while staff delivered meals to them, ‘car hop’ style, and which later provided shade for guests eating outside. She bought plexiglass dividers to separate indoor booths and protect staff and customers paying at the cash register. She invested in outdoor furniture, patio heaters, new signage, and a large supply of face masks, latex gloves and sanitizer.
A major difficulty, according to Rodriguez: the seemingly constant revision of the state’s re-opening rules and guidelines.
“We were allowed to be open, then closed, then opened for outdoor service, then closed again. These continuing changes made it much harder for us to plan and adapt our business to the situation,” she said. But what was particularly painful for Rodriguez was having to lay off staff.
“We had to let about 40% of our people go, which really hurt,” she said.
Vandals intensify challenges
Then, in late May, another challenge emerged. A few of those protesting the death of George Floyd devolved into rioters, some of whom vandalized and ransacked her restaurant.
“We had eight or 10 people come in and steal virtually anything of value — our internet/camera system, the cash register, the credit card machine. The rioters broke both of our front doors, forcing us to close until we could get them replaced. In addition, they damaged a couple of our booths, which also had to be replaced,” she said.
Help from the community
Fortunately for Rodriguez, she was able to obtain some assistance from the local community. For example, she quickly signed up for the County’s COVID-Compliant Business Partnership Program, which not only provided a welcomed infusion of cash, but also helped by sharing advice on thoroughly cleaning her facility and creating a safe environment for customers and staff.
“That was really useful,” she said. “The money was helpful, of course, but we also appreciated the tips and suggestions.”
Even more helpful was a generous gift from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. Jovi’s Diner was among the 50 local businesses each awarded a $20,000 grant as part of the tribe’s San Manuel Cares $1 Million Small Business Relief Fund. The fund was created to help small businesses operating on the Tribe’s ancestral lands that were devastated by the pandemic.
“We are so grateful to the San Manuel Band,” she said. “The tribe’s gift was a crucial factor in helping us survive the tribulations of the past year. It was a great blessing.”
Now that the County has moved into the Red Tier, permitting some indoor dining, the biggest challenge facing Rodriguez is hiring and training staff.
“We were not able to get all our former employees back; they didn’t have the luxury of waiting around for several months to get their old jobs back, but instead had to get on with their lives,” she said. “Now we not only have to hire new people; we also have to train them. It takes about a month for them to get fully up to speed. But we’re becoming more confident about our future prospects.”
Latest Stats
289,892 Confirmed Cases (up 0% from the previous day)
3,704 Deaths (up 0.3% from the previous day)
2,649,578 Tests (up 0.2% 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.
|
