Vaccination Appointments Encouraged, Walk-Ups Welcome Too
Getting vaccinated is now easier than ever. San Bernardino County is trying to do everything it can to address challenges with getting your COVID-19 vaccine, and is now allowing walk-ups to its County-operated vaccination sites.
Those with scheduled appointments never have to worry about availability of their dose; but now a portion of doses will be held every day for possible walk-ups. And while walk-up individuals will not need to bring any additional information to a site, they should be prepared to register on site, which will include answering health screening questions.
“While appointments are still strongly encouraged, don’t let the lack of one keep you from visiting a site if you find yourself with extra time,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “Our on-site vaccination teams will do their absolute best to vaccinate every person that shows up. In the rare cases when this is not achievable, the team will work to provide options to the customer to get them vaccinated ASAP.”
Walk-ins may experience longer wait times and availability may vary based on site demand. For a list of sites, visit sbcovid19.com/vaccine and find a location nearest to you.
New Montclair Place site now open for vaccinations
Planning to do some shopping at Montclair Place? Now you can take a few minutes to get in a vaccination. The Montclair Kids Station (upper level, across from Forever 21) is now being used for both vaccinations (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) and COVID-19 testing (Monday, Wednesday, Friday) from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
This schedule may change as testing numbers decrease, meaning that you should check no matter the day if vaccines are available. Walk-ups are welcome, but anyone with an appointment can visit Cinnabon to receive a free 12 oz. coffee with the purchase of any baked good.
 COVID-19 Cases Are Now Mostly Younger Adults
Despite the rapid progress of vaccinations, a months-long decline in new infections and the gradual reopening of much of our economy, COVID-19 — and its variants — remain a threat.
San Bernardino County is still seeing hundreds of new cases every week, but unlike last year, the greatest numbers of new cases involve adults aged 18-34, followed by those between the ages of 35 and 49.
“A considerable number of these individuals, including many who are young and otherwise healthy, will suffer from the coronavirus, and some will require hospitalization,” said Interim Public Health Director Andrew Goldfrach. “Some will even die — which is heartbreaking when one considers how easy it is to schedule a free vaccination appointment.”
We have now reached a point where appointments can be easily made at County-run sites or local pharmacies by visiting SBCovid19.com/vaccine, or calling the COVID-19 helpline at (909) 387-3911, Monday through Friday, from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. And at County-run vaccination sites, walk-ups are now welcome.
“A big part of our effort now is to convince younger adults to take a few minutes to schedule a vaccination appointment,” said Board of Supervisors Chairman Curt Hagman. “The more people who get vaccinated, the fewer infections we will see.”
Johnson & Johnson Single-Shot Vaccine Again Approved for Use
Following a thorough safety review, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have determined that use of the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen (J&J) COVID-19 vaccine should resume.
“After concluding their study, Federal health officials have determined that the benefits of the J&J vaccine outweigh the extremely small risk of blood clotting,” said the County’s Interim Public Health Director Andrew Goldfrach. “They are now advising states to return to inoculating residents with the vaccine.”
San Bernardino County will be making the J&J vaccine available through its mobile clinics, which often target areas or population centers where scheduling a follow-up second dose presents distinct challenges. In addition, local third-party vaccine administrators such as pharmacies and physician practices may be offering the J&J vaccine to patients.
“Though we are offering the J&J vaccine on a limited basis, we nevertheless encourage our residents to receive the shot if it’s offered,” said Goldfrach. “The risk of blood clots is tiny compared to the risks associated with COVID-19.”
On April 13, the CDC and FDA recommended a temporary halt on inoculations with the vaccine "out of an abundance of caution" after six women developed the rare blood clotting condition within two weeks of getting the single-dose vaccine. The cases were both isolated and statistically low — more than 6.8 million Americans have thus far received the J&J vaccine.
While the risk of blood clots or other complications are minimal, Goldfrach advises residents who are offered the J&J vaccine to share information on their medical conditions with their vaccination provider, including if they:
- Have any allergies;
- Have a fever;
- Have a bleeding disorder or are on a blood thinner;
- Are immunocompromised or are on a medicine that affects their immune system;
- Are pregnant, breastfeeding, or plan to become pregnant;
- Are on birth control pills; or
- Have a history of blood clotting problems.
“Don’t hesitate to talk with your vaccination provider and ask any questions you might have,” Goldfrach said. A fact sheet on the J&J vaccine benefits and risks is available on the County website.
