Looking for a COVID vaccine shot? Merced County online tool maps out options
Merced County launched a “Vaccine Finder” on Friday to help connect residents with COVID-19 vaccine options.
The new tool, at finder.vaccinatemercedcounty.com, takes the form of an interactive map where users can search for available vaccination clinics in their area by using filters to narrow results by community, appointment vs walk-in and insurance requirements.
“The Board of Supervisors are continuously working with staff to make it as easy as possible to receive vaccines in Merced County,” Merced County Supervisor Daron McDaniel said.
The Vaccine Finder is updated periodically to ensure all public clinics are included.
Residents are still encouraged to sign up at www.vaccinatemercedcounty.com to be notified of future availability and appointment options.
Residents without Internet access can call the Public Health information line at 209-381-1180 to request an available appointment.
Merced County reports one new death
The Merced County Department of Public Health reported one new COVID-19 related death on Friday, bringing the total of fatalities to 413 since the start of the pandemic.
There were 51 new COVID-19 cases in the county, raising the total numbers of residents infected by the virus since the start of the pandemic to 29,376.
There are 940 county residents estimated to be actively infected — a drop of 175 since Monday.
The number of residents hospitalized in Merced County due to the coronavirus is 16 — with one person in the ICU.
According to the state, Merced County hospitals had nine ICU beds remaining as of Friday.
Merced County has a positivity rate of 5.6%, indicating the level of people among those tested who had a positive result. That’s a decrease from 6.2% last week.
California theme park, ballpark limits to ease
California health offiicals announced Friday that outdoor ballparks, stadiums, and theme parks will be allowed to open with reduced capacity, mandatory mask mandates and other COVID-19 safety restrictions on April 1.
“With case rates and hospitalizations significantly lower, the arrival of three highly effective vaccines and targeted efforts aimed at vaccinating the most vulnerable communities, California can begin gradually and safely bringing back more activities, especially those that occur outdoors and where consistent masking is possible,” said Dr. Mark Ghaly, secretary of the California Health and Human Services Agency.
Outdoor events will still be subject to restriction based on county tiers.
Outdoor sports and live performances with fans and other attendees are eligible to begin on April 1. In the most restrictive purple tier, capacity will be limited to 100 people and attendance restricted to regional visitors. Advanced reservations will be required, and no concessions or concourse sales will be allowed.
In the red tier, capacity will be limited to 20% and concession sales will be primarily in-seat. In the orange tier, capacity will be limited to 33%. In the yellow tier, the least restrictive, capacity increases to 67%.
Regardless of tier, attendance at outdoor sports and live performances will be limited to in-state visitors.
Amusement parks, which are currently only allowed to open in the yellow or orange tier, will be able to reopen in the red tier beginning April 1. In the red tier, capacity will be limited to 15%. In the orange tier, it increases to 25%, and then 35% in the yellow tier. Attendance will also be limited to in-state visitors.
Around the Valley
Fresno County : Reported 130 new cases, over 96,000 cases to date; 22 additional deaths, 1,488 to date.
Stanislaus County: 124 new cases, 50,926 to date; 2 new deaths, 957 to date.
Kings County: 31 new cases, 22,150 to date; no additional deaths, 227 to date. State prisons in Avenal and Corcoran have experienced more than 7,200 of those cases and 17 of the fatalities.
Madera County: 32 new cases, 15,540 to date; no additional deaths, 214 to date.
Mariposa County: No new cases, 395 to date; no additional deaths, seven to date.
Tulare County: 40 additional cases, 48,203 to date; two additional deaths, 770 to date.
Valleywide, almost 212,000 residents have been infected with COVID-19 over the past year, including 3,119 who have died.
The Fresno Bee and Sacramento Bee contributed to this report.
