Here’s how, when Stanislaus County will offer COVID vaccine for children age 12 to 15
Stanislaus County plans to provide the Pfizer coronavirus vaccine to adolescents at public clinics but can’t begin to do that until Thursday, health officials said.
The FDA expanded the emergency authorization for Pfizer vaccine to young people age 12 to 15 on Monday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will meet Wednesday to consider recommendations for administering the two-dose vaccine to that younger group.
Mary Ann Lilly, director of the county Health Services Agency, told county supervisors Tuesday the agency plans to serve adolescents at a vaccine clinic in west Modesto on Saturday. Details will be announced.
After the final hurdles are cleared, the county expects to offer the Pfizer vaccine to middle school and high school students at mobile clinics in the community and will possibly hold dispensing pods at school sites. The county is phasing out its stationary vaccine clinics in Modesto, Oakdale and Patterson, which will stop providing first doses before closing this month.
Health care providers will be another source of vaccine for adolescents. Sutter Health of Sacramento as of Monday wasn’t booking appointments for adolescents.
Lilly said the state’s My Turn online system is supposed to be ready for scheduling adolescents Thursday.
Health experts have supported the expanded authorization to offer a layer of protection for middle school and high school students before they return to school in the fall.
About 1.5 million cases of COVID-19 were reported in the 11 to 17 age group to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention from March 1, 2020 to April 30, 2021. Health agencies have found that adolescents usually have milder symptoms of COVID-19.
Those supporting vaccine eligibility for young people say it builds on efforts to prevent coronavirus infections and control the spread of COVID-19 illness, and could restore some stability to education for students.
“Getting teens vaccinated supports a return to a more normal life for children in this pandemic,” said Kamlesh Kaur, a spokesperson for the county Health Services Agency. “They have already had a difficult time with many disruptions to school.”
Kaur said the vaccinations will help ensure a better school year for students with fewer disruptions and school closures due to COVID-19 outbreaks.
A survey of 1,258 parents conducted by the Invisibly polling firm found caution among parents about COVID vaccinations for their kids. About half of parents said they would eventually have their kids vaccinated but only 26 percent would get it done right away.
Diane Bone, who has a daughter at Somerset Middle School in Modesto, said she will wait and carefully consider a COVID vaccination for her child.
“She is gluten-free and has a couple issues with food allergies,” Bone said. “We will have to talk with her physician. I think if parents are vaccinated, they are going to be for their kids to get vaccinated. I think the percentage will be high.”
The Pfizer coronavirus vaccine is administered in two doses, some 21 days apart, which is the same dosing process for adults who get the vaccine.
The county’s progress with COVID vaccinations
County officials are trying other ways to increase the population that’s vaccinated against COVID-19 disease. County public health vaccinations at stationary and mobile clinics totaled 5,542 in the week ending May 8, a drop from 8,803 and 8,231 in the previous two weeks.
About 52 percent of county residents age 16 and older have received at least one dose and 31 percent are fully vaccinated. County staff released data showing 80 percent of seniors 65 and older have received at least one shot and 45 percent the full vaccination.
The vaccines provided by county clinics, health care providers and pharmacies have reached 40 percent of adults age 18 to 49, with 24 percent in that age group fully vaccinated.
The county will try to improve on vaccination rates among Latinos, 23 percent of whom are vaccinated, and African Americans (22 percent).
The California Department of Public Health reported that 25 percent of adults have not decided whether to roll up their sleeves. The “undecideds” include 39 percent of African Americans and 36 percent of Latinos.
Dr. Julie Vaishampayan, county public health officer, told supervisors some people who decline vaccination figure to get a natural infection over with and become immune to COVID-19.
Vaishampayan said people who contract the illness risk hospitalization and death and are more likely to be reinfected, compared to those who are vaccinated. As many as 30 percent who are sickened by COVID-19 have chronic symptoms, such as racing heartbeat or exhaustion, for months.
Supervisor Terry Withrow asked county staff if more outside vendors could be utilized for the immunization program.
Lilly said the health services agency works with two outside vendors and the state could provide additional staffing assistance to help with targeted vaccination events.
County stays in the red tier
On Tuesday, the state updated the county’s transmission data that determines the level of regulations for businesses and public activities.
Stanislaus remains in the red tier or the second highest level of state-imposed restrictions. Its adjusted case rate was 10.3 per 100,000 population, and the county’s test positivity rate in disadvantaged communities rose to 5.5 percent.
According to a state data chart, the county has not met the qualifications for moving to a less restrictive tier, so it will remain in the red tier at least for two more weeks. Ten other California counties are in the red tier signaling substantial spread of coronavirus; 38 are in orange representing moderate transmission and nine are in yellow with minimal transmission.
No counties are in the most restrictive purple tier.
This story was originally published May 11, 2021 at 11:39 AM.
