More COVID vaccines are coming. Will Modesto see more supply?
More COVID-19 vaccines should be coming to Stanislaus County as part of a program meant to get vaccine supplies to local health centers faster.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced a new program that started last week to distribute vaccines directly to select health centers that are funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration. The new vaccines will be in addition to the weekly allocations currently given to each jurisdiction.
The program is meant to “ensure our nation’s underserved communities and those disproportionately affected by COVID-19 are equitably vaccinated against COVID-19,” according to the Health Resources and Services Administration.
Golden Valley Health Centers, which has locations in Stanislaus, Merced and San Joaquin Counties, will be receiving the additional vaccine supply, Chief Medical Officer Dr. Ellen Piernot confirmed to McClatchy Tuesday. That means they will be able to place and receive orders for the COVID-19 vaccine and distribute it to their different locations at Golden Valley officials’ discretion.
The Golden Valley Health Centers already distribute vaccines. But this would mean getting more vaccines directly to the health center, rather than only having a supply from state or local jurisdictions giving it to the health center to then distribute.
Piernot said they will start distributing the additional vaccines within seven days. She did not specify how many more vaccines would be available.
“GVHC expects to receive the same allotment consecutively for the following three weeks, which will assist us in our strategy for equitable distribution of the COVID-19 vaccine to our community,” Piernot said in a statement. “This distribution will continue to follow the current counties recommendations as to who qualifies for vaccination under the current approved state tier system.”
Rep. Josh Harder, D-Turlock, is still looking to confirm that the Modesto facility will receive additional vaccines. He sent a letter to the CDC and HRSA Friday, asking if the Golden Valley Health Centers location in Modesto was one health center that would receive additional vaccines under the program.
“My district has the third highest coronavirus deaths per capita in the state and the current spike in cases has overwhelmed our hospitals,” Harder wrote. “Selecting one of the (community health centers) in our District would help the Administration achieve its goal of serving underserved populations.”
Harder has asked the federal agencies multiple times if the additional vaccines will be sent to the Golden Valley Health Centers location in Modesto as well as centers to the south, but he has not received a response, according to his office.
Stanislaus County staff said at Tuesday’s Board of Supervisors meeting they expected Golden Valley and Livingston Community Health, which also has clinics in Stanislaus County, to boost vaccine supplies through the federal Health Resources & Services Administration program.
Modesto Bee reporter Ken Carlson contributed to this report.
This story was originally published February 23, 2021 at 1:51 PM with the headline "More COVID vaccines are coming. Will Modesto see more supply?."
CORRECTION: A previous version of this article incorrectly said Golden Valley Health Centers had a location in Fresno.
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