Merced County to get first COVID-19 vaccines early as Thursday, health officials say
The long-awaited COVID-19 vaccine is finally expected to arrive in Merced County this week, according to the county’s top health officer.
The extra-cold refrigeration units that preserve Pfizer’s vaccine at about minus-70 degrees Celsius will be ready for shipments by the end of Wednesday, County Public Health Officer Dr. Salvador Sandoval told the Sun-Star.
A delivery of 975 Pfizer vaccine doses are expected on Thursday or Friday.
“Those are targeted to the hospitals. They’re going to be particularly for high risk, high exposure staff like emergency room (and) intensive care unit (workers),” Sandoval said.
“We’re trying not to overwhelm our hospital system. If we have workers getting sick and unable to care for patients, we’re in a bad place.”
Once the vaccines are delivered to hospitals, the clock starts ticking. Pfizer doses must be administered within five days of being removed from extreme-cold refrigeration.
Hospital employees receiving vaccines will be staggered, so not to overly reduce staff while hospitals are already stressed by ballooning COVID-19 patients.
Although vaccination is not mandated for healthcare workers, Sandoval said it is strongly recommended.
The next vaccine shipment will be for at-risk individuals, like skilled nursing facility residents. These high-risk locations, where elderly and immune system-compromised patients are cared for, have accounted for many of the nation’s COVID-19 deaths.
Merced County’s general public should anticipate an available vaccine by spring or early summer, Sandoval said.
Sandoval emphasized that the vaccine’s safety is backed by science and copious testing on thousands of patients.
Like many vaccines, including the seasonal flu, temporary discomfort is normal. These side effects, Sandoval said, are far preferred to actually contracting the virus.
“I think what’s going to happen with these vaccines is people who are reluctant will change their mind as time goes on,” Sandoval said. “We’re really in a dire situation with the numbers that we’re seeing, the danger of overrunning our hospitals.”
Conversations with health officials in counties where the vaccine already arrived show it is being well received, Sandoval said.
Health officials are keeping a close watch on the handful of more extreme incidents, like the three individuals in Britain and Alaska who had allergic reactions.
Recipients can also self report any post-vaccine side effects to the Center for Disease Control with the V-Safe app.
Latest Merced County COVID-19 numbers
Merced County’s COVID-19 dashboard, which contains the most up-to-date local numbers, remained stagnant on Wednesday. The dashboard was last updated Friday.
The reporting gap is apparently due to the case surge and changes in how the California Department of Public Health processes data, according to County Public Health.
County Public Health released limited numbers updates in an emailed news release on Wednesday.
Total COVID-19-caused deaths now stand at 212, according to the release. That’s five new fatalities since Friday.
The county’s caseload since the pandemic’s start tallied 15,601. Of those, 3,174 are presumed active. Active cases are estimated via the number of new positive tests during the last two weeks.
The state’s dashboard is still reporting data for Merced and other counties. However, in the past there have been discrepancies or delays between Merced County’s dashboard and the state’s numbers.
The most recent CDPH’s data showed 548 new positive cases in Merced County on Tuesday. If accurate, this marks the highest single day case count for the county. The prior record was set Aug. 14 at 521 cases, according to the state.
The state’s update to county reopening tiers on Tuesday showed 99.9% of the state, including Merced County, is grouped into the strict purple tier. Only three counties (Mariposa, Alpine and Sierra) occupy less stringent tiers.
Merced County’s new cases per 100,000 residents over a seven day average increased to 45.8 from 37 one week ago. Testing positivity, meaning the percentage of residents screened for the virus over the past week who test positive, grew to 12.9%.
Novel coronavirus case rates are the highest ever seen -- even higher than the summer wave, Sandoval said.
Like preceding holidays, recent case spikes have been tied to Thanksgiving gatherings, Sandoval said. With Christmas and New Years just weeks away, Sandoval urged the public to celebrate safely.
“I‘ve seen so many tragedies where people said ‘let’s get together, like for Father’s Day,’ and they have a teacher and two brothers die,” Sandoval said. “Too many avoidable tragedies, and i think our guard is let down during these holidays.”
Residents are strongly advised to wear a mask in public, social distance and avoid gathering with members of other households.
“We can celebrate twice as hard after the vaccine,” Sandoval said. “Just hold out a little longer. We’re seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.”
Hospital capacity worsening in Merced County, statewide
California Department of Health’s most recent numbers for county hospital capacity also showed concerning updates in Merced County.
As of Tuesday, three more COVID-19 patients were checked into intensive care units. Just seven of the county’s 24 total ICU beds were available as of the update.
County Public Health’s limited Wednesday update reported that 107 residents are hospitalized for the virus. In-county hospitalizations account for 54 of those.
“We’re on thin ice,” Sandoval said of ICU capacity. “It could be a bad night that puts us over. It’s something that we have to be watching carefully.”
Four of California’s five regions are now subject to stay-at-home orders. The Bay Area was the most recent addition, as its regional ICU availability dropped below the critical 15% threshold.
Only Northern California has evaded the orders, which closed bars and wineries and ended in-person dining — even outdoors. The affected regions account for more than 98% of the state.
Just 4.1% of ICU beds are free statewide.
This story was originally published December 16, 2020 at 5:48 PM.
