Coronavirus update: Vaccine supply moving again, nearly 1 million doses headed to California

Shipments of the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna coronavirus vaccines were slowed almost to a standstill last week with severe winter weather impacting much of the nation. But data from the California Department of Public Health on Monday showed the supply of vaccines again is moving.

The number of doses shipped to California last week fell precipitously from 231,075 on Tuesday to 106,080 on Wednesday and to just 4,290 doses on Thursday, which include first and second doses. None went out on Friday.

But there were 406,070 doses shipped on Saturday and another 592,660 doses shipped on Sunday.

The majority of those doses have yet to be delivered, according to the most recent CDPH update, but some valley counties have started to receive vaccines.

A Stanislaus County public health official said they will be reopening vaccination sites on Tuesday, following a one-day hiatus due to delayed shipment. The county has 4,270 second doses available to administer to its residents this week, as well as 4,565 first doses.

Both the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines require two doses, the Pfizer-BioNTech 21 days apart and the Moderna 28 days apart.

Vaccination efforts have lagged in the San Joaquin Valley and there have been glitches in the new state vaccine registration system, but Gov. Gavin Newsom said on Monday that the state is partnering with OptumServe and local counties to open up 11 more vaccination sites within the next week in the Central Valley.

The state also will increase vaccine allocations to the Central Valley by almost 60% compared to last week, with an additional 34,000 doses available to vaccinate food and agricultural workers.

“These are the folks that never took a day off, these are the folks that never complained, these are the folks that wake up every single day and (are) there for the rest of us so we can go about our lives,” Newsom said, at an event in Kern County. “It’s not just Californians who benefit, it’s the folks all across this country and around the world.”

Fresno County has been able to administer 158,017 doses of coronavirus vaccine since they became available in mid-December, or 16,155 doses per 100,000 residents.

Several counties with smaller populations are at much higher rates — San Francisco County with 21,304.6 doses per 100,000, Ventura County with 18,168, and San Mateo County with 22,903.2.

Central Valley new case updates

Fresno County Public Health officials reported on Monday there were 140 new confirmed cases, bringing the total number to 94,374.

With a 7-day average of 187, the county is on track to top 95,000 coronavirus cases by Friday. Only six of the 58 counties in the state have more than 95,000 cases: Los Angeles, San Bernardino, Riverside, San Diego, Orange and Santa Clara.

Fresno County’s death toll is up to 1,367, but the number of patients hospitalized with COVID-19 fell by 32 to 244 and in intensive care by eight to 59.

The CDPH updates from around the central San Joaquin Valley:

Kings County

• 11 new cases; 21,784 total
• 7-day average 35; 14-day 43
• 1 new death; 215 total

Madera County

• 24 new cases; 15,298 total
• 7-day average 30; 14-day 32
• 0 new deaths; 201 total

Mariposa County

• 1 new case; 373 total
• 7-day average 1; 14-day 1
• 0 new deaths’ 7 total

Merced County

• 40 new cases; 28,106 total
• 7-day average 72; 14-day 81
• 0 new deaths; 388 total

Tulare County

• 61 new cases; 46,830 total
• 7-day average 81; 14-day 94
• 0 new deaths; 720 total

Statewide, there were 4,665 new confirmed COVID-19 cases reported on Monday with a total of 3,446,611. The number of coronavirus-related deaths increased by 233 to 49,338.

The test positivity rate, though considerably higher in several Valley counties, continues to fall. On Monday, the 7-day rate in California was reported to be 3.0% and the 14-day rate 3.3%.

In Fresno County, the 14-day rate is 8.8%