Video from San Manuel Band of Mission Indians
Like Other Indoor Entertainment, Empire Bowling Barely Survives Tough Year
Owner welcomes back patrons to nation’s most popular recreational activity
Will Mossontte was scrambling to find ways to cut costs and keep his business — Empire Bowl, an iconic San Bernardino County landmark since the late 1950s — afloat during the worst pandemic in a century.
To begin with, he had no choice but to completely shut down his operation for more than a year: bowling is an entirely on-site activity, and there are no pick up or delivery services for bowlers.
“We never really had any options. The last year has been extremely tough for our industry, and many of our most treasured bowling centers, including some that had operated for decades, have been lost forever,” said Mossontte, who also owns bowling centers in Temecula and Los Angeles County. “Worst of all, we felt like a forgotten member of the local community.”
Refusing to surrender, Mossontte began taking steps to reduce his overhead as revenues immediately dropped to zero. But even when he tried to cut expenses in one area, he found there were regulatory barriers from state agencies simply not prepared to handle the impact of the pandemic.
“For example, since I obviously could not serve alcohol, I tried to get my liquor license temporarily suspended,” he said. “Alcoholic Beverage Control said no luck. I also tried to shut off my water to save money ... but then discovered that without water I’d lose my health permit, which is time consuming to obtain and legally required to operate.”
Mossontte received a big break when he received no-strings funding from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians. Empire Bowl was among the 50 local businesses awarded a $20,000 grant as part of the tribe’s San Manuel Cares $1 Million Small Business Relief Fund, which was created to help small businesses devastated by the pandemic.
“What an incredible gift. It helped us survive and gave us time to plan and prepare for our eventual reopening,” said Mossontte, who was permitted to open Empire Bowl on April 1. He says the response to the reopening has been “fantastic.”
Which is perhaps not surprising. Not only are county residents eager for a return to normal life, but the sport is also the number-one recreational activity in the U.S., with 67 million people going out bowling at least once a year. Those visiting Empire Bowl can be assured their safety is a top priority for the facility’s owner.
“It’s easy to socially distance when bowling,” said Mossontte, “but we have nevertheless taken a variety of steps to ensure the health and safety of both patrons and staff. That includes installing plexiglass partitions between the lanes, thoroughly cleaning the facility between sessions, and regularly sanitizing high-traffic areas and the balls themselves with electro-static guns.”
Mossontte says his biggest challenge now is getting his former employees back.
“We had a group of terrific, well-trained employees when we were forced to close down,” he said. “But many of them had to move on and find other positions during the past several months. Still, I’m confident we will attract the folks we need. A bowling alley provides a more enjoyable working environment than most other occupations.”
 Even With Restrictions Easing, DMV Encourages Taking Advantage of Online Resources
In a sign that good things can come out of our pandemic experience, more and more people are recognizing that most services offered by the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) can now be completed without visiting a field office!
The DMV’s new and improved website offers a wide range of services, including vehicle registration renewals, driver’s license renewals, replacement sticker and registration card requests, and notice of transfer and release of liability. You can also complete your REAL ID application on the website before visiting a field office to save time spent in-person.
Many online services are self-serve, meaning you can complete them on your own from start to finish, while other services are “assisted,” meaning they are completed with the help of a DMV representative – but without a visit to an office. Customers can use the service advisor and chat function on the DMV website to learn their options for completing their DMV business.
Prefer not to complete transactions online? Visit a DMV Now kiosk, conveniently located throughout the county in major supermarkets, or visit a DMV business partner (such as Auto Club) where you can complete some selected transactions for a fee. You can find a complete list of kiosk locations and certified business partners on the DMV website.
As Californians continue to deal with the challenges arising from the coronavirus pandemic, the California DMV remains committed to the health and safety of its customers and employees across the state. Visit DMV.CA.GOV to learn more about taking care of your DMV tasks without visiting an office.
Sheriff Update on Inmates and Employees Testing Positive for COVID
A total of 994 County jail inmates have tested positive for COVID-19 since the outbreak of the pandemic, and three of the inmates are still recovering from the virus. The infected inmates are in isolation, being monitored around the clock, and are being provided with medical treatment. A total of 991 inmates have recovered from the illness.
A total of 1,027 department employees have tested positive for COVID-19 and 1,016 of the 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
295,752 Confirmed Cases (up 0% from the previous day)
4,326 Deaths (up 0% from the previous day)
2,911,840 Tests (up 0.1% 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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