COVID-19 cases are down, while vaccine options multiply in Stanislaus County
Federal, state and county leaders continue to work on ways of vaccinating the public against COVID-19, as coronavirus case numbers trend in the right direction.
Gov. Gavin Newsom announced Wednesday the Oakland-Alameda Coliseum will become a mass vaccination center for the Bay Area in coordination with the federal government. The high-profile site will begin vaccinations Feb. 16.
The stadium, with a sprawling parking lot, is expected to receive a special vaccine allocation from the federal government and could provide 6,000 shots per day.
Newsom said the state is expecting to get 1,060,000 doses of vaccine this week for distribution throughout the state, thanks to the Biden administration’s promise to get more vaccine out to the public.
Community clinics in Stanislaus County could be injecting more residents who are eligible for coronavirus vaccine but are limited by doses allocated by the state. The county was dispensing 950 doses at Wednesday’s clinic at Stanislaus State University in Turlock. It had administered 450 doses by 12:15 p.m., a county spokesperson said.
Following a statewide trend, coronavirus cases in Stanislaus County have decreased over the past two weeks, with the decline measured across all races and ethnic groups, county public health staff said. January was the deadliest month of the pandemic when 212 deaths, or seven per day, were attributed to the dangerous respiratory illness.
Even with the decline, the case rate among Latino residents is 45 percent higher than in the white population. As seen in many other parts of the country, cases recently peaked among the 25 to 34 age group at 700 per 100,000 population in Stanislaus County, which shows outbreaks driven by younger adults in the workforce and through social mixing, staff said.
Pharmacies to vaccinate by appointment
CVS Health said this week it will offer COVID-19 vaccine at 100 pharmacies in California as part of a rollout in 11 states. According to a news release, the participating CVS pharmacies are in Modesto and 18 other cities throughout the state.
A limited supply of 82,000 doses is available for the initial rollout at the pharmacies, but the effort will expand with additional locations as the vaccine supply increases. Other pharmacy chains are expected to get into act in the coming weeks.
Customers who are eligible under the state guidelines will need to register in advance at CVS.com and can start making appointments Feb. 9. Vaccinations, by appointment only, are expected to begin Feb. 11. Eligible residents in this county include health workers and others in Phase 1A and seniors 65 or older.
A CVS spokesperson said participating stores in Modesto will be listed at CVS.com as vaccine shipments are received.
People who typically get vaccinations from their physicians office have waited for vaccine to become more available or the state to relax restrictions on who’s eligible.
In its latest vaccine update, Sutter Health anticipates opening vaccination appointments to its patients age 65 and older later this week. Appointments have been limited to healthcare workers and seniors age 75-plus.
“Vaccinations remain dependent on supply and we’re doing our part to advocate for more vaccine,” Sutter’s update says.
CVS Health said it has made progress with vaccinating residents and staff at long-term care facilities in California, including in Stanislaus County. CVS and Walgreens are involved in a federal effort established under the Trump administration to inoculate vulnerable people in care facilities across the country.
CVS posted data showing 65 percent of first doses have been administered at 14,557 assisted living and other care facilities in California. According to CVS, first doses have been administered at nursing homes assigned to the pharmacy and 81 percent of second doses have been completed.
Walgreens has said it is meeting the terms of the agreement with federal agencies.
Progress with long-term care facilities
Stanislaus County leaders were concerned last month the vast majority of 235 local care facilities had not been scheduled for vaccinations by CVS and Walgreens. The county had concerns it might have to divert resources away from community vaccine clinics to long-term care facilities.
Lonny Davis, owner of eight guest homes for people with chronic mental illness, said Wednesday he started seeing more action from the federal program two weeks ago. All of his facilities in the Modesto area will be finished for the first dose by the end of this week.
The Stanislaus County Health Services Agency is adding a mobile clinic pilot program to its tool box for inoculating residents. A mobile service for people 65 or older will debut next week at the King-Kennedy Memorial Center in west Modesto. It’s designed to bring vaccine to residents in the surrounding neighborhoods who can’t get out to large clinics.
Older seniors with health problems are a persistent challenge for the county’s vaccine effort.
County Spokesperson Kamlesh Kaur said people who aren’t able to stand in long lines are advised to call their primary care provider to inquire about vaccine.
“We plan on adding appointments as an option (for those with medical issues),” Kaur said. But she stressed the large clinics in Modesto, Turlock, Oakdale and Patterson will primarily remain walk-up clinics, first-come, first-served.
“Increasing access to vaccines for our vulnerable population is amongst our main goals and we continue to improve our current sites based on community feedback,” Kaur said.
This story was originally published February 3, 2021 at 2:01 PM.
