You’re 20 times more likely to get COVID if you don’t get the vaccine, Fresno doctor says
A person who is not vaccinated is 20 times more likely to get the deadly COVID-19 virus than a person who accepted the shots, a Fresno doctor said on Thursday.
It’s a stark wake-up call to anyone still hesitant to get the vaccine or waiting to get the vaccine brand of their choice. Officials have urged people to get whichever vaccine — Pfizer, Moderna, or Johnson & Johnson — is available first.
The vaccines have also shown effectiveness against the newest variants of the virus that have reared their ugly heads in California and Fresno County, according to Dr. John Zweifler, a consultant working with Fresno County Public Health.
“If you’re not vaccinated, your chances of getting COVID are 20 times more than someone who is vaccinated,” he said. “We’re also seeing that by getting vaccinated, you’re much less likely to transmit the virus.”
Zweifler went on to say the practices health officials have been preaching for a year are also best practices for the new variants. That includes masking, hand washing, social distancing, and avoiding indoor crowds until vaccinations are widespread.
Fresno County continues to creep closer to 100,000 cases of the virus and nearly 1,600 deaths since the pandemic began and overran hospitals.
Fresno County has received 403,000 doses of the vaccine through Thursday, according to health officials, but there are many more options than just the county clinics.
Many primary physicians may have the vaccine, as well as massive multi-county agencies like Kaiser Permanente or CVS Pharmacy, health officials have said.
Regardless of what is available, get the vaccine as soon as possible, according to Joe Prado, community health division manager for the health department.
“We want everyone to get vaccinated. All three vaccines are safe and effective,” he said. “There is vaccine out there today.”
Officials have noted vaccinations are the best way to get back to some level of normalcy in Fresno County, allowing businesses to return to the economy and for schools to be up and running.
More than 18 million doses have been distributed across the state, including 3.6 million in health equity ZIP codes, officials say.
As of Thursday, anyone older than 50 can sign up for a vaccine in Fresno County, making them the latest demographic to be added to the growing list.
Anyone 16 and older can begin to sign up on April 15.
Where to get a vaccine
California has set up the My Turn website, myturn.ca.gov, as a way to notify folks when they are ready. Some clinics will let you sign up right away online, and others will call you for scheduling.
Fresno Fairground Clinic appointments become available every Monday between 7 a.m. and 8 a.m. at the My Turn page, officials say. Reedley College also uses that website.
But there a number of other proactive ways to get a shot.
There’s CVS’s site, www.cvs.com/immunizations/covid-19-vaccine, that shows what’s available at any of its locations.
Smaller clinics like Curative’s location in Selma can be found at curative.com, and Clinica Sierra Vista’s www.clinicasierravista.org has locations in Fresno and Bakersfield.
The African American Coalition runs a clinic at Gaston Middle School that targets underserved communities. To see if you qualify, call 559-312-8044.
The COVID-19 Equity Project at Fresno City College takes people first come, first serve. Appointments are available through My Turn too. More info at www.fresno.ucsf.edu/cep.
Sierra Pacific Orthopedics Clinic in Fresno is taking appointments for the drive-thru clinic at www.spoc-ortho.com/covid-19-vaccine.
Saint Agnes Administrative Center Clinic has its own drive-thru clinic. Look for it at www.samc.com/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine-appointments.
There are also smaller clinics in Calwa, Del Rey, Mendota, and Tranquility. They are listed on the FCDPH website.
