Coronavirus update: Fresno to get mass vaccination site, but what about more vaccine?

Fresno will host a mass COVID-19 vaccination site similar to others that have opened around the state, in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco. But, available site aside, California continues to have a severe shortage of vaccines that must be addressed, Gov. Gavin Newsom said.

“We need to see that ramped up,” Newsom said, during a Monday news conference at a mass vaccination center in San Diego. “We’re going to need to see more doses coming into the state of California in order to keep these mass sites operational and to keep things moving.”

The supply of vaccine is so short that Fresno County officials had to close a vaccination site at the county fairgrounds three weeks ago.

County public health officials also said they are expecting to receive only 8,000 doses a week for the foreseeable future, and the Fresno City Council passed a non-binding resolution to ask the Biden administration to improve the flow of vaccines, bypassing state officials.

In Fresno County 89,285 doses of COVID-19 vaccines have been administered, according to the California Department of Public Health. That is fewer than less populated San Francisco (115,986 doses), San Mateo (104,820) and Ventura (98,467) counties.

Newsom said Monday that the state received a little more than 1 million doses last week and the next weekly shipment from the federal government will be only slightly larger.

Many of the vaccination sites in the state are using their supply for second doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, rather than administering first doses to eligible residents that includes those more than 65 years old, health care workers and some essential workers.

In California 4.7 million of the 7.0 million doses delivered have been used, the 68.2% the lowest of any state in the West, according to the Bloomberg Vaccine Tracker. Only 9.6% of the population has received at least one dose of vaccine, and 2.1% is fully vaccinated.

Updates from the Central San Joaquin Valley

There were 671 new coronavirus cases reported by Fresno County officials in a late Monday afternoon update, bringing the total to 91,184. There also were 30 new deaths, and 1,254 since the start of the pandemic.

The update includes cases and deaths from Sunday and Monday.

The CDPH reported:

Madera County

• 43 new cases; 14,850 total
• 7-day average 51; 14-day 61
• 0 new deaths; 143 total

Mariposa County

• 0 new cases; 355 total
• 7-day average 2; 14-day 2
• 0 new deaths; 5 total

Merced County

• 96 new cases; 26,977 total
• 7-day average 108; 14-day 138
• 0 new deaths; 362 total

Kings County

• 24 new cases; 21,180 total
• 7-day average 67; 14-day 85
• 2 new deaths; 194 total

Tulare County

• 171 new cases; 45,520 total
• 7-day average 154; 14-day 180
• 0 new deaths; 645 total

Statewide, the CDPH reported 10,414 new COVID-19 cases and a total of 3,346,340. The 7-day and 14-day averages are 12,519 and 15,013. There are 208 additional deaths and a total of 44,150.

The test 7-day average positivity rate has dropped to 5%, the lowest it has been since mid-November.

In the U.S., there are now well over 27 million confirmed COVID-19 cases, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. It also is counting 465,072 deaths.

First known case of COVID-19 variant detected in Davis

The first case of a coronavirus variant first seen in the United Kingdom has been confirmed in Davis, according to officials with Healthy David Together and the UC Davis Genome Center.

The variant is more contagious than COVID-19 and public health officials have predicted it will spread rapidly in the United States, doubling in relative frequency about every 10 days.

“Given that the B.1.1.7 variant has already been found in Southern California and the Bay Area, it is not surprising that it has now been detected in Yolo County,” said Dr. Aimee Sisson, Yolo County Public Health Officer, in a statement.

“However, detecting this more infectious variant locally is a reminder that even though case rates are declining in Yolo County, we must maintain our vigilance and continue using protective measures against coronavirus. Masking, distancing, and avoiding indoor gatherings are as important as ever, and will continue to be critical until most of the population has immunity. We cannot let down our guard.”

The person with the COVID-19 variant is in isolation.

The variant has been detected in 33 states. It was first reported in the U.S. in Colorado in late December, then two days later in San Diego by scientists at UC San Diego.