Fresno County gets massive boost in coronavirus vaccine doses; mobilizing clinics

Fresno County more than doubled its allotment of coronavirus vaccines this week.

County public health officials had expected to receive 8,000 doses of the two vaccines for distribution — equal to the amount it received last week. Instead, it received 19,000 doses, which it will work to distribute over the next seven days.

Officials weren’t exactly sure the reason for the increase, or if they can expect a similar allotment next week. Local officials have requested the state to inform them about how much vaccine they will receive over the next four weeks, which would help with distribution plans.

“We’re just making some assumptions at this time,” Joe Prado, community health division manager for the health department said in a call on Tuesday.

The next two weeks will be key for vaccine distribution in Fresno County, as health officials look to mobilize into rural areas.

The county ran a clinic in Orange Cove on Tuesday. Officials have plans for another in the Lanare/Riverdale area Thursday, offering vaccines for those over 65 years old.

Sierra Pacific Orthopedic is working to mobilize distribution into the foothill and mountain communities by early March.

“We really have to decentralize the access to these vaccines,” said Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County’s interim health officer.

The county has trained hundreds of providers to administer the vaccines. It plans to get more than 20 vaccination sites up countywide in the coming weeks — more than the number recommended by the state for the county’s population.

That includes a new site at Gaston Middle School in southwest Fresno.

The county is seeing high rates of return on the 94,000 doses it has been given so far. Of those residents who got first doses at the Fresno Fairgrounds, 94% are returning for second doses, Prado said.

Sierra Pacific Orthopedic is seeing similar numbers. It is administering second doses this week and expects to see 850 to 900 patients each day.

It will reopen to the public, offering first doses to those 75 year or older, by appointment, on Feb. 22.

Few details on mass vaccination site

As of Tuesday, county health official said they had not heard any official word on a mass COVID-19 vaccination site Gov. Gavin Newsom announced would be coming to Fresno.

Fresno submitted the Save Mart Center as a location that could be used as a mass site, according to Fresno City Councilmember Miguel Arias. It was the only location Fresno offered up.

The site would be similar to others that have opened around the state, in Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, and would add to the county’s allotment of available vaccine doses.

“Every little bit helps and this will help a whole lot,” Vorha said.

Especially for those who are currently in eligible tiers, but unable to get appointments to be vaccinated.

“My heart goes out to those folks.”

County health officials said they like the idea of the Save Mart Center as a possible location, because of its freeway and parking access, but have yet to hear whether a decision has been made. An announcement is expected later this week.

COVID numbers falling, but hospitals still at or near capacity

As of Tuesday, the county has seen 91,430 positive cases of the coronavirus and 1,258 deaths, including 34 over the weekend.

There are currently, 378 patients in area hospitals due to COVID-19. As projected, that number is falling, Vohra said. That number topped 500 at the start of the month.

“And that certainly is a relief.”

Still, area hospitals remain at or near capacity with other patients, he said. “Things are still busy.”

No new variations reported in Fresno

Researchers on Monday announced the COVID-19 variant B.1.1.7, originally found in the United Kingdom, had been confirmed in the Sacramento area.

So far, there is no evidence of new coronavirus strains in Fresno County, Vohra said.

Of course, Fresno County doesn’t have lab capacity to look for variant strains, either. The county has requested help from the state to test for variants and should have extra data within the next few weeks.

Around the Valley

Tuesday’s coronavirus updates from counties in the central San Joaquin Valley included:

Fresno County: 246 new cases, 91,430 to date; Four additional deaths, 1,258 to date.

Kings County: 45 new cases, 21,342 to date; two additional deaths, 199 to date. Nearly 7,100 of the cases in Kings County, and 17 deaths, have been among inmates at state prisons in Avenal and Corcoran.

Madera County: 25 new cases, 14,857 to date; five new deaths, 189 to date.

Mariposa County: No new cases, 380 to date; no additional deaths, five to date.

Merced County: 85 new cases, 27,509 to date; no new deaths, 367 to date.

Tulare County: 249 new cases, 46,382 to date; 10 additional deaths, 661 to date.

This story was originally published February 9, 2021 at 3:55 PM.