First COVID-19 vaccines administered in Merced County, with more doses arriving soon
The first round of COVID-19 vaccination began Friday in Merced County — nine months after the first local case of the highly infectious virus was confirmed.
Since the first local case was reported in March, more than 16,000 residents have contracted the disease. Merced County healthcare workers, starting Friday, were the first to receive protection in the form of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.
The Merced County Department of Public Health on Friday said more doses will be delivered in the coming days and weeks. Vaccination is currently reserved for frontline workers and at-risk individuals.
Friday also marked the first time in a week County Public Health’s COVID-19 dashboard was updated. Reporting had stalled on account of case surges and changes to how the California Department of Public Health processes data, according to County Public Health.
The new data reflected the most up to date local information, as well as new changes to the dashboard.
The county is now reporting new daily cases per 100,000 residents, daily tests per 100,000 and regional ICU capacity. But out-of-county hospitalizations of residents and total hospitalizations during the pandemic are no longer visible.
A post on County Public Health’s Facebook page said the changes are an effort to present the most useful information and better align the dashboard with state data and tier requirements.
Latest Merced County COVID-19 numbers
Four more deaths of Merced County residents were traced to COVID-19, County Public Health reported on Friday. The pandemic has taken 216 known lives locally.
Active COVID-19 outbreaks are reaching new heights. Seven more locations were added to the list on Friday, raising it to 58.
New active outbreaks include: Sierra Cascade Nursery in Ballico, Merced School Employees Federal Credit Union’s main branch, Merced County Human Services Agency’s location at the former Castle Air Force Base, Central California Irrigation District - South, Atwater High, Livingston High and Frank Sparks Elementary School in Winton.
Three or more COVID-19 cases traced to a location within two weeks constitutes an active outbreak. Facilities are cleared when they go two weeks without being tied to a new case.
Friday’s update also reported an additional 215 positive COVID-19 tests. Total cases since the pandemic’s beginning now come to 16,026.
New daily cases on Monday broke the county’s previous all-time high reported during the summer surge. Case rates are now the worst they’ve ever been, according to the county’s top health officer.
Estimated active cases decreased slightly by 54 cases, but still tally higher than any count reported over summer. Active infections, meaning positive test results confirmed within the last two weeks, number 3,135.
The county’s ballooning case rate is reflected in its increasing new daily cases per 100,000 residents and rising testing positivity.
Daily cases per 100,000 resident clocked in at 49.6 on Friday. Merced County must bring that down to seven per 100,000 before state mandated business restrictions are loosened.
Testing positivity grew to 13.9% from 13.2% on Thursday. That metric must decline to 8% or less to allow further economic reopening.
Daily COVID-19 tests are at 641.1 per 100,000 residents, the County Public Health reported.
Local, regional hospital capacity update
In-county COVID-19 hospitalizations tallied 53 as of Friday, according to County Public Health.
Meanwhile, the San Joaquin Valley’s regional intensive care unit availability sank again to 0%. Southern California also remained at 0%.
Of the 24 ICU beds in Merced County only four were available as of Thursday, according to the most recent information reported by the state. That’s three fewer than the prior day.
Statewide ICU capacity dropped again to 2.1% on Friday.
Of five regions across the state, four have triggered the stay-at-home orders that go into effect when an area’s ICU capacity dips below 15%. Only Northern California — home to more rural counties and less than 2% of the state’s population — remains above the critical threshold.
The orders mean in-person dining, even outdoors, must stop and wineries, bars and other businesses must close for at least three weeks. Public health officials say the closures aim to prevent the rapidly spreading virus from overwhelming hospitals with COVID-19 patients.